Garlic Festival

Today I had the chance to go to the Garlic Festival. I'm really glad that I had the chance to go since I really enjoy all kinds of garlic products, I especially love the salad and garlic bread. Needless to say, I was really excited to attend. It was slightly raining when I arrived at the festival, but it did not damper anyone's anticipation at all! The crowds were enormous and the rain did not deter anyone from attending! People braved the slightly drizzle to eat the many garlic products and partake in the many activities occurring, both inside and outside.



There was tons of food there and the lines were enormous, which only shows how good the food actually is. I don't know how anyone can choose what to eat since it all smells amazing! And there are so many types of food to choose from, you can be eating all day long!



There was also lots of different entertainment occurring. There was a children's tent for the kids to enjoy all sorts of different activities. There was even a psychic there for psychic readings! But most importantly was the main entertainment: the dancers. I was able to catch two different sets of dancers and they were both amazing. However, the entertainment continues all day, so everyone is able to see different types of dancers, no matter what time they decide to go to the festival.



I had a great time at the festival today since there is so much to see and do! Everyone should definitely go and check it out themselves as it something that should not be missed!

Ontario Summer Games - Day Three

Last Friday was the perfect day to end the Ontario Summer Games in Sudbury! The weather was perfect and there were many exciting games occurring throughout the day. I started off the day by heading over to a girls basketball game at Laurentian University. There were a lot of spectators there and the game was really exciting since it is so fast paced and there is always something happening. It was the best way to start off the last day of the games. After I watched the game, I walked over to the Laurentian track to watch some of the athletics that were occurring. There were a few things happening when I was there, so I was able to watch a few things at the same time. There was the girls shotput, the boys high jump, and the girls long jump. It was interesting to watch all of these at the same time since there is always something interesting happening.




After the athletics, I headed over to the Yacht Club to watch the sailing. It was really interesting to watch and the weather was gorgeous by the water. I ended up talking to people from all over Ontario and they all had great things to say about Sudbury!


The next stop on my list was the field hockey game. I ended up watching the end of the boys game and the beginning of the girls game. It was warm out at this point, but this did not stop the spectators from enjoying the game and loudly cheering for their team. I had never watched a field hockey game in person before, so I'm glad that I had the chance to attend. After this, the last stop of my day was swimming, back at Laurentian. It was the perfect way to end the day as there were many races to watch and the excitement was in the air due to the loud cheering and energy from the crowds.



Overall, the day was the perfect end to the Ontario Summer Games in Sudbury. It was really exciting to have them here and I'm really glad that I had the opportunity to attend. I hope everyone out there had a chance to take in at least one event while they were occurring since it was definitely something you didn't want to miss!

Ontario Summer Games - Day Two!

The Ontario Summer Games are continuing in full force today in Greater Sudbury! This morning Shanna and I headed out to Moonlight Beach to watch some beach volleyball. It was perfect weather for this event since it was a gorgeous day, nice and warm and the sun was shining brightly. This could be seen with the many spectators sitting in the shade, enjoying both the weather and the games. There were a few games occurring at the same time since a couple of the courts were side by side. This made it exciting to watch since you could watch more than one game at the same time.




This afternoon we headed over to Adanac to watch the BMX cycling races. The track that they had set up was amazing and the weather was gorgeous for the races. The races are extremely fast paced and exciting to watch and we had an amazing time! There were lots of parents with their young kids around and you could tell that everyone was enjoying the races.



Overall, we had a great day and I can't wait for tomorrow so I can see even more different sports! To have a look at what's happening tomorrow, head over to the website: 2010 Ontario Summer Games

Ontario Summer Games - Day One!

The Ontario Summer Games have officially arrived in Sudbury! Today was the first day of competition and I was able to go around the city and check out some of the different events happening at the various venues. This morning I went to Cambrian College to watch a game of the boys indoor volleyball that was happening. Right away, from the moment that I entered the gym, I could tell that there was a passionate crowd watching, a trend that continued throughout the day. The spectators were really involved, loudly cheering on the team of their choice and shouting encouraging words. There was a lot of action occurring and it was really an exciting game to watch.


