Tag Archives: Local

Local

Vancouver Christmas Market celebrates 10th anniversary

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The central tower at the Vancouver Christmas Market.

The Vancouver Christmas Market is celebrating their tenth anniversary, with their German-themed market returning to Jack Poole Plaza at the Vancouver Convention Centre Wednesday, November 20th, 2019 through Tuesday, December 24th, 2019.

Over 80 huts will serve up European food, decorations, toys, and other crafts. Plus there’s live music, a carousel for the young and young at heart to ride, and of course, Santa Claus himself.

Tickets are available for purchase online or at the market itself. The Vancouver Christmas Market opens daily from 11:30 am PST and closest 9:30 pm PST, except on Christmas Eve, when it closes at 6:00 pm PST.

Food and Drink, Local

UBC Apple Festival returns October 19-20, 2019

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Grimes Golden
A bag of Grimes Golden apples at the UBC Apple Festival.

Take a bite into fall with the UBC Apple Festival this October! On Saturday, October 19th and Sunday, October 20th, 2019, between the hours of 11:00 am and 4:00 pm PDT, you can sink your teeth into everything apple related at the UBC Botanical Gardens on the west side of the university campus.

Some 40 types of new and heritage BC-grown apples are lined up, along with pears, and individual apple trees for purchase. A list cultivars for this year is available online, including Arlet, Cox’s Orange Pippin, Karmijn de Sonnaville, Melrose, Nicola, Salish (a personal favourite), Topaz and Winesap.

Admission is $5 (cash only), or free for those aged 12 and under, which gets you access to the event and the botanical gardens. There is no parking at the gardens, but shuttle buses will run every 15 minutes between the Botanical Gardens and the West Parkade and the Fraser River Parkade on campus.

For more information, visit the UBC Botanical Garden web site.

Dress accordingly for the weather and remember your reusable bags and boxes.

In Pictures

Photos from AniRevo 2019

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Downtown Vancouver was awash in cosplay as fans of anime and manga descended upon the west building of the Vancouver Convention Centre for AniRevo Summer 2019. While it is a three-day event, from Friday, August 9th thru Sunday, August 11th, 2019, I only hung around the outside of the venue for a few hours taking pictures of the fantastically dressed attendees.


View the rest of the photos from this afternoon on Gallery.

Local

Canada Day events for 2019

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Canada Day 2018 at Canada Place

Communities around Metro Vancouver are hosting celebrations for Canada’s 152nd birthday this Monday, July 1st, 2019. There’s plenty of fun with food, parades, music, festivals and yes, fireworks! Bonne fête Canada!

These are just some of the events happening around Metro Vancouver. Check your local community’s event calendar for hours and locations.

Local

Carnaval del Sol brings Latin culture back for 2019

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Latin American food brings everyone together at Carnaval del Sol.

Add some Latin American flair to your summer at Carnaval del Sol, returning for its eleventh year at Concord Pacific Place on Saturday, July 6th and Sunday, July 7th, 2019.

This two-day event is the largest of its kind in the Pacific Northwest and incorporates food, fun, music and more from countries in Central and South America. Multiple plazas focus on many aspects of these cultures: food, arts, family, kids, health and wellness, kids, beer, and travel. Soccer is a huge part of Latin culture, so there’s also a soccer tournament during both days at Andy Livingstone Park.

Carnaval del Sol closes off the Latin American Week, which includes cruises, the Canada Day parade, a Latin film night, a look into Afro-Latin history, and wining and dancing.

Carnaval del Sol is hosted at Concord Pacific Place, 88 Pacific Blvd in Vancouver. There is a $2.00 admission this year for single day access (or a $15.00 VIP pass for use on both days, including access to the beer garden and VIP areas), and is easily reachable by transit with a quick walk from either the Stadium-Chinatown or Main Street-Science World SkyTrain stations.

Local

BC Ferries fares to go up June 1st, 2019

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BC Ferries vessel MV Queen of Oak Bay arrives at Horseshoe Bay.

The cost of taking BC Ferries is about to go up thanks to a new 1.5% fuel surcharge starting June 1st, 2019.

