Everyone at the Caetani Cultural Centre is busy “tooning up” for Oct. 27, and its Toonie Lantern Parade and Festival.
“The festival has more than magic to offer this year,” says organizer Christine Pilgrim.
To make it affordable for everyone, she and Judy Katalinic (executive director of the Caetani Centre), decided to make this a toonie lantern festival, with toonie pizzas, toonie hot drinks, toonie cupcakes, toonie fortoons (that’s fortunes), toonie masks, toonie competitions and entertainment too.
Not only that: but before the festival starts at the Caetani Centre, there’ll be Toonie Tales told at the Hub (next door to the Towne Theatre on 30th Avene) at 5:30 p.m. That’s where the parade will set off at 6 p.m.
It will be led through the streets of Vernon by the Kalamalka Highlanders’ Pipe Band.
“There’ll be drums and flutes too. And prizes for some of the lanterns we like the best,” says Pilgrim.
There are still three lantern-making opportunities on Saturday, in time for the big event the following week: one for children at the Hub at 10:30 a.m. until noon; another for the whole family at the Caetani Centre between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.; and a third, for adults, again at the Hub between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., rain or shine.
The Hub workshops cost $10 but, predictably, the Caetani workshop cost a toonie per lantern.
“Maybe it should be called the Caetooni Lantern Festival,” said one lantern-maker at last week’s workshop.
“Caetooni or Caetani, everyone is welcome to come dressed in their finest festival regalia or just as they are, masked or unmasked, with or without lanterns,” says Pilgrim as she rattles the toonies she’s already saved.
Details of the Caetani Parade and Festival, as well as the workshops, can be found at www.caetaniculturalcentre.org or 250-275-1525 or www.thehubartscollective.com or 250-938-3469.
