Friday, August 19, 2011

Wake Up Winnipeg Exclusive - Folk Thief - The Lonesome Traveler - Live from UMFM Studios - The Aimless & Andy Sessions


Wake Up Winnipeg and UMFM 101.5 FM Present:

Folk Thief - The Lonesome Traveler (Exclusive Release)

Recorded/Mixed/Hosted/Produced by:
Andru Valpy (Wake Up Winnipeg - UMFM 101.5 FM)

Live from UMFM Studios - The Aimless and Andy Sessions
Recorded/Hosted/Produced by: Andru Valpy (Wake Up Winnipeg - UMFM 101.5 FM)

Free Podcast Download Location: iTunes.
Web: http://wakeupwinnipeg.com/ - http://aimlessandandy.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/wakeupwinnipeg

Dave from Folk Thief came into UMFM Studios on his recent Winnipeg stopover and gave us the exclusive release of his brand new song entitled "The Lonesome Traveler".

We're now happy to play it for you for the first time on radio airwaves. Included in this exclusive release is our in studio chat with Dave.

More information about Folk Thief may be found by visiting http://www.folkthief.com/

Click here to download this podcast in iTunes

(c) 2011 Aimless and Andy Productions.



Wake Up Winnipeg - Episode 90


Wake Up Winnipeg - Episode 90


Hosted Live/Produced/Recorded by: Andru Valpy, Natty Somers.

Air Date: 08/12/2011 6:00 PM on UMFM 101.5 FM
Free Podcast Download Location: iTunes.
Web: http://wakeupwinnipeg.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/wakeupwinnipeg 
Become a FaceBook Fan: http://facebook.com/wakeupwinnipeg
Rebroadcast: 08/17/2011 on CJUM 101.5 UMFM - 6:30 AM


This week was a very busy week for us at Wake Up Winnipeg. We crammed as much excitement as we could into our 30 minute episode which included local news, concert and event listings and two guests who were welcomed into our program.

But first, we focused on headline news from around Winnipeg.



In Local News This Week:

The Winnipeg Police Service is investigating a shooting incident that occurred in the 300 block of Langside earlier this morning.

Police say that a gun was fired in the direction of a home around 1:50 this morning hitting a 19 year old male who was sitting in a nearby vehicle.

The male suspect was initially taken to the hospital in life-threatening condition but has since been upgraded to stable condition.


Meanwhile a 29 year old male was arrested in connection with a stabbing that took place in the 1'oclock hour yesterday afternoon in the 400 block of Langside street.

Winnipeg Police were dispatched to the area at approximately 1:20 PM where they located a 30 year old female who had been stabbed in the upper body.

The victim was taken to hospital in critical condition but has since been upgraded to stable condition.

The male suspect has been charged with Aggravated assault and detained.


The City of Winnipeg will be enforcing new dog licensing laws effective September the first and those dog owners who do not adhere to the new rules could be fined 250.00 and court costs.

Starting September 1st, dogs that reside within Winnipeg Limits will have to be licensed and registered with the city animal services agency.

Those dogs found not wearing a license could also be impounded at the City Animal Services office.

License are 27 dollars a year for dogs that are spayed and neutered and 62.00 for others. Residents may also purchase a two-year license and receive a 10 percent discount for the second year.

More information may be found at the city of Winnipeg website or by calling the city of Winnipeg information line at 311.


If you looked up to the skies last night, you may have seen a fantastic light show as a severe thunderstorm rolled through Winnipeg.


Dark Clouds started forming over the city skies around 8:00pm while wind gusts between 70 and 90 kilometers per hour were recorded during the storm.

Lighting was seen flashing in a near strobe light effect while loonie-size hail was reported in various neighborhoods throughout the city.

Last nights storm also delivered a well needed rain fall with 21 millimeters of rainfall recorded.

Despite the strong winds and hailstones last nights storm produced no tornado's or funnel clouds, and no reports of lighting have been reported at this time.

Though environment Canada is predicting more participation on Saturday, the temperatures for the remainder of August and September are expected to be relatively normal.
 

The NHL released it's national Television Schedule this week announcing that the Winnipeg Jets will be featured in 21 appearances on CBC's Hockey Night In Canada, and appearing five times on TSN with other games available on the NHL Network US.

The home opener game will take place on Sunday October 9th, at 4:00pm and will be seen nationally on the CBC and in the US on the NHL Network.

And though the home opener is expected to sell out, there are credible rumors that a seat is being reserved for Prime Minister Steven Harper who reportedly has every intention of being in Winnipeg for the home opener.

