Summertime, and the living is easy at Books & Co, Cafe Voltaire and ArtSpace

Happy Pride Week, Prince George! There are some awesome things happening around the city this week including the fantastic Drag Queen Bingo in ArtSpace tomorrow and you can get tickets to all of the other fabulous Phoenix Pride events at Books & Co.  But that’s not all that’s happening at Books & Co, ArtSpace and Café Voltaire in the next couple of weeks, we’ve got fantastic and fun events for everyone all month long!

Drag Queen Bingo! Pride week is in full swing and we’re super excited that ArtSpace is going to be the site of Drag Queen Bingo on Thursday, July 5 at 6:30 pm! Hosted by the Northern Pride Centre Society, this showcase of fantastic Drag Kings and Queens will take on Bingo and Karaoke! Sing your heart out, win cool prizes and support the Northern Pride Centre Society’s work on the UNBC Campus.  Entrance by donation.

And Books & Co has tickets to the other fabulously, fantastic Phoenix Pride Week Events! Drop in and pick up your tickets to Pride Bowling Night on July 4 (only $12), the How Rude Drag Show on July 6 (only $15), the giant Pride Celebration Party on July 7 ($20) and the Pride Brunch on July 8 ($20) or you can get tickets to everything for $60! Details and a complete list of all of the Pride events are available on the PG Pride website:  www.pgpride.com

And speaking of tickets, we’ve got – hot off the press – tickets to The June Bugs concert in ArtSpace on July 26^th! This night of fantastic vocal harmonies is not to be missed.  If you love blue grass, folk or gospel, you will love The June Bugs! Tickets are only $15 and are on sale now at Books & Co! 

We’ve also got our semi-regular OPEN MIC NIGHT for Friday Night Mics this week! Bring in your banjo and tune that trumpet because you’re on at 8:00 pm in Café Voltaire on Friday, July 6! Or simply keep your clapping hands ready for all of this great local talent.  As always, this event is free!

Hey Moms and Dads, did you know every Saturday morning at 10:00 am we’ve got a fantastic storytime?  Come in and browse (or have a coffee and a chat) while our booksters delight and amuse with books and crafts!

Scrabble Addicts Unite! Do you know all of the 2 letter words for Q, X and Z (qi, ax, ex, xi, xu and za)?  Are you always playing Scrabble on your phone or Facebook? Do you do a little dance when you get a Bingo? Then we want you! Books & Co is starting a Scrabble Club (because a lot of us here are spending a lot of time playing Scrabble online and we want some human contact).  Come out on Tuesday, July 10 at 6:30 pm and meet other word addicts.  Bring your own board (if you’ve got one).  Scrabble club will meet on the 2^nd and 4^th Tuesdays of every month!

And PG Idol is back in ArtSpace for the semi-final rounds on July 11 and 12! Come in and support your favourite local talent! It’s a great night of fantastic music so come out and cheer for your PG Idol! Tickets available at the door.

If you go into the woods today…well don’t go into the woods come to the Café Voltaire Patio at 3:00 pm on Sunday, July 15 for a Teddy (Berenstain) Bear Picnic! We will have a special story time of Berenstain Bear favorites and a craft! Bring your best stuffed friend (who doesn’t have to be a teddy.  Rabbits, piglets and stuff friends of all types are welcome).  In case of rain, we’ll meet in ArtSpace.

Correspondents’ Club (that letter writing thing we do).  Come in and write a letter to whomever you want (seriously, it can be anybody) and we’ll give you a coffee or tea and stamps.  We’ll even mail your letters at the end of the night! So, whether you’re a regular writer or want to start writing, come and visit us! We encourage all kinds of correspondence, personal, professional, recreational, everything! The PGCC meets on the 1^st and 3^rd Mondays of every month! The next meeting is Monday, July 16 at 6:30 pm.

Saturday, July 21 in ArtSpace you can learn The Way of the Bodhisattva from Buddhist monk Lama Tsewang.  You will learn special methods for transforming yourself from a person who acts only for your own interest into a bodhisattva, a being who have awakened into his or her inherent potential to e of benefit to all living creatures.  Lama Tsewang first became a Buddhist monk in 1977 and has practiced both the Theravadin tradition and the Tibetan tradition.  He acquired the title of lama or teacher after completing a three and a half year retreat under the guidance of Kalu Rinpoche, one of the Dalai Lama’s teachers.

