November 25 2009: (Calgary, AB) – Amidst a sea of green, this weekend’s Grey Cup Festival will spotlight the talent of Calgary artists, designers and musicians.

Enmax Illuminate Calgary, an extraordinary display of light installations, will light up the Cultural District on November 27 and 28 from 5-11pm. The light festival showcases the talents of Calgary-based artists and designers and will light up 20 buildings on both sides of Stephen Avenue from the Epcor Centre to 2nd St SW.

The light installations feature projection and interactive elements including a piece called Fortune Teller, which invites viewers to text their mood to be displayed on a stock ticker, and Bolt of Lightning, where lights are controlled with a mini keyboard.

Another piece called Clouded Emotions in the +15 between the Glenbow Museum and Telus Convention Centre captures movements of spectators on the street and responds with changing light in a giant technological cloud suspended over the walkway.  

The festival also spotlights the musical talents of local bands Cripple Creek Fairies, The Lions, The Dudes, Random Task Collective, Madcowboys and Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, who will perform at the Enmax Street Festival on Stephen Avenue on Friday and Saturday from 1 - 4pm. Lindsay Ell, Souls in Rhythm and Sonal play as part of the Olympic Plaza Family Fun Fest, which runs Friday – Sunday, 8:30am - 6pm.

This week’s CalgaryCulture.com highlights:

For more information about these events, visit CalgaryCulture.com and follow us on Twitter @CalgaryCulture. Listings on CalgaryCulture.com are free for all Calgary artists and arts organizations, and all Calgarians are encouraged to sign up for the free newsletter from CalgaryCulture.com – it’s the easiest way to tap into the dozens of arts events, festivals and cultural celebrations happening each week in Calgary.

Enmax Illuminate Calgary ( view )
Nov 27 & 28, Stephen Avenue
The ENMAX Street Festival will transform three blocks of Stephen Avenue into a hub of sights, sounds, arts, and entertainment for the whole family. When the sun goes down, the Festival will light up with ENMAX Illuminate Calgary. This lighting, video and laser extravaganza will delight young and old alike.

Enmax Street Festival ( view )
Nov 27 – 29, Stephen Avenue
Join thousands of CFL fans at the "midway" of the Grey Cup Festival. Showcasing displays, vendors, activities and featuring the ENMAX Street Festival Stage live performances presented by X92.9 on Stephen Avenue between Olympic Plaza and 2nd Street SW.

Olympic Plaza Family Fan Fest ( view )
Nov 27 – 29, Olympic Plaza
Join us at the gathering place for the 2009 Grey Cup Festival at Olympic Plaza for daily pancake breakfasts, BBQs, Atlantic Schooners Maritime Kitchen Party, exhibits, displays, family programming and live entertainment throughout each day on our main stage.

Alberta Theatre Projects presents Toad of Toad Hall ( view )
Nov 25 – Dec 25, Martha Cohen Theatre, EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts
Meet the famous trickster of Toad Hall: the sharp-witted, finely groomed Mr. Todd. A sucker for the finer things in life, Mr. Toad has gotten himself into a mole-hole that he may not be able to dig himself out of! After stealing one of the finest cars to toot down a dirt road, Mr. Toad is now an infamous outlaw, hopping trains and river rafts, trying to out scheme officials at every turn.

The Invisible Girl ( view )
Nov 27 – 29, Vertigo Theatre, 161, 115 9 Ave SE
Ali used to be part of the most popular group in Grade 5. Then she made a BIG mistake—and now all her best friends treat her like she's invisible!  When no one sees you, it's amazing how you start to see others. The Invisible Girl is a smart and humorous look at our culture's preoccupation with fashion, beauty and popularity. Ages 6 to 12.

Dance Montage 2009 ( view )
Nov 26 – 28, University Theatre, 210 University Court NW
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Dance Montage, one of Calgary’s longest running dance productions. The show will highlight repertoire from each decade of the 40 years created by choreographers Annalisa Bentzen (2003), Kory Ireland (1976), Lisa Ryan (1995) and Paula Steinberg (1982). Audiences will also enjoy new work featuring 43 current and former U of C Kinesiology students, a piece for an all male cast created by W&M Physical Theatre’s Wojtek Mochniej and a Fosse inspired dance created by Jessalyn Britton and Laura Reed, students in the dance major program.

The Mob ( view )
Nov 24 – Dec 6, Reeve Primary Theatre, University of Calgary
World premiere! Each spring an immense flock of crows abandons its roost and sweeps north along the rocky spine of the continent. When a freak blizzard descends the flock must decide what will save them. Should they follow tradition or make a radical change?

Starnino and Bök: Cage Match of Canadian Poetry ( view )
Nov 26, Leacock Theatre, Mount Royal University
Please join Mount Royal University for a night of exciting debate between Montreal poet and publisher Carmine Starnino and Griffin Prize-winning poet Christian Bok about the contemporary state of poetry in Canada. The evening promises to be full of intelligent and feisty debate.


Contact Information
For interview requests and other inquiries, please contact:
Melissa Kushnir
Marketing Specialist, Calgary Arts Development
Phone: (403) 264-5330
Email: melissa.kushnir@calgaryartsdevelopment.com

About Calgary Arts Development
Calgary Arts Development was created in 2005 to lead long-term, strategic development of the arts sector in Calgary, guided by the 2004 Civic Arts Policy. Calgary Arts Development invests municipal arts funding of $3.75 million annually in 160 local arts organizations, provides support to the arts community, private developers and public and private sector funders engaged in arts space projects and engages in strategic marketing initiatives to increase arts participation and raise awareness of Calgary’s arts sector locally, nationally and internationally. Visit CalgaryArtsDevelopment.com for more information about our activities and initiatives.