Officials from Harpers office could not be reached for comment.

After some concert and event listings we got right into our exclusive Aimless & Andy In Studio Session with Dave Hadgkiss of Folk Thief which was recorded live from UMFM Studios.

During the session Dave released a brand new never before single called The Lonesome Traveler which was only written two days before arriving in Winnipeg. 

After two practice takes, Dave recorded it for the first time with Andru live from our newly renovated studio. Post recording we had the opportunity to sit down and Chat with Dave where we learned about life as an independent artist on tour.

At the end of the episode we'll post the track exclusively in iTunes and share more details about our in studio session with Folk Thief here on our blog.




Our next guest was comedian classic Louie Anderson who was born in Minneapolis Minnesota and has been active in the comedy community since 1981. Anderson was perhaps best know in our generation from his three year run on Fox with his show Life With Louie.

He then went on to become the host of a recreation of Family Feud from 1999-2002. He's most recently taken up his own stage show in Las Vegas Nevada and performs at the Louie Anderson Theater nightly at the palace station and will be performing at Rumors Comedy Club in Winnipeg as part of their Summer Concert Series from August 18th through the 20th.

 Louie joined us on tonight's episode to fill our listeners in on what he's been doing these days.

Wake Up Winnipeg - Interviews Louie Anderson
Conducted by Andru Valpy. 

Andru Valpy - Hello Louie how are you?
Louie Anderson: - Fine, how are you?

Av: I'm doing quite well. Welcome to Winnipeg.

Louie Anderson: Thank you. Thanks for having me on the show.

Av:No Problem. Now a lot of people from my generation specifically remember you from Life With Louie Back on Fox...

Louie Anderson: Oh Really!? Is that so? (said in his Life with Louie voice). So Andru, what about these Canuck's huh? My dad used to do a lot on the Cartoon about the Canadians. He had a really great line that goes "When the Canadians Invade, and they will..." You know, about the Canadians taking over the US. He loved it. You know, like that love hate relationship. He loved doing the cartoon Life With Louie. We did it for three years, we're working on a movie to tie it all off and that should be a lot of fun. We got great joy out of that.

Av: Let's face it, you've been busy you're doing a nightly show in Vegas at the palace station and now you're on tour here in Winnipeg..

Louie Anderson: Yeah, I'm working on a new special that I'll probably debut in February or March and I'm really excited about that. You know it's been almost 20 years since I've been to rumors and that club is the only place where you can work on new material and have the full comedy experience. You know, it's just a great room. You know Winnipeg.....I grew up in St Paul (Minnesota) so I'm part Canadian. 

Av: Yeah, you're so close! Now you've got a show coming up in just a few minutes here.

Louie Anderson: Yeah, we're sold out for the first show and it's so good to be sold out, I think we still have a few tickets left for the late show on Friday and Saturday, but you know I'm really excited because you know...I have a whole bunch of new material that I'm doing, but then all my classics too. It's going to be one act and then I'm going to do the rest of the night. I'm always excited about that where people really get their money's worth.

Av: For someone who hasn't seen you in a while, what do you think they'll walk away from your show with?

Louie AndersonI think the most memorable things will be the "After you turn 50" I think people will really get into that. I think what people have been saying to me quite literally is "I forgot how funny you were". It's kind of a bittersweet comment in a sense, you know I always thought I was funny, but you know I've really got connected to the very beginning when I used to do stand up. When it was so pure and such a good thing to have that pure comedy when you first start out. I'm back in that vain and I think people will really like the things I'm talking about  because they're just from the same place that all the Life With Louie stuff was about and all the stuff that really made me a great comic.

Av: It must be exciting to go full circle eh?

Louie Anderson: Yeah  it is great to go full circle. You know this will probably be my last special and I'm really proud of it and I'm really glad I'm here. We still haven't found a city that we're taping in yet so we're looking at all of the cities we play and you know, it's really going to be a great experience. I'm really looking at kind of pulling this one off. I really think it's going to be my best special.

Av: When do you think it will be done?

Louie Anderson: I think February or March it will be out, but it will probably be done in December some time.

Av: How do you manage to do that? I mean with you doing all of the nightly shows in Vegas, how do you manage to tour and film a special at the same time?

Louie Anderson: Well, I think what you do is you have to have some really great people  behind you to plan all of that, and then I just show up.

Av: Well there you. Nothing wrong with that eh?

Louie Anderson: Nothing!