Don’t forget to pick up your weekend passes to the fantastically fantastical ArtsWells Festival of All Things Art! The festival runs August 3 – 6 (in Wells of all places)!  If you just can’t wait to experience the wonderful world of Wells, we’ve got copies of Susan Safyan’s new book All Roads Lead to Wells: Stories of the Hippie Days, a fabulous book of tales that tell how a group of hippies in the 1960s and 1979s turned Wells into a renowned arts-based community.

Books & Co also has tickets to some of BC’s other amazing music festivals! Hurry in for your ticket to the Robson Valley Music Festival (August 17 – 19 in Dunster) if you buy your tickets in advance they’re only $85 for all three days of spectacular music! For a complete list of the acts visit: http://www.robsonvalleymusicfestivalbc.com  And, we’ve also got tickets to the spectacular Music On the Mountain (MoM) Festival (August 24-26 in Ft. St. James).  Early bird tickets (you’ve got until July 31) are only $60 and your weekend pass includes camping! For a list of performers and activities visit: http://momfestival.com.  If you get tickets to everything, your August weekends will be marvelously musical!

Are you an insane and slightly masochistic individual who occasionally dallies in the written word? Then the 3 Day Novel Support Group wants you! If you’re planning on attempting the 3 Day Novel Contest this year and want to meet other PG writers just as crazy, we’re the place to be.  For more information email Kayli at pyschopencils@hotmail.com.  There will be meetings throughout the summer up until the big weekend in September!

That’s it for this week folks, for more information about upcoming events or just the cool things that happen here, you can find us on Facebook and Twitter and did you know we’ve got a blog?  Well we do, find out our thoughts on all things books related atbooksandcompany.wordpress.com

Only 7 days left in February, but they’re a busy 7 days at Books & Co

February has just flown by!  It’s hard to believe there’s only 7 days left (and really it’s only 7 because we’ve got an extra day this year).  But those 7 days are just filled with fun and exciting events at Books & Co, Café Voltaire and ArtSpace!

Did you know The Arrogant Worms are coming to ArtSpace on March 14! It’s only a few weeks away! This is going to be a fantastically hilarious show from Canada’s funniest band and you can get tickets for only $30 each. Tickets are going fast and it’s going to be a sold out crowd, so pick yours up TODAY! (This concert is so important I had to put it first!)

This Friday, February 24^th at 8:00 pm, our Friday Night Mics series is pleased to present singer-songwriter extraordinaire Scott Lapointe! Come out for a rousing good time and as always, this event is free!

Books & Co also has tickets to the Burns Lake Tragedy Fundraiser Dance happening at the Kinsmen Hall on Friday, February 24.  Things kick off at 8:00 pm. There will be live music by Sound Addiction, a silent auction and a late night snack, so get your dancing shoes on and support our neighbours!

We’ve got a Spectacular Storytime Every Saturday Morning at 10:00 am! Our expert storytellers provide spice (and excellent scary, funny and weird voices) to classic and modern tales! So drop in with your youngsters and enjoy a coffee while they listen to stories and make crafts!

And while you’re here for storytime, drop by ArtSpace for Antique Appraisals hosted by the Huble Homestead.  Antique experts will tell you what your object is, what it’s worth and how to keep it in tip top condition for years to come. Tickets will be available at the door and will be $10 per object (with no limit on the number of objects you bring in), or you can just come and see what other people have squirreled away in their attics and sheds. All proceeds go to the support of the Huble Homestead Historic Site!

February is Black History Month and Books & Co has tickets for the CNC Black History Month Main Event Celebrations! There will be education, entertainment, guest speakers and a lite meal Saturday, February 25, 6:00 pm to Midnight.  Tickets are only $15 for Adults and $7.50 for children and going fast!

Freedom to Read Week runs from February 26 to March 3^rd this year!  Did you know that books by great Canadian authors Margaret Atwood, Margaret Laurence, Timothy Findley, and Alice Munro have all challenged or censored?  For a complete list of books challenged or banned in the last few years, check out: http://freedomtoread.ca/docs/challenged_books_and_magazines_february_2012.pdf. Then come in, pick up a banned book and see what all the fuss was about!

Red Cedar Readers’ Club is once again meeting for a fun and informative evening of book chat and crafts on Tuesday, February 28^th at 6:30 pm in Café Voltaire.  This week we’re discussing The Prince of Neither Here nor There and making your very own amulets! Come out and chat with other young readers and get ready for the Red Cedar Battle of the Books later this year!

