Movies, Music, and Irish Roots - theHumm March 2020

Movies, Music, and Irish Roots - theHumm March 2020

By John Pigeau

It’s March, so by the time you’re reading this it’s either spring or spring is just around the corner. That, I submit to you, is as great a cause for celebration as St. Patrick’s Day. This month, luckily, you can celebrate both! March is cool that way.

It seems to me that to most folks who aren’t Irish, St. Patrick’s Day has always been, well, just a really fun night to go to the pub and celebrate good cheer and maybe hoist a Guinness or two with friends. But it turns out there’s far more to St. Patrick’s Day than green milkshakes and dancing leprechauns and the luck of the Irish — in fact, St. Patrick’s Day has a storied and intriguing past.

Curious to learn more? Join Blair Kerr at the Smiths Fall Heritage House Museum on March 8 for a presentation called All in Good Craic? in which she traces the history of St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland and uncovers what it reveals (or doesn’t) about broader Irish beliefs, identity, and group power dynamics.

Kerr, who is originally from Smiths Falls and is a cultural specialist with a B.A. in Folklore and Religious Studies from Memorial University in Newfoundland and an M.A. in Popular Culture Studies from Brock University, will discuss St. Patrick’s Day’s from its origin as a religious feast day to its transformation into a celebration of Irish nationalism and ancestry. You may even learn a bit of Irish Gaelic along the way.

“Our area is rich in Irish ancestry,” explains Leisa Bell, Museum Administrator, “and we are truly excited to learn a little more about Irish culture and St. Patrick’s Day from someone as knowledgeable as Blair.” The talk begins at 1pm and the cost is $10, which includes a complimentary Guinness or an Irish Coffee.

Luck of the Irish or not, there will be a whole lot more cultural activity at the Heritage House Museum in March. As part of their March break activities, there will be a St. Patrick’s Day Children’s Program on Tuesday, March 17 with crafts and games, including a scavenger hunt for gold coins, leprechaun slime, some rainbow relay events and more. “We love hosting March Break events for the kids. This year we have a little adventure and a little luck planned for this St. Patrick’s Day themed program,” says Bell.  

The day’s activities run from 9am to 3pm and are for children aged 6–12. The cost is $20 per child. Kids should dress for the fickle mid-March weather, as some of the activities may take place outside, and everyone is asked to bring a packed lunch, although an afternoon snack will be provided. You need to pre-register for this event by contacting the Museum at 283–6311 or heritagehouse@smithsfalls.ca . They also respond to messages sent via their Facebook page.

The Museum is gearing up for those of you with children, as they’ve planned “A Warm Victorian Winter Welcome” chock full of March break activities, to keep all those young hearts and minds happy and busy during the week off. Give them a call for more details.

Movies are best watched on the big screen, don’t you think? And if you haven’t seen the film Bombshell on the big screen, you’ll have the chance on March 20 and 21 at Movie Night at the Station Theatre. The Smiths Fall Community Theatre presents the film, starring Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie. Directed by Jay Roach, Bombshell is based on the accounts of women at Fox News who set out to expose CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment. By all (or most) accounts it’s a hard-hitting, timely, powerful film with brilliant performances from its deeply talented cast. Andrea Dorfman’s Flawed — a charming little film about very big ideas — will play before the feature film. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, payable by cash at the door, and the box office opens at 6pm. Get there early and enjoy the show!

Another powerful film comes to Smiths Falls on March 26, as Film Night International presents By the Grace of God at the Station Theatre. Directed by François Ozon, By the Grace of God stars Melvil Poupaud, Denis Ménochet and Swann Arlaud as three survivors of a Catholic priest’s abuse who, as adults, set out to expose the sexual abuse hidden by the Catholic Church. The film is French with English subtitles. There is a 2pm matinée and an evening screening at 7pm. Single tickets, if available, will go on sale at the box office ten minutes before screening time. They are $12, with all profits being donated to the Smiths Falls Public Library. If you’re interested in season passes for Film Night International, please call the Smiths Falls Library at 283–2911.

There will be what sounds like a truly exceptional concert happening at the Station Theatre on March 28, when the Smiths Falls Community Theatre kicks off its 2020 music series with a show by the Sam Kirmayer Sextet. You can find more details on page 13 of this issue, but I can assure you that jazz lovers won’t want to miss it!

 

The Magical Imagination of Mária Moldován - theHumm March 2020

By Sally Hansen

Art… and Soul

The mere mention of Transylvania anywhere in the Anglosphere immediately conjures up the occult adventures of Dracula. Having never met anyone from Transylvania before, your intrepid arts reporter was both mesmerized and intimidated by my utter lack of knowledge of the background of this month’s featured artist from Arnprior.

