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Sugar Shack adds sweetness to Prince Rupert on Jan. 26, tickets still available

AFFNO has a full four-day lineup of French-Canadian festivities planned for winter fun
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Nathan Eriaye 6, dances with open arms to welcome the encore of Sugar Shack on March 12 after a two-year pandemic hiatus. (Photo: K-J Millar/The Northern View) Embrace French Canadian culture on Jan. 26 at the annual Sugar Shack. Nathan Eriaye 6, dances with open arms to welcome the encore of Sugar Shack on March 12, 2022 after a two-year pandemic hiatus. (Photo: K-J Millar/The Northern View)

Sugar Shack is shaking things up for the annual return of the wintery festival of French food and delightful fun on Jan. 28.

The cabane à sucre still has limited tickets available for the popular brunch on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. Doors to the main event open at 11:30 a.m. at the Jim Ciccone Centre.

Families can enjoy live music and entertainment while feeding their faces full of pancakes, maple syrup, tourtière, sugar pie, maple taffy on a stick and more delectable traditional cuisine.

Tickets to the party of sweetness are $20 for adults and $15 for children and can be purchased at Cooks Jewellers or through AFFNO online or by calling the office at (250) 627 1313. A restricted number of tickets will be available at the door, so organizers encourage people to come early to ensure a pass to the festivities.

Andrew Goulet will be fiddling with cultural jigs and songs to entertain the crowd with activities tables for the children.

The party to celebrate the running of the sap and the start of maple syrup season is not the only activity for the weekend full of events.

Association des francophones et francophiles (AFFNO) the non-profit french advocacy and education society, has the all ages and family focussed events starting on Jan. 26 (Thursday) with the Kick-off Social held at Cowpuccinos. Doors open at 7 p.m. Entry to the cozy and intimate 30-seat venue is $5.00, with local entertainment being a draw.

The Friday night dessert theatre is laughing its way to saccharine fun at 8 p.m. with improv, giggles and mouthwatering treats at the Tom Rooney Theatre. Entry to the 80-seat venue is $15 and tickets sell fast and are available at Homework, said Patrick Witwicki, AFFNO executive director.

A new feature event being added to the lineup this year is a traditional artists’ workshop to promote Canadian heritage on Sunday afternoon at the Prince Rupert Library. The free open art workshop making cedar roses is open to all over the age of 12. Registration is required as space is limited.

“This event is a new special addition promoting First Nations art in a tri-lingual setting,” Witwicki said, adding a French interpreter will be available for those wanting to use French and a Sm’algyax interpreter will also be participating.

Closing out the festive fun is a Sugar Wrap-Up Party, featuring an open mic session at the Wheel House Brewing Company on Sat. Jan. 28, starting at 8 p.m. Entry is free.

“It’s so nice to be back to our normal dates without restraints,” the executive director said. “We can’t wait to see all the friendly faces we haven’t seen in a few years.

Association des francophones et francophiles (AFFNO) the non-profit french advocacy and education society, which offers programs in the nation’s second official language, has its northern head office in Prince Rupert and offers services throughout the North West.

Sugarshack in Kitimat is Feb. 23 to 26 followed by Smithers’ on March 4.