And the Anthropology in Our Backyards Lectures Series is back on Tuesday, February 28 at 7:30 pm in ArtSpace! This time Dr. Anne Keeleyside will be speaking on Life in an Ancient Greek Colony: A Bioarchaeological Study of Human Remains from Apollonia Pontica.  You’ll learn the results of an analysis of over 500 skeletons excavated from a necropolis associated with the ancient Greek colony of Apollonia Pontica (active during the 5^th to 3^rd centuries BC), located on the Black Sea cost of Bulgaria.  These remains provide important insights into the lives of the individuals who once lived there!

And bring your kids to Dr. Seuss Day on Sunday, March 4 at 3:00 pm in ArtSpace.  We’ll be reading some of the best of Seuss and doing Seussian crafts!

“Letter writing is the only device for combining solitude with good company” – Lord Byron.  Lost Art Of Letter Writing Evening, Monday March 5 at 6:30 pm.  Come by Café Voltaire and write letters to your loved ones.  We’ve got stamps and coffee (and we’ll lend you pens and give you paper if you need them).  Help prove that letters aren’t an anachronistic remnant of a bygone era and write!

And while you’re here, check out the new photography exhibition upstairs in ArtSpace.  From March 5 – 30 we’re proud to be hosting the Envisioning Change – Prince George Women Share their Experiences of Substance Use and Mental Health Photography Exhibition.  Opening Night is Friday, March 9, but you can always go up and look around!

Then, on Wednesday, March 7 at 7:00 pm, members of the Prince George Toast Masters are back to talk about Leadership! Our families, organizations and communities could all benefit from more effective leadership! Learn leadership insights from local leaders and share your own knowledge of this sought after skill. For more info contact Greg Jonuck at thejonuks@shaw.ca or to register go to www.pgtoastmasters.ca (registration is free).

On Thursday, March 8 at 7:30 pm in ArtSpace, we’ve got another (and very timely) Anthropology in Our Backyards Lecture.  This time Professor Charles Menzies will be speaking on Abolone, Pipelines, and Aboriginal Rights – Making Sense of Coastal Opposition to the Northern Gateway Project.

That’s it for this week folks, for more information about upcoming events or just the cool things that happen here, you can find us on Facebook and Twitter and did you know we’ve got a blog?  Well we do, find out our thoughts on all things books related at booksandcompany.wordpress.com

Just ‘Cause Valentine’s Day is over, it doesn’t mean February isn’t still fun at Books & Co

The dust has settled on another Valentine’s Day, but that doesn’t mean Books & Co, Café Voltaire and ArtSpace don’t have some wonderful things planned for the rest of February!

This Friday, February 17 at 8:00 pm we’ve got Denis Strawsfogel in Café Voltaire.  Playing a mix of folk songs and classic tunes, Denis is sure to put on a fantastic show for this Friday Night Mic session!  As always, this event is free!

And, don’t forget that we’ve got a Spectacular Storytime Every Saturday Morning at 10:00 am! Our expert storytellers provide spice (and excellent scary, funny and weird voices) to classic and modern tales! So drop in with your youngsters and enjoy a coffee while they listen to stories and make crafts!

Books & Co has tickets for An Evening of Musical Comedy starring Dawn Boudreau & Guests and hosted by Carter Horie on Saturday, February 18 in ArtSpace.  Tickets are only $15.

February is Black History Month and Books & Co has tickets for Prince George’s Black History Month Celebrations!  On Saturday, February 18 at 7:00 pm enjoy an Evening of Song Out of Africa at the First Baptist Church.  Tickets are only $10! Or, on Monday, February 20 at 7:00 pm enjoy a Caribbean Cooking Demonstration (and probably some excellent samples of Caribbean food) at the First Baptist Church, tickets for this delicious event are only $12.  And we also have tickets (a mere $15 for adults, $7.50 for children) for the CNC Black History Month Main Event Celebrations! There will be education, entertainment, guest speakers and a lite meal!

Monday, February 20 is a busy day at Books & Co! Not only are we hosting NDP Leadership Candidate Peggy Nash at 11:30 am in Café Voltaire but another meeting of the Prince George Correspondents’ Club (that letter writing thing we do) is meeting in Café Voltaire at 6:30 pm that night!  Come out Monday morning to see Ms. Nash and ask her why she should be our next leader of the official opposition in Ottawa! And come back Monday night to write a letter to anybody you choose (perhaps to your Member of Parliament).

