Events

The American Orchid Society judged show is the largest of its kind in Canada, with over 15,000 square feet of all things orchid. The weekend also features an art exhibition and awards ceremony.

Orchid enthusiasts will find hundreds of orchids of every shape, size, and color, from the rare to the truly unusual from local vendors and those as far as Taiwan and Ecuador. Hands-on potting demonstrations and cultural information will be available for the beginner and expert grower alike.

Exhibition Hours:

• Friday, April 4 | Noon - 8 pm
• Saturday, April 5 | 10 am - 6 pm
• Sunday, April 6 | 10 am - 4 pm

General admission is $10, with children under 12 free. There is also free onsite parking. 

Don’t let your art hit a wall — paint it! This course, taught at Red Deer Polytechnic, is designed to deconstruct the mystery and trepidation around mural-making for new-to-it artists. Learn practical mural-making skills, and how plan & propose your own murals to granting organizations. We’ll look to visual projects from around the globe for inspiration and learn from talks by local mural artists. Throughout the week, class-mates will create their own collaborative group murals.

Taught by Amber Solberg, a muralist and project facilitator for not-for-profit kindness society, Altruistic Current. To date, Amber’s worked on a handful of murals, bringing together the work of 200 Community Members and 15 Professional Artists in making community murals for the Halifax Regional Municipality, the Downtown Halifax Business Association, and Parks Canada.

Registration deadline: July 7, 2025
Dates/times: July 14 – 18, 2025, 9am – 4pm
Location: Red Deer Polytechnic, AB
Cost: $695

Learn more and register online at RDP Continuing Education.

In 1891, Johanna Bonger, widow of Vincent van Gogh’s brother Theo, finds herself in possession of all of Vincent’s artwork–over 600 pieces. Though she is told to rid herself of the “worthless art”, she refuses, and passionately takes on the mission to bring Vincent’s work to the forefront of the art world. After Mourning – Before van Gogh follows Johanna on her tireless 35- year journey to give the work of van Gogh the attention it deserves. 

Varscona Theatre
March 19 - April 6

Tickets and information: www.shadowtheatre.org/shows/After_Mourning_-_Before_Van_Gogh/8 

Edmonton Poetry Festival Celebrates 20 Years with Month-long Festival and Local Focus.

Edmonton, AB – The Edmonton Poetry Festival Society (EPFS) proudly unveils its official artwork and programming for the 2025 Festival, marking two decades of celebrating poetry in the city. This year, the theme is all about local energy, talent, and partnerships. The festival’s official image, The High Level Magpie, by Ashley Rosenow of Illustrious Interiors, embodies Edmonton’s creative spirit. Featured on the exterior of the iconic High Level Diner, the magpie symbolizes the city’s poetic vibrancy. 

The 2025 Festival Programming runs throughout April’s National Poetry Month, showcasing local poets, open mics, regionally based publishers showcase, and collaborations with local arts organizations. New initiatives include:

• Full month-long programming – Previously a week-long celebration, the festival now expands to a full month in honor of its 20th anniversary.
• Project: The Twenty – An anthology of twenty young poets, inspired by the theme "my turn of phrase."
• High Level Bridge lit with EPF colours – On Friday, April 4, the bridge will glow at night in the two shades of blue that reflect the Edmonton Poetry Festival.

The festival is bursting with unique events, including open mics, book launches, and diverse community programs like the French Twist (for the francophone community), Deaf Poetry Jam, a collaborative poetry night with Rapid Fire Theatre, and "Sage" poetry events with elderly folks.  

There are workshops, a poetry-music event with our city's current Poet Laurette, and a 20th anniversary birthday party for the festival. 

Join us in celebrating 20 years of poetry in Edmonton! Visit our website for more details. 
to edmontonpoetryfestival.com

Professionals by day, soloists by night.

Saturday April 12

Get ready for an unforgettable evening as Les Amateurs Virtuoses Piano Festival makes its highly anticipated North American debut! In collaboration with Les Amateurs Virtuoses and the Calgary Civic Symphony, this event brings together some of the most extraordinary amateur pianists for a concert like no other.

These international competition-winning artists have pursued successful careers outside of music performance, yet they continue to perform at the highest level, proving that passion and talent know no boundaries.

This event presents a unique opportunity to get to know these artists at an artistic level, as well as a human level. Performances by the pianists will be interspersed with intimate conversations with an illustrious panel of renowned moderators from education and the arts. Dive deep into their inspiring stories, explore their unique double lives, and hear firsthand how they balance the pursuit of excellence in both music and their non-musical careers.

This is more than just a concert – it’s an opportunity for dialogue, inspiration, and connection. Whether you’re a student curious about blending your passions, an aspiring musician seeking to follow your dreams while juggling other pursuits, or simply a lover of beautiful music, this event is not to be missed! 

Proceeds from this concert will be used to support scholarships and bursaries for Conservatory students.

Featured pianists:

• Marie-Agathe Charpagne – France / USA
• Julien Kurtz – France
• Masanori Murakami - Japan
• Paul Anthony Romero – USA
• Lachlin McKinnon – Calgary
• Christopher Shih – USA
• Thomas Yu – Calgary

Tickets: $30 (general) / $15 (students) plus fees, and are available through tickets.mru.ca or at the door.