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The Giant welcomes you to Swarovski Crystal Worlds in Wattens Austria, a free 20-min bus ride from Innsbruck. In 1895 Daniel Swarovski started the company and now it honors his imagination with this gorgeous attraction which is part museum, part theme park and part art installation.

Tags: art, artist, attraction, Austria, crystal, crystalline, Europe, Innsbruck, Museum, sightseeing, Swarovski, Swarovski Crystal Worlds, swarovskicrystals, theme park, Trafalgar, Watten

A half century ago, a creative actor/director and immigrant (from South Africa via England), Maurice Podbrey, together with his equal half, Elsa Bolam (and Herb Auerbach and Peter Duffield) managed to knit together a theater company, Centaur, which was and is no easy feat. If that wasn’t nerve wracking enough for a person, Bolam then went on to start another successful one, Geordie Productions.

In an unintentional but perfect nod to the past, Eda Holmes, Centaur’s new artistic director, brings us Choir Boy set in a boys’ prep school while Podbrey’s first production, The Prime of Miss Jean Brody, took place in a girl’s school. The play is written by Tarell Alvin McCraney, who comes with a pretty flashy CV: he’s the Chair of Yale’s School of Drama, where he is also the Playwright in Residence at the Repertory Theatre. and he was also Playwright in Residence for Stratford-Upon-Avon’s Royal Shakespeare Company – and happens to be a member of the renowned Steppenwolf Theatre Ensemble. And let’s just throw in here that he wrote the story of Moonlight which won Oscars for best picture and for the writing.

The story is mostly about Pharus (played by Steven Charles), a gay student making his way through a very traditional private school. Charles commands the stage throughout, and we can’t wait to see where his star takes him (to the Broadway production?). His fellow students talk, yell, fight and sing a cappella as they share intimacies and rivalries when the old school values conflict with our modern world in rules, nepotism, faith, sexuality and school board traditions.  Tight direction by Mike Payette keeps you riveted throughout, while Lighting Designer Andrea Lundy’s magic creatively moves you around the set (loved the purple).

Floydd Ricketts, the musical director and arranger, was the right man in the right place to be able to create new arrangements of spirituals, gospel and jazz songs for a cappella harmonies.  Ricketts notes, “Even though this music comes from pain, there is also joy in it”. Dayane Ntibarikure, assistant director and choir movement facilitator, did a brilliant job of  having the actors move “slave slowly” around the scenes, adding foot stomping  to song and subtly evoking a chain gang in the shower scene.

Holmes has tweaked the play runs slightly this year by adding (less expensive) preview shows to get the performance just that more perfect for opening night. You know how much I like a deal, and Centaur offers much for FREE with behind-the-scenes info to enrich your  theater experience: Talk Back after the shows , Sunday Chat Up, Thursday Pre-Show Convo and the Saturday Salon.

How perfect that this golden Centaur season started by lifting our spirits with the power of music blended with this timely story. See Choir Boy in Montreal before you can’t get tickets on Broadway (Dec 2018)!

Location 453 St-Francois-Xavier
corner: Notre-Dame
Tel: 514-288-3161
Dates: til Oct 28
www.centaurtheatre.com
Metro: Place d’Armes

Tags: a cappella, actor, Andrea Lundy, Avon, behind-the-scene, boy, Broadway, Centaur, choir, Choir Boy, company, Dayane Ntibarikure, deal, director, Drama, Eda Holmes, Elsa Bolam, England, faith, fight, Floydd Ricketts, foot, free, Geordie, girl, gold, gospel, immigrant, jazz, knit, light, Maurice Podbrey, Mike Payette, Moonlight, music, nepotism, night, Oscar, playwright, power, prep, preview, production, purple, school, Shakespeare, shower, sing, slave, song, South Africa, spiritual, star, Steppenwolf, Steven Charles, Stratford-Upon, student, talk, Tarell Alvin McCraney, The Prime of Miss Jean Broday, theater, world, Yale, yell

Odysseo, the horse centric show, is awesome family entertainment which will WOW every member. If you can imagine taking Cirque du Soleil up a notch by marrying it with a team of gifted equestrians, this would be their offspring.

