Photo credit: Tourism Vancouver/Sombilon Studios
I hear it is going to be a beautiful sunny weekend. Enjoy some amazing virtual events, venture out to spend some time in nature and give some love to your city! Here are some of the things for you to check out this weekend to make the most of your time.
Until further notice, in line with the public health order, non-essential travel into, within, and out of BC is not recommended. BC residents, let’s do our part by continuing to stay small and support local with your immediate household, in accordance with the latest guidelines.
Photo credit: UBC Botanical Garden
Greenheart TreeWalk re-opened for season
Where: UBC Botanical Garden
What: The Greenheart TreeWalk will spark your adventurous spirit as you navigate suspended walkways and tree platforms high above the forest floor. Located in the heart of UBC Botanical Garden, the 310 metre-long tree top canopy walkway hangs from huge Douglas firs, cedars and grand firs, many of which are over 100 years old. Reaching a height of nearly 20 metres above the forest floor, the walkway will give you a bird’s eye view of Vancouver’s magnificent coastal temperate rainforest.
Photo credit: Chilliwack Tulip Festival
Where: Tulips of the Valley
What: Chilliwack’s beloved annual floral attraction is back for 2021 and are looking forward to welcoming Fraser Valley residents to the fields this year (with health and safety protocols in place). Launched in 2006, Chilliwack Tulips is the first attraction of its kind in the Fraser Valley — and it’s still the largest in BC, with millions of Tulip bulbs blooming each year!
Runs until May 2, 2021
Photo credit: BC Bird Trail
Where: Fraser Valley, Richmond, Delta
What: British Columbia’s super, natural landscapes provide a safe haven to thousands of migratory birds every year. The BC Bird Trail is your guide to exploring BC’s Pacific Flyway, offering a series of self-guided itineraries showcasing the regions our feathered friends seek out year after year. The birders of all levels are encouraged to Look Up and Stay Grounded as they explore vibrant communities and outdoor experiences providing new opportunities to engage, learn, and grow.
Photo credit: Take Off Photography
Where: Jericho Beach
What: Come run the official Big Easter Run route with voice guided navigation around Jericho Beach Park. This holiday themed virtual run offers a 5km or 10km Run/Walk around scenic Jericho Beach Park. Run with the local bunnies, enjoy a scenic run along the water, through the trees and around the park, while hearing fun facts about Easter and motivational messages from special guests! Suitable for all ages and abilities including strollers and leashed dogs.
Runs until April 25, 2021
Photo credit: Vancouver Mysteries
Outdoor Games with Vancouver Mysteries
Where: Various Locations, Downtown Vancouver
What: Vancouver Mysteries is a fully outdoor, Covid secure game that takes you throughout downtown Vancouver solving clues in teams. Teams must be within the same household and you can pick the adventure that sounds the most fun to you! Choose one of four outdoor game routes and have fun solving a mystery.
Photo credit: Vancouver’s Farmers Markets
Riley Park Winter Farmers Market
Where: 50 E 30th Avenue & Ontario Street
What: 70+ farms and producers, food and coffee trucks.
Runs on Saturdays until April 24, 2021
Hastings Park Farmers Market
Where: Hastings Park Centregrounds
What: 35+ farms and producers. food and coffee trucks.
Runs on Sundays until April 25, 2021
Photo credit: Imagine Van Gogh
Imagine Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience
Where: Vancouver Convention Centre West
What: In this exhibition, visitors of all ages discover a new way of reconnecting with the work of this great master. The very concept of Imagine Van Gogh is grandiose: visitors wander amongst giant projections of the artist’s paintings, swept away by every brushstroke, detail, painting medium and colour. Immersed in an extraordinary experience where all senses become fully awakened, viewers will be truly moved by such spectacular beauty. Visitors discover more than 200 of Van Gogh’s paintings, including his most famous works, painted between 1888 and 1890 in Provence, Arles and Auvers-sur-Oise.
Runs until August 29, 2021
Photo credit: Science World
Where: Science World
What: Arctic Voices takes visitors on a riveting journey over the tundra and into the world’s northernmost biome. Enjoy an immersive experience of the fascinating, changing Arctic through its many voices: its people, ecology, wildlife and way of life. Dance with auroras, hop on ice floes and learn just how deeply connected we are to the Arctic through this feature exhibition that will leave you awestruck and inspired.
Runs until September 6, 2021
New West Craft Artisan Exhibition
Where: The Gallery at Queen’s Park
What: New West Craft is pleased to present an intimate and COVID-friendly gallery experience showcasing the work for five local artisans and makers. New West Craft is a collective of local artists, artisans and makers. The New West Craft Exhibition at The Gallery at Queen’s Park will feature the work of five local artisans. Each of the participating artisans showcase the diverse range of products, mediums and artistic styles of the New West Craft collective. Visit The Gallery at Queen’s Park and discover locally made art, jewellery, textiles, greeting cards and more. Lots of great gift ideas for Mother’s Day!