This afternoon, I was able to watch a few different events. First, I headed to the Carmichael Arena to watch some of the box lacrosse that was happening. It was a really fast moving game since both teams were excellent and the score was nearly always tied. When one team scored, a minute or two later, the other team would score. This made it really interesting to watch and it really engaged the crowd as I could hear many parents loudly cheering for their children. After this, I headed to Laurentian University to watch karate and soccer. I managed to watch the end of the karate and see some of the medals being awarded, which was really interesting to watch. Then I headed over to the soccer field to watch some of the girls soccer that was happening. Once again, it was fun to watch since there was a lot of action, and the excitement of the spectators really makes you become even more engaged in the game.

Overall, it was a great day and there was amazing weather for the competitions. I can't wait until tomorrow to watch some more events and see all of what the Ontario Summer Games has to offer! If you want more information regarding the games, check out the website at Ontario Summer Games 2010

Greek Festival

This past weekend, I attended the Greek Festival for the very first time. I was always extremely interested in it, but never had the chance to attend before. Driving to the Hellenic Centre, I could immediately tell that this is a popular event in Sudbury as the parking lot was packed and people were parking on the street! Walking to the centre, I could already hear the music and the voices of many people as they enjoyed what the festival had to offer.

When you walk into the centre, the first thing that you see is all of the amazing food. There were many options to choose from and even before trying anything, you could tell that it would be amazing the smell, and the long lineup of people waiting. In addition to the meal, there were also desserts being sold. This is where I headed to first since I always enjoy my desserts since I have an extremely large sweet tooth. I decided to try the baklava since I had heard about it before and was eager to try it. It was amazing! I would definitely recommend to attend the festival just for the desserts alone!



It was extremely evident that everyone was having an amazing time. One of the women from the ladies group started dancing and a couple of people joined in. It was fun to watch the spontaneous dancing as it truly highlighted the enjoyment that people found from the festival.



Traditional Greek dancers called the Hellenic dancers also performed and I found this extremely interesting to watch since it allowed me to learn more about the Greek culture since I have never seen Greek dancing before. It was extremely well performed and their costumes were really interesting to see as well.



There were also tents set up outside so people could enjoy the warm weather and the amazing view as the centre is right on St. Charles Lake. Many took advantage of this to sit outside and experience Greek food, culture, dancing, and music. Overall, it was definitely interesting to be able to go and be Greek for a few hours!

Dragon Boat Festival

I had the opportunity to check out the Dragon Boat festival today. I was really excited about going to this since it's been a couple of years since I was last able to attend. Luckily, today was the perfect day for the races. There was gorgeous weather for the spectators as it was nice and warm and there was still a breeze coming from the water. When I got there are 9:30 in the morning, there were already tons of people there, which just highlights how enjoyable this event is. The races were already in progress when I got there, however there were still many more to come! So, I was able to watch quite a few. It was interesting to watch all of the different ones since some teams won by quite a bit while other races were extremely close. Overall, there was a lot of excitement in the air.



As you can see, there was quite a bit of activity occurring and there were many booths to check out. Overall, everyone came out to enjoy the races and I met people from other places in Northern Ontario that came to spend a beautiful day in Bell Park and enjoy the festivities. The Dragonboat festival is always a great time and I was really glad that I was able to attend this year!

Gem and Mineral Show

The Gem and Mineral Show is taking place this weekend and I was really looking forward to attending. I have never been to this show before, so I didn't really know what to expect. However, after attending, I will be ensuring that I will be going back next year and I definitely see why it was voted Sudbury's most popular show last year. Ever since I knew I would be attending, I was definitely curious about it since I love jewellery and gem stones, so this is the perfect show for me!

When I arrived, just an hour after opening, the parking lot was already packed! There were people everywhere, heading inside to have a look at the professionals as well as staying outside to see what the locals had to offer. There were a lot of variety with gem stones and jewellery and there is clearly something there for everyone. Aside from the jewellery and gem stones, there are also books and other various rocks to look at and buy. There are also many different activities for kids to participate in, such as panning for gold.