The show has acrobats, blade-running acrobats and horse acrobats – each team outdoing the other in their antics. There are raucous horses racing through jumps and quiet ballet-like riderless horses dancing to the whims of their female horse whisperer, Sylvia Zerbini.

Then why not throw in some African drumming, singing and dancing – for peace. When you combine 70 horses with 50 performers and all the high technology, multimedia and special effects, you create magic on stage.

The carousel pole acrobatics is  a charming setting for the melange of horse and rider/acrobats, but the white fabric/rope acrobatic act is the perfect “10” for each of the costume designer, set designer, lighting, artistic director and the acrobats themselves.

It’s hard to imagine it fitting into a tent setting, but horses appear on mountaintops, in an ice-scape, the woods, walking down hills, in rain storms, galloping as fast as the wind and even and splashing in a waterfront finale.

This time we attended with a youngster who had enjoyed horse camp this summer. She loved figuring out the equine trivia questions before the show started. In her child-like mind she imagined “horses dancing like people at a party”. We glanced occasionally at her face as she sat in awe, riveted to the stage watching instead a seamless ballet of people and horses.  And she was really hoping to get splashed by the playful horses.

Don’t wait – book tickets now as the run has been extended to Oct 21 and the price reduced to $60.  If you can afford it, the Rendez-vous VIP package, including dinner (roast beef and shrimp options) with an open bar, popcorn and drinks to take in to the show, a dessert buffet at intermission

(so Quebec-like with cheese there too), a stable visit, and a souvenir, really makes the evening special. This is a great idea for a do-ahead holiday gift for anyone – take the family, join co-workers or have fun with friends.

Location: Odysseo White Big Top at the corner of the boul. Rene-Levesque and De Lorimier
Tel: 866-999-8111
Dates: til Oct 21
www.cavalia.com
www.facebook.com/cavalia

Tags: acrobat, artistic, ballet, bar, beef, blade-run, camp, carousel, cave, child, Cirque du Soleil, costume, dancing, design, dessert, dinner, drink, entertainment, equestrian, equine, evening, face, family, female, friend, gallop, gift, Hill, holiday, horse, ice, intermission, jump, lighting, mountain, Odysseo, offspring, popcorn, Quebec, racing, rain, rider, roast, set, show, shrimp, splash, stage, storm, summer, tent, ticket, VIP, wind, wood, work

Haunted Harmonies A Capella Festival – Haunted Harmonies is a one day A Cappella Festival. Vocal Group Competition-2pm, Tabernacle Church (50 Washington St.) Free and open to the public. Street Singing-4:30pm-6pm, Essex Street Pedestrian Mall. Free. Evening Concert-7:30pm, Tabernacle Church (50 Washington St.) See website for tickets. Haunted Harmonies

Howl-O-Ween Costumed Pet Parade – Derby Wharf, Salem Maritime Historic Site, 160 Derby St. 1 pm-2:30 pm. The event will include plenty of fun and games and a parade and costume contest with prizes. The event is free, though attendees wishing to participate in the parade will be asked to register. Further details: Howl-O-Ween Parade

Dark Of Night At Pioneer Village– Pioneer Village, West Ave. – Forest River Park.  Starting at 7pm. In candle-lit cottages at the dark forest’s edge, ghostly tales are told. An annual event for those lucky enough to experience the village in October. Seating is limited. Parking is free. Schedule and ticket purchase: Dark Of Night

On Going Events:
Imprisoned! 1692 : Essex National Heritage Area, 35 St. Peter. St. Weekends in October. Experience the horrors of the Old Witch Gaol (jail), the actual location where many accused were held during the infamous trials. There’s no turning back now. On the eve of the deadliest night of the Witch Trials, the jailer will guide you to hear the stories of the convicted and their final pleas. Their fate has been chosen, but is it deserved? They will let you come to your own conclusions. Information and tickets

Salem Witch Museum 19 1/2 Washington Square North 978-744-1692 – Do you believe in witchcraft? At this museum get an understanding into the complex perception of witches, “from midwives and healers to witch hunts and Wiccans.” Salem’s most visited museum presents the witch hysteria of 1692 in an educational, thought-provoking, and a bit spooky way. You’ll learn about the event leading up to the witch trials, and what life was like in Salem.salemwitchmuseum

Photo Credit: John Andrews Photography

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A fall tradition at the Roger Williams Park Zoo, is the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, attracting more than 100,000 visitors for this truly “spectacular” event.

