What To Do This Weekend

I updated the calendar for September this AM, and wow, is there ever a lot of stuff on the go! 

First of all, this weekend there are several events that allow us to remember those less fortunate:

• This year marks the tenth anniversary of 9-11. To commemorate that day, there are several events in the city on Sunday, including: a flag-lowering cermony at City Hall at 10:16 AM (the time the first plane hit the tower); a Fire-fighter's March from Merrymeeting Rd to the Basilica (starts at 3PM) and an event at the Hub that will include visiting Americains who were stranded here that fateful day. (See the St. John's website for details on these and other 9-11 events). Whether you take in one of these public events or note the date on your own, I am sure we will all remember and honour those who lost their lives - and the brave souls who went to rescue/recover them - in our hearts.

• Bannerman Park sets the stage for a Refugee Camp in the Heart of the City: an outdoor reconstruction of an actual refugee camp. MSF doctors and nurses, including some natives of St. John's, will be on site to guide visitors through an interactive tour and help them imagine what life is like for some of the 43 million displaced people around the world. I expect it will be a powerful reminder of how lucky we are, and of the situation in Somalia (deadline for the government to match your relief contribution is Sept. 16th, by the way). 
• SPCA Fall Fair is this Saturday at 10AM, St. David's Parish - the annual event helps support their efforts to protect animals in need.

For me, I see the events above as not only a time to remember and reflect, but also as a wonderful opportunity to to teach empathy, compassion and perseverance to our children, and to discuss past and current events with them (keeping in mind, of course, their ages and personalities - I tend to give my boys the high-level view and let them ask questions to get to the level of detail they need/are ready for). Of course, such topics can weigh heavily on a child, as with ourselves, and we'll have to ensure we balance out the weekend with some lighter fare.... so.....

...Here are some fun activities to take in with your Peeps:

• Artfusion is a week-long festival designed to help you explore your creative side. It kicks off on Saturday afternoon in Centennial Park (Mt. Pearl) with entertainment performances (musicians/dancers), art displays from local artists and craft activities for children. Through-out the week there will be activities and events for kids, youth and adults that focus on a variety of arts (written word/story-telling, dance, drawing/painting, fencing/"light-sabering", etc.). Sounds like a lot of fun - details in the calendar!
• This month, the theme of Fluvarium Kids is "Back to School" ... a school of fish that is!! Clever ;-). At 1:30 Saturdays and Sundays, the program is free with admission, lasts about 45-60 minutes and includes an outdoor component, game, story and craft. Afterwards, head underground to view the river fish, or take a nice walk on the trails! 
• For another great outdoor opportunity, there is the Fall Fern Hike at MUN Botanical Gardens on Sunday afternoon from 2-4. Bring some duck feed and visit the ducks at Oxen Pond while you are there ;-)
• I am sure you have heard about Targa Newfoundland! The participating cars will be on display at the Remax Centre on Saturday from 2-10PM. Check them out!

http://www.targanewfoundland.com/

Peace and have Fun!

For details on events in & around town, check my events calendar regularly - it is on the bottom of EVERY page :-) The Tely Go Guide published in Arts & Life section every Thursday is also a good source. 

If you have something to add to the Calendar, please let me know! Complete details can be found here and I welcome being added to any "Events Distribution list" your facility might have :-)