Things to do this long weekend in the Hamilton area
The three-day weekend has arrived.
The bone-chilling cold of February will stick around and you can expect cloudy days with highs around -10 C with periods of snow, according to Environment Canada.
Winterfest wraps up, there's lots of virtual storytelling and even the chance for adventurers to get some fishing in.
Remember that Hamilton remains under the provincial stay-at-home order until at least Feb. 16.
Happy Family Day weekend.
STORYTELLING
Twelve storytellers will share personal true-life tales at the 6-Minute Memoir" event on Zoom Friday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 per household and all proceeds will be split equally between Wellwood, which provides support to people living with cancer, and First Unitarian Church of Hamilton, a liberal spiritual community in the city. Tickets can be purchased at uuhamilton.ca/6mm-tickets. A link will be sent to the Zoom meeting.
SEEDY SATURDAY
February Saturdays are for backyard gardeners. Local gardeners are getting a jump start with Hamilton's virtual Seedy Saturday events. You can swap seed online and enjoy a series of free online workshops held every Saturday in February. Visit greenventure.ca to set up for seed swapping, and register for workshop events and more.
Workshops this Saturday are: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Indigenous Sustainable Agriculture with Terrylynn Brant of Mohawk Seedkeeper Gardens; 1 to 2 p.m., Discover Rare Produce with Linda Crago from Tree and Twig Heirloom; and 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., Garden Design & Planning with Hanna Jacobs of Matchbox Garden.
WINTERFEST WRAPS UP
Hamilton's Winterfest activities continue daily until Monday.
Join author and essayist Amanda Leduc as she chats with Gary Barwin about her new novel, The Centaur's Wife," on Saturday at 2 p.m. events.hpl.ca/event/4736879
Live online concert features the Monowhales on Saturday, 8 p.m. The concert is brought to you by Collective Arts Brewing, Hamilton Winterfest and SoundBox. The live feed can be picked up through YouTube on the Hamilton Winterfest Channel or Collective Arts Brewing Channel; Instagram on @HamiltonWinterfest or @CollectiveBrew; and through Facebook on the Hamilton Winterfest Page or Collective Arts Brewing Page.
Puppet Show offered online with Hamilton Public Library on Monday, 11 a.m. Watch at hpl.ca or on HPL's Storytime Playlist on YouTube.
Story time and a 2 p.m. workshop Monday at the Art Gallery of Hamilton. Watch through artgalleryofhamilton.com/.
Soupfest continues throughout Hamilton Winterfest. You can order a signature soup from one of the 19 participating restaurants online this year any time until Monday. Find the restaurants and the soup they are serving up at livingrock.ca/soups.
FROST BITES
Hamilton Fringe's Frost Bites continue every day until Sunday. Frost Bites is a winter performance festival brought to you by Hamilton Fringe Festival. Frost Bites runs mostly virtually from Feb. 11 to 14 this year and tickets are now available. Tickets range from single $7.91 to the Frequent Frost pass at $50.85.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
Hamilton Public Library celebrates Canadian authors and illustrators for Black History Month. HPL has gathered a collection of books, music, educational activities, author events and more for adults and children. Visit hpl.ca.
- HPL events this coming week include: Friday, noon, online concert celebrating the legacy of the Hamilton-born blues master, Jackie Washington; Thursday, Feb. 18, 1 p.m., Mario Rigby the adventurer, explorer, author and speaker discusses diversity in outdoor sports; and Feb. 19, noon, children's activities featuring Willie O'Ree.
DROP A LINE
Family Day weekend is also Ontario's License-Free Fishing Days. You can enjoy the fun of fishing without a licence from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 11:59 p.m. Monday. No active events are planned for the area but if you do go out, be sure you are following Ontario's COVID safety guidelines. ontariofamilyfishing.com
STORYTIME
Burlington Performing Arts Centre is offering a free virtual story time event on Monday between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. The event will feature Sean Cullen, Tom Allen, Jeremy Fisher, Chantal Kreviazuk, Bif Naked, Royal Wood, Bruce McCulloch, Kellylee Evans, Kaleb Robertson, Beau Dixon and Twin Flames, reading beloved titles such as The Going To Bed Book," Henny Penny," The Little Brute Family," I Want My Hat Back" and more. Visit bpac.ca
Jennifer Moore is an editorial assistant at The Spectator in Hamilton. Reach her via email: jmoore@thespec.com