Red Cedar Readers’ Club resumes its fun questions and crafts meetings on Tuesday, February 21^st at 6:30 pm in Café Voltaire.  Come out and chat with other young readers and get ready for the Red Cedar Battle of the Books later this year!

Did you know The Arrogant Worms are coming to ArtSpace on March 14! It’s only a few weeks away! This is going to be a fantastically hilarious show from Canada’s funniest band and you can get tickets for only $30 each. Tickets are going fast and it’s going to be a sold out crowd, so pick yours up TODAY!

Books & Co also has tickets to the Burns Lake Tragedy Fundraiser Dance happening at the Kinsmen Hall on Friday, February 24.  Things kick off at 8:00 pm. There will be live music by Sound Addiction, a silent auction and a late night snack, so get your dancing shoes on and support our neighbours!

You can find us on Facebook and Twitter and did you know we’ve got a blog?  Well we do, find out our thoughts on all things books related at booksandcompany.wordpress.com

Cold enough for ya? How about some hot events to take the chill off

Baby it is cold outside!  So, I guess somebody heard all of the complaints about how January felt like April and now we’ve got a really January out there!  But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t come in to Books & Co, Café Voltaire and ArtSpace for fantastic upcoming author events and concerts!

Big, big news sure to make you drop by despite our arctic weather, it’s time for Books & Co’s Annual Sale!  Everything (with a very few exceptions) is 25% off.  So come in Today, Tomorrow and Saturday (January 19, 20 and 21) and pick up all of those books you wanted for Christmas but didn’t get!

TONIGHT (January 19) Mel McConaghy braves the cold to launch his new memoir My Life Through a Broken Windshield.  In his trademark style, Mel will be giving a rundown of some of the fascinating and hilarious stories that make up this new book about the open road in BC!  Things kick off at 7:00 pm in Café Voltaire.

Our Friday Night Mics is a real treat this week!  Tim Krause will be hosting an acoustic jam session in Café Voltaire starting at 8:00 pm on January 20.  Bring your voices and your acoustic instruments for a rare chance to just jam with other local musicians!

Talk about Coldsnap!  I guess our recent weather is just a helpful reminder to pick up your tickets ASAP for the hottest winter festival in the North (every other community stuck in this deep freeze is jealous; I’m looking at you Saskatoon).  Everything kicks off tomorrow (Friday, January 20) so make sure you drop in and get your tickets today!

Sunday, January 22 at 3:00 pm Books & Co will be celebrating Family Literacy Day with a special storytime and crafternoon in ArtSpace. Come in for stories about families, a craft and ideas on how to keep reading and writing central in your child’s life! Family Literacy Day 2012 is January 27.  For more information about Family Literacy Day, please visit http://abclifeliteracy.ca/family-literacy-day

The 3^nd meeting of the Prince George Correspondents’ Club (our new letter writing club) is on Monday, January 23 at 6:30 pm in Café Voltaire.  Come in and do your part to resurrect the lost art of letter writing by writing a letter to whomever you wish.  There will be free coffee and stamps (for letters mailed to Canadian addresses).  Bring in stationary to trade and share and just write for a couple of uninterrupted hours.  Since it’s just after Christmas it might be nice to write thank you letters for all of your lovely Christmas books (and other presents) but you can write whatever you want!

And starting in February, ArtSpace will be hosting Graphic Novel Writing Workshops for kids and teens!

Teen Graphic Novel Writers’ Workshops – Understanding Icons & Visual Shorthand, Facilitated by Nicole Larson.  In ArtSpace on Wednesdays, February 8, 15, 22 and 29.  6:30 – 8:00 pm.  Join other graphic novel writers and artists aged 13 to 16 to improve your understanding of the process of graphic novel creation and discuss how writing a graphic novel is different from other kinds of creative writing.  Both writers and artists are welcome and we will be doing collaborative projects and exercises every week. Each week we will explore what makes graphic novels compelling and discuss why writers might choose the graphic novel genre to tell their stories.  There will also be time to work either collaboratively or independently on original stories.  The cost of this workshop is $50 and space is limited to 12 participants.  Please sign up at Books & Company before February 1^st.  For more information please email booksandcompanyevents@gmail.com or call 250-563-6637