We will feature more from our conversation with Louie Anderson later on this season on Wake Up Winnipeg. More information about Louie Anderson and his upcoming tour may be found on his website at http://louieanderson.com/

We are always looking for bands to take part of the Aimless & Andy In Studio Sessions. If your band would like to learn more about recording for our show, please contact us at info(at)wakeupwinnipeg(dot)com. More information can also be found on the Aimless & Andy website.

We'll catch you all next week where we'll release a brand new track from My Boy Rascal exclusively on Wake Up Winnipeg.

Until then,

-Av


Friday, August 12, 2011

Wake Up Winnipeg - Episode 89


Wake Up Winnipeg - Episode 89


Hosted Live by: Andru Valpy, Natty Somers. 
Produced/Recorded by: Andru Valpy
Air Date: 08/12/2011 6:00 PM on UMFM 101.5 FM
Free Podcast Download Location: iTunes.
Web: http://wakeupwinnipeg.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/wakeupwinnipeg 
Become a FaceBook Fan: http://facebook.com/wakeupwinnipeg
Rebroadcast: 08/17/2011 on CJUM 101.5 UMFM - 6:30 AM




On episode 89 Natty and I continued on in our Folklorama journeys by visiting new pavilions that we both wanted to explore during the second week of the festival.

We also welcomed some special guests to our program including pavilion ambassadors, coordinators and Conservative leader of Manitoba's Opposition Hugh McFadyen.

The pavilions that we explored in week two included the final performance of the Caribbean pavilion and then into week to with visits to the Paraguayan Ukraine-Kiev pavilion's as well as the Ireland Irish,  Romanian, Japanese and the Pavilion Nayong Pilipino pavilion's. 

Here's a recap of episode 89:



As some of you that have been to the islands would know The Caribbean people are very relaxed, and hospitable. When we arrived at the pavilion we were quickly taken to our reserved seats and were served glasses of rum punch (the drink of choice for the pavilion) and some jerk chicken.

 The Caribbean pavilion show had a very energetic and award winning stage performance. In fact in 2010 the pavilion set a world record for longest conga line held.

From what those who attended last years pavilion described the line went out from the CCFM building to Provencher boulevard, went up to Des Meurons Street in a square shape and then headed back into the CCFM.

Apparently it was quite the experience to be a part of.

Who could forget the steel drum band composed of various youth from the Caribbean community who played melodic tunes. With eyes closed it almost felt like I was in the Caribbean. . . or perhaps it was the rum punch. . . Either way, the show was just stunning. 


  • More Pictures from the Caribbean Pavilion can be found on our Facebook Fanpage.


While we were at the pavilion we had the opportunity to meet with Nicolette Gittens, the adult ambassador to the Caribbean, where she made her suggestions on what new comers should expect while visiting,

"Come down (to the pavilion) and get the full experience, try the food, try the drink and make sure you take in the shows and pay attention! You'll learn some things. Check out the displays as well.  We have a lovely organization of displays from all of the islands that we represent."

And learn something we did, not only from the talented stage show but from those cultural display that Nicolette referred to. While we were touring the pavilion Natty had found a favorite vacation beverage that she had before while in the Caribbean. We asked one of the pavilion volunteers to describe what the drink was.

"(Icee) is a flavored blended drink from the from the country for Guiana. This one has bananas  and ginger in it I think, but there are several flavors. There's a tonic, a cream soda, and several other flavors."

Our visit to the Caribbean pavilion wrapped up our coverage of Folklorama week one.

Week two started with a impromptu visit to the Paraguayan pavilion.

When we arrived at the Maples Community Centre we noticed that there was a Winnipeg Fire Department engine outside which had Natty and I concerned as to whether or not the pavilion would open. 

Thankfully once we entered the venue we realized that the smoke from the barbeque had set off the smoke detectors which then notified the fire department to respond.

The authentic Paraguayan barbeque menu consisted of  ribs or steak with sopa, mandioca, and coleslaw. For those looking for a lighter snack, empanadas were available with a variety of desserts on the side. The dishes were delicious and full of South American flavor. 

As with any true performance the show went on, or at least tried to. During the performance the overhead stage lights and audio continuously cut out which may have been due by to technical overloading. It would seem that no matter how many times the a/v systems were re-started the lights and music would quickly cut out. In total the power cut out on five separate occasions.

Despite being plagued by technical problems the Paraguayan pavilion went on to produce a amazing heartfelt performance. The dedication and commitment was applaud worthy. The dancers even managed to keep guests clapping and entertained while the technical volunteers worked to resolve their issues.

