The first annual Butterfly Cupcake Challenge is here and it’s time to toss out the calorie counter.
The baking gloves come off as 18 design teams square off at St. Albert Centre today to decorate the fanciest non-traditional cupcakes donated by Big City Cupcakes, a Vancouver-based company with an outlet in Edmonton.
This delectable challenge is a fundraiser for the 30th annual International Children’s Festival, and team members will be doing everything in their power to persuade shoppers to buy the tasty treats.
“We just wanted to do something a bit more fun to raise the profile of the festival,” said Sandra Fenton, vice-president of the Friends of the Northern Alberta International Children’s Festival.
Watch a variety of festival sponsors and community leaders including MLA Ken Allred and council members Malcolm Parker, Len Bracko, Cathy Heron, Cam MacKay and Roger Lemieux trade in their city reports for icing guns.
Much like reality food TV shows, each team will harness their creativity to create four- dozen tempting showpieces. Each confection literally receives a makeover as each team designs new creations never before unleashed.
Celebrity judges Mayor Nolan Crouse, Olympian Meaghan Mikkelson and roving artist ‘Nikolai’ will review categories like theme, originality and creativity to pick a winner.
Fenton, the former chair of the Alberta 55 Plus Winter Games Committee, first tested the idea of a cupcake challenge in October 2010 as a sporting event fundraiser. The 24 teams made $4,000.
“The participants loved it. It was fun, exciting and it gave them a change to explore something different. For the children’s festival, we hope to be as successful if not more.”
The challenge is on from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. St. Albert Centre is on the corner of St. Albert Trail and Bellerose Drive.
Mark Ammar’s Tuesday night open stage at LB’s Pub welcomes up and coming guitarist Allan Pangburn for a night of hot rock and blues. A regular with Edmonton-based Senorita Justice, Pangburn has been playing everything from rock and blues to country, soul and alternative, says Ammar.
“With an eclectic range of influences from The Who to Neil Young, The Band, Wilco and anything else rock ‘n’ roll, he has a genuine and authentic feel for creating music.”
Joining him is Justin Perkins, Christian Maslyk and Matt Harrison as Morinville’s quintessential rock band Canyon Rose Outfit. They have repeatedly performed at LB’s since 2006.
Canyon Rose is about to release a new album this month and this is a great night for a test run of the new numbers. “This is Allan’s first time and he’s happy to include his friends from Canyon Rose Outfit.”
The Tuesday jam starts at 9 p.m. No cover.