Runs until May 2, 2021
Photo credit: Moon & Back Gallery
Where: Moon & Back Gallery
What: Vancouver’s First Mirror Light Rooms Installations for fun and photo perfect moments. Get your cameras out!
Photo credit: Surrey Art Gallery
Where: Surrey Art Gallery
What: Riffing on the children’s game of “I spy,” Flavourcel’s project for UrbanScreen captures different sights from across Whalley and the broader Surrey region in animated form. The collective invites you to “spy” the things that connect with you: nearby shop facades, local ingredients, Surrey wildlife, popular sports, and more.
Runs until May 2, 2021
Artwork by Sheila Letwiniuk
Spirituality, Art, and Community: An exhibition of artworks from members of our community
Where: Christ Church Cathedral
What: Partnership of Christ Church Cathedral, posAbilities & Outsiders and Others to “bring light and hope to our community in a time of panic and isolation.” This show includes artwork by 19 members of the Christ Church community. Displayed in the Cathedral windows, it can be seen at any time. Also viewable online (see website).
Runs until May 2, 2021
Photo credit: Le Centre Culturel Francophone de Vancouver
Exhibition “Aquatika” Sylvie Peltier
Where: Le Centre Culturel Francophone de Vancouver
What: Sylvie Peltier’s exhibition “Aquatika” explores the richness and complexity of nature, which is so much more than a mountain, a sunset, a forest, or a lake. Recently she has been experimenting with the interplay of lily pads, reeds, and water and the mysterious abstract motifs they create.
Runs until April 22, 2021
Photo credit: Griffin Art Projects
Whose Chinatown? Examining Chinatown Gazes in Art, Archives, and Collections
Where: Griffin Art Projects
What: Whose Chinatown? Examining Chinatown Gazes in Art, Archives, and Collections,” brings together an art history of Chinatowns and their communities by historical and contemporary Canadian artists such Emily Carr, Unity Bainbridge, Yucho Chow, Fred Herzog, Paul Wong, Mary Sui Yee Wong, Morris Lum, and aiya哎呀, among others.
Runs on Saturdays until May 1, 2021
Photo credit: Bill Reid Gallery
Where: Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
What: This solo exhibition by Luke Parnell is a powerful exploration of the relationship between Northwest Coast Indigenous oral histories, conceptual art, and traditional formline design. Indigenous History in Colour’s playful juxtapositions and bold commentary are inspired by history, pop culture, and Bill Reid. Parnell’s multidisciplinary analysis of the shifting perspectives of Northwest Coast art in modern history challenges contemporary discourse on notions of reconciliation, repatriation and representation today.
Runs until May 9, 2021
Photo credit: Polygon Gallery
Where: Polygon Gallery
What: Feast for the Eyes explores the rich history of food as one of photography’s most prevalent and enduring subjects. In an age where sharing images of food has emerged as a unique facet of contemporary culture, this exhibition offers a look at the timeless ways in which things we eat shape us and our perceptions of the world.
Runs until May 30, 2021
Photo credit: The BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
Paddles Up! The Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Exhibit
Where: The BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum
What: Paddles Up! The Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Exhibit explores the festival’s history since the sport’s arrival at Expo 86. Discover unique artifacts, including two full-sized dragon boats, hear stories from athletes of all backgrounds, and learn about the festival’s cultural heritage.
Runs on Fridays and Saturdays until May 31, 2021
Photo credit: Stefano Benazzo
Where: Vancouver Maritime Museum
What: Silent Witness features a collection of photographs by Italian photographer and artist Stefano Benazzo who has spent decades seeking shipwrecks from some of the most remote locations around the globe. His work narrates the scenes of these wrecks with light and portrays the soul of the abandoned vessels. The photographs in Silent Witness tell the story of decay for these ships, capturing their architecture and presenting them as sculptures embedded in the landscape.
Runs until July 18, 2021
Photo credit: Museum of Anthropology
A Future for Memory: Art and Life After the Great East Japan Earthquake
Where: Museum of Anthropology at UBC
What: The exhibition coincides with the 10th anniversary of the 2011 triple disaster that saw a 9.0 magnitude earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown hit the eastern region of Japan. A Future for Memory highlights nature’s destructive impact on humans and its regenerative potential, and explores how humans live in harmony with nature. It also examines how new connections and relationships have developed in the aftermath of this tragic event.
Runs until September 5, 2021
Photo credit: Vancouver Art Gallery
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: Sun Xun is a mid-career Chinese artist who works in a range of mediums including painting, drawing, animation, video and installation. In his highly imaginative video installation Mythological Time (2016), Sun takes viewers on a journey through his hometown of Fuxin in northern China, a coal-mining centre facing the depletion of its economic lifeblood. Sun’s video installation from the Gallery’s collection will be presented alongside a major 30-metre ink painting, being shown for the first time.
