Visit the outdoor drive-in theatre, gaze at local art handing on Main Street – or go fishing . . .


Momma Mia was staged at Northern Visual Arts Centre in Flin Flon and was considered to be a phenomenal success.


ing. It’s time to regroup, relax, even get some rest because the hot weather is coming and the lakes are beaconing. Flin Flon has several of the best lakes in Manitoba within a 15 minute car ride from Main Street and some of the best fishing in the world(!) in many of them. Ahhh... the lazy hazy days...but, wait a minute! Flin Flon in summer is paradise so the arts and culture community can’t slow down. What would summer visi- tors do in the evening, when the fishing rods are hung up and boats are tethered for the night? Check out the Big Island Drive-In, of course, though in June the sun is up for so long that the movie can’t really start till after 10:00 PM be- cause you can’t see it. Never mind, it’s worth it just to sample the pickled eggs at the concession counter. Big Island Drive-In is one of only three drive-ins left in Manitoba and it shows first-run films from May to October (or first snow, whichever comes first, and before you think that I’m


A


s we ready for summer, it’s time for a break in the hustle and bustle of preparing perfor- mances and visual arts shows for public view-


Elly Spencer The arts from up here


joking, it snowed last night as I write this column. I’m talking about summer – not actually experienc- ing it!). Visitors and town folk alike can also take in a caba- ret-style evening with stunning local en- tertainment at Johnny’s Social Club or set up a camp chair in Pioneer Square, on the corner of Main Street and 2nd Avenue, to watch a local busker during the Flower Power festival, which cel- ebrates the beautiful baskets of flowers hung on lamp posts on Main Street. The Northern Visual Arts Centre (NorVA) is part of a very exciting new endeavour in Flin Flon that has seen the partnership of Flin Flon City Council, the Chamber of Commerce and a group of small business owners come together to revitalize Main Street. The project is called Main ARTery and will see the works of 28 local artists displayed on posters that will hang from the light


standards along Main St. The weather-proof ban- ners will be on display for two years. It is hoped they can be replaced by new works of art that are photo- graphed and hung for the world to see.


JOHNSTON Scott


MLA for St. James st.jamesmlajohnston@outlook.com


Constituency Office 2519 Portage Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3J 0P1 t. 204.615.6044 | st.jamesmlajohnston@outlook.com


The last two weeks of May also saw Manitoba artist


Karen Cornelius arrive in Flin Flon to teach Electro Etching at NorVA. It’s a complicated technique that involves etching metal plates to make prints (at least is seems complicated to me) but the results are very beautiful. There will definitely be an exhibition of the work produced in the near future. Stay tuned. Mamma Mia was a phenomenal success. The audi-


ence totalled 1,800 people in over the four-day run. Everyone can relate to this sunny, happy show, al- though has a few dramatic moments. The cast and musicians were brilliant and every patron left the theatre smiling. The best thing about the production was the involvement of young people in every role, both on-stage and behind the scenes. The Flin Flon Arts Council works very hard to bring productions such as this to fruition and sometimes the feeling is that only the over 50 age group ever “do” anything to either produce or support the arts. Mamma Mia put this fable to rest, “good and


proper” to quote Harry (one of the dads). Most of the cast and much of the leadership of the backstage crews were under 40 and they were awesome. The future of arts and culture is in good hands in Flin Flon. Now, what will we do for an encore…? Next column, I’ll tell you the story of Bombertown!


2ND FLOOR CI T YPLACE, 233 HARGRAVE ST.


VISIT WINNIPEG’S ONLY


DOWNTOWN GAMING CENTRE and


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plus ROULETTE, BLACKJACK, DOUBLE DECK AND Triple CARD POKER 10 www.lifestyles55.net June 2019


Happy Father’s Day!


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