Calgary Weekender: May 31 through June 2, 2013

Friday
Start Friday evening with the Alberta College of Art + Design’s The Art of Bollywood Opening Reception. Entrance to the event is free and it runs from 6pm to 7pm. The exhibit features hand-painted posters and billboards for the Indian Cinema, and was crafted by three generations of artists. Check out ACAD’s Facebook page for more info. While you’re there, the Fifth Annual Hidden Gems Film Festival is going on at ACAD. Check out the listings here.

If you haven’t seen Curious George, one of Calgary’s best cover bands, you and your friends have to get yourselves down to the Rose & Crown on Friday night. These four guys are beyond entertaining. The show is entitled “May is so Over” and the action is going down beginning at 9:30pm. It’s not out of the ordinary to catch one of your friends on stage belting out, “New Orleans is Sinking” with the band. Curious George’s website is under construction, but you can find the details on their Facebook page. Rose & Crown – 1503 4th Street SW. 

Saturday
The Art Gallery of Calgary’s current exhibit is Garage Montage, a group exhibition featuring emerging artists from Calgary’s DIY art scene. We’re not talking about photos of garages; this exhibition features artists who have used alternative-use spaces, such as garages and derelict buildings as the studios within which they’ve developed their art. From glass wall installations to a piece from the community-based art experiment Wreck City, to a collection dedicated to unicorns, this youthful exhibit is a bit whacky and a lot of fun. Also on Saturday, there will be a screening of Alternative Currency at 3pm. This documentary examines Calgary as the Cultural Capital of Canada in 2012. The Art Gallery of Calgary is open from 10am to 5pm on Saturday and is located at 117 – 8th Avenue SW.

While you’re downtown, pop over to the Museum of Contemporary Art Calgary to check out Olympian Heights: The Athlete Series. Be sure to check out Notable’s friend Lisa Brawn’s woodcut of Clara Hughes. The exhibit is on now until July 1st, and MOCA is open from 12:00pm to 4:00pm on Saturdays. 

Sunday
The Sled Island Music & Arts Festival will be here before you know it (June 19 to 22) and the program guide came out this week. With over 250 bands, on top of film, art and comedy at more than 30 venues across town, this festival showcases Calgary’s cultural scene like no other. With so many choices of what to see and where to go, start your research now. Hop online at sledisland.com and start your scheduling.

The 13th Annual FunnyFest Calgary Comedy Festival is on until June 9; on Sunday, check out the Best of the Fest at Union Station Taphouse from 8pm to 10pm. Buy your tickets online here  and peruse the events schedule here

Top photo courtesy ACAD