There can be no better way to get over Stampede blues and ease into the halcyon days of summer than by attending the Banff Centre's Midsummer Ball weekend. It is the largest arts fundraiser in Western Canada and is a vital source for the Banff Centre’s Artists’ Fund. It ensures emerging and established artists get the education, mentorship and inspiration needed to realize their creative potential. That more than 3,000 artists annually have the opportunity to attend Banff Centre's world-class programming is astounding. Read More
↧
Brooks: Banff Centre's 40th Midsummer Ball raises more than $1.2 million
↧
Brooks: Calgary Flames Alumni Master Golf Tournament celebrates 25 years
Since its inception 25 years ago, the annual Calgary Flames Alumni Masters Golf Tournament has raised more than $2.7 million for Calgary and southern Alberta charities. And this year's tournament, the silver anniversary, raised $100,000 for Cerebral Palsy Kids and Families. Read More
↧
↧
Brooks: Country music legends inducted into Hall of Fame
Country music was the resounding vibe in our city last week as Calgary played host to the 2019 Canadian Country Music Awards for the first time since 2005. Myriad events took place prior to the awards show on Sept. 8 in the Saddledome, but for country music legends Ian Tyson and Sylvia Tyson, one event will stand out. On Sept. 5, each was honoured with their own plaque in the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame at Studio Bell. Read More
↧
Brooks: Sport Calgary honours retiring executive director and CEO
Scores of guests gathered at The Glencoe Club Sept. 7 to attend the Sport Calgary-hosted reception thanking Murray Sigler for his outstanding contributions and
to welcome Catriona Le May Doan as its new president and CEO. Read More
↧
Best-selling author Malcolm Gladwell doesn't believe in job interviews, sees 'enormous hope' in young workforce
Technology, education and diversity were some of the themes that wrapped up a two-day energy conference in Calgary on Wednesday, as speakers including Canadian writer Malcolm Gladwell shared their comments with a packed audience at the Big Four Building. Read More
↧
↧
Brooks: Calgary International Film Festival kicks off on the red carpet
When one thinks of film festivals, names the likes of Raindance, San Francisco, Melbourne, Berlin, Sundance, Toronto and Venice spring to mind. But Calgary? Yes dear readers, Calgary does have a film festival and has had one for 20 years. It is the largest in Alberta and sixth largest in Canada. It is also an Oscar-qualifying festival for short films and was named one of "50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee" in both 2016 and 2017 by MovieMaker Magazine. Read More
↧
Lady Lougheed's Literary Luncheon showcases women writers and raises funds for the Lougheed House
Calgary's first-and longest running book club, The Calgary Women's Literary Club, was created in 1906 thanks to the vision of Annie Davidson. Davidson invited women readers to her 13th Avenue parlour a few blocks east of Lougheed House. The club's founding members worked tirelessly to build Alberta's first public library which opened in 1912. That same year, women journalists formed the Calgary branch of the Canadian Women's Press Club which operated until 1971. Read More
↧
New photo exhibit shows Calgary-based Mode Models in a new light
For anyone remotely interested in fashion, the names fall off the tongue in quick succession: Tricia Helfer, Kim Renneberg, Heather Marks, Paul Greene, Jason Thompson. Read More
↧
Brooks: The Beat Goes On Gala raises $700k for heart health
Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer globally for both men and women. The good news is that the innovative research, education and health care being done at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta will reduce the impact of the disease. Read More
↧
↧
Brooks: Brookline celebrates 15th anniversary in style
Celebration was the order of the evening Oct. 1 as scores of guests gathered at Bridgette Bar for the 15th anniversary of Brookline Public Relations. Read More
↧
Brooks: Seinfeld headlines 20th anniversary of Owen Hart Foundation
The Owen Hart Foundation (OHF) celebrated its 20th anniversary with a presentation of iconic comedian Jerry Seinfeld who performed two shows at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium Oct 18. Seinfeld headlined the 10th annual fundraiser so it was a magnificent milestone for organizers and foundation supporters to welcome back the legendary comedian. Read More
↧
Brooks: Cocktails for Critters benefits our "furever" friends
Scores of guests gathered at the Telus Convention Centre Oct. 19 to attend the 19th annual Calgary Humane Society's Cocktails for Critters. Mere metres away, a select group of guests attended the tony VIP opening of Glenbow's fall 2019 season. Having events so close to each other was a bonus as it was easy to flip back and forth between the two. Read More
↧
Brooks: Laughter is the best medicine
Cowboys' 3rd annual Blue Ball saw scores of guests rolling in the aisles as some of the best standup comics in the business riffed on taboo topics such as erectile dysfunction, man-scaping and other don't-go-there guy stuff. Host Pete Giovine of You're on the List Podcast fame masterfully warmed up the audience and easily wove the importance of men getting a PSA test into his hilarious schtick. Craig Conant from The Laugh Factory LA was next up, followed by Adam Ray from The Comedy Store LA and wrapping the evening was Adam Ray from The Comedy Store LA. The event raised $10,000 for the Calgary Prostate Cancer Centre and increased awareness as to the importance of getting checked. Read More
↧
↧
Brooks: Former PM's discuss Canada's future
The timing could not have been better. It was a mere 10 days after the federal election that former prime ministers Jean Chretien and Stephen Harper were at the Hyatt to discuss the future of Canada, our position on the global stage and our relationship with the United States. There was not an empty seat to be had at the luncheon hosted by the O'Brien Institute for Public Health. And there could not have been a better moderator than University of Calgary Chancellor Deborah Yedlin, a self-professed political junkie. Read More
↧
Brooks: A look back at the events that made 2019 memorable
The Fraser Institute reported recently that the amount Canadians donate to charity — as a percentage of their income claimed on their taxes — has hit a 20-year low. But guess which province has the highest average dollar value of all charitable donations? Yes, that would be Alberta. In spite of the challenging economic times, we are indeed a generous lot and can always be counted upon to support myriad charitable organizations. Just look at the millions of dollars raised through dozens of events this past year. And your faithful social scribe had the distinct pleasure of attending and covering many of these. Read More
↧
Star Trek star George Takei added to Calgary Expo lineup
Star Trek star George Takei is the latest big name added to the lineup for the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo. Read More
↧
Brooks: Robert Burns Dinner celebrates iconic Scottish poets' birthday
Robert Burns began his life as a poor tenant farmer but was able to channel his intellectual energy into poetry and song to become one of Scotland's favourite sons. Burns was also well-known for his amours and rebellions against orthodox religion and morality. Read More
↧
↧
Brooks: Big Ball raised record funds in support of men's mental health
More than 450 guests gathered at Hotel Arts Jan. 31 to support the third annual Big Ball. The event is the brainchild of Dr. Shelley Spaner — a Mayfair Diagnostics radiologist, Women For Men's Health founder and Prostate Cancer Centre board member. The ball raised more than $270,000 in support of men's mental health at the Men's Health Clinic — a partnership between the Prostate Cancer Centre and Spaner family co-founders. Read More
↧
Celebrating Academy Awards at the Red Carpet Affair
More than 150 elegantly attired guests gathered at The Grand Sunday evening to be part of the biggest night in Hollywood, all the while enjoying fabulous food and drink from award-winning WoRKSHoP Kitchen + Culture. The historic theatre was transformed with screens and pop-ups throughout the venue. Read More
↧
How two New York Times journalists broke the Weinstein story, sparking #MeToo movement
When Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey first began digging into rumours of sexual assault and abuse by Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, not only were they unsure of whether the allegations were true but, if they were, whether the public would even care. Read More
↧