On routes between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island, this is an additional 25 cents for an adult passenger and 85 cents for a vehicle. For the smaller inter-island routes, this is 15 cents for adult passengers and 45 cents for a vehicle.

BC Ferries uses fuel surcharges/rebates to offset the fluctuations in the price of fuel. Rebates are given at time of ticket purchase when the cost of fuel is low, while surcharges are added when the prices are high.

Sources: BC Ferries

In Pictures

Photos from Sakura Days Japan Fair 2019

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Grey clouds and periods of rain presided over the opening day of the annual Sakura Days Japan Fair in the VanDusen Botanical Gardens, but that didn’t stop festivities.

Though many trees had already shed their blossoms, there were a few still in bloom to celebrate this springtime tradition next to an assortment of Japanese food stalls, live entertainment including musical guests from Japan and booths selling traditional clothing and trinkets.


Couldn’t make it out or did the rain hold you back? View the rest of photos on Gallery.

Local

Honda Celebration of Light 2019 dates and countries revealed

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Japan’s performance in 2017

The Honda Celebration of Light returns to Vancouver’s English Bay this summer with three fun filled nights of fireworks synchronized to music. For 2019, the line-up includes two new participant countries are joining host country Canada – India and Croatia.

This is the 29th year the event has lit up the city, with India starting first on Saturday, July 27th, 2019, followed by Canada on Wednesday, July 31st, 2019 and then Croatia on Saturday, August 3rd, 2019.

Leading up to the pyrotechnic display, which begins at 10:00 pm, there will be live music and a selection of food trucks. For those wanting a more comfortable seat, there are three viewing lounges offering premium views (at a price); tickets are available online through the Honda Celebration of Light web site.

Source: Honda Celebration of Light

Local

BC Ferries wants your feedback for new ships for Metro Vancouver-Vancouver Island routes

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<em>MV Queen of New Westminster</em> manoeuvres into Duke Point in Nanaimo.
MV Queen of New Westminster manoeuvres into Duke Point in Nanaimo.

With some of BC Ferries’ older vessels reaching the end of their life, the company is looking for input on the amenities and features for the next generation of vessels. BC Ferries is hosting both an online survey and in-person pop-ups on select sailing routes between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island.

These new vessels would replace four serving the routes between Metro Vancouver and Vancouver Island: MV Queen of Alberni, MV Queen of New Westminster, MV Queen of Coquitlam, and MV Queen of Cowichan. These vessels serve on the Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay, Tsawwassen-Duke Point and Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay routes.

BC Ferries is looking to maintain fare affordability, minimize environmental impact, adjust capacity based on demand and services provided on board. Feedback regarding accessibility, people travelling with children, pets or using bicycles, as well as outdoor spaces, food/drink options and other conveniences is requested.

The new ferries are expected to enter service in the mid-2020’s.

Local

Welcome spring with Sakura Days Japan Fair 2019

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Hojo Hand-Crafted Samurai Armor Corps from Japan appeared at the festival in 2018.

It just isn’t spring without a stop at the Sakura Days Japan Festival. Located in the beautiful VanDusen Botanical Gardens, this two-day event celebrates everything Japanese in a fun festival atmosphere. The gardens host this fair between 10:00 am PDT to 6:00 pm PDT on Saturday, April 13th and 10:00 am PDT to 5:00 pm PDT on Sunday, April 14th, 2019.

Spend the weekend with Japanese culture through live performances, music, food, arts, demonstrations and crafts and more under the budding pastel sakura — the Japanese cherry blossom. Two performers from Japan are scheduled to attend: taiko drummer Keita Kanazashi and shamisen players KiKi.

As the festival takes place in the outdoors, bring appropriate attire as it may rain or the fields might have mud. Parking is limited, so save the hassle and take transit (either the #17 bus, or walk from the Oakridge-41st Avenue Canada Line Station west along 41st Avenue, and then north along Oak Street) to reach VanDusen Botanical Gardens (about a 15-20 minute stroll).

Paid admission is required for entry; tickets are available for purchase online (includes discount) or in person at the door.