Hazy shade of summer
Audiences were treated to the first ever local performance by roots favourites Gillian Welch and David Rawlins, as well as a host of acts from across North America and the world.
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A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene.
Legacy performers from the first years of the fest included folk icon Bruce Cockburn, bluegrass duo Cathy Fink & Marcy Marx, guitarist David Essig and spoken-word artist Peter Paul Van Camp.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
Fred Penner opens the 50th Winnipeg Folk Festival at Birds Hill Park on Thursday.
The weekend wrapped up with Winnipeg diva Begonia, R&B legend Mavis Staples and acclaimed soul-pop outfit Lake Street Dive.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Folk fans soak up the sun on Sunday afternoon.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
British indie-rock duo Supalung performs at Big Bluestem stage on Sunday afternoon.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
The smoky air doesn't stop most audience members from shaking their tailfeathers.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
The Green Ash stage is packed on Sunday.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Stephen Fearing (left) and Tom Wilson of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Jake Vaadeland and the Sturgeon River Boys played the Snowberry Field stage Sunday.
JOHN WOODS / FREE PRESS
Stephen Fearing (left) and Tom Wilson of Blackie and the Rodeo Kings
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Vancouver Sun
20 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Trump announces Kennedy Center honorees and says he will host award ceremony
Washington — U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday named 'Rocky' star Sylvester Stallone and country music great George Strait among the recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors, as he pursues a controversial overhaul of the storied arts venue. Since returning to office in January, the Republican leader has declared war on what he calls 'woke' viewpoints espoused in the nation's cultural institutions, including a fresh probe of content at several Smithsonian museums. The Kennedy Center, a living monument to the late John F. Kennedy that opened in 1971, has long enjoyed bipartisan support but has been in the president's crosshairs, and he appointed himself board chairman in February. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'We have completely reversed the decline of this cherished national institution,' Trump told reporters at the stately white marble complex overlooking the Potomac River. 'We ended the woke political programming.' Also receiving the Kennedy Center Honors, one of the nation's highest arts awards for lifetime achievement, will be disco diva Gloria Gaynor, rock band KISS and British actor Michael Crawford, known for Broadway's 'Phantom of the Opera.' Trump announced he himself would host the awards gala, which usually takes place in early December and is later broadcast on CBS. 'I did not insist, but I think it will be quite successful,' he said. Trump said Wednesday that he was 'about 98% involved' in choosing the honorees. He also joked that he wanted an honor himself but was 'never able to get one.' Stallone, who at 79 is the same age as Trump, is a three-time Oscar nominee: for best actor and screenplay for the 1976 classic boxing flick 'Rocky,' and for best supporting actor, again in the Rocky Balboa role, in the 2015 follow-up 'Creed.' Trump called Stallone a 'great actor.' He is also a major Trump supporter and one of the president's 'Hollywood ambassadors' along with Jon Voight and Mel Gibson. In November 2024, at a post-election event at Trump's Mar-a-Lago compound in Florida, Stallone called him 'the second George Washington.' Strait, 73, is one of the best-selling musicians of all time, with more than 120 million records sold. He is known for huge hits like 'All My Exes Live in Texas' and 'Amarillo by Morning.' 'He's a good looking guy. Hope he still looks like that,' Trump quipped. Gaynor, 81, is the singer behind the monster disco anthem 'I Will Survive.' KISS, formed in the 1970s in Trump's hometown New York City, gained fame with its shock rock performances and outlandish black and white face paint. 'They work hard, and they're still working hard,' the US president said. Crawford, 83, made his mark on British television in the 1970s before achieving international success by originating the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical 'Phantom of the Opera,' thrilling audiences with his powerful tenor voice. 'I think he's one of the greatest talents I've ever actually seen,' Trump said Wednesday. In his first term, from 2017 to 2021, the Republican president skipped the Kennedy Center Honors gala because some of the artists receiving awards criticized him or said they would not attend in his presence. The Kennedy Center is home to the National Symphony Orchestra and also offers theater, opera, comedy and other productions. Many artists associated with the center, including opera singer Renee Fleming and musician Ben Folds, have cut ties with the institution since Trump took the reins. Others including comedian Issa Rae canceled performances. The producers of smash hit historical musical 'Hamilton' opted to cancel a scheduled 2026 run, citing the end of 'neutrality' at the center. Besides naming himself chairman and remaking the board, Trump has indicated he'd take over decisions regarding programming at the center and vowed to end events featuring performers in drag. In choosing himself as the host of this year's gala, he takes on a role once filled by Caroline Kennedy, daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy, the center's namesake. House Republicans added an amendment to a spending bill Trump signed into law in July to rename the Kennedy Center's Opera House after first lady Melania Trump, but that venue has yet to be renamed. Maria Shriver, a niece of JFK and a longtime Democrat, has criticized as 'insane' a separate House proposal to rename the entire center after Trump. — With additional reporting by The Associated Press Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Edmonton Journal
20 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
Trump announces Kennedy Center honorees and says he will host award ceremony
Washington — U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday named 'Rocky' star Sylvester Stallone and country music great George Strait among the recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors, as he pursues a controversial overhaul of the storied arts venue. Article content Since returning to office in January, the Republican leader has declared war on what he calls 'woke' viewpoints espoused in the nation's cultural institutions, including a fresh probe of content at several Smithsonian museums. Article content Article content The Kennedy Center, a living monument to the late John F. Kennedy that opened in 1971, has long enjoyed bipartisan support but has been in the president's crosshairs, and he appointed himself board chairman in February. Article content Article content 'We ended the woke political programming.' Article content Also receiving the Kennedy Center Honors, one of the nation's highest arts awards for lifetime achievement, will be disco diva Gloria Gaynor, rock band KISS and British actor Michael Crawford, known for Broadway's 'Phantom of the Opera.' Article content Trump announced he himself would host the awards gala, which usually takes place in early December and is later broadcast on CBS. Article content 'I did not insist, but I think it will be quite successful,' he said. Article content Article content Trump said Wednesday that he was 'about 98% involved' in choosing the honorees. He also joked that he wanted an honor himself but was 'never able to get one.' Article content Article content Stallone, who at 79 is the same age as Trump, is a three-time Oscar nominee: for best actor and screenplay for the 1976 classic boxing flick 'Rocky,' and for best supporting actor, again in the Rocky Balboa role, in the 2015 follow-up 'Creed.' Article content Trump called Stallone a 'great actor.' Article content He is also a major Trump supporter and one of the president's 'Hollywood ambassadors' along with Jon Voight and Mel Gibson. Article content In November 2024, at a post-election event at Trump's Mar-a-Lago compound in Florida, Stallone called him 'the second George Washington.' Article content Strait, 73, is one of the best-selling musicians of all time, with more than 120 million records sold. He is known for huge hits like 'All My Exes Live in Texas' and 'Amarillo by Morning.'