Mária Moldován’s astonishing art is as unfamiliar as her background — and just as fascinating. This accomplished and multi-talented artist weaves he......

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Maple Marches into the Valley! - theHumm March 2020

By Sarah Kerr

March! I can’t believe it! We’ve made it through the darkness and are heading to the light — with longer days and spring just around the corner. I find March is a favourite month of mine, not just because it’s my birthday month, but it’s also Nowruz (Persian New Year on spring equinox) marking a new year, a fresh start, spring!

I love planning March with kids because its full of maple goodness; there’s still snow but lots of sunshine to get the sap running. The beginning of the agricultural seaso......

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The Ten Collective
Third Annual Exhibit of Paintings
- theHumm March 2020

In April 2018, ten Mississippi Mills artists held their first show, expecting 500 people to visit. By the end of the two-day exhibit, more than 1,200 had attended the show and visited the town. In 2019 attendance increased to 1,600. Visitors came from Mississippi Mills, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and Toronto. The artists were overwhelmed and sold many of their paintings. It was also very busy weekend for the local restaurants and stores.

“The overwhelming success of the last two shows and......

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Youth Homelessness in Lanark County - theHumm March 2020

By Submitted Maureen Running and Nancy Chevrier, Social Justice Committee, CFUW Perth and District

In 2020, youth homelessness continues to be a difficult and complex problem across Canada. In Lanark County youth homelessness is often invisible but is nevertheless very real. Man......

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Onion Paper and Ashes - theHumm March 2020

By Angie Arendt

We were standing next to our lockers waiting for the bell to ring before heading into Typing I for an hour of the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog, hoping that today would be the day......

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Kanata Choral Society
An Afternoon of Music & Fun
- theHumm March 2020

Once a year, members of the Kanata Choral Society present an event that is filled with light music to entertain not only an adult audience but also the younger generation. The title of this year’......

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More Music at MERA - theHumm March 2020

By Trina Conboy

With two appearances at MERA last year, you would think that we would give James Keelaghan a rest for a while. That’s what we thought too, until we got a last-minute chance to host him and Jez Lo......

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MVTM: New Fibre and Textile Art Award! - theHumm March 2020

The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum (MVTM) is proud to launch the first KDS Fibre and Textile Art Award to recognize excellence in fibre and textile art. It’s been created as a showcase of......

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A Rough Start: Tales of Lower Town - theHumm March 2020

On Sunday, March 22, the Kanata North Concert Series presents an afternoon of stories and song, venturing back to a time when a shiner meant more than a black eye and Ottawa was the toughest......

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Deep Roots Food Hub - theHumm March 2020

By David Hinks

Carp-area physician Dr. Barry Bruce is a tireless advocate for local food production and healthy living. At the recent Seedy Saturday event in Almonte he engaged passersby at the very professiona......

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MMLT “Tick Talk” and AGM - theHumm March 2020

On Wednesday, March 25, the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust (MMLT) invites everyone to attend “Keeping pace with the risk and spread of tick-borne diseases in Ontario and Quebec” — a presen......

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Stand-Up and Take Notice! - theHumm March 2020

By Article submitted Vicki Graham, standup comic wannabe. Vicki lives in Merrickville and is active in her local theatre group. A retired Bank Manager and breast cancer survivor (two things you don’t ass

I always enjoy going through the Humm monthly. While looking for a winter adventure, I came across an article promoting stand-up comedy. I jumped at the chance, and for the last four weeks, seven......

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Maple Tale: A Brief History of Fortune Farms - theHumm March 2020

By Ray Fortune

Once again the maple syrup season is here. After a wet dreary January it’s great to look forward to Spring and the taste of fresh maple syrup.

This will be the 47th year of making maple syru......

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Meet Federal Green Party Candidate in Carleton Place
- theHumm March 2020

By Barb Purdy

To take on the climate emergency, we need to inspire voters and volunteers to join us, the Green Party first responders. What are the best ways for us to work hard and work smart together?

Pl......

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Dance for Your Health!
- theHumm March 2020

On Saturday, April 25 Eddy and the Stingrays return to the Almonte Civitan Club for the annual Spring Dance in support of Almonte General Hospital – Fairview Manor Foundation. Swing to the c......

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Gold Discoveredin Lanark County! - theHumm March 2020

By Jill Carty

When you live a peaceful and tranquil life amongst the natural beauty and maple trees that capture the essence of the Lanark County countryside, the seasons serenade you with the renewal, growth,......

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Welcome Springwith some Upbeat Jazz! - theHumm March 2020

The Station Theatre is proud to welcome the Sam Kirmayer Sextet for the first concert of their 2020 music series. Based in Montreal, Sam is a guitarist and composer who has recorded two albums: O......