Don’t miss this year’s show that includes more than 5,000 intricately carved pumpkins featuring scenes of wizards, fairytales, and the luminaries of great myths and legends, alongside superheroes, and historical figures who changed the world. Revel in the sights and sounds of the season, and celebrate this otherworldly experience. This seasonal art show aims to delight and amaze the whole family, and not to scare anyone. – Tickets on-sale now

You can also experience the Soaring Eagle Zip Ride during the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. From 115 feet above riders enjoy an aerial view of the park and admire the plethora of jack-o-lanterns from above. Get an eagles-eye view over Providence and into Narragansett Bay in comfortable side-by-side seats.

There are also a number of Special Events taking place which are included in the price of admission (with the exception of Spooky Zoo and Boo at the Zoo Family Overnight). Kids and adults are encouraged to wear costumes; masks are not permitted for teens/adults over age 12.

The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular takes place 7 days a week. Take advantage of Value Nights, Mon-Thurs, which will save you a bit of money and are usually less crowded.

Location: Roger Williams Park Zoo, 1000 Elmwood Ave, Providence, RI 02903
Dates: Oct 4 – Nov 4, 2018
Times: 6 – 11 p.m. (last admission at 10pm)
Tel: 401-785-3510
rwpzoo.org/plan-your-visit/events/jack-o-lantern-spectacular
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: goprovidence.com

Tags: activity, Adventure, aerial, animal, art, autumn, Black Panther, Boo at the Zoo, butter beer, Captain America, carved, Cat in the Hat, character, children, Cinderella, Comic book, costume, dissection, Dr. Seuss, drive i-95, eagle, eagles-eye, encounter, exhibit, fairytale, Fall, family, fan, figure, grinch, hero, historical, Iron Man, Jack-O-Lantern, Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular, kids, legend, luminary, myth, Narragansett Bay, night, outdoor, overnight, owl, park, pellet, Peter Pan, photo, picture, Providence, pumpkin, pumpkin trail, Rhode Island, ride, rider, Robin Hood, Roger Williams Park Zoo, scare, scene, season, Seasonal, show, sight, Snow White, soaring, sound, Spider Man, Spooky Zoo, super hero, superhero, tradition, trail, trick or treat, view, visitor, wand, witch, wizard, wizarding, world, zip, zip ride, zoo

Do you have what it takes to lead like Washington? Visitors to his Mount Vernon Estate now have a chance to put themselves in Washington’s boots and experience first-hand the leadership challenges that he faced on the battlefield and in the presidency.

“Be Washington: It’s Your Turn to Lead” is a new first-person interactive experience that allows visitors to  come face to face with a leadership challenge that George Washington also confronted as commander in chief or president. Listen to advice from his most trusted sources and make your decision.

Inside the immersive 1,200-square-foot Be Washington theater, participants take the role of George Washington as they seek to solve one of four crises that Washington faced. Events of the Revolutionary War and presidency come alive on a massive 30-foot 6K-resolution screen. Chris Jackson, the actor who played George Washington in the Broadway hit “Hamilton,” will introduce each of the plots onscreen and will later describe the course of action that General or President Washington took. Each scene takes about 18 minutes to complete.

Featured scenarios include the Battle of Second Trenton, the Whiskey Rebellion, the Genet Affair and the Newburgh Conspiracy. As you learn about the situation, participants hear insights and opinions from some of the same historical advisers that Washington would have had access to, such as Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton and Henry Knox. As they sift through differing recommendations, they are asked to rate each adviser’s persuasiveness.

At the end of each segment as Washington, the participants have seconds to vote for which course of action they would take to solve the crisis.  All votes are then tabulated and shared on the main screen. Washington’s decisive actions at key moments helped to shape our history. Discover if you would have made the same tough choices.