Inside the Carmichael Arena, the booths were occupied by professionals that arrived from all over Ontario and Canada. There were individuals from North York, New Liskeard, and even North Vancouver! The amount of distance that these people travel to attend this show definitely highlights the importance of it. I really enjoyed wandering through all of the booths and looking at all the jewellery and stones. There was such a large variety and I fell in love with so many different pieces! I really had to restrain myself from buying something at every single booth. Now that I know what this show has to offer, I definitely can't wait for next year so I can go again!

Van Gogh: Brush with Genius

Today, I had the chance to go and see Van Gogh: Brush with Genius at the IMAX. I was really looking forward to seeing this since I have always loved art (even though I'm not very good at it!) and enjoy learning about new things. I found it to be even more engaging and interesting than I expected! Many of Van Gogh's paintings were shown throughout the film and I found it amazing to see them up on the huge IMAX screen. Some of them I had never seen before and this was the perfect first way to view them, especially considering the fact that it is extremely unlikely I'll be visiting the actual museums anytime in the near future. Viewing all of the paintings on the screen really gave me a sense of awe. This is mainly due to the fact that each painting contains numerous brush strokes, which highlights the amount of
time and effort involved in the creation of every painting. Painting was truly Van Gogh's passion and this continually comes across in the film.

Aside from viewing many of his paintings, I also learned a lot of interesting facts that I didn't know about Van Gogh beforehand. I love learning random fact of information, so I also found this part extremely interesting. Before the film, I didn't know much about Van Gogh's life, however this film allowed me to gain a better understanding of who he actually was, aside from the famous story of him cutting off his ear. It was interesting to note that Van Gogh was supported by his brother, Theo, who was an art dealer. He would pay for Van Gogh's living expenses and painting supplies, and in return, Van Gogh sent his brother all of his paintings to sell. This is what allowed Van Gogh to create the hundreds of paintings during his career. What made learning about Van Gogh's history even more interesting is the fact that the film has the narration from Van Gogh's point of view.

Overall, I learned a lot from the film and the 40 minutes just seemed to fly by. when it finished, it felt like it had just started! To have a look at the preview and gain a better understanding of what the film is about, just click on this link. I definitely think that this is a film most adults would enjoy and if anyone wants a break from the hot summer weather, you should go and check it out!

Canada Day at Science North!

Yesterday, Kevin and I were able to head off to Science North in the afternoon to view the Canada Day festivities that were occurring at one of Sudbury's trademark attractions. Just driving to Science North already gave the indication that there were going to be tons of people there as it was nearly impossible to find parking! We had to circle around for a little while, but luck eventually struck us and we were able to find a parking spot in one of the parking lots on York Street. This worked out perfectly since it was a gorgeous day and it allowed us to also enjoy a walk on the boardwalk. Even the boardwalk was packed with people walking to and from Science North, many with their patriotic spirit showing by wearing red t-shirts. As we neared Science North, the faint sounds of music could be heard, indicating that there was a lot of action happening there!

I had thought there were a lot of people on the boardwalk, but that was nothing as compared to the masses enjoying the festivities at Science North. There were people absolutely everywhere, as can be seen by this picture taken by Science North.


But also with the people came many different activities, displays, and refreshments. The Lakehouse had a booth, Beavertails were also available to buy, there was also slushies, pizza, you name it, it was there! As for activities, there were so many things occurring, I'm sure that I won't be able to remember them all! There was a huge stage set up and there were performers there to entertain the crowds. Upon arrival, there was an entertainer for the kids and he was really interactive, asking them questions and integrating it into his performance, and they seemed to be having a blast! As the afternoon continued, EZ Rock's idol competition rocked the stage and from what I saw, all of the performers were amazing. I think that it would be nearly impossible to pick a performer that was the best. Science North was also putting on science experiments throughout the day, many of which featured air in some way and they weren't always working as planned. Pony rides for the kids were also occurring. The kids were able to ride the ponies around a little bit in the parking lot. There were even fire-eaters there! That was a really amazing performance to watch as they performed with the fire and actually showed that they had the fire in their mouths. That was definitely one of the highlights for me.

