GOOSE BALL
An Art Ball for Us All!
Goose Ball: An Art Ball for Us All!
ITINERARY
5:30 p.m. – Doors Open. Sign in.
6-7:00 p.m. – Art Activations: The Space Between Us; Tinfoil Hat Construction Zone; Short Order Conspiracy Theories
6:30 p.m. – Practice your Runway Strut with Drag Artist Vitality Black
7:00 p.m. – Welcome & Announcements
7:30 p.m – Runway kick off with Special Drag Performance by Vitality Black
7:45 p.m. – Community Runway Show
(with Live synth performance by auchtorok)
8:30 p.m. – Costume Contest & Deliberations
9:00 p.m. – Drag Performances & Dance Party!
6-9:30 p.m. – Lion’s Food Truck Open
6 -10:30 p.m. – Space Cantina Open
6-11:00 p.m. – Stargazing Experience
Entertainment includes:
- Emcees: Babe & Oliver
- Community Runway Show & Costume Contest
- Live 90s Synth Performance by auchtorok
- Special Drag Performance by – Vitality Black
- DJ sets by DJ Del
- “The Space Between Us” Interactive Video Game Art Installation – Jon Booth
- Drag Performances & Dance Party!
Food & Drink: (not included in ticket price)
- Bewdley Lion’s Club Food Truck
- Space Cantina and Cash Bar
- Marshmallow Roasting & S’mores
Please bring cash for purchases at the Lion’s Food Truck and Rey Ray’s Space Cantina.
The Goose Ball is a licensed, all-ages event. Please drink responsibly.
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Spaceship Kit Bash Workshops!
Join us for this fun workshop, led by Two Blue Shirts Productions, where you can break apart old or found model kits and toys, and design and paint your own spaceships! The workshop will take place over 2 sessions (the first will focus on building your spaceships, the second will focus on painting and finishing touches).
Two Blue Shirts will film your final spacecrafts for a special presentation at the Goose Ball.
Some materials will be supplied, but please bring anything you might want to incorporate.
Dates:
Sunday, March 16
Sunday, April 6
Times: 10:00 a.m – 2:00 p.m.
Fee: Pay What You Can.
Donations of $5-$20 support cost of workshop facilitation and materials.
Location:
Town Park Rec Centre, Room 2
62 McCaul Street
Port Hope
RSVP to debbie@criticalmassart.com to reserve your spot! Drop ins also welcome.
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For more information, please contact:
Debbie Beattie (she/her)
Program Director
Critical Mass Art
info@criticalmassart.com
New York has the Met Gala. Port Hope has the Goose Ball!
On the first Saturday of May (Saturday, May 3rd), before the Met Gala, hundreds are invited to gather in the Fall Fair Centre at Port Hope’s Town Park Recreation Centre to celebrate art, culture and community at the 3rd Annual Goose Ball.
Unlike the exclusivity of the Met Gala (or most gala events), the Goose Ball is the quirkier, more affordable, ‘Ball for us All’.
The Goose Ball democratizes the gala experience, inviting people of all ages and backgrounds to come together to share in the festivities and showcase the creativity that makes up Northumberland’s runway.
This year’s theme is SPACE.
Guests are invited to dress as their favourite artist or artwork, take inspiration from the annual theme (space), or simply ‘be the art’.
While dressing up is encouraged, it is not mandatory. Come as you feel your best.
What to expect:
A fun-filled evening celebrating creativity and inclusivity – an evening the whole family can enjoy!
Featuring: a Community Runway Show & Costume Contest, with celeb-worthy runway slo-mo ‘twirl Cam’ footage from Two Blue Shirts Productions, Drag ballroom Performances and runway tips from Northumberland Drag artists Babe, Oliver and Rocker, with a Special Performance by Vitality Black, new art activations including an interactive video game installation, and tinfoil hat construction and short order conspiracy theories, out of this world photo booths, the best nostalgic futuristic tunes spun by DJ Del, treats from our space cantina (featuring Rey Ray’s) and of course the best fries from the Bewdley Lions’ food truck! This year, we will also be offering a special Stargazing Experience by the Ontario Planetarium.
Date: Saturday, May 3rd, (the first Saturday of May)
Time: 6:00 p.m – 11:00 p.m.
Tickets:
Individual $30
Early Bird BOGO* $30 (buy one, get one free) | $30 at Door
Household $45 (Up to *5 ppl in a household)
*Additional members pay $5 each
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Funds raised from the event will support our efforts to bring free arts programming and experiences to our community.
Interested in Volunteering at the Goose Ball? We’d love to hear from you!
Check back here closer to the event date for volunteer opportunities!
About the Entertainment!
Babe is a Live singing Comedy Queen & Plus-Sized Super Model. The one and only, Miss Babe Kelly returns to the stage, to make you laugh, to make you cry, and dazzle you with her death drops and splitz (haha fooled you). A graduate from Sheridan College’s Musical Theatre performance program, she has worked professionally across Canada with various companies including Stage West, Theatre Aquarius & The CharlotteTown Festival just to name a few. She was also the first Miss. Gay 1000 Islands.
In her career she has been blessed to play many of her dream roles including Shrek in Shrek the musical, Tick/Mitzie in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and her all time favourite Albin/Zaza in La Cage Aux Folles. She also supports her time by collecting new and used clothing and supplies for those in need & as an advocate for drug addiction & overdose recovery.
