What's On? art weekly round up: a picnic-themed festival, candlelight performances and a magic show

Hamilton Spectator

09-05-2025

Bring out your lawn chairs and picnic blankets to Burlington's LaSalle Park on Saturday and you will be met with wine and charcuterie boards, line dancing and live performances.
The organizers of Hamilton's Supercrawl and local concerts, Sonic Unyon, expect hundreds of attendees to their 'Why Not Wine' event on Saturday featuring around 13 wine and charcuterie board vendors.
David Young, Sonic Unyon's director of communications and design, said the third event of its kind will be different in both venue and atmosphere this year.
'There were the two years that it was at Bridgeworks in Hamilton and the feeling was that it was not quite the right setting for it,' said Young.
Sonic Unyon works out of and hosts events at the Caroline Street North Bridgeworks, which had an atmosphere that was more attuned to a fall fair, he said.
This year's festival will be at the Burlington waterfront park, where attendees will learn how to line dance.
'You have so much in the way of a great green space and natural wonder around us that's sometimes easy to get lost in the details of city life,' said Young.
'It's nice to bring people back to that.'
Environment Canada forecasts a high of 22 C and a sunny Saturday, but Young said if that changes, the organizers will move the event to the park's pavilion.
Sonic Unyon saw about 500 to 800 people attend its previous two-day event. This year's event is only one day.
Events like the 'Why Not Wine Festival' start out as ideas from the team or their immense local arts network before Sonic Unyon makes it a reality, said Young.
'A conversation goes on for a little while and before we know it, we're doing the thing,' said Young.
Getting out to see friends — and strangers — face to face will always be important, he said.
It is what Young believes is the reason the group's events are always a hit, in addition to local creative people putting ideas into action.
'It's also just the Hamilton way,' said Young.
If you'd like to get out of the house on Saturday, you can buy tickets online or at the gate for $39.
Here are other arts and culture events you can attend in the coming week:
The Hess Street South pub will host a Mother's Day dinner and dance party on Sunday, May 11.
A three-course meal from their menu will be served from 5:30 p.m. before a dance performance at 7 p.m. and lesson on '80s dances.
Attendees can then dance to '80s hits from 8 to 11 p.m.
Eventbrite tickets range from
$11.98 for dance-only to $65.23 for the whole event or $54.58 for early birds.
If bought at the door, tickets are $60 for dinner and $15 for the dance.
On Saturday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m., Christian Mascia will mix magic tricks with storytelling.
The event is selling tickets online only on
ticketleap.com
for $31.60.
Candlelight concert is back on Sunday for hour-long tributes to
Adele at 6:30 p.m
. and
Fleetwood Mac at 8:45 p.m.
Listeso string quartets will perform both shows, hosted at The Westdale theatre on King Street Street West.
Tickets range from $35 to about $68 on
feverup.com
.
The Rock Garden, at the garden's Hamilton location on York Boulevard, will host live performances stretching from jazz and blues to R&B to country on Thursday, May 15.
Attendees can enjoy food, drinks and lights for a patio party-themed event running from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Tickets are $25 for adults or $23 for students
rbg.ca/events
.
Ancaster venue The Coach and Lantern in the Upper Coach will host singer-songwriter Joel Parisien and guitar player and singer-songwriter Chris Chambers on Wednesday, May 14, at 7 p.m.
The night will be filled with classic soul, R&B, funk and blues at the 384 Wilson St. venue.
Tickets to the show are $27.96 on
eventbrite.ca
.
Cheyenne Bholla is a reporter at The Hamilton Spectator.
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