AN EVENING OF EXCELLENCE

SATURDAY, February 25th, 2012 

Heritage Inn

Cocktails at 6pm, Dinner at 7pm

Awards to follow 

$50.00 per person and must be confirmed by February 17, 2012
To Reserve a seat or a table or 8, please fax this form to 426-3873 or email us at info@cranbrookchamber.com or phone 426-5914 

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New Dawn Developments Business after Business

Please join us for appies from 4:30-6:30 Wednesday, February 1st at our show suite in Fisher Peak Townhomes. 1840 Kelowna Cres.

Chamber of Commerce Inaugural Meeting

At the Chamber’s Inaugural Meeting held January 18th, the 2012 Board of Directors were announced and sworn in by Mayor Stetski. We also honoured Cranbrook’s 2011 Citizen of the Year Chris Ayling.

 

 Wednesday Feb 1st, 2012
Noon to 1:30pm
The Heritage Inn – Cranbrook (more…)

Sam Steele Days 2012

Cranbrook’s annual city festival.

“ROYAL ALEXANDRA MASQUERADE DANCE ” TO BE HELD SATURDAY FEB.25, 2012

- 3rd annual event adds to the cultural heritage and artistic life of the community -

The 3rd annual “Royal Alexandra Masquerade Dance and Buffet” will be held on Sat. Feb.25 at the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel in it’s Royal Alexandra Hall.

This Hall and its’ three surrounding large public rooms, the Museum Entrance Hall, the Reception Hall, and the Palm Court, have the architectural style, lighting control and size required to give great ambience for up to 100 people at tables of 6 or 8

It is not a “costume party” as much as it is a dance. There is also a light buffet and bar all evening, with the general concept following more along the line of the “Carnival” of Venice, where some pageantry is a  part at the beginning of the event. It is also a Charitable Museum Fund-Raising Event.

Dress for the event can be decided by the attendees themselves, but clothing should be comfortable for dancing. Costumes are not mandatory, but they are welcome and some people do enjoy this element, so it is encouraged. An element of pageantry is provided by large and elaborate capes and exotic hand-held masks, 40 of which are available for rent from the Museum at a small fee. People may wear these adjustable and easily-removable colorful capes if they wish, for the reception, but once guests enter the Royal Alex, they can then be removed and hung on racks by their table during the dance. The hand-held masks can be placed in holders on each table when not in use.

People can also make their own capes and masks, but Museum capes and masks must be arranged for in advance . Since they are not of very robust construction, they cannot be used for dancing or for prolonged sitting. The hand-held masks are more comfortable than masks that are constantly attached to one’s head. The museum capes and masks are available on-line, or by visiting the Museum so patrons can select them in advance. They may try them on and adjusted in advance or have them fitted at the event to save time. Customers pick up their cape on arrival for the Masquerade and leave them at the Museum right after the event – convenient for all.

The Masquerade focuses on popular dancing from the 1940′s to today so it should be of interest to all generations, young. A light high-end buffet  is provided throughout the evening and a few short dance performances are presented for general entertainment. The dance floor takes up the centre of the Hall and special LED lights provide a dramatic setting to the dance area, with usic  pre-recorded to playcontinuously.  This variety of music is a very important part of the design of the evening, so no one should feel left out and the sound level is monitored to allow it to be louder on the dance floor and less loud in the rest Hall and in the adjoining rooms. You can dance when you want; you don’t even have to dance, since there is so much more to do.

Rectangular tables with 6 to  8 chairs each are placed around the perimeter of the room with the ends facing to the dance area so customers have easy access for dancing and viewing the entertainment. The other end of the table give access to a circulation route around the outside of the room and dance area to provide easy access the buffet and other rooms without having to cross the dance floor. Singles can request a list of attendees to see if they know people who will be attending, or Museum staff can to seat you at a table of your choice that is not full.

The buffet is maintained all evening and re-set mid-way through, with free punch and water provided as well as a cash bar. The event begins at 7:00 PM with a pre-event reception and a complimentary “Masquerade Cocktail.” This is the time when the capes and masks can be worn.

About 7:50 PM  the Grand Procession to the Royal Alexandra begins with capes and masks and general pagentry. At 8:00 PM, there is a special opening performance of the dark and dramatic “Masquerade Waltz” involving several couples from Randy Tapp and Kim Bombardier’s dance group in special costumes created for this performance. The regular social dance then starts and continues throughout the evening. There are also two short ballroom dance performances and two short sequences when guests can join in these dances if they wish. If others do not feel like joining in, it is a good chance to see up close how some ballroom dances are done.  A special performance is presented by senior dancers from Stages School of Danc, and an ending performance is always part of the evening leading up to the stroke of midnigh when the event ends

 Chair of the Masquerade Committee, Corinne Friesen, advises, “Go out for an evening of pageantry and dance with friends or family. It should be be a great evening for all interests, and you do not even have to dance or know how to dance at this event. The main thing will be socializing”. 

A brochure with event details, prices, ticket order forms and the inventory of capes and masks for rent will be able to be seen inlater January on-line at www.trainsdeluxe.com . However, the 2011 event is still posted and is similar to this year and prices are the same. You can purchase single tickets, or tickets for couples, or a (half table of 4, or a full table for 8. Call the Museum at 250-489-3918, Tues – Sat, 10 AM – 5PM or email: mail@trainsdeluxe.com\