Fans of interesting art, great food and awesome country music will have a chance to enjoy all three in one night of festivities during the BlackTop Hop in Assiniboia this coming weekend.
The Shurniak Art Gallery will be holding the event on Saturday, July 2, and it’ll be hard to miss if you’re in the community that evening -- the area of Third Avenue outside of the Gallery will be blocked off with a stage setup and everything in place for a fun night of fundraising.
“It’s a street-dance style fundraiser, it’ll be inside and outside the Shurniak Art Gallery and the gallery will be open for tours and exhibits as well as a supper and Justin Labrash concert,” said event organizer Jyann Williams.
“Everyone has been waiting for everything to open up again and support our community, and I’m excited, and it’s just a fantastic opportunity to raise awareness and some money for the Gallery.”
Everything gets underway at 5 p.m., with the Gallery open for a tour of all the art exhibits and everything they have to offer. Performers from Gisele’s DanceTyme Studio will be on stage in the early evening showing off their skills and folks will be able to check out the Grand Summer Raffle, featuring a host of items from local businesses up for grabs.
An upscale barbecue supper catered by the Shurniak Gallery’s own Fresh Start Cafe will take place at 6 p.m. and following the delicious meal, the main entertainment begins.
Renowned Saskatchewan country music performance Justin Labrash will take the stage at 8 p.m. and will play a full concert, after which a DJ will spin tunes well into the early morning hours.
Tickets are $50 each and offer access to the full evening of activities.
“It’ll be an all-night party for sure, lots of music, lots of good food and lots of fun” Williams said.
Ticket sales are going well, with Williams expecting between 200 and 300 people to attend the event. And it’s all for a good cause as the Shurniak looks to bolster their coffers.
“Since Bill’s passing in 2020 it’s just been expected that we’re going to have to apply for grants and look for fundraising opportunities to keep it all viable,” Williams said. “It’s not a ‘if we don’t make money now we’re going to close down’ situation, we’re just preparing for the future.”
For more on the BlackTop Hop and to purchase tickets, be sure to visit the Shurniak Art Gallery’s website at www.shurniakartgallery.ca.
