Tickets or contributions to most events are dealt with on the spot and do not require advance purchase. The only exceptions are: Saturday night’s BAHAMAS/ Jack Pelletier and the Battle of Ontario show at the Sheep (advance tics are highly recommended and available through The Black Sheep Inn website); and Wakefest workshops, where advance registration is the best bet for securing a spot (see Workshops). UPDATE: There are still tickets available for the BAHAMAS show at the Black Sheep but do try to get there by 8pm in order not to be disappointed!

Thursday August 25

10:am – 3:00pm FLOATY HOUSES: UNDER CONSTRUCTION @ Geggie Park

Catch land artist Marc Walter in his creative process.

7:30pm   NAKED LAUNCH @ Café Molo – by donation

The centrepiece of this year’s Wakefest launch will be the unveiling of the fifth and final installation of the Wakefield Nudes calendar. Along with photographer Franziska Henize, the evening will feature several artists including cellist Thaddeus Morden, animator Thea Pratt, actor John Hardie, and the fire spinning-world music fusion that is Beltaine. Our DJ for the evening is none other than Geoffrey Pye of Yellow Jacket Avenger.

10:00pm   EARLE’S HALL LIVE @ Kaffé 1870 – by donation

Earle’s Hall Live is a rare opportunity to check out one of Wakefield’s most stunning architectural spaces. Built in 1870 by the Earle family, Earle’s Hall is the little theatre above Kaffé 1870, which was also used for municipal meetings, concerts, theatrical productions and film screenings. Due to today’s more stringent fire codes, it is not presently accessible to the general public. For one night only, we open the doors and use it again as a public space, turning the hall into a TV studio and projecting the show downstairs in the Kaffé. Artists, including Brian Sanderson of the Mashed Potato Mashers, Kathryn Drysdale, and John Hardie – in a new performance – bring the stage back to life once again.

Earle’s Hall Live naturally brings up the issue of Wakefield’s historic architecture and what can be done to preserve it. Earle’s Hall Live is an event in appreciation of the hall, the spirit of gathering in public spaces and a nod to our collective village history. So wander over right after the Naked Launch and take your seat! This is sure to be a fun and moving event.

Friday August 26

10:00am – 3:00pm  FLOATY HOUSES: The Launch @ Geggie Park.

Land artist Marc Walter puts the finishes touches on this architectural meditation. Installation and launch of Floaty Houses on the River will happen at 3pm.

5:00pm – 7:00pm  ON THE ROAD TO CALIGARI: The Other Side of  Wakefield @   Galérie Mckenzie Marcotte – by donation

Do you only know Wakefield from tourist brochures? Think again. Come out to see paintings and sculptures showing the other side of our quaint and peaceful town and its inhabitants. Featuring the work of Rick Ritza, Randolph B. McMillan, Kathryn Drysdale and Sara Corbett. Exhibition continues through September 12.

7:30pm – 10:00pm BRIDGING SIGHT AND SOUND @ Pont Gendron/Wakefield Covered Bridge  – $10

This year we feature special selections from our Minute Film Fest. We have shorts from Chris Ross, Thea Pratt, Pixie Cram, Marion Bordier and Mike McGrath. We go from the minute to the larger than life with a live performance of an original score for the 1920 silent horror classic by Robert Weine, THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI ! One of the most influential of German Expressionist films, it is often considered to be the greatest horror movie of the silent era. The film is credited with having introduced the “twist ending” in cinema. The modern music score adaptation is performed live by the band HILOTRONS and was composed by Mike Dubue and Paul Hogan. See you on the Covered Bridge.

Note: parking is only allowed on the east side of the bridge (Wakefield Heights Rd.)! Pedestrians can access  from either bank.

8:30pm – 11:30pm   THREE TIMES LUCKY @ The Blacksheep Inn – $5

If movies ain’t your thing, check out these seasoned bluesmen from downriver in O’town, fresh off their inaugural Bluesfest appearance.

