Enjoy Free Summer Concerts with Sounds from the Valley

Head down to Edmonton's Snow Valley Ski Club, opens a new window to take in FREE concerts with music and poetry every Tuesday evening this summer from July 2 to Aug. 27 starting at 7:00 p.m. Listen to artists from EPL's Capital City Records and Capital City Press as they share their work at the bottom of the ski hill in the beautiful Rainbow Valley. Free of charge, we'll be collecting non-perishable food items for the Edmonton Food Bank.

Don't miss any of these exciting shows:

Tuesday, July 16

Music from Mehdi Rezania

Mehdi Rezania is a santur player, composer and researcher. Born in Iran, he studied music at York University, Toronto, and the University of Alberta. He has an MA in music composition and an MA in musicology and has published five music albums. He is a winner of the Robert Stevenson Prize in composition from the Society for Ethnomusicology.

Readings from Jim Sellers and Isabelle Suen

Jim Sellers

Jim Sellers likes writing fiction. His published works, so far, have been primarily Young Adult, Middle Grade, and some short stories and he is currently expanding into Contemporary Fiction and Science-Fiction. His professional writing background has spanned twenty years in screenwriting and editing, including “Mentors”, a locally produced science fiction series, and documentaries for the National Film Board and CBC.

Isabelle Suen

Isabelle Suen is a young poet who predominantly writes slam poetry. She has performed at the Edmonton Fringe Festival and several open mics. Her poetry was also included in the 2023 Edmonton Ink Movement Youth Anthology and Volume III of the Capital City Press Anthology.

Tuesday, July 23

Music from Travis Dolter

Travis Dolter grew up on the family farm just 45 minutes south of Edmonton and was introduced to music from a young age. He began singing with his Ukrainian family band at age 6 and quickly fell in love with music. Writing songs since 17, Travis has released 14 songs, with every original having a story to share, inspired by real-life experiences. With brand new unreleased songs set to be recorded, he looks forward to debuting a couple!

Readings from Chanel Klein and Cassandra Weir

Chanel Klein

Chanel Kleinis a multi-disciplinary artist residing on Treaty 6 Territory. She makes abstract art with her poetry on Instagram using grotesque and abstract imagery. You can follow her at @chanelpoetry or catch her at open mics around the city. Find her work in volumes 2, 3 and 4 of EPL’s Capital City Press Anthology.

Cassandra Weir

Cassandra Weir (she/her) lives and writes in Edmonton, Alberta. While she primarily works on fantasy novels, she occasionally ventures out into different styles and genres. When not writing, she can often be found reading, playing video games, or trying to grow her garden.

Tuesday, July 30

Music from Tiffany Sparrow

Tiffany Sparrow is a Métis person originally from Peace River, now living in Edmonton. She is a singer-songwriter, music counselling therapist, sound healer trainer and a mom. Her music is described as "sun-kissed, soulful and honest" and consists of original pop-folk songs, world fusion chants and soundscapes. Tiffany's mission is to help us access music as a healing tool and support people of all ages to heal their mental health, and trauma with embodied sound. Tiffany is honoured to serve our community in this journey of remembering who we really are.

Readings from Amy Bacon, Jessica Coles and Patti Sinclair

Amy Bacon

Amy Bacon is an emerging writer/poet and U of A student whose poetry usually consists of random emotions migrating from head to page. A proud member of the Saint City Writer’s group and past performer at the Edmonton Fringe, Amy has been published in the U of A Happiness Poetry Project and Saint City Writers Anthology X. More information can be found on her website.

Jessica Coles

Jessica Coles (she/her) has been published in Prairie Fire, Moist Poetry Journal, Capsule Stories, CV2, EcoTheo Review, Stone Circle Review, Fresh Voices¸The Fiddlehead, and elsewhere. Her two self-published chapbooks are available through Prairie Vixen Press and you can also find her on Bluesky.

Patti Sinclair

Patti Sinclair creates on the land of the People of the Papaschase First Nation. Author of one memoir & five poetry chapbooks; most recently, "The Rightful Skin" with Rose Garden Press and poetry forthcoming with At Bay Press, Patti thrills at performing outloud poetry. More: @locating the beauty, opens a new window & poet-at-large.blogspirit.com, opens a new window

Tuesday, August 6

Music from Tamarack Cunningham

People keep calling Tamarack Cunningham a folk singer, which isn’t wrong, exactly. Certainly, he has an acoustic guitar and sometimes a plaid shirt, but there’s something a little different going on. Tamarack is probably best known for playing traditional Métis music at the Flying Canoë Volant festival in the Cunningham Family Band. His varied history includes Melafrique (afro-pop), Birch Island (soul-folk) and Day of the Robot (garage rock). His solo work sounds a little bit like all of these things, and not very much like any of those things.