Runs until September 6, 2021
Photo credit: Museum of Vancouver
Where: Museum of Vancouver
What: The Museum of Vancouver and the University of British Columbia proudly present a new feature exhibition, A Seat at the Table, Chinese Immigration and British Columbia. This exhibition explores historical and contemporary stories of Chinese Canadians in BC and their struggles for belonging. It looks to food and restaurant culture as an entry point to feature stories that reveal the great diversity of immigrant experience and of the communities immigrants develop.
Runs until January 2022
Photo credit: The Cultch
The Cultch: The Essentials – Online
Khari Wendell McClelland returns to The Cultch stage, joined virtually by local and international musicians, scholars, and poets in a multidisciplinary performance exploring the question: What is essential and needed in these times? This is a unique moment in time, perhaps it is a reckoning. As we are facing unprecedented societal, environmental, and public health challenges many are asking themselves: How did we get here? Who do we want to be? And where does art belong amidst this evolution of the world? Creativity has a unique place in meeting the challenges we face and the solutions we seek. It has been a source of power and resilience in the face of unimaginable odds.
Runs until April 18, 2021
Photo credit: VSO
Throughout this strange COVID season, VSO members have been recording chamber works in the gorgeous acoustic of Pyatt Hall. We invite you to join us for a virtual celebration of small and intimate works as we release six new recordings of music by Crumb, Takemitsu, Shaw, Mozart, and more. The VSO School of Music presents a masterclass with Istvan Vardai (a featured guest artist from the VSO’s 2019-2020 season) and student ensembles. Members of the VSO will host a livestream roundtable and public Q&A on all things chamber music.
Runs until April 18, 2021
Come get your French Canadian On(line)! This year, experience the amazing music, dance and joyful spirit of Festival du Bois at home, in your own cabane. See exclusive concerts by brilliant music-makers from across Canada – everything from traditional Québécois podorythmie to fiddle and accordion tunes to a renowned Innu singer/songwriter and an electrifying Zydeco dance band – and so much more.
Runs until April 30, 2021
Photo credit: Dance House
More Than Dance, We Are A Movement – Online
DanceHouse is proud to offer a new film celebrating Red Sky Performance’s 20th-anniversary story as a leading company of contemporary Indigenous performance in Canada and worldwide. More Than Dance, We Are A Movement contains excerpts from their award-winning work and interviews with collaborators who have participated in this remarkable journey. This film captures the creative drive of founder and Artistic Director Sandra Laronde and the exceptional artistic vision that propelled Red Sky Performance to prominence and critical acclaim.
Streaming until April 20, 2021
Photo credit: The Dance Centre
Discover Dance! Mozaico Flamenco – Online
Kasandra ‘La China’, Artistic Director of Mozaico Flamenco, shares a vibrant celebration of the many faces of flamenco in a program of virtuosic solos, in the latest edition of The Dance Centre’s popular Discover Dance! series. Using Spanish and Chinese fans, Sevillan silk shawls, and flamenco’s famous rapid-fire footwork, this intimate program is a showcase of the technical skill, passion and artistry of one of Vancouver’s most brilliant flamenco exponents. This pre-recorded performance will also include a short interview with Kasandra about her work.
Streaming until April 28, 2021
A friendly competition-style performance featuring Vancouver’s amazing local drag artists showcasing their improvisation skills, runway style, and unique talents. Audience members will vote for their favourite performers during the livestreamed event and help crown the winner with the title “Mx Honey!”
Sunday, April 18, 2021
Photo credit: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden – Virtual Meditation Class with Cassandra Lee
Cassandra Lee is a Chinese Canadian who grew up in the Strathcona/Chinatown area in the 1970’s. She is glad to be, once again, connected to this historic area of town. She has completed the Meditation Teacher Training with Moment, which is rooted in contemporary teachings. Currently, she is enrolled in the Meditation Teacher Training with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield, which is embedded in Buddhist philosophy. Cassandra is drawn to meditation as the practice has guided and continues to guide her along the path of self-discovery and authenticity. She looks forward to sharing these blends of teachings with you.
Friday, April 16, 2021
Phot credit: Maritime Museum
Storytime Saturdays with Maritime Museum – Online
Settle in and listen to a maritime-themed story on Saturday mornings. This event for ages four and up includes activities to engage little ones in ocean themes. Themes include seashore appreciation, marine animals and myths of the sea.
Runs on Saturdays at 10 am. Registration required.
Photo credit: Cherry Blossom Festival
The Haiku Invitational presented by Leith Wheeler Investment Counsel Ltd. is an online contest with six main categories receiving submissions from all over the world. Submit up to two unpublished and original works on the theme of cherry blossoms! The top poems in six main categories (Vancouver, BC, Canada, United States, International, and Youth (age 17 and younger) will receive celebrity readings and be featured in creative ways during the 2021 festival.
Runs until June 1, 2021
Photo credit: Chan Centre
Chan Centre’s Spring 2021 Dot Com Series – Online
The Chan Centre’s Spring 2021 Dot Com Series features eight all-new performances which will be delivered 100% online and recorded around the globe—from Mexico to Montreal to our very own Chan Centre stage. Additional Performances launched every two weeks.
Runs until May 31, 2021
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