Carnival Band Fans,

Love it or hate it, with the Vancouver squarely in the sights of the Olympic Cannon, this city is about to get a whole lot crazier. The Carnies, naturally, are following suit.

This Sunday, February 7th, join The Carnival Band and the Downtown Eastside Samba Band for the Poverty Olympics at the Carnegie Centre (Hastings and Main). The Poverty Olympics aim is to highlight the differences between the haves and the have-nots in our fair city. The event starts at 12:00pm. For more info, see here.

Then on Friday, February 12th, we will a part of the 2010 Welcoming Committee (Unofficial!) Marching and speaking out have become more defiant as many streets and public sites are turned over to the Games and corporate sponsors with restrictions on free speech, protest, and assembly. Come join us as we do our part to reclaim public space!
Friday, February 12th 2:30pm
Vancouver Art Gallery (750 Hornby Street).

During the Games we have a standing engagement with the Place de la Francophonie on Granville Island. A celebration of French culture from here at home and overseas. Check our website for a full list of events. We will also be performing for Winteruption, also on Granville Island.

Finally,

The Year of the Tiger is upon us, so don your favourite Hobbes costume and take in the Chinese New Years Parade on Feb. 14th at 9:00am. For route information, please go here.

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Carnival Band Fans!

Come check out The Carnival Band as we help usher in a new era of Vancouver urbanism. Today, January 15th; The Woodwards’ building is relighting its historic W and opening its doors to Vancouverites. Learn more about it here <http://sfuwoodwards.ca/city_salon.html>. The Carnival Band is on at 6:00pm, but the event starts at 4:00pm and features a book launch by the architect of the project as well as a few historic nods. Come! Witness history.

Catch us next Friday, January 22nd at the Wise Hall (1882 Adanac Street) as we celebrate 65 years of the Co-op Book Store . The celebration will be all out, there will be writers, story tellers, poets, comedians, bands, DJ’s and more. Basically a stellar lineup of some of Vancouver best talent. The event starts at 7:00pm. Come and help support independent books sellers.

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Yours in Community,

The Carnival Band

Friends,

With national Wear Brown Shoes Day now officially behind us, The Carnival Band is gearing up for the other December shin dig. What was it again? No, not national Oatmeal Muffin Day…..

CHRISTMAS!!!

Come and celebrate as The Carnival Band joins other merry makers and parades though downtown in the annual Santa Clause Parade, tomorrow, Sunday December 6th.

The parade starts at 1:00pm, but get there early to get a spot (word is 300,000 people come out every year). The parade route can be found here.

Also, Catch the Carnie Crew next Sunday as we play the WISE Hall (1882 Adanac St. )

We are performing with Clancy’s Angles. Show starts at 9:00pm. Good times all around.

You may ask yourself, “How does The Carnival Band achieve such a tight sound? How do they play so loudly, and yet with so much finesse?” Well, we rehearse every Monday evening from 7:30 till 10:00pm at Britannia Community Centre. Feel free to drop by anytime. We are always looking for more players (You don’t even need previous musical experience.)

EXCEPT THIS COMING MONDAY (November 23)!!!

The Carnival Band is foregoing their regular rehearsal time and are playing house (band) for the political theatre company, The Wrecking Ball. Think Paul Shaffer meets Cab Calloway.

The evening, aiming to tackle draconian cuts to the arts, features Canada’s leading theatre artists taking on the BC government from coast to coast.

In Vancouver, at the Vogue Theatre at 918 Granville Street. Doors are at 8:00pm and tickets are by donation. Come take in some good music, some good theatre and voice your displeasure at what is happening to arts funding in this province.

Please read more about the event here.

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Dear Carnival Band Family,

The Carnival Band recently returned from HONK! Fest where we met up with almost 500 other street musicians from all over the US (and Italy). Cambridge, Harvard and Boston, Mass, didn’t see it coming! Check out what HONK! is all about here.

Now, back home in Vancouver, we are slipping comfortably into our role of activist horn blowers and social justice drummers. Starting with this evening, we have got a number of events supporting causes from Vancouver and beyond.

6:00pm Thursday Oct 22 at the Four Seasons Hotel (791 W Georgia St.)
Heart for the homeless Gala.
This is a black-tie, Players and Painters, fund-raiser to support homelessness charities. The Carnies will be dressed in their finest evening wear. We will play, and painters will paint and their work will be auctioned off. Tickets are 60$.

Bridge to a Cool Planet
11:00am Saturday, October 24th – Parade from Cambie Bridge to Science World
Come be a part of the parade as we march across Cambie Bridge to Science World.
This event is part of 350.org climate initiative in response to a meeting or world powers in Copenhagen, Denmark to try and hash out some emissions agreement.
Why is 350 important…350 is the most important number in the world—it’s what scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Check out more about Bridge to a Cool Planet here

Parade of Lost Stuff (Souls)
7:00pm Saturday, October 24th – Grandview Park, Commercial Drive

Sadly, our dear friends at Public Dreams are unable to put on the Parade of Lost Souls this year. Thus, we will just have to do it without them. Note – this event is in no way affiliated with Public Dreams. There will be the usual gang of weirdos, however, being all spooky on the Drive. Don your favourite costume and come be spooky with us.

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Yours in Community,
The Carnival Band