Entry to the Be Washington theater is free when you purchase a general admission ticket to Mount Vernon. You can try the web-version of “Be Washington” at: play.bewashington.org

Location: George Washington’s Mount Vernon, 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, VA 22121
Date: until – Dec 31, 2018
Time: 9am – 4pm
Tel: 703-780-2000
mountvernon.org/site/bewashington
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: visitalexandriava.com

Tags: action, adviser, Alexander Hamilton, Battle of Second Trenton, battlefield, commander in chief, drive i-95, estate, experience, first-person, Genet Affair, George Washington, Henry Knox, historical, History, interactive, leadership, Mount Vernon, Newburgh Conspiracy, Participant, plot, presidency, President, Revolutionary War, scenario, situation, theater, Thomas Jefferson, Virginia, visitor, Washington, Whiskey Rebellion, “Be Washington: It’s Your Turn to Lead”

On Columbus Day weekend head to Newburyport for their annual Fall Harvest Festival. Enjoy great food, live music, and family fun while celebrating autumn’s arrival. Explore downtown shops as well as craft vendor booths from artisans all over New England.

A Newburyport tradition, Fall Harvest Festival features talented artisans offering handmade crafts & artwork, great local food vendors and live music that will keep your toes tapping.  Bring the kids in the morning for children’s entertainment in Market Square.

One of the most fun parts of the Newburyport Fall Harvest Festival is the Annual Scarecrow Contest. This year will be the 17th annual scarecrow contest and the goal of this creative competition is to create a gallery of fun, inventive scarecrows throughout Market Square.

Schedule:

• Kids’ Entertainment – Market Square | Sunday & Monday from 10:30-11:30 am
• Craft Show | Sunday & Monday 10 am-5pm
• Food Vendors | Sunday & Monday 10 am-5pm
• Scarecrow Contest | Sunday 12pm – Monday 2pm
• Live Music in Market Square | 1pm – 4pm

Location: Downtown Newburyport, Market Square, Newburyport, MA 01950
Date: Sun & Mon, Oct 7 & 8
Time: 10am – 5pm
Tel: 978-572-1494
facebook.com/events/2003581069655826
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: newburyportchamber.org

Tags: annual, artisan, artwork, autumn, booth, children, Columbus Day, competition, contest, craft, crafts, creative, downtown, drive i-95, entertainment, Fall, Fall Havest Festival, family, festival, food, fun, gallery, handmade, harvest, inventive, kids, live music, local, market, Massachusetts, music, New England, Newburyport, scarecrow, shop, show, talent, tradition, vendor, weekend

The 24th edition of CoastFest, Georgia’s largest celebration highlighting their state’s unique coastal environment and natural resources, takes center stage on Saturday, October 6th from 10 am ’til 4pm with a family-friendly day of fun and education.

Over 70 environmental, educational, research and resource organizations from around the southeast will be represented at CoastFest 2018, offering visitors a chance to learn about Georgia’s coastal resources through interactive exhibits and displays and have some fun at the same time.

Visitors of all ages can participate in activities from recycling to learning about coastal weather, native plants to sea turtles, water conservation to archeology, herpetology to geology, sharks to shrimp.

Be captivated throughout the day under the Big Top by many unique events: Arthur Atsma and his Science Circus amaze the audience with science and Newtonian physics taught through fast-paced circus stunts and magic tricks keeping you on the edge of your seat. Jim Sawgrass and his Creek Indian encampment entertain with Native American songs and ritual dances, master juggler Rhys Thomas performing amazing juggling feats with tons of audience participation and Bubble-ologist Keith Johnson uses imagination and science to explore how bubbles work, and reptiles and raptors from the Center for Wildlife Education at Georgia Southern University will take center stage for two shows throughout the day.

CoastFest 2018 will offer new experiences around every corner. Put your hands into the touch tanks with unique coastal Georgia sea life, participate in living history demonstrations with military re-enactors from the Revolutionary War through the Civil War and witness cannon firings. Learn boating safety, master kayaking, try your hand at archery, or how about holding live snakes or even an alligator. You can tour the US Coast Guard boats, Plenty of ‘make-it-take-it’ projects, walk up to a bull moose, a bear, an elk, a wolf, and too many more activities to list.

