Published on June 5, 2024
The Arden Theatre Plaza Series Is Back
The Arden Theatre's Plaza Series is back for its fourth summer, transforming downtown St. Albert into a hub of weekly live entertainment from July 4 to Aug. 29. Every Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m. enjoy a mix of local and international talents under the open sky on the front plaza of St. Albert Place.
With a vibrant lineup of nine shows, there’s something for everyone.
We chatted with Professional Programming Presenter Ben Sures for his take on what you can expect from this year’s Plaza Series lineup — which is sure to be your soundtrack for the summer!
What impact do you hope this year’s Plaza Series will have on the St. Albert (and surrounding) community?
In addition to giving the people of St. Albert and surrounding area an awesome good time and a rewarding cultural experience, I hope that they are able to recognize our efforts in bringing amazing world-class shows at a very affordable price to the community. Our residents appreciate culture, and we contribute to that through our Arden Theatre programming. St. Albert is one of the best places to live in the country, and I think the cultural experience is part of that. As an example, we have international artists like Pahua, all the way from Mexico, who was recently featured in Rolling Stone magazine. This is a really unique opportunity for residents to experience artists they may not have seen before.
Tell us about your approach to selecting the lineup of artists for The Plaza Series this year.
My approach was to have a balance of what people already know and what they may not have seen before. Ultimately, it's the experience that brings you back. I am careful about who I choose to present — I'm not just finding interesting music; I'm finding interesting music played and presented really well. That approach, combined with being outdoors on the plaza, mixed by the best sound techs in Alberta (usually Jon Lovell). So, I chose artists that will suit the vibe of the plaza, some of whom don't appear in Alberta very often like Pahua, Jessie and The Gents and Wendy McNeill.
This year’s lineup features a mix of diverse cultures including Calgary's Jiajia Li — the bandleader of The Gailan Ensemble — originally from Beijing, who has performed all over the world. One goal is to highlight mastery right here in St. Albert. Ultimately, I want people to enjoy the experience and trust The Arden Theatre to deliver an evening of good entertainment. So, my approach focused on delivering quality music, a diversity of styles and cultures and making the series feel like a story from beginning to end.
How would you describe the experience of the Plaza Series to someone who hasn’t had a chance to attend?
The Plaza Series is a very friendly and comfortable atmosphere, with world class music rarely heard in St. Albert for an amazing price. With a great audience, terrifically selected craft beer and wine (curated by our amazing Patron and Venue Services Coordinator), family-friendly shows and great site lines on a summer evening, how could you go wrong!
Who is The Plaza Series for?
The Plaza Series is for summer-lovers, music-lovers, experience-lovers, anyone who wants to do something with friends or family that won't break the bank, who wants to embrace where they live, who wants to cultivate memories and great experiences, who wants to experience downtown vibes or who wants to be in bed by 10:30 p.m. — The Plaza is for everyone!
This year’s Plaza Series lineup includes:
Tickets
Join us for a summer of music, community, and fun! Grab your tickets at tickets.stalbert.ca
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Last edited: June 5, 2024