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Peeling murals chip away at Graham's appeal
Vibrant murals meant to brighten up Graham Avenue have begun to peel, around a month after artists finished painting them. Splotches of paint have chipped away from the colourful designs stretching along Graham, between Carlton and Garry streets, after painting wrapped up in the second week of July. Hayden Hood, who works in the area, said it is disappointing to see some of the colour wear off so quickly, though she isn't sure it makes sense to spend more money to repair it. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS The murals meant to brighten up Graham Avenue have begun to peel only a month after the artists finished painting them. 'It's tough because … I watched a lot of the younger people do the artwork. And, so, I could see the pride in their work … It sucks because it's peeling and it was beautiful artwork,' said Hood. She expected some challenges are linked to preserving new art on an old street. 'It's a road that … hasn't been (kept up) in a long time. It's cracked … obviously, we can't (easily) redo the surface,' said Hood. Buses were re-routed from the longtime transit corridor at the end of June, as part of a new primary transit network. Much of Graham then became a pedestrian-only corridor through a pilot project. The area is now illuminated by large, colourful light fixtures and events are being planned to attract more people downtown. The murals are a key piece of that effort, funded by a US$100,000 grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies. The organizer of Cool Streets Winnipeg, which curated the artwork, said the paint began to wear off much sooner than expected. 'As the artistic lead, it's definitely painful to see it already have some wear that we would normally see in a (about a) year (after) this type of installation,' said Stéphane Dorge. Dorge said several factors contributed to the damage, including a large amount of oil leaked onto the street by buses over decades, a 'lightning speed' installation after buses left, the advanced age of the avenue itself and the fact heavy machinery is still being used to add new elements to the corridor. 'It is a pedestrian-only street but there's been lots of (heavy equipment) … on it … The friction of vehicles definitely also poses a lot more wear than we would typically see when … there is only people walking and biking on it,' said Dorge. The mural was designed to last about two years, prior to a more permanent plan for the street, and is slated to be touched up next spring or early summer, he said. CentreVenture Development Corporation, which took part in the Graham Avenue pilot project, said some city decisions also affected the paint. 'The city prioritized the environment over longevity when it came to the mural … In order to get rid of all the oils from the street, they would have needed to use powerful chemicals, some solvents …. and they prioritized not putting those chemicals down the sewer,' said Rochelle Squires, the corporation's chief executive officer. Squires stressed the overall project has seen success. 'People are noticing Graham, people are paying attention and more people are coming downtown,' she said. In an email, a city spokesman said the paint was meant to offer 'a quick and cost-effective way to create a pedestrian space,' though the past use of the street has interfered with it staying put. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Some of the paint chipped away from the colourful designs stretching along Graham, between Carlton and Garry streets, after painting wrapped up in the second week of July. 'The paint peeling is the result of 20-plus years of heavy use by large vehicles on Graham … The amount of embedded oil in the concrete remains high due to all the buses that previously operated on the road,' wrote spokesman Adam Campbell. The statement confirmed the city did opt against chemical treatment, which would have 'added at least a week to the timeline and increased costs and chemical run-off.' Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of city council's public works committee, said some challenges are to be expected. 'It's a pilot (project). It's a lesson to be learned … They've never really (painted murals), that I'm aware of, on any high-volume street like Graham was,' said Lukes. She said the accelerated timeline of the project made sense. 'We're trying to do things differently. We're trying to move forward faster on a lot of projects and summer in Winnipeg is short,' said Lukes. Hood said she misses the bus routes Graham once offered but believes the avenue's transformation is increasing foot traffic. 'It's great because there are a lot more people and that in itself changes the vibe,' she said. Weekday Mornings A quick glance at the news for the upcoming day. Matthew Schneider, who also works in the Graham area, said he believes getting more food trucks and events to the area will be key to its success. 'Just to have more street-life stuff, probably, will (have the most) impact in the long run,' said Schneider. Future events are planned to attract more people to the street, including live music, food trucks and a market set to take place Aug. 22 to 24, to coincide with the Winnipeg Sea Bears Championship Weekend. X: @joyanne_pursaga Joyanne PursagaReporter Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne. Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