Readings from Mackenzie Game and Carmen Wall

Mackenzie Game

Mackenzie Game is a teenage writer who plans to live and write in Edmonton forever. She hates math. She loves tea.

Carmen Wall

Carmen Wall writes and lives on Treaty Six Territory (Edmonton) with her partner and young daughter. She has earned a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Victoria and a Letter of Distinction from the Humber School for Writers Graduate Certificate Program. Her poetry has appeared in Understorey Magazine and Prairie Fire, and she has been shortlisted for the Vallum Award for Poetry and the Foster Poetry Prize.

Tuesday, August 13

Music from Aliza

I’m a singer song-writer from Edmonton, influenced by R&B, jazz and pop to create sounds that tell stories. I grew up in McCauley and remember trying to put together a neighbourhood band when the very first Heart of the City music festival was on. Though music has always been a strong passion, I became a social worker knowing I want to work with my community. I now use music as a tool to empower others on their healing journey and I currently doing so at my cozy studio, Secret Garden Studio.

Readings from Lisa Epp and Emelda Gwitimah

Lisa Epp 

Lisa Epp lives and works in Edmonton, Alberta. She enjoys walks in the forest with her family and escaping to Whitemud Creek in any season. She spends her days teaching junior high Language Arts and Social Studies and is kept young by laughing alongside the many teens and pre-teens she is privileged to serve. She is working towards future publication goals for her growing poetry collection.

Emelda Gwitimah

Emelda Gwitimah is from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and currently resides in Edmonton. She holds an MFA in Writing and Publishing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. A finalist for the African Writers Awards for Poetry, her work has been published in Aké Review, The Michigan Quarterly Review, Bambazonke, The Willowherb Review, The Post Online Journal, Ipikai Poetry Journal, the Our Stories Redefined African poetry anthology, and twice in the Intwasa Festival short story anthology. You can follow her on X @bellaemelda.

Tuesday, August 20

Music by Carrie Day

Carrie Day is an Edmonton, Alberta-based folk/roots singer-songwriter, musician and music educator. She has gained a reputation for her breathy vocals, poetic lyrics and skilled arrangements that channel raw emotion straight to the listener’s heart. Her songs reflect her own calling to create beauty and understand the world around her, while inviting the listener to reflect on life and what it is to be human.

Readings from Judith Lam Tang and Caitlin Opdendries

Judith Lam Tang 

Judith Lam Tang is a Chinese Canadian born of immigrants. She blogs at juicygreenmom.ca about climate activism and social justice, and can be found on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @juicygreenmom. Her essay, “I struggled with my Chinese identity, but I’m learning to change” was published in The Globe and Mail’s First Person column on April 18, 2024. She is the author of Hunter’s Special Squawk, a children’s book released in 2019, illustrated by her husband. She is currently working on her first nonfiction book. She lives with her husband, her daughter, and many plants.

Caitlin Opdendries

Caitlin Opdendries (she/her), a first-generation Edmontonian, has been writing since she could hold a pen. Her heart is divided between Alberta's prairies and the Pacific Northwest; she draws endless inspiration from the people and landscapes of both places. She would never turn down a new houseplant, an iced coffee, or a chance to sit and write. Previous publishing credits include the Capital City Press Anthology, Volumes II & III. Follow Caitlin’s writing on Instagram at @hyperlexical.

Tuesday, August 27

Music from Lily Monaghan

Born and raised in the Canadian prairies of Alberta, Edmonton singer-songwriter Lily Monaghan never fails to leave a lasting impression with her warm, unique tone and hypnotizing presence. Her recognizable velvety voice starkly contrasts yet beautifully complements the delicate acoustic guitar, easily emotionally connecting with her audience through her signature biographical original songs and conversation-stopping melodies. Fusing together elements of folk, pop, and country; Monaghan released her debut EP ("Introspection") in February of 2023, subsequently earning her spotlight artist features on keystone media outlets such as CBC, CKUT (Toronto), Roots Music Canada, and the Edmonton Journal.

Readings from Freyja "Frey" Catton and Jon Lai

Freyja "Frey" Catton 

Freyja "Frey" Catton is an independent artist, writer, and researcher based in Edmonton. His work explores the connections between art and language. More of his work is available on various platforms through https://linktr.ee/thewordeater

Jon Lai

Jon Lai (he/him) is an aspiring researcher and writer who resides on Treaty 6 territory in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He is the recipient of the 2019 Pardeep Singh Gundara Memorial Scholarship. His previous poems have been published in Happiness Reflected: A Community Poetry Project Vol. 1, Boyle McCauley News, and NorthWord Literary Magazine. Jon believes all persons have creative abilities.