February 24, 2006 North Bay Waterfront Fun This Weekend

The North Bay Waterfront is a cool place to be this weekend with 2 big events – Ice Follies 2006 & Snowmobile Racing. 

ICE FOLLIES 

North Bay’s public art gallery the W.K.P. Kennedy Gallery is sponsoring its third art show on the ice of Lake Nipissing beginning tomorrow February 25^th.  The highly successful Ice Follies I put North Bay on the art map with its original concept of unique ice huts in 2004.  In 2005 Andrew Van Schie presented a one man ice sculpture event. 

Entrance to Andrew Van Schie’s ice sculpture last year.  D. Mackey Photo.

This year 10 artists including recognized francophone and aboriginal artists will present their whimsical and eccentric ideas of art in nature and frozen outdoor space on the waterfront.  There will be 4 ice hut sculptures included. 

There will be artists from across Canada and local artists Lori Grace Johnson and Michael Couchie.  There will also be interesting spin-off projects by Peter Nickle (Ice Transduction), Frank Kools (Ice Carousel) and Kirk Cedarwahl (Ice Lanterns and video display). 

ICE FOLLIES EVENTS 

Opening Saturday February 25^th, 12-4pm.  There will snow bus tours, food and hot drinks and an opening reception.  The Kennedy Gallery educational program for kids will conduct a class on snow sculpture beginning at 11am.  For the exercise the tour can be taken on foot, skis or snowshoes. 

FAMILY FUN DAY 

March 11^th depending on the weather 2-7pm.  There will be a barbeque, can curling, broomball, skating, an ice candle display, etc.  There will be a screening of a movie on the ice follies in a custom built “snow theatre” at 8pm on the waterfront. 

MARCH BREAK ICE FOLLIES TOURS 

For information contact the gallery at (705) 474-1944 ext. 231 or go online at www.icefollies.net.

 CATALOGUE 

An Ice Follies Catalogue will be prepared following the event.  For information when it will be available contact the Gallery.  Ice Follies 2006 is sponsored by several local groups as well as the Canada Council, the Ontario Arts Council and the City of North Bay. 

SNOWMOBILE RACING 

SNOWCROSS as professional snowmobile racing is now called will take place February 25 & 26 at the North Bay Waterfront Park south of the old CPR station on Oak Street.  (It is not directly connected to the Ice Follies).  There will be men, women and kids qualifying events and races all day on both days.  There will also be a display of restored snowmobiles by the Nipissing Resurrectors Antique and Classic Snowmobile Club.  Passes are $25 for adults and $15 for kids for the 2 days – less for 1 day.  For further information call Leslie at 474-6634.  The Snowcross event has many sponsors and is organized by the Rotary Clubs of Nipissing and North Bay as a fundraiser for the new hospital’s Neonatal Respite Nursery Unit. 

You can slip away for a break and see the (free) Ice Follies nearby and enjoy both events.  This is only a taste of what the future holds as the waterfront develops in the years ahead.