National Indigenous Peoples Day takes place every year on the summer solstice, June 21. It offers an opportunity to learn more about the culture of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. The Rivoli is pleased to recognize the occasion with an evening of Indigenous art and comedy.

The night will begin at 7:30pm with an art show featuring the works of Montina Hussey and Dakota Ray Hebert. The artists will be onsite to share their thoughts and inspiration from over 20 pieces. Dakota and Montina are both mothers to little boys. Bedtime Stories captures the journeys taken with their children.

Guests will retire to the venue's back room at 9:00pm for a comedy show with a drag twist. The night will be hosted by Vance Banzo and feature performances from both Hussey and Herbert.

Banzo is a band member of Fishing Lake First Nation in Saskatchewan. The Saulteaux/Cree comedian, actor, and writer currently resides in Toronto, where he is a proud member of the award-winning Tallboyz sketch comedy troupe.

Dakota Ray Hebert was born and raised in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan. The Dene entertainer has performed as an actor and comedian across Canada, the United States, Mexico and China. Dakota is a self-taught painter. Most of her work incorporates stories of Monty & Mortimer, two silly aliens on unexpected adventures. In her work, we see her Indigenous roots come to life alongside her humour and playfulness.

Montina graduated with a BFA in Drawing and Painting from OCAD University. She currently resides in Toronto where she paints nostalgic imagery fused with contemporary expressionism. She expresses her explosive energy through large landscapes and portraits, mixing worlds and styles like she mixes paint. Her varied subjects blend and melt into each other within a highly saturated colour palette full of texture.

Tickets for this event are $10 in advance and $20 at the door (while quantities last). Attendees will be responsible for purchasing their own food and drinks. Admittance is restricted to those 19+ years of age.