Once the issues were finally resolved, the show continued. 

With education being a continuing theme throughout Folklorama, Natty and I learned a lot more about Paraguay's rich history and how it achived it's independence. It's also worth noting that the Paraguayan pavilion certainly had the most elaborately crafted stage backdrops out of the venues we explored during our travels. 

While at the Paraguayan pavilion we had the opportunity to meet with Manitoba's Official Leader of the Opposition Hugh McFayden where we talked about his views on the Folklorama Festival.

"I've been getting around to a number of pavilions over the last couple of weeks and I had never been to the Paraguayan pavilion before and it's a really significant part of our community. So we managed to get here tonight and I'm happy we did.
(Folklorama) is a really great tradition in our province and I think what it shows is that people from different backgrounds can live together in one province, as we do here in Manitoba, and preserve some of those important aspects of those cultures as well. 
The thing I find most encouraging is the number of young people who are picking up their cultural traditions and carrying on with them, it really is something special about our Provence. The Message I see is that these cultural traditions are important but there's also a message that we can all live together in spite of those differences."

Moments after the Paraguayan pavilion wrapped up we made the five minute walk over to the Maples Collegiate where we had the opportunity to visit the Ukraine-Kyiv pavilion.

After having been to the Spirit of the Ukraine pavilion in Week one I was going into the Ukraine-Kyiv pavilion with open eyes so that I could compare the two.

The Ukraine-Kyiv pavilion's theme was honoring Taras Shevchenko the historical figure who lead the Ukraine through their revolution.

We were greeted by a ambassador who took us through their cultural display and taught us about the sacrifices that Shevchenko had made during his life.

Shevchenko was arrested in 1847 by the police for his writings and activities during the revolution and exiled for ten years of punitive military service.

It was during this time he was not allowed to write or paint.

We learned that the harsh conditions of his captivity seriously undermined Shevchenko's health. Even before he was allowed to return to his beloved Ukraine, he fell ill and died in Saint Petersburg where he was temporarily buried. He was later relocated to the Ukraine high on the banks of the mighty Dnieper River according to wishes he had written in a poem.

Perhaps what was most fascinating to learn about was the amount of monuments that have been dedicated to Taras Shevchenko. Statues may be found throughout the world most notably in Kyiv, Washington DC., and right here in Winnipeg Manitoba. The statue that sits in front of the Provincial legislative building was unveiled in 1961 by then Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable John G. Diefenbaker. The statue was the created and designed by Andrew Daragan from New York City.

In similar fashion to the Spirit of the Ukraine pavilion the Ukraine-Kyiv pavilion's menu included the traditional Borscht, Kapusta, Perogies and more. The entertainment consisted of Ukrainian dances and folklore.

After having been to the Spirit of the Ukraine pavilion I found that the general tone of the Ukrainian-Kyiv pavilion was a little bit darker in comparison and not as animated or energetic. Natty and I both agreed that the dancing was still entertaining and also uniquely diverse than that of the Spirit of The Ukraine pavilion. This lead me to remember the conversation I had with Spirit of Ukraine assistant coordinator Scott Gordon who said,

"If a pavilion was well organized and well presented there would be enough room in Folklorama for two pavilions representing the same country."

I couldn't agree with him more.

Our next pavilion is home to the Carpathian Mountains which arch throughout the country of Romania. Located within them is the region of Transylvania.

Now, when I think of Transylvania the first think I think of is Count Dracula who in fact, contrary to popular belief, was not a blood sucking vampire but in fact a prince in the 15th century.

After looking at the menu it only made sense that one of the main dishes was called "Chicken Dracula". I asked more about the meal and was told by volunteers that the concept of Dracula is treated more like an inside joke that's shared sarcastically between visitors and those in the know.  This showed that the Romanian people had a sincere sense of humor about their now infamous prince Vlad III.

The dish itself was oven roasted chicken with spices and traditional garlic sauce and was served with red Romanian wine.

During the show visitors were taken on a 45 minute journey which took them around the continent of Romania which featured song and dance from their native land.

Included in their performance were songs that had been lost in translation over the years because when the songs were originally written, the chorus's were no more than drunken slurs. This was best explained by the youth ambassador Lucas Alexander Giubega, 
"Most people don't realize that parts of this song are drunken ramblings, in other words, someone had too much to drink, however those parts have been lost because the transcriber was a little bit 'happy' also."