9:00pm – late  POST-FILM CHILL OUT: Words Between Beats featuring Heather Horak @ Le Hibou  – by donation

Join Heather Horak for a pre-CD release party, as she performs works from her molding new release, “Out of the Freezer: Thawed-Out Morsels from a Long Canadian Decade”.  The show may be decorated with a sprinkling of guest artists from near and far, and a range of performance moods from dry, snoozer readings of ancient texts to loud, barky, rambunctious slam poems, to soothing guitar ballads and toe tapping fiddle tunes. A true variety show in a listening room/lounge atmosphere. Also, chill out on the deck with DJs BeatScience and Dynaflex on the decks. Lively up yourself!

10:00pm   POST-FILM HEAT UP: The Standardbreds @ Kaffé 1870 – $5 cover

For those festival goers who want to keep the party going with live music, join us at the Kaffé for pints, and tunes from Wakefield’s The Standardbreds.

Saturday August 27

9:30am – 12:30pm  Collective Creation workshop with Kim Collier @ Café Molo. See Workshops for details.

10:00am – 12:30pm Wakefest at the Market @ Wakefield Farmer’s Market – by donation

Get some nourishment for both body and mind. Our friends at the Wakefield Farmers Market have opened their space up once again to the festival. Sophie Latreille of Mini Cirque is back with a hoola hoop workshop. There’ll also be activities for the kids  from the Cabane a Jeux folks, as well as lantern making. Mr. Luther Wright will be there with his cornucopia of musical offerings, both spicy and sweet.

11:00am – 2:30pm   The Lab with Two Little Birds Theatre Company @ Wakefest Hive.

Come collaborate in The Lab! We’re looking for stories about the place the arts hold in your life and any favourite artistic memories or dreams. Participants will have the opportunity to contribute using media ranging from video and digital cameras to post it notes and crayons.  It’ll be fun, interactive and a great way to spend part of your Saturday afternoon.

12:00pm – 1:00pm   Silkscreening Workshop @ Wakefest tent beside Sur La Lune ice cream shop  – by donation

1:00pm – 2:30pm   Multimedia Maquette workshop with Hannah Ranger and Denis Tremblay @ Wakefest Hive. See Workshops for details.

1:30pm – 3:30pm   The Rhythm of the Film as an Art of Movement with Mike Dubue @ Café Molo. See Workshops for details.

1:30pm – 3:00pm   Opening Up to Sound and Ideas with Kellylee Evans @ Wakefield United Church. See Workshops for details.

2:00pm – 3:30pm   Animation workshop with Animanumition @ Café Laboudi. See Workshops for details.

2:30pm – 4:00pm   Plan 99 North Reading Series @ Kaffé 1870 – by donation

Literary curator David O’Meara brings his popular reading series to Wakefield’s illustrious tavern. This afternoon’s lineup includes writers Kevin Connolly, Pasha Malla, and Iain Reid (see artist bios to appreciate this line up). An afternoon full of pints and circumstance.

2:30pm – 4:00pm  Silkscreening Workshop @ Wakefest tent beside Sur La Lune ice cream shop – by donation

3:30pm – 5:30pm  Serious Clowning with Aron DeCasmaker WORKSHOP CANCELLED!!

4:00pm – 5:00pm  Vernissage @ The David Irvine Studio above Bistro Rutherford.

5:00pm – 7:00pm   Meet the Treedressers and Mike Dubue @ Le Hibou – by donation

Come out and meet the people who have dressed the trees (and why!). Not only that, but from 5pm – 6pm Mike Dubue will make dead trees sing as he performs a solo set with nothing but a mic and an acoustic guitar.

8:30pm – 11:30pm   Bahamas with s/g Jack Pelletier and the Battle of Ontario @  The Black Sheep Inn  - $15 +tax.

Sunday August 28

6:30am – 11:30pm   YOGAPALOOZA! @ Pont Gendron/Wakefield Covered Bridge – $7 - 1 session, $12 – 2 sessions, $15 – 3 sessions

Stretch your muscles and your imagination. Three instructors…three classes…one beautiful location. Instructors are: Wendy Wasserman (6:30am – 8:00am), owen tuf (8:15am – 9:45am) and Tatiana Ishwari Nemchin (10:00am – 11:30am). Cool water kindly supplied by Life Without Plastic. Coffee will also be available for purchase. Bring your own yoga mat! See Workshops for more details.