Catch the excitement at this fun and kid-friendly, family-friendly FREE event with an abundance of educational games, activities and experiences.

Location: MaryRoss Waterfront Park , Bay Street at Gloucester St., Brunswick, GA 31520
Date: Sat, Oct 6, 2018
Time: 10am – 4pm
Tel: 912-264-7218
coastalgadnr.org/CoastFest
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: goldenisles.com

Tags: activity, alligator, archeology, archery, audience, bear, big top, boat, boating, Brunswick, bubbles, bull moose, cannon, Center for Wildlife, circus, Civil War, coastal, CoastFest, Creek Indian, dance, demonstration, display, drive i-95, education, elk, encampment, environment, environmental, event, exhibit, experiences, family-friendly, free, fun, games, geology, Georgia, Georgia Southern University, herpetology, History, imagination, interactive, juggler, kayaking, kid-friendly, living history, magic, military, moose, native, Native American, natural, Newtonian, organization, participation, physics, plant, project, raptor, re-enactor, recycling, reptile, research, resource, Revolutionary War, ritual, safety, science, sea life, sea turtle, shark, shrimp, snake, song, Southeast, state, stunt, tour, trick, US Coast Guard, water conservation, weather, wildlife, Wolf

The first annual Oinktoberfest will be held at the American Legion Grounds in Roanoke Rapids, NC. The gates will open at 2pm and live music starts at 3pm and the live music won’t disappoint.

Included in the price of the ticket is the entertainment, which includes four bands playing live for you plus all you can eat of some of the finest BBQ and Sides  served by FoSho from Emporia, VA. Food will include BBQ Pork & Chicken along with the sides and sweet and unsweet tea. 

The reason for this event is to help their local Sheriff, Wes Tripp, and his program raise money to buy bicycles benefiting the Kids of Halifax County, NC. This event will also benefit the American Legion and the Veterans Museum of Roanoke Rapids, NC.

Live Music, BBQ, and Good Times – go out and join an afternoon of fun and help out a great cause. Please note: No Tickets Will Be Sold At The Gates and this event has limited tickets, Get Your Tickets Here ...Get Tickets

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS…

3 – 4pm: The 7100 Band (Rock and Country)

4:30 – 5:30pm: Tommy McCoy (Blues)

6 – 7:30pm: Sidewinder Reunion (Rock)

8 – 9:30pm: Colt Ford

Event Will Be Held Rain or Shine.

Tags: all-you-can-eat, American Legion, band, BBQ, benefit, bicycle, chicken, county, Emporia, entertainment, food, FoSho, fun, Halifax, Halifax County, kids, live music, local, Museum, music, North Carolina, Oinktoberfest, pork, program, Roanoke Rapids, sheriff, sides, sweet tea, tea, ticket, veteran, Virginia

The Ormond Beach Community Day is a fun filled event for the whole family. All the fun takes place on Saturday, September 29th from 11am to 4pm at Destination Daytona.

This free community non-profit charity event features outstanding food, live music, vendors and entertainment including a professional  BMX Trickstars shows, classic car show, RV exhibit with Giant Recreation World, Motorcycle Police Demos,  drum line performance, a visit from the National Guard, top 40 hand picked Hot Rod show, kids play area with face painting, balloons, bounce house, and all full day of live music.

Location: Destination Daytona, 253 Destination Daytona, Ormond Beach, FL 32174
Date: Sat, Sept 29, 2018
Time: 11am – 4pm
Tel: 386-868-8484
For Regional Accommodations, Restaurants & Attractions: daytonabeach.com

Tags: balloon, BMX, bounce house, car, charity, classic, classic car show, community, day, Daytona Beach, demo, Destination Daytona, drive i-95, drum, drum line, entertainment, event, exhibit, face painting, family, Florida, food, fun, guard, hand picked, hot rod, kids, live music, motorcycle, music, national, National Guard, non-profit, Ormond Beach, Ormond Beach Community Day, performance, play. area, police, professional, recreation, RV, show, Trickstar, vendor, world