All in all, it was a fantastic day and I had a lot of fun there. I can't wait for next year!

New Exhibit at the Art Gallery

Today, Kevin and I had the chance to check out the new exhibit at the Art Gallery of Sudbury. It just had its grand opening this past weekend, so it's literally a brand new exhibit. This particular one is called Diary of a Mad Scientist and Obsessive Insect Collector and is by Jennifer Angus.

The exhibit is literally made up of various insects and the amount of detail and work put into each part of the exhibit is incredible. There must be thousands of bugs placed in circular patterns on the walls, and apparently these are real insects that were pinned to the walls! I didn't find that out until afterwards and I was surprised since I thought they were all fake. The amount of time to get all of these insects and place them in the proper positions on the walls is astonishing. There are also other insects on display on tables in the galleries. The concept behind these displays is interesting as it places the insects into fairytales. Various fairy tales are depicted with insects, like Snow White, Rapunzel, and the Princess and the Pea. There are also displays of insects doing various human things like going to church, living in their houses, getting a haircut, and playing Scrabble.

All in all, it was a really interesting exhibit to see and if anyone has any free time, they should head out to the art gallery and have a look. To get more information, head on over to the art gallery's website.

Under the Sea

Today we got to go to go see the brand new IMAX film "Under the Sea." We were all really excited about seeing this film because we had seen advertisements for it last week and it looked really interesting. It turned out to be even better than we expected! It was absolutely amazing, there are not enough positive adjectives to describe how good this show is. You can check the preview out here: Under the Sea Preview

The fact that it is 3D makes it even better. At times, you want to reach out and touch the creatures on the screen, especially when the sea lions are shown since they are so cute. The film highlights how playful they are.

The entire movie is amazing as it highlights all of the various creatures that make their home in the sea. There are so many creatures shown in their daily habitat, it is amazing. It was really informative as well since there were fish shown and described that I had never even heard of. It is really astonishing to see how many different fish and other creatures actually live in the sea and how they are all interconnected in various ways. The film also highlights how we are currently destroying the underwater world with all of the toxins that we are releasing into the air. It was sad to see how things like the coral reefs are dying because of the toxins that they are receiving. It really opened my eyes further on how everything that we do has consequences reaching farther beyond what I ever imagined.

All in all, this is a movie that everyone should see and something that I think any age group would enjoy. So go and check it out! It's playing right now at the IMAX.

Shakespeare Press Conference

Yesterday there was quite a bit of activity occurring at Tom Davies Square and we all had the opportunity to check out what was going on. We headed out into the main foyer to see a press conference being set up and it was definitely interesting to see everyone waiting around for it to start. We didn't know much before attending, but it caught everyone's interest right away. The first thing that we saw were many people in Shakespearian costume, including the Mayor! That alone intrigued us, as you can see from the picture below.



We learned that it was about making Shakespeare interesting for students and this company has been excelling at it for years now and now it's time for Sudbury to experience their productions. Currently, it is in the planning stages, but outdoor Shakespearian theatre is coming to Sudbury at Tom Davies Square! And the best part of it is that it's going to be free theatre, meaning that anyone contributes whatever they can afford, whether it be $1 or $10. That's a great idea since it allows everyone to come and attend and is not restricted to any particular group.

It looks like it will be a good time as there are lots of raving reviews from many people, students and teachers alike. They are now planning to transform Tom Davies Square courtyard into an outdoor theatre and three possible visions were seen and they all looked amazing! I can't wait until the finished product. The plan right now is to show Romeo and Juliet this summer and the approximate date for the shows is at the end of August and everyone should definitely stay tuned for more information!

Dynamic Earth

So, this morning we all got to explore Dynamic Earth. We were looking forward to seeing all of the new things that Dynamic Earth had to offer and to go on the underground tour once again. I haven't been underground in many years, so it was interesting to go again and refresh my memory of what it's all about.