After the performance Natty and I were taken on a cultural display tour which focused on Romania's rich history. The tour contained information on the multiple castles that surround the mountain ranges throughout Romania including the famed Bran Castle where, according to the legend, Count Dracula lived.

Next were taken to a photo-booth that used Chroma Key technology. Natty and I were photographed in front of a large green screen and developed onto a cartoon sketch of the Bran Castle dressed in full Dracula gear.

If there was an award for creative ideas during Folklorama I would award it to Romania for thinking outside of the box and introducing the green-screen photo booth. The picture made for a great personal souvenir of our visit to the pavilion. 

Next up on our Folklorama Frolic was our visit to the Ireland-Irish pavlion that was held at the Holy Cross Gym.

Back in the days of "The Aimless & Andy Show After Hours" former co-host Paul and and I had the chance to visit the pavilion and speak to the (at the time) ambassadors Mark Maloy and Pat MacDonald who told us a little more about the luck of the Irish:

"Our favorite part of the pavilion are the volunteers, the comradery, and the way people work together. We have great volunteers and that's one of the things I love about Folklorama.

(The planning process) starts in January and there are various things with the folk arts council that you have to do and deadlines, detailed things like permits for food and occasional permits and that sort of thing.

On average (at the time) there are 75 volunteers and we have fun, we work our ass off, but we have fun and that's the most important thing."

When asked what the number one reason that guests should come to the Ireland-Irish pavilion over all the other pavilions we were told:

"Because we're here to entertain and we really feel and genuinely want guests to come and have fun. "

MacDonald answered almost echoed that of Maloy's:

"It's the best value for the money. The entertainment, the food prices are very reasonable and so forth...and, we need the money!"
The Ireland-Irish pavilion has been a part of Folklorama for 26 years. New to this years pavilion was the brand new cultural display which showcased Irelands four provinces.

It was there we had the opportunity to review traditional Irish music, history, and merchandise exclusive to Ireland.

The show itself was made up of music, humor, and traditional folk songs, literature and more.

We were treated to a popular Irish combination meal which included stew and soda bread, shepherds pie, and was served with Guinness and Harp beer.

After having watched the show two years ago I had certainly noticed that the pavilion had grown quite a bit. In our interview with Pat in 2007 mentioned that there were 75 volunteers at the time. I would not be surprised if it has grown to include more.

At 8:15 people were already lining up outside for the 9:45 show which had me quite surprised.

Even before we had the chance to catch our breath we were off to another pavilion. We left Ireland and headed to the far east shores of Japan.

The pavilion seemed to focus on traditional customs including the sacred art of samurai sword fighting, and Japanese Taiko drumming.

We sampled on sushi and washed it down with their featured "moon drink" and headed off to our last pavilion, the Philippine Nayong Pavilion.

When we arrived we were greeted by the adult ambassador Bettina Pogson who ushered us into the pavilion and made us feel quickly at home .

She proceeded to take us on a 45 minute tour and taught us many great things about the Philippines. Some of the facts came as a surprise to us. I was surprised to learn that the Philippines had over 7,000 islands in the country alone, and that the worlds smallest breed of monkeys resided in the Philippines.

The stage show was phenomenal.

At times during the performance members of the audience could feel the energy levels flow from the stage. It was comparable, if not a little more adventurous than the Caribbean pavilion we visited in the previous week.

Those in attendance occasionally found it difficult to stay still as they stood and participated in some of the dance pieces. The 45 minute show seemed longer than it actually was and focused a lot on the youth of the Philippines.

It ended with a finale that was not to be missed and included one of the youth males being hoisted up on a bamboo stick high above as his friends cheered and danced below.

The 2011 Philippine Pavilion Nayong Pilipino pavilion went down as the most hospitable pavilion throughout our two week adventure.

After the performance we visited once again with Bettina Pogson and thanked her for her hospitality.

With a bashful smile she thanked us and replied:

"That's what we Filipino people are, warm and friendly and we take pride in our Filipino food. We like to share, our culture and our dancing especially. I invite you to please come, bring your friends and enjoy the dancing because our kids work so hard to put on a spectacular show for you. I'm so proud of those kids!."

After sipping on some coconut juice and drinking some Filipino beer it was time to say goodbye and wrap up our two weeks of coverage.

Folklorama is something that everybody needs to experience. In fact, the event really opens ones eyes to the amount of diversity and culture that we have right here in our own back yard.

Though Folklorama is something that comes for two weeks every summer little realize that the Folklorama organization runs all year round. Three programs have stemmed from the festivals success, each one working to fulfill the Folklorama mission of "celebrating diversity, and promoting cultural understanding".

