COMMUNITY CALENDAR of EVENTS   

Sunday, Jan. 12 – The Quebec Art Company is holding auditions for their May 2025 production of Unity (1918) at Holland Elementary School. There are roles for six female and six male characters of different ages. If you are interested, go to the QAC website at QuebecArtCompany.com for full details on the roles and the audition process and to fill out the application form. 

Thursday, Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. – The Orchestre symphonique de Québec invites Emanuel Ax, considered one of the world’s best pianists currently performing, to play works by Mozart and Beethoven at a benefit concert at the Palais Montcalm, with a cocktail party in the Chez Madame Belley bar at 7 p.m. For details and tickets, visit osq.org/concerts/emanuel-ax-joue-beethoven.

Sunday, Jan. 19, at 11:00 a.m. – Chalmers-Wesley United Church (78 rue Ste-Ursule in Old Quebec) will be hosting a bilingual ecumenical celebration along with local Anglican, Catholic and Presbyterian churches to launch the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity which is organized by the Quebec City Interdenominational Christian Council under the auspices of the Canadian Council of Churches. For more details, visit www.weekofprayer.ca/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity. All are welcome.

Other events happening during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity are as follows:

Sunday, Jan. 19 at 4 p.m. – Conference: “Ecumenism in Quebec City – really?” as part of the Parolicône activity, followed by vespers at Église Saint-Michel, 1600, rue du Cardinal-Persico.

Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 2 p.m. – Participatory Hymn Sing at Saint Brigid’s Home, 1645 chemin Saint-Louis.

Friday, Jan. 24 at 7:30 p.m. – Evening of prayer around the Cross, Taizé style at Montmartre canadien, 1669 chemin Saint-Louis. There will be a light snack afterwards.

Saturday, Jan.25 at 4:30 p.m. – Vespers for Christian Unity organized by La Clarté-Dieu, by videoconference. Please reserve your place at La Clarté-Dieu by calling 418 683-6825 or info@laclartedieu.org.                                                                                      ————

Monday, Jan. 20 at 7:30 p.m. – Irish Heritage Quebec will meet in McMahon Hall of St. Patrick’s Church. Local historian Danny Stewart will talk about the “Murders in St. Catherine.” His research concentrates on what was “la Seigneurie de Fossambault” and is now Ste-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier, Shannon, Lac St-Joseph and Fossambault-sur-le-Lac; including a large sector of Valcartier military base. It is where his Stewart ancestors pioneered and established homesteads. Admission is free and all are welcome. Refreshments will be served and parking stubs for Îlot St-Patrick will be validated. For more information, please phone Irish Heritage Quebec at 418-704-3404.

Wednesday, Jan. 22 at 8 p.m. – The Orchestre Symphonique de Québec directed by Clemens Schuldt presents Aux portes de l’Amérique du XXe siècle at the Palais Montcalm. American music is the theme of this concert, which begins with Copland’s majestic Fanfare for the Common Man, a tribute to the soldiers of the Second World War. Adams’ The Chairman Dances also refers to American history, featuring “Nixon in China.” Austrian cellist Julia Hagen plays Haydn’s First Concerto, the score of which was rediscovered in 1961. This is followed by Mutations from Bach, a composition Samuel Barber dedicated to Bach a few years later, and Barber’s poignant Adagio for strings. For details and tickets, visit osq.org/concerts/aux-portes-de-lamerique-du-xxe-siecle.  

Saturday, Jan. 31 at 7:00 p.m. – It’s Classic Movie Night at Chalmers-Wesley United Church, 78 Rue Ste-Ursule in Old Quebec. This month’s feature film is the 1947 American drama Gentleman’s Agreement starring Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and John Garfield. Admission $5. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with cartoons and newsreels of the day before the main feature. Snack bar with freshly popped popcorn, soft drinks and candy. All are welcome. 

Until Feb. 16 – Gougoune & Doudoune – L’Espace Quatre Cents on Quai Saint-André overlooking the Louise Basin is transformed into Bonhomme Carnaval’s winter “beach.” The site will be open on Saturdays and Sundays between Jan. 11 and Feb. 2, and daily from Feb. 7 to 16 during the Quebec Winter Carnival. Access to the site is free, but there is a fee to participate in certain activities. Details at carnaval.qc.ca/gougoune-et-doudoune.

Feb. 7 to 16 – Quebec City’s famous Winter Carnival features activities in different locations around the city, but the centre of the action is around Bonhomme Carnaval’s Ice Palace at Place de l’Assemblée-Nationale (Ave. Honoré-Mercier at the corner of Grande Allée). For complete details, visit carnaval.qc.ca/en.  

Skating on outdoor rinks – There is a huge selection of free outdoor rinks from the large oval on the Plains of Abraham sports field beside the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Québec to Place D’Youville and the Discoglace at the Agora in the Port of Quebec. There are many other free, public rinks in every borough of Quebec City. To learn more, visit ville.quebec.qc.ca/citoyens/loisirs_sports/installations_sportives/patinoires_exterieures. See article on page 8. 

Sign up to receive information about activities at the Wellness Centre at Jeffery Hale which promotes the personal and collective well-being of English speakers in the Quebec City region by offering a range of health promotion programs. Learn more by visiting their website at wejh.ca/about-us.

Visit the Voice of English-speaking Québec website (veq.ca) for information about events for all ages. 

Visit the Morrin Centre website (morrin.org) for information about more literary, artistic and educational activities for everyone.