EDUCATIONAL EVENTS
Friday, March 1
Decolonizing the Land
This lecture is presented by the UVic Native Students Union (NSU) as part of Indigenous Resurgence Week, which lasts from Feb. 26 to March 2. This event’s featured speaker is Jeff Corntassel, assistant professor in the Indigenous Governance program at UVic. There are a lot more related events happening as well; contact the NSU to find out more.
For more info, email nsu@uvicnsu.ca or visit UVic Native Students Union on Facebook.
UVic First Peoples House Ceremonial Hall, 1 p.m. Free.
Monday, March 4 – Friday, March 15
IdeaFest 2013
Do you like using your brain? Chances are you answered that question with “Yes, I do like using my brain.” Okay, we’ve got that covered. The next question is, do you like ideas? Do you like it when good ideas pop out of your own brain, or they pop out of other people’s brains but you hear about them and like them, too? Yes? Good! Then you’ll feel very at home at UVic during the first couple of weeks in March, as you’ll get to hear about a wide range of ideas covering everything from politics to art and science, and much more.
For more info, visit uvic.ca/ideafest.
UVic campus (various locations). Free.
Monday, March 11 (and every Monday)
Microscope Mondays at The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre
If you’re new to Victoria, there usually has to be a compelling reason to go somewhere and explore. Well, if you haven’t really been out to Sidney yet, the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre is reason enough to head out in that direction, especially with the octopus and the eels (trust me, the octopus alone is worth the trip). But those are just the big guys — Microscope Mondays shows all the little critters you can’t see so well with the naked eye. Some people complain that the sea monkeys they had when they were kids were just boring little brine shrimp; if you didn’t find your sea monkeys to be at all boring, then this will be a great way to spend a Monday afternoon.
For more info, visit oceandiscovery.ca/events or email info@oceandiscovery.ca.
Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre (9811 Seaport Place, Sidney), 10 – 4 p.m. $15 adults, $8 youth, $5 children.
Thursday, March 14
Ugh! A Slug (Guided Walk)
Bored? Why not head out to the Mill Hill Regional Park in Langford and look at some slugs? A park naturalist will take you on a guided tour, digging around for the slimy little guys. I know not everyone is into slugs, but for those who are, I’m sure this will be a blast. I’ve got nothing against slugs, but I have to confess — as a kid, I’d look at them, and I’d always wish they were snails. Sorry, slugs, but I think your curly-shelled cousins are just more appealing and interesting. Now excuse me while I wait for the inevitable deluge of hate mail.
For more info, email crdparks@crd.bc.ca or call (250) 478-3344.
Mill Hill Regional Park (Langford), 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Free.
ENTERTAINMENT
Friday, March 8
Minecraft: The Story of Mojang (Cinecenta)
This looks like a compelling documentary about the popular video game Minecraft. And even if you’ve seen this already, there’s a very good reason to see it again: the director and producer of this film will be at Cinecenta to answer audience questions after the screening. I must admit, I’m not up on my games at all; I actually thought Minecraft was one of those idiotic Facebook games, like Farmville, where I keep seeing annoying posts about other players’ accomplishments (although it seems no one plays it anymore, or is it just that I’ve hidden all those people from my Facebook feed?). Anyway, now I’m realizing what an idiot I am for not knowing about Minecraft. Bad events calendar writer! Bad!
For more info, visit cinecenta.com.
Cinecenta (UVic Student Union Building), 7:15 p.m. $5.75 (UVSS students).
Sunday, March 10
Digging Roots in concert
The Toronto-based bluesy jam band Digging Roots will be coming to Victoria. If you want a feel of what this band is like, just go check ‘em out on YouTube: a rootsy musical vibe based around the metallic drone of the resonator guitar. Without having seen these guys play, I can definitely guarantee a good live show. The “jam band” classification may work for marketing purposes, but I suppose it always leads to a comparison to, for better or for worse, the Grateful Dead or Phish. But as a music fan, every jam band I’ve seen had its own sound and put on a fantastic live performance. Oh, and for all you guitar geeks, the band’s guitarist, Raven Kanatakta, is no slouch, either! This sounds like a show worth checking out.
For more info, visit auditorium.uvic.ca/tickets or call (250) 721-8480.
Univeristy Centre Farquhar Auditorium, 8–10 p.m. $30 adults; $15 students, seniors and alumni.
Thursday, March 14 – Saturday, March 23
You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown
Here’s a classic play based on the lovable Peanuts comic strip (which ranks at number three for me, behind Calvin and Hobbes and The Far Side). I remember seeing the local high school put on this play when I was 11 years old, and I have to admit I was a little disappointed, because the guy playing Charlie Brown didn’t shave his head. Which raises the question — is Charlie Brown really bald? And if he is, should actors who play him go all-out and shave their heads for the role (with the requisite curly hairs drawn on via Sharpie)? To any actor who would do this, you have my unending respect.
For more info, call (250) 721-7991, or visit finearts.uvic.ca/theatre/phoenix/plays.
UVic Phoenix Theatre, 8 p.m. $22 adults, $18 seniors, $16 students on weekdays; $24 (all tickets) on weekend evenings. $7 tickets available for preview shows (March 12 and 13). Preview tickets go on sale at 5 p.m. the night of the performance.