Folklorama Talent is a full-service entertainment booking agency that represents multicultural and contemporary performers, plans special events and conventions.

While Folklorama Travel's mission originally started as a means of seeking out group tours throughout North America that wanted to experience traveling the world without leaving Winnipeg. It has since evolved into a year round program providing groups access to cultural experiences in Winnipeg.

Folklorama Teachings brings the cultural diversity that is the trademark of Folklorama into classrooms, daycares and educational settings throughout Winnipeg and Manitoba. Reaching out to children and youth, the Teachings program is designed to help students appreciate the diversity of cultures and motivate students to take pride in their own cultural heritage.

More information about Folklorama may be found at http://www.folklorama.ca and you can also follow them on twitter at twitter.com/folklorama.




Throughout 7 days we attended Folklorama Natty and I had viewed a combined total of seven and a half hours worth of stage show performances and managed to condense our experiences into two separate podcasts after 10 hours of post broadcast editing and production. Our attendance during Folklorama also concluded our summer festival series.

Natty and I would like to personally thank all of those involved in Folklorama 2011 and for having us out and allowing us to feel welcome. A big thank you also goes out to the Folklorama office staff for their help in producing our coverage of the event. We look forward to seeing you all again next year.

Always be exploring.

-Av

Friday, August 5, 2011

Wake Up Winnipeg - Episode 88

Wake Up Winnipeg - Episode 88

Hosted Live/Produced/Recorded by: Andru Valpy, Natty Somers.
Air Date: 08/05/2011 6:00 PM on UMFM 101.5 FM
Free Podcast Download Location: iTunes.
Web: http://wakeupwinnipeg.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/wakeupwinnipeg 
Become a FaceBook Fan: http://facebook.com/wakeupwinnipeg
Rebroadcast: 08/10/2011 on CJUM 101.5 UMFM - 6:30 AM


This week we kicked off with the first edition of our two part Folklorama episodes.


As we mentioned on last weeks episode, Folklorama 2011 kicked off on July 31st with a total of 46 pavilions open throughout the two week event.  The event is expected to take in over 440,000 people this year with an estimated 20,000 volunteers working hard to promote their ethno-cultural heritage.

Originally started as a one time celebration for Manitoba's Centennial in 1970, Folklorama has quickly grown to become the largest festivals held in the summer months.

Since 1988, Foklorama has run with a 2 week format with half of the 46 pavilions running on the first week, and the others following suit the second week.

Pavilions are spread out throughout the city of Winnipeg with no central site for the festival. Most pavilions are held at community centers, curling rinks, school auditoriums and arenas.

To ensure guests can make the most of the festival, and minimize their commute, organizers typically plan pavilions to be close to one-another with some being held closely within walking distance.

Each pavilion is responsible for creating and organizing their own entertainment and menu items specifically showcasing the cultural or historical roots of their ethnicity.

With help from the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) some pavilions are able to bring in beverages from their native lands which would normally be found in Manitoba therefore encouraging curious connoisseurs to find their niche throughout the festival.

General admission for Folklorama is $6.00 per pavilion for adults, seniors and youths with tickets made available at the entrance to each pavilion. Children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult up to a limit of 5 children per adult.

A creative way to take in Folklorama is one of the many VIP tour options that are available to those guests wishing to fill their Folklorama Passport.

General VIP World Tour packages are available for the price of $74.95 which includes admission to 3 pavilions, meals and beverages, pick-up and drop-off at a centralized location by means of Luxury motor-coach transportation, the opportunity to bypass line-ups and reserved table service with a great view of the world class entertainment Folklorama offers.

On our first week of Folklorama, Natty and I stopped off at the Africa pavilion located at Holy Cross Gym (290 Debuc Street).

Upon entering the pavilion we were greeted with a burst of energy as the emcee for the evening welcomed visitors to a flight across Africa.

While on our Safari we had the opportunity to watch a exhilarating forty five minute performance which took us from the northern half of the continent through the southern half by means of traditional African song, dance, and instrument.

Within minutes, the hand-drums of a band played and two female dancers who were gathering water in their hand-crafted baskets took to the stage.

The music motivated the two to begin celebrating their musical findings and they displayed their affection for the sounds of beats, their smiles truly reflecting their sincere happiness.

Moments later we were whisked away to another part of Africa, where we saw a traditional family dance which would normally be held at weddings, birthdays and other event celebration's.