When we arrived at Dynamic Earth, the first thing that we explored was the new exhibit that they have running. It's about Strange Matter and there are alot of interesting experiments to try. There are also many interesting exhibits to have a look at. Everyone should definitely head there sometime this summer to have a look, as it can be an educational experience. Here's a couple of pictures at the exhibit.




After looking at the Strange Matter exhibit, we headed to the other parts of Dynamic Earth. We checked out the MacLeod Rock Gallery and Amanda operated the used the rock breaker. It really looked neat and I'm sure kids enjoyed it. I had a look at the camera that show different areas of the mines and it was interesting to see workers walking back and forth and to see what the mines actually look like. We also had a look at the other exhibits that are around and there are tons to see! Included in everything is the chance to pan for gold. That was really fun, as you can see below:



After that, Shanna, Amanda, and I got fully dressed in mining gear. That was a hilarious experience and we had alot of fun with it. Here's a chance to see us in our outfits!


After all of this, we watched a video about mining in different parts of the world. It was really interesting to see the different types of mining done and the different stages of it in the world. The Creighton mine is shown and explained in the movie as well as areas that are just now being introduced to mining. I enjoyed it since I learned alot from it.

There was so much to do at Dynamic Earth that we ran out of time and had to go back for the most important part, the underground tour! This is the staple of Dynamic Earth and definitely something that everyone should do. Here's a picture of us just before we started the tour.

First, everyone put on a hard hat and then we headed down seven storeys into the mines and explored the mines and the equipment used from three different time periods. You actually get to experience and hear about the various time periods in mining. Here's a picture of us going into the Mid-Centure Mine, which is one of the time periods of mining that is covered on the tour.

The last mine is the modern mine and it was really interesting to see how things are done in the mines today. Also, before I forget, we also experienced a simulated mine blast and that was one of the best parts of the tour, though the whole thing was great and we had a very knowledgeable tour guide.

So, if you want to check out Dynamic Earth, head to the Dynamic Earth website to get all of the information you need!

Science North Visit

Yesterday, all of the summer students had the opportunity to visit Science North for the day. We were really looking forward to it since Science North is always a good time. When we arrived, the first thing that we did was go and check out the new dinosaur exhibit that is running for the summer. It was really interesting to see all of the animated creatures. All of the dinosaurs were really well done as they continually moved and made various noises. Here's some pictures of us and the dinosaurs so everyone can see what is going on.

After heading through the dinosaur exhibit, we walked into Science North and looked around the centre. First we went into the butterfly room to see all of the butterflies. There were quite a few flying around and I tried to get one to land on my arm, but luck was not on my side that day as none of landed. Though quite a few flew around me, which was cool. We also hunted for fossils in a box of stone, which was really neat as well. Here's a picture of us in action!

After the butterflies, we headed to the top two floors of Science North. We looked at all the different animals like the beavers, owls, and Rosy the skunk. They are so cute! The beaver especially, as you can see in the picture below. Everyone should definitely go and check it out.

We also looked at all of the other creatures, such as toads, snakes, and many others. There is definitely alot to see. We watched the presentation about DNA and it was really informative as I learned alot of things that I didn't know before. There were also many science exhibits we took a look at and all of them are really interesting and fun. One of which is to measure your height. That you can see in the picture below since we're standing infront of it!

After checking out Science North, we headed to the IMAX in the afternoon. There we saw the film Dinosaurs 3D. The main focus of the film was palentologists and the discovery of all sorts of new fossils. It was really interesting to see how to find out where the fossils are located and then how they remove them from the rock. Also, it did flashback to the dinosaur time occasionally to highlight the stories told. In 3D, it was really cool to see them come off the screen. All in all, it was a really fun and informative experience. After the film, we headed to the Planetarium and learned out the stars and solar system. To sit back in the comfortable chairs and watch the night sky in the Planetarium was a neat experience that everyone should check out.

That pretty much highlights our day at Science North. Everyone should definitely go and check it out at least once this summer!