Babe Kelly is a busy gal with Her Best Friend, sidekick & Brother Oliver. We are delighted to have Babe and Oliver Emcee our Community Runway show this year!
Oliver has been stealing the hearts of crowds since 2005. He danced his way into becoming the King of several clubs in Ontario Canada . A well-loved Northumberland County staple, Oliver is known as much for his performances as his philanthropy. He loves performing at charity events and supporting causes such as hospice, the United Way, and HIV Awareness. In 2021, Oliver founded his own production company Oliver Talent Events which brings monthly drag shows to the Northumberland community. These shows feature talent from all over northern Ontario. Helping others find the confidence to feel comfortable in their own skin has always been a priority for Oliver. He firmly believes in loving and embracing WHO you are.
Oliver has just recorded his first single was released in April, 2024.
Vitality Black
Vitality Black was born and raised in the Caribbean – in the Bahamas. She came here for school in 2005 and never went back. She started her drag career in 2011 and she couldn’t stop going. She has won numerous pageants. Her amazing mentor was her amazing aunt, the legendary Chris Edward’s (who is no longer with us) and who has always been guiding her though and giving the best advice as her aunt. Vitality Black carries herself very pose, laughable, and has the spirit of being the Spinning Phoenix.
Rocker Klozoff has been rocking the stage and stealing the hearts of everyone for 2 years now! Drag son of Oliver Klozoff and nephew to Babe Kelly, he has learned the ropes and looks forward to entertaining as many people as he can.
auchtorok
auchtorok (he/him) is a DJ / Electronic music producer and audio / video artist from Ottawa, Canada. He has performed at over 20 venues and has created large scale audio / video installations for Nuit Blanche, Nature Nocturne (Museum of Nature) & Chinatown remixed among other events.
Get ready to strut down the runway like you’ve been transported back in time, while auchtorok plays a live synth set reminiscent of the 90s Berlin techno punk club scene.
DJ Del
DJ Del has been serving up the hottest slices of vinyl for three decades, spinning retro vibes since they were contemporary. Del is not one who believes a DJ should be cooler than their crowd yet just remind the crowd how cool they are.
Reading the floor like a classic novel and returning the vibe in full measure. Giving the people what they need to get down.
Spinning only the greatest tracks from the 60’s to the 90’s plus a few surprises along the way.
DJ Del will set the nostalgic futurism vibes, and get you strutting your stuff with confidence on the Runway!
Stargazing Experience
Ontario Planetarium will be joining us to create a memorable stargazing experience.
The Ontario Planetarium has developed an amazing daytime telescope experience that comes to YOU and allows you to see the wonders of the daytime sky, from the Sun (through a safety filter), to the Moon, Venus, and even Jupiter and bright stars (pending each of these being out in the sky at the time of our event).
And, if the weather permits, we will cozy up the stargazing experience with a fire pit and s’mores roasting!
ART ACTIVATIONS + FOOD & DRINK
Food & Drink are not included in your ticket price. However we do have some great options for you at this year’s COSMIC CANTINA, so don’t forget to bring some Cash. There is an ATM machine in the Town Park Rec Centre and CM will be able to take Debit or Credit Card through our Square machine. This is a licensed event, but it is also all-ages, so please drink responsibly.
THE SPACE BETWEEN US
Ottawa-based artist, Jon Booth is bringing his interactive video game installation to the Goose Ball!
Strangers or friends must hold hands and communicate their actions to become the game controller in a life size video game of “Space Invaders.”
Tinfoil Hat Construction Zone
The Goose Ball will be the ‘Safest Night of the Year’ with our tinfoil hat making zone!
Protect yourself from extra-terrestrial interventions and government mind control, and showcase your maker skills! The tinfoil hat making activation is suitable for all ages.
Conspiracy Theory Generator
While you are protecting yourself from conspiracy theories in your newly fashioned tinfoil hat, why not generate your own conspiracy theories at our short order consipiracy generator booth?!
REY RAY’S at the Cosmic Cantina!
New this year, is Rey Ray’s Food Truck, who will be creating a special menu for our Cosmic Cantina – an intergallactic oasis where artists, dreamers and spacefarers gather for light bites and refreshments.
Bewdley Lions’ FOOD TRUCK!
The Bewdley & District Lions Club has been serving the community for over 50 years (since May 7, 1971). Lions serve where they live. They are ready whenever and however their community needs them, so that they can help make their community and the world a better place to live.
You may have already spotted their fundraising efforts at their food wagon and tried their beloved fries at a local event (like the Port Hope Fair, Cobourg Waterfront Festival and more). To give back to the community, the club often shares a portion of the profits with their event host organization, and they have a lot of fun in the process.
We’re delighted that they will be returning to the Critical Mass Goose Ball!
Ruby’s Cotton Candy!
For those who had Ruby’s Cotton Candy at Cultivate Festival, and other food events around Port Hope and Cobourg, we’re bringing this sweet treat out of retirement and to the Goose Ball! If you have a sweet tooth, we have you covered.
Ruby is lending us her machine and supplies and all proceeds from cotton candy sales will support free arts programming in our community.
Cotton candy pics level up your selfies. Be sure to post to instagram and tag @criticalmassart.