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ADHS Presents Noises Off
- theHumm March 2020

By Elizabeth Golding is a grade 12 student at ADHS

Come see Almonte and District High School’s latest play, and don’t forget the sardines! This year ADHS will be performing Noises Off, which was written by Michael Frayn in 1982. It was during a t......

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Finding (You)the Perfect Book - theHumm March 2020

By Christine Row

Libraries and bookstores offer a special service that online retailers cannot mimic: connecting people to the perfect book. In the book world, this connection is called “readers’ advisory service......

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Garden Workshops - theHumm March 2020

The Almonte Library is offering several Saturday morning workshops to help you green up your garden this spring. The first one takes place on March 14 from 10am to noon, when local grower Sa......

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Birding — Not Just for Birders! - theHumm March 2020

Birding (or birdwatching) is one of the fastest growing hobbies in North America, with one in five adults participating. It is both a science and a hobby that gives participants an excuse to trav......

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Learning in Almonte Inspires Author - theHumm March 2020

By Glenda Jones & Pat McLaughlin

Sometimes all it takes is encouragement and validation to get creative juices flowing. For Pat McLaughlin, newly published poet, taking a Learning in Almonte course on creative writing with Phil ......

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Einstein’s Restaurants
(or, the Valley eats at Valley Eats!)
- theHumm March 2020

By Sebastian Weetabix

The word restaurant derives from soups sold “to go” in marketplaces. As we know them, restaurants date to the time of the French revolution. Today the term restaurant covers a very wide range of ......

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Don’t Say That! - theHumm March 2020

By Glenda Jones

Old Nellie has been in the barn all winter and she’s getting spring fever, so it’s time to saddle up the old girl and get on my high horse for a trot around the countryside. Riding can be a pain ......

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Marg Graff & SchoolBOX North
- theHumm March 2020

By Sarah Kerr

Almonte’s hometown charity, SchoolBOX, is celebrating the ETFO social justice award-winning teacher Marg Graff for her service and dedication in helping us create Indigenous Learning Centres......

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Movies, Music, and Irish Roots - theHumm March 2020

By John Pigeau

It’s March, so by the time you’re reading this it’s either spring or spring is just around the corner. That, I submit to you, is as great a cause for celebration as St. Patrick’s Day. This month,......

...more

Art News Around the Valley - theHumm March 2020

By Miss Cellaneous

Fibre Fling Show & Sale

Out-of-the-Box Fibre Artists will be celebrating their annual Fibre Fling Show and Sale on April 3 and 4. This event will showcase ove......

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Seedy Sunday in Perth - theHumm March 2020

Believe it or not, spring is just around the corner — and the Perth Farmers’ Market would like to help you get ready. Maple sap will be flowing, the snow will melt, and it will soon be time to st......

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TheHumm’s Daily Dose for March 28, 2020
Support Almonte Merchants, Get Out and Run, and Stay Healthy with Modern Thymes
- theHumm March 2020

Destination Almonte has created a wonderful online resource for folks wanting to support their local merchants. At destinationalmonte.com......

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TheHumm’s Daily Dose for March 27, 2020
Art Kits for continued creativity, and original art in exchange for ordering books!
- theHumm March 2020

JB Arts in Almonte and Art & Class in Perth are both offering a creative way to stay creative: custom art kits that can be delivered or picked up! In Almonte, you can email jeff@jbarts.ca and......

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TheHumm’s Daily Dose for March 26, 2020
Good food for dinner, the history of Fortune Farms, and Mississippi Mudds-wear.
- theHumm March 2020

If you find yourself running out of flour (or inspiration), why not order dinner tonight from The Good Food Co? Petra writes: “We are trying to keep food waste and traffic into the storefront to ......

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TheHumm’s Daily Dose for March 25, 2020
Bubbles & Bites, YouTube Yoga, and band banter with Blackie & the Rodeo Kings.
- theHumm March 2020

Good news! Artizen Kombucha is teaming up with friends to deliver an assortment of delicious goodies made right in Perth. They write: “Our small rural town boasts incredible culinary creativity a......

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TheHumm’s Daily Dose for March 23, 2020
Online yoga, delivering groceries to seniors, and a virtual April Humm!
- theHumm March 2020

Starting today (Monday, March 23), Carp’s Yoga & Tea Studio will be offering their daily schedule of yoga classes LIVE online since the studio is temporarily closed due to Covid-19. Find out ......

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In Memoriam
- theHumm March 2020

By Kris Riendeau

Shaun McLaughlin Former Mayor of Mississippi Mills

In his “County Curmudgeon” column that ran in the December 2002 issue of theHumm, Shaun McLaughlin wrote: “‘Fight the good fight’ is a phra......

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