With the entire audience's eyes on her a young girl (who we estimate to be between the ages of 2 to 3) lead a family of entertainers to the stage and the group began to demonstrate their talents with lively animated choreography, and while the adults seemed to attract some attention, the young girl captivated the hearts of the audience with her shimmies, shakes and circles.

When the music stopped, the crowed erupted with cheer, the group and the girl bowing humbly.

Guests in the audience was also asked to participate on multiple occasions throughout the performance, including a sing-a-long song at the beginning of the show hosted by The Guerrillas of Soul where they were taught male and female phrases to sing back when cued.

On the night we visited, the women outnumbered the men in terms of loudness and participation in the sing-along, but of course the audience was no competition to the soulful tones and vocals of The Guerrillas who by themselves are worth seeing again after Folklorama wraps up.
 
When the performances were over, Natty and I met with Akosua Bonsu who is the female youth Ambassador representing the African pavilion and talked to her about this years events.

When asked what it's like to be a Youth Ambassador during Folklorama, Akosua's eyes light up and a grin stretched from one side of her face to the other:

"It's a lot of work, but it's also a lot of fun! You get to meet so many different people and being so involved in your culture and being able to share that with everyone else is a very big thing about Folklorama" 

More of our interview with Akosua and our full review of the African pavilion may be found on our podcast in iTunes.

After exploring the African Pavilion I hopped on our imaginary plane and went off to the Spirit of The Ukraine pavilion. . . all without having to leave the city.

When I landed on the first performance on Thursday evening the pavilion was filled near capacity with a line up stretching out the door.

Those in line didn't seem to mind however as there was a musical duo performing up-beat Ukrainian music to keep the visitors entertained.

Winnipeg is home to quite possibly the largest Ukrainian population within Canada.

From what my history lessons of the city have taught me is that it is because of the Ukrainian's and European settlers that we owe a part of who we are today to to their impact on our cities uprising during the early 1900's. Because of that history, it would only make sense that the Spirit of The Ukraine pavilion seemed to draw large crowds.

It was evident that the hype surrounding the first year pavilion would make the line well worth waiting through.

Once I entered the pavilion we confirmed just that.

Even before the scheduled 6:45 stage show had started entertainers were on the stage and in the crowds dressed in traditional Ukrainian attire leading the audience in song and dance. Little did I realize just how much dancing would take place later on at the pavilion.

I should have dusted off my dancing Bast Shoes because if there was ever a time I would need them. . . it was there at the pavilion.

Before I could even think about dancing, I needed to satisfy a craving that I have only ever developed since moving to Winnipeg. . . traditional Ukrainian food.

I spoke with the head chef coordinator Carrol of Ludwick Catering and asked her for her thoughts on this years menu at the Spirit of The Ukraine pavilion. 
"As in any Ukrainian culture you have your Cabbage Rolls, your Pierogies, your Garlic Sausage, our home-made soups, the borscht, the Kapusnyak, the Kasha which is a Buckwheat, the Sauerkraut and a variety of desserts."

Carrol went on to say that most of the ingredients used in preparing the traditional dishes didn't have to travel far to make it to the menu.

"As many products as we could are Manitoba Grown, from the beats that we used for the Borscht, to the Cabbage it's all local Cabbage that's used, and also the Sauerkraut we actually process our own Sauerkraut from Manitoba Cabbage."
But perhaps what was most interesting to learn about the menu was just how freshly prepared each dish was,
"The processing of food is not started until actually two days prior to the beginning of the pavilion to have the freshness of the product. The Cabbage Rolls that we are using today were made yesterday and cooked this morning, as in the Pierogies as is in all of the soups. Some of the ingredients of the soup are of course made prior to, like the dicing of onions and the carrots and that kind of thing, but they are not put together or processed until the day that we're serving it". 
The flavors and freshness Carrol described in our interview were evident from the first bite. Given the opportunity, I would welcome a second visit just to explore the menu more in-depth just by itself.

I didn't dare ask about the desserts out of fear that my stomach may just burst. I was full off of the thoroughly delightful Ukrainian dinner.

Instead of trying the dessert, I found myself by the front of the stage as the opening entertainment began. Internationally known Ukrainian Canadian comedian Nestor Pistor took the the stage and sang a cover of kareoke classic Like a Winedstoned Plowboy. For some reason it seemed way more enjoyable than any other cover of Rhinestone Cowboy that you would hear on night out at the local karaoke club.

Perhaps it was his outgoing personality that made the pavilion welcoming. Or in this case, Вітаючи.

