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arts editorial "Are you going to Scarborough Fair, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme..." To this day. that s o n g by S i m o n and G a r f u n k l e evokes a sense o f magic and m e l a n c h o l y w i t h i n m e . I c l o s e my eyes and can p i c t u r e b l a c k b e r r y - l i n e d lanes filled w i t h p e o p l e o f all ages and c i r c u m s t a n c e s c o n v e r g i n g t o g e t h e r at the fair, t h e m a r k e t place, t o e x c h a n g e t h e fruits o f t h e i r harvest, the t r e a s u r e s o f t h e i r hands, t h e s t o r i e s o f t h e i r lives. C e n t r a l m a r k e t p l a c e s have e x i s t e d f o r t h o u s a n d s and t h o u s a n d s o f years. A r o u n d 100 B C , R o m a n s built t o w n s w i t h f o r u m s t o h o l d o r g a n i s e d m a r k e t p l a c e s . E v e r y small village had a m a r k e t w h e r e p e o p l e c o u l d buy and sell things that they m a d e and n e e d e d -- c l o t h i n g , f o o d , toys and h o u s e w a r e s . Fairs w e r e an early a n s w e r t o t h e ever-timeless d i s t r i b u t i o n p r o b l e m . T h e f o r u m literally p r o v i d e d a f o r u m f o r d e m o n s t r a t i n g skills and crafts, e x c h a n g i n g ideas, and b a r t e r i n g f o r g o o d s . In m a n y c u l t u r e s , t h e fairs usually w e r e held o n holidays and d e v e l o p e d a l o n g tribal and cultural b o u n d a r i e s -- f r e q u e n t l y situated o n a burial s i t e -- i n t h e h o p e s that visiting m e r c h a n t s w o u l d b e less belligerent in a c e m e t e r y . A s villages g r e w i n t o t o w n s and t o w n s g r e w i n t o cities, t h e m a r k e t p l a c e s g r e w a l s o -- a n d t h e s e places b e c a m e t h e c r o s s r o a d s o f c i v i l i z a t i o n . Silk r o a d s and spice r o u t e s m e r g e d and m i n g l e d w i t h E u r o p e a n t a p e s t r i e s , W e s t e r n furs and g o l d . Today, many w o u l d c o n t e n d t h a t t h e I n t e r n e t is t h e m o d e r n day equivalent o f t h e fair, t h e m a r k e t p l a c e . T h e c r o s s r o a d o f c i v i l i z a t i o n . B u t I disagree. C o n v e n i e n t , yes. E n r i c h i n g ! P o s s i b l y -- b u t n o t t o t h e same d e g r e e . S o r r y , t h e virtual w o r l d just can't c o m p e t e w i t h t h e smile and handshake I share w i t h t h e man w h o m a d e a s o o n - t o - b e - a d o r e d w o o d e n h o r s e I b o u g h t f o r my n e p h e w B e a u . A n d I d o n ' t c a r e h o w great C D - R O M s a r e , they can't beat t h e beat o f live m u s i c . H o w can a p h o t o o n a s c r e e n r e p l a c e t h e t o u c h o f a lovingly t u r n e d vase o r t h e taste o f local h u c k l e b e r r y j a m ! W h i l e r e s e a r c h i n g t h e h i s t o r y o f fairs and m a r k e t p l a c e s , I w a s n o t s u r p r i s e d t o find t h a t t h e w o r d " f a i r " c o m e s f r o m t h e Latin w o r d feriae, m e a n i n g f e a s t . T h i s year, m a k e y o u r w a y t o " t h e fair" (see page 18). Feast u p o n a festive b a n q u e t that t r u l y reflects t h e m u l t i - c u l t u r a l r i c h n e s s o f t h e N o r t h S h o r e . T r u s t m e , there's m o r e than " . . . p a r s l e y , sage, r o s e m a r y and t h y m e " t o spice u p y o u r life. --Ilona Beiks, editor. Arts Alive Magazine In the spirit of celebration, inspiration and thanksgiving, I dedicate this to Pierre and Peanuts. ADVERTISING A R T S A L I V E is a b i - m o n t h l y RATES entertaining Our magazine d e d i c a t e d t o giving a v o i c e and face t o t h e arts ARTS Premium Positions Inside A d v e r t i s i n g o n t h e N o r t h S h o r e . Every issue features a range o f informative and articles relating t o t h e arts, including profiles, reviews and timely c o m m e n t a r y . c u r r e n t c i r c u l a t i o n is 7 0 0 0 - t h e m a g a z i n e is d i s t r i b u t e d i n f r e e d r o p s a c r o s s t h e N o r t h S h o r e a n d in d o w n t o w n V a n c o u v e r . F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n please call J o y C o w i e a t 9 8 0 - 3 5 5 9 . o r t o book an ad, B a c k C o v e r (free s p o t c o l o u r ) Inside B a c k C o v e r (free s p o t c o l o u r ) W 8.125" x H 10.875" W 7.125" x H 9.875" $1000 $800 Full Page 2/3 Page 1/2 P a g e 1/3 P a g e ( v e r t i c a l ) 1/3 P a g e ( h o r i z o n t a l ) 1/6 P a g e R o t e s do not include GST W 7.125" x H 4.8" W 3.933" x H 2.5" W 7.125" x H 4.8" W 3.944" x H 4.8" W 7.125" x H 2.75 " W 2.995" x H 4.8" $650 $500 $400 $350 $350 $125 T h e n e x t a d v e r t i s i n g d e a d l i n e is D e c e m b e r 11.