Singer Allan Blye has stories to tell about Elvis, the Smothers Brothers and Rich Little

He's worked with the likes of Elvis Presley, The Smothers Brothers,  Sonny and Cher, Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Andy Williams and Jack Benny. He even counts Rich Little as a close friend.

Former Winnipegger Allan Blye returns to the city and to his first love, singing, with a concert of Yiddish songs as part of the fifth Mameloshen Festival of Yiddish Culture.

Blye, now 75, says growing up in Winnipeg was a wonderful experience because there was no Internet and no television, so young people were involved in cultural things and sports. He started participating in shows as a singer and actor and sang in the synagogue choir.

"I learned the fundamentals of all those things. It became a terrific gift to me on many levels."

• Red River Ex introduces healthy midway eats

  

  Don't worry, mini-donuts are safe. So are deep-fried pickles, burgers and fries and candy apples. Those favourite midway foods aren't going anywhere. But salads, donairs, noodles, soft tacos, burritos and wraps--all loaded with fresh vegetables--are also enticing eaters at this year's Red River Exhibition.
  
  The Red River Exhibition runs June 14-23.
  

• Teen girls craft superhero identities to challenge stereotypes

  

  Move over, Marvel. A group of teenage girls from Winnipeg has created a set of trading cards starring a squad of superheroes dubbed The Craftastics: Agents for Social Change. Their mission? To combat the everyday evils that lurk in the halls of high school. These young ladies are part of the Valley Gardens Grrlz Club, a River East Transcona School Division after-school program.
  
  
  

• Handcrafted Manitoba ice cream flying out of freezers

  

  As the old gourmand saying goes, "if you reduce the fat, you reduce the flavour." This applies to rich sauces, well-marbled meats, and above all, ice cream, where a high buttercream content allows the luscious flavours to shine.
  
  "Mine runs about 19 per cent. And usually ice creams here run about 11 per cent," said Lisa Dyck, referring to the buttercream content of her luxurious Cornell Creme hand-crafted ice cream.
  
  
  

• British jazz singer Helen White calls Winnipeg home

  

  From Cambridge, England to Winnipeg, Manitoba is not a commonly travelled route. Singer Helen White came to the University of Manitoba for her masters degree in music, and eight years and three children later, White and her husband call Winnipeg home. White admits it wasn't easy at first. "Nobody knew me so I had to hustle to get gigs and I played pretty much everywhere and I still do...I recorded a couple of albums. I have one of originals, and a new one."
  
  The Jazz Winnipeg Festival runs until June 23. Hear Helen White and friends on Friday June 21 at noon at the Jazz for Lunch series.
  

• Don Amero raising funds for Winnipeg girl with extensive health issues

  

  When Don Amero was scheduling his latest concert, it was intended to celebrate a successful year. But then he got a call from Calvin Wood. Wood's daughter, Elena Robertson Wood, is 10 years old. She was in a coma the first two years of her life, has had three open heart surgeries, and recently had a stroke.
  
  
  

• ReviewUnderground Film Festival brings edgy film to Winnipeg

  

  Underground film is independent, experimental and edgy. The first-ever Winnipeg Underground Film Festival runs this weekend, and it feels like a natural fit for a city that produces its fair share of avant-garde filmmakers. Organized by Open City Cinema, the three-day fest offers some beautiful, boundary-busting, what-the-hell-was-that work. (All programs run at Frame Arts Warehouse, 318 ½ Ross St.)