The audience seemed to enjoy his stage presence and laughed at all of his family friendly jokes and songs.

Having performed at such acts as The Grey Cup, and the Calgary Stampede, Nestor seemed to be quite comfortable in his Folklorama home as he played at the Spirit of The Ukraine Pavilion.

Some have said Nestor is far from traditional, but those in the audience described him as unforgettable and hysterical.  Smiles were seen on virtually every member of the audiences faces, at one point a visitor was seen wiping tears from her eyes.

The Spirit of The Ukraine pavilion would not have been complete without traditional Ukrainian music and dance performed by the world renowned Zoloto Ukrainian Dance Ensemble & Company.

I was told by assistant coordinator Scott Gordon that the "hooping and hollering" would begin in just a few minutes and that "I wouldn't want to miss it." 

Thankfully I got to the front of the stage just as the final 12 minute dance number was about to start.

The Zoloto troupe really knew how to move. While watching I could not quite fathom how anyone could jump, bend and move in the way the dancers were demonstrating. Flabbergasted, I found Scott and asked him to tell me a little more about what I was witnessing. It was a bit of a shock when I learned that some of the adult dancers on stage had been performing since the age of 3 years old.

It was during this conversation that I learned that the Winnipeg based dance company would be competing this year at the International Dance Competition where they hope to win Zoloto, the Ukrainian word for Gold. 

The moves were breath taking, energetic and astonishing. For a few moments, it felt as if I had left Winnipeg and was situated in a Ukrainian theater watching the performance from the comfort of my chair.

Just as quickly as the finale started, the dance was over and the hosts thanked us for our company and invited the audience back this weekend where the entertainment would be changing for the better.

I overheard someone in the crowd question out loud to a friend "It get's better than this?!"

He quickly made plans with his group of friends to come back on Friday.

While the crowd was filing out and finishing up their beverages, I gathered my gear and found Scott Gordon once again. After having seen the amazing performances and experiencing the true energy and spirit that The Ukraine brings to Winnipeg I had to learn a little more about how he felt about the success of the new pavilion.

"It's going really well! We just had a packed house, everyone was on their feet we got a standing ovation tonight, everyone was loving it. It was good.

It's been wonderful all week and we're just glad to carry it on throughout the weekend and get as many people as we can to get down here and enjoy."
But it wasn't easy to get to this point, in fact Gordon went on to tell me about just how much work went into putting up the Spirit of The Ukraine, and how it got it's origins.

"The Latvia Pavilion decided it could not continue this year at the last minute so we worked our butts off to get everything organized and planned and get approved. Once we were approved we were able to ,in a very short amount of time, get everything together ready in time for this week.

In the past, there's has been two (Ukrainian) Pavilions, just like there's been two Irish Pavilions, two Portuguese ones, My personal feeling is that there's so much to any one culture to explore that there's no way you can limit it to one week. You want to have as much time, as much opportunity to express and celebrate culture as you can. Any time there is enough people and organizational skills to put two pavilions on I think it should happen.
We've got  some great applause, everyone's been on their feet, everyone has been saying wonderful things about the food and the dancers.

Friday and Saturday night, we're lucky to have The Kalyna a Ukrainian band who does not only wonderful traditional music but plays some more modern stuff to a wonderful crowd."
I thanked Scott for his time and packed up my suitcase and left to return to Winnipeg on the evening flight.

This weekend wraps up the first week of the 2011 Folklorama Pavilion and the start of the "Late Night Party" Pavilions. More information and scheduling may be found online at http://folklorama.ca

Natty and I are looking forward to visiting more pavilions throughout the next seven days including several new pavilions that are coming to the 2011 festival.

As discussed on today's show, we'll be visiting the late night parties at the Brazilian Carnival pavilion at the Winnipeg Convention Centre, and the Caribbean Pavilion at the Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain.

Be sure to join us next week for part 2 of our Folklorama Coverage where Natty and I will report back on our journey's with you our listeners and report back as to some of our festival highlights.

For instant Folklorama feeds, be sure to follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/wakeupwinnipeg or visit us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/WakeupWinnipeg.

Additional photographs and our 2011 Folkorama video montage will be posted on our Facebook Fan Page and Twitter accounts soon.

More information about our show, and instructions on where to download this weeks episode of Wake Up Winnipeg in iTunes, may be found on our website at http://wakeupwinnipeg.com/.

Thank you to all of the volunteers and organizers who have helped out with Week 1 of Folklorama. We look forward to seeing some of you next year, and the rest of you next week.

Until then,

-Av