Our Annual Midwinter Magic fundraiser returns! If you are in Toronto on Tuesday, February 18th, help support the Indian River Festival and Historic St. Mary’s by attending our 5th annual Midwinter Magic Fundraiser. The event will take place at the Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton Avenue in Toronto starting at 7:00pm (doors 6:30pm).
This important fundraising event promises great food, delicious wines from Amethyst Wines, and incredible musical performances. We are even bringing a little bit of the Island to the big city with world-renowned oysters supplied by Rodney’s Oyster House. Tickets are only $40.00 and are on sale now. This event is always a sell-out, so it’s best to purchase tickets early to secure a spot.
“People travel from all around the world to experience the legendary acoustics of Historic St. Mary’s, and we realized a few years ago that there were many Toronto area supporters of the Indian River Festival who have enjoyed performances in our beautiful venue while on vacation or in residence for the summer. Also, many of our wonderful Canadian musicians who have performed for us there are based in the Toronto region,” says Robert Kortgaard, IRF’s Artistic Director.
“We wanted to create a fun, casual, Maritime-style event as a wintertime reunion for many people who only see one another on PEI in the summer. The oysters get shucked, the wine flows, and every year we have a stellar lineup of musicians who come to entertain.” he says.
As in previous years, the evening will feature top Canadian musicians in performance. Julie Nesrallah, acclaimed mezzo soprano and host of CBC Music’s flagship classical music programme Tempo and PEI rising star baritone, Parker Clements, will delight us with their favourite songs and arias. VC2 Cello Duo (Amal Arulanandam and Bryan Holt) will dazzle with their expressive, innovative arrangements and audience rapport. Critically acclaimed JUNO award-winning violinist Mark Fewer and superb theorbo player Lucas Harris will offer some rare and fascinating baroque gypsy music. Also joining us on the piano will be Peter Tiefenbach and IRF Artistic Director, Robert Kortgaard.
We are delighted to have PEI’s own culinary dynamo, Chef Charlotte Langley, who will talk about her love of Island cuisine, the thriving Maritime food culture, and her efforts to break new ground by promoting and preserving cherished traditions.
“As is tradition with this fundraiser, both past and upcoming performers at the festival will be making an appearance” says Kate Gracey-Stewart, Executive Director of Indian River Festival. “It’s a fabulous night of incredible music, wonderful food and drink, a great lineup of silent auction items, many from the island, AND most importantly wonderful friends and supporters of Festival and Historic St. Mary’s.”
The silent auction, one of the most anticipated elements of the event, returns with fabulous items available including many Island products, activities and accommodation. The silent auction will be live on Monday, February 3, 2020; instructions to follow.
“For our silent auction, we always make sure to procure some great items from Island artisans—it gives Torontonians a chance to experience the magic of their home-away-from-home through an event that emphasizes maritime hospitality and togetherness,” says Gracey-Stewart.
Proceeds from this event will go towards maintaining the Festival and the Historic St. Mary’s, known as one of Canada’s finest musical acoustic spaces. Designed by island architect William Critchlow Harris and built in 1902, the venue sits overlooking Malpeque Bay, and is a Canadian Heritage Destination that the Festival has committed to preserving for generations to come.
Join our Facebook Event here and to purchase tickets, click here.
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