Young Graphic Novel Writers’ Workshops – What Makes a Graphic Novel? Facilitated by Nicole Larson.  In ArtSpace on Thursdays, February 9, 16, 23 and March 1.  6:30 to 8:00 pm.  Join other graphic novel writers aged 9 – 12 to improve your understanding of the process of graphic novel creation and discuss how writing a graphic novel is different from other kinds of creative writing.  Both writers and artists are welcome and we will be doing exercises and projects every week.  We will be discussing popular graphic novels for kids including Jeff Smith’s Bone series and we’ll talk about the parts of a graphic novel and how they fit together to tell complete stories. There will also be time to work either collaboratively or independently on original stories.  The cost of this workshop is $50 and space is limited to 12 participants.  Please sign up at Books & Company before February 1^st. For more information please email booksandcompanyevents@gmail.com or call 250-563-6637

That’s it for today folks! Stay warm!  I suggest coming for a bowl of soup and a book.  There’s nothing like curling up with a good book under a blanket on the couch while the weather outside is frightful.

You can find us on Facebook and Twitter and did you know we’ve got a blog?  Well we do, find out our thoughts on all things books related at booksandcompany.wordpress.com

 

October 5th Cafe Voltaire and Books & Co Events Email

Autumn is officially underway at Books & Co

As we stare across the river, through the mist to the golden trees beyond, it’s clear that our not-so-summery summer is truly over.  But it just means chilly nights and foggy mornings are made that much better with the homemade soups and warm drinks in Café Voltaire!  We’re open late every weeknight and that makes us the perfect place for an intimate coffee or a rousing discussion!

And of course, we’ve always got something happening!

This Friday in Café Voltaire as part of our wildly successful Friday Night Mics, we’ve got Ben Beattie (one quarter of the much missed and completely delightful The Delightful Gang) performing his own brand of acoustic jazzy pop in a special going away show before he leaves Prince George!  Ben Beattie’s Going Away Show kicks off at 8:00 pm and is free, as always!  Come see him now, so that in a couple of years when he’s up on stage receiving that Grammy, you can tell people, I saw Ben Beattie in Café Voltaire and it was incredible!

And, of course we’ve also got our weekly storytime every Saturday morning at 10:00 am.  Leave your little loved ones in the care of our marvelous bookster Asia while you browse for your own reads or enjoy a coffee with other parents.  At the end of the month (and the last Saturday of every month from now on), October 29, we’ve also got a 2^nd special French Language storytime at 11:00 am with bilingual bookster Taylor.

Sunday, October 9 and Monday, October 10 we’re closed so we can give thanks for the past summer (despite is uncertain weather) and share a meal with the ones we love.  We encourage all of you to do the same.

Tickets are still available for Western Roots music legends Valdy & Gary Fjellgaard’s magnificent show on October 13!  Come out for this fantastic opportunity to see some of Canada’s best loved folk and country artists combined for a wonderful night of music.  Valdy & Gary Fjellgaard will be playing Art Space starting at 8:00 pm on October 13.  Tickets are $25 and available now!

Coming up the following week it’s all about authors: Stan Chung comes by on Sunday, October 16 at 2:00 pm to talk about his new book Global Citizen, local poet GP Lainsbury launches his latest collection, Versions of North on Monday, October 17 at 7:00 pm and Wednesday, October 19 at 7:00 pm award winning, popular and fantastically funny Newfoundland author Wayne Johnston will be here to talk about his wonderful new novel A World Elsewhere.

AND there are more wonderful concerts coming up for Art Space this fall, too!  We’ve currently got tickets for Adrian Glynn on October 16^th, Roy Forbes on October 21^st, Colin Linden as part of Coldsnap on October 30^th and Alex Cuba (seriously, Alex Cuba) on November 18^th.

And don’t forget the special Navaz & Los Gringos show in Art Space on October 29 at 8:00 pm. All the way from Argentina to Iran, this show will blow you away with fantastic global music!  Tickets are only $15 ($10 for students) and available at Books & Co right now!

We’ve also got plans for writing workshops, book clubs for kids and a Howling Halloween Party so stay tuned for future updates!

That’s it for this week, folks!  Don’t forget to check us out on Facebook (we love your feedback), Twitter (140 characters or less), our blog and on our fantastic homepage!