10:00am – 12:00pm   Sketchbooking with Jen Hamilton @ Café Molo. See Workshops for details.

10:00am – 11:00am  Puppets, Songs and Stories with Cabane Aux Jeux @ Chez Eric – 28 Valley Dr. – by donation

The creative cabal that is Cabane Aux Jeux moves beyond circle time to include songs puppets and stories to make the children dance and giggle.

10:30am – 12:30pm  Stage Readiness and Musical Accompaniment with Greg Stone @  Kaffé 1870. See Workshops section for details.

11:00am – 12:00pm  Open Silkscreening @ Wakefest tent beside Sur La Lune ice cream shop.

2:00pm – 4:00pm   Songwriting with Lindsay Ferguson @ Le Hibou. See Workshops section for details.

2:00pm – 3:00pm  Open Silkscreening @ Wakefest tent beside Sur La Lune ice cream shop.

2:30pm – 4:00pm   Plan 99 North Reading Series @ Kaffé 1870 – by donation

David O’Meara hosts another afternoon of wordcraft featuring authors Gil Adamson, Monty Reid, and Wakefield’s Bruce Taylor.

3:00 – 4:30pm   I Heart Art Workshop for Kiddies @ Wakefest Hive. See Workshops for details.

5:00pm – 7:00pm   THE EARLES OF EARLE’S HALL: A Tribute to Steve and Stacey Earle @  Kaffé 1870  – $5

This year’s artists include Chris Maclean, Paul Hampsey, Alise Marlane, Guy Major, Bruce Cawdron, Lindsay Ferguson, Mark Michaud, Greg Stone, The Maniwaki Logues, Greg Stone, A.M. Gillis, Rob McCart, Brant Lucuik, Tammy  Corner, Doug McArthur and Luther Wright.

Each year at Wakefield’s most infamous watering-hole – Kaffé 1870 – local musicians and wordsmiths pay tribute to artists who inspire through lyricism, rhythm and activism. We play their music, sing their words, reflect on how they put them together and basically have a good time. Past musical muses at Wakefest include Billy Bragg, Gillian Welch and Gord Downie. This year we put the boots to the tribute by honouring singer/poet/activist Mr. Steve Earle and his talented, lyrical sister Stacey who regularly sells out Blacksheep shows with astonishing speed. Come out and get yourself a sizzling serving of Americana slathered in Canadiana sauce – or better yet dish some up yourself by singing out.

TréeDressing

Following last year’s successful TréeDressing premiere, all practicing, dormant, latent or wanna-be artists are invited to participate.  This contemporary-art treatment of trees turns the main drag into an open-air exhibition, and this is not about recycling the holiday ornaments!  To celebrate and share your creative process, Wakefest also exhibits participants’ working drawings. See images of last year’s work on the PHOTOS section of this website.

Legible Space: A Sketchbook Project – Installation @ Cafe Molo on the fireplace mantle

The Sketching Bee distributes sketchbooks to anyone who would like to participate in this Wakefest event. It costs ten bucks to sign up. You get your sketchbook, you choose a theme, you work on your sketchbook, you send it back, and PRESTO! – it gets featured in a special collections exhibition during Wakefest. The sketchbook project uses the common platform of the sketchbook and invites people to develop project ideas, make drawings, photographs, and write in their individual sketchbooks. These are the books that are going to be made available for people to look at in the exhibition. You don’t have to be an artist to participate nor do you have to know how to draw or sketch! www.sketchingbee.blogspot.com

The Minute Film Fest

This is just what you’d guess it is. Anyone is welcome to submit a minute long (or thereabouts) film. The films will form part of an installation to be exhibited over the course of Wakefest. Select films will be screened on the Wakefield Covered Bridge the Friday night of the festival. Any subject…any language…sound or no sound…verité, abstract or mash-up. Make it with your camera, your phone, with found/downloaded footage…whatever you want. Length is the only real parameter. Oh, and decency of course! (This is arbitrarily defined by Wakefest – i.e. nothing promoting hate, or racial-, sexual-, gender-based discrimination/violence etc. You get the picture.) Bring ‘em on.