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Column: Behind the scenes with Lexi

Things are heating up over the back fence. During the summer months, there’s always plenty of arts and entertainment fun to talk about. Any great ideas? Let me know at lexi.bainas@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

Things are heating up over the back fence. During the summer months, there’s always plenty of arts and entertainment fun to talk about. Any great ideas? Let me know at lexi.bainas@cowichanvalleycitizen.com

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The soon-to-be-famous Painted Chairs are out and about in the community, or will be by July 21, so you can inspect the results of this fun challenge. The Cowichan South Arts Guild Society organized chairs, offered the opportunity to paint them, and then stepped back and let it all happen.

Now you can see the 53 fabulous chairs located at Valley businesses.

Who’s painted them? Sometimes it’s an artist with his or her own studio, other times it’s an enthusiast who’s never picked up a brush. Paint-a-Chair was open to anybody who wanted to play.

Now you can make a silent auction bid on your favourite. The chairs will all be moved to the Cobble Hill Fair on Aug. 26 for a final display and chance to bid.

Proceeds of the silent auction will be shared equally by the artists and by the Arts Guild, so feel free to bid on these marvellous creations. Everyone wins when you do.

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Peter Sussman, square dance caller and impresario, has checked in to announce that on Aug. 19, he’s hosting Qristina and Quinn Bachand in concert starting at 7:30 p.m. at Shady Grove. A good chance to see and hear them close up. Suggested donation to the Shady Grove Folk Arts Society is $20. Call Sussman at 250-929-8226 or email him at peter@shadygrove.ca for more info.

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In our recent story about the upcoming Legends Valley festival at the end of August, we gave the wrong price for tickets.

Marketing and PR manager Erin Richards tells us that full event passes are now $179.

She also shared that the very popular Dehli 2 Dublin and Daniel Wesley have also been added to the Legends Valley lineup.

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Are you attending Duncan Has Talent over at Charles Hoey Park at 5 p.m. from Wednesday to Friday every week during The 39 Days?

Encouraging young talent to get up there and perform has always been one of Longevity John Falkner’s main goals at the month-long festival and these sessions offer a great chance to watch our young folks grow their talent with some super mentoring.

One of our Citizen staffers, who’d never seen the event before, attended one of the dance sessions, and then asked, “when is it on next?” Yup, she’s hooked. You will be, too, so point your tippy toes in that direction and get on downtown.

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I know we have done a story about local songwriter Dave Baker but he told us about this and we just have to pass it on.

“Because of the [Canada] 150th, choir directors have added Canadian folk songs to their repertoires. My ‘Royal Hudson’ song was chosen by choir directors all over Canada. I can’t put into words what’s been happening with Royal Hudson,” he said.

Well, we think it’s pretty nifty to be writing songs featuring the beauty all around us, some with historical subjects like The Royal Hudson and Old Lady Rose.

Take it away, Mr. Baker.