Ice Castles
Last year was the first time we got to check out the glory of the Ice Castles in Hawrelak Park, and they’re back again. — with a boost from Mother Nature. They’ve had several weeks worth of a bone-chilling deep freeze in which to construct the winter fortress that you can explore with the family. Take in the ice maze, throne room, waterfall and tubular ice slide; make sure to wear boots and dress warmly. There’s no announced opening day as this is being written; check the website closer to the end of the month.
When: Opening late December. Monday to Thursday, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. Closed on Tuesdays, except during the Silver Skate Festival.
Where: Hawrelak Park
Admission: $9.95 to $16.95
Info: icecastles.com
Clara’s Dream, Dec. 29 and 30 at the Jubilee Auditorium.
Clara’s Dream
Edmonton has been awash in Nutcracker productions through December, but there’s one more left for you to consider. Clara’s Dream is billed as the Ukrainian version of the classic Christmas tale told by E.T. A Hoffman and scored by Tchaikovsky, with help from Kyiv Ballet resident choreographer Viktor Lytvynov and performed by the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers. Edmonton’s Citie Ballet and Viter Ukrainian Folk Choir as also part of the show.
When: Thursday, Dec. 29 at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Where: Jubilee Auditorium
Admission: $20 and up from Ticketmaster
Info: ticketmaster.ca
ABBA Mania, Dec. 30 at River Cree.
ABBA Mania
It seems impossible that ABBA mania could go any higher, but with recent news that the Swedish pop legends will be reuniting some time in the next year for a mysterious project, it just might. Appropriately titled tribute band ABBA Mania are positioned perfectly for this, bringing their note-perfect covers of such ’70s dance-pop classics as Dancing Queen, Does Your Mother Know and Waterloo to River Cree on the night before New Year’s Eve. They might not be the real thing, but they’ll do until the originals pop up in a few more months.
When: Friday, Dec. 30 at 9 p.m.
Where: River Cree Resort and Casino, 300 East Lapotac Blvd.
Admission: $34.50 and up from Ticketmaster
Info: ticketmaster.ca
Stiltwalkers perform during New Year’s Eve festivities in Sir Winston Churchill Square in 2014.
New Year’s Eve
Looking for a New Year’s Eve option that doesn’t include alcohol? The city of Edmonton once again offers a family-friendly party downtown at both City Hall and Churchill Square, with ice skating, kids activities, magicians, bannock-making, and music from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Uptown. Taking into account early bed times for youngsters, they’ve also arranged for two sets of fireworks, at 8:30 p.m. and midnight.
When: Saturday, Dec. 31, 6 p.m. to 12:15 a.m.
Where: City Hall and Churchill Square
Admission: Free
Info: edmonton.ca
Wizard of Oz at Metro Cinema on Dec. 31.
Wizard of Oz
From a completely different point of view, we can see the Wizard of Oz as a tale of American interventionism, as young Dorothy shows up in the land of Oz and defeats the rightfully installed government for her own nefarious purposes. Granted, that might be reading too much into the classic MGM musical fantasy from 1939, but after years of writing about it we need to find a new way to describe Dorothy’s adventures with the Tin Man, Cowardly Lion and Scarecrow. In any event, it’ll be playing at Metro Cinema on the afternoon of New Year’s Eve, for those who want some entertainment before the evening bacchanal starts.
When: Saturday, Dec. 31 at 2 p.m.
Where: Metro Cinema, 8712 109 St.
Admission: $10 adults; $6, students and senior citizens, free admission for kids 12 and under
Info: metrocinema.org
Alberta’s Lt.-Gov. Lois Mitchell and Captain Rebecca Patterson, Royal Canadian Navy, smile as they meet people at the Levee in 2014.
Levee
Get to know your Lieutenant Governor as Government House opens its doors for the traditional New Year’s Day levee, this time on the occasion of the start of Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations. Lt.-Gov. Lois Mitchell and His Honour Doug Mitchell will be on hand to greet the public, with senior members of the Canadian Armed Forces, RCMP and Edmonton Police as well. All guests will receive pins commemorating the occasion, and kids will also come away with a Canada 150 activity kit. Refreshments and music are also on the agenda for the afternoon.
When: Sunday, Jan. 1, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Where: Government House, 12845 102 Ave.
Admission: Free
Info: 780-427-7243
New Year’s Day fresh air
There’s a good chance you won’t want to leave the house at all on New Year’s Day, but resist that urge. Tell 2017 that you won’t be sitting back and taking it for granted by making the trek to the Strathcona Wilderness Centre and engaging in some outdoor activities. There will be hot chocolate and other treats on offer, as well as snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snow sculptures and more, as well as a roaring campfire to hunker down in front of when you’ve done enough physical exertions for the day.
When: Sunday, Jan. 1, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Strathcona Wilderness Centre, Township Road 530 and Range Road 212 Ardrossan
Admission: Free; rental fees apply for some activities
Info: strathcona.ca
Salute to Vienna at the Winspear on Jan. 2.
Salute to Vienna
The Strauss Symphony of Canada teams up with conductor Balázs Bánfi, soprano Iva Schell, tenor Michael Heim, the
Kiev-Aniko Ballet of Ukraine and International Champion Ballroom Dancers for an afternoon of Strauss waltzes. Now in its 20th year in Edmonton, the lavish Salute to Vienna is a bit of a post-New Year’s tradition at this point, and a relaxing afternoon of spectacle and music. Shell out some extra cash and you can be among those enjoying the post-performance event, with artists on hand for autographs.
When: Monday, Jan. 2 at 2:30 p.m.
Where: Winspear Centre
Admission: $49.50 to $135, at the box office or from the Winspear website
Info: winspearcentre.com
Rene Wilson Punk Explosion at the Needle on Jan. 4.
Punk Explosion
Every year at Christmas, many ex-Edmontonians return for a few weeks to see family and friends. This includes musicians, many of them now plying their trade in cities like Montreal, Toronto or New York. Mint Records recording artist and producer Renny Wilson is among those heading back for the family feast, and he’s taken the opportunity to book a show at the Needle. It features one of his many projects, the Renny Wilson Punk Explosion. The lineup is ever-shifting, but you’ll recognize a few familiar local musicians playing in it.
When: Wednesday, Jan. 4 at 9 p.m.
Where: Needle Vinyl Cafe, 10524 Jasper Ave.
Admission: Free
Info: yeglive.ca
Oil Kings action during the 2016 Teddy Bear Toss game.
Oil Kings
Oilers tickets are a little bit out of reach for those on a budget, but that doesn’t mean you’ll never see the inside of Rogers Place for a game. Not only are tickets to Edmonton Oil Kings games economical, the team itself isn’t doing too badly, sitting in the middle of their division at nearly the halfway point of the season. They’ll be playing Western Conference rivals the Vancouver Giants as the season resumes in 2017.
When: Wednesday, Jan. 4 at 7 p.m.
Where: Rogers Place
Admission: $20 to $39 from Ticketmaster.
Info: ticketmaster.ca
Ten to Do is compiled and written by Tom Murray. If you are co-ordinating an event you want featured here, email the information to arts@edmontonjournal.com. Information for the What’s On listings should be uploaded to
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/whats-on/index.html
