Inside Vancouver

Last chance tickets (and hotel deals!) for 2018 Vancouver International Wine Festival

by Shawn Conner in Food & Drink on February 8, 2018

Vancouver International Wine Festival 2018 tasting room and available events

Spain and Portugal are the featured countries at this year’s Vancouver International Wine Festival.

The International Tasting Festival is the heart of the Vancouver International Wine Festival (Feb. 24-March 4).

Held in a cavernous ballroom at the Vancouver Convention Centre (1055 Canada Place), the tasting brings together all of the festival’s participating wineries gather to pour their select wines over three evenings and one afternoon. It’s a chance to discover new wines, or return to your favourites. And it’s a great social occasion; Sunday sippers and veteran tipplers, and everyone in between, can not only share tasting notes and finds with fellow enthusiasts but chat up winery reps, grape growers and more industry experts.

While many VIWF events, including the March 3 Saturday night Tasting Festival, are sold-out, tickets are still available for three other Tastings (Thursday evening March 1, Friday evening March 2, and Saturday afternoon March 3). Book a room before Feb. 15 through StayVancouverHotels.com at a participating downtown hotel and get a free Tasting Room ticket (promo code: VIWF).

Still hesitating? Here’s what you need to know about the Tasting Festival, along with some intel on the last remaining events with available tickets.

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Last chance tickets (and hotel deals!) for 2018 Vancouver International Wine Festival

Billboard’s #1 hip-hop act headlines inaugural outdoor festival in Vancouver

by Shawn Conner in Events on February 6, 2018

Migos, which has become the fifth hip-hop act with more than two #1 albums, headlines a new music festival in Vancouver in June.

Migos and Tory Lanez top a bill that includes some of today’s hottest hip-hop artists at this spring’s Breakout Festival. The inaugural edition takes place June 9 and 10 at the PNE Amphitheatre.

The outdoor hip-hop and R&B event also features 6lack, Lil Pump, A-Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Ski Mask the Slump God, Ybn Nahmir, Kodie Shane, Pressa, Wondagurl, Brevner, Manila Grey, Illyminiachi, Mcevoy Withinroots, Acdatyoungn****, Daamcp, and 2hunnit. Below is a look at some of the artists.

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Billboard’s #1 hip-hop act headlines inaugural outdoor festival in Vancouver

18th Annual Chutzpah! Festival lineup announced

by Shawn Conner in Events on December 13, 2017

Michele Merola’s MM Contemporary Dance performs at this year’s Chutzpah! Festival. Enrico Morelli photo.

Tickets go on sale today (Dec. 13) for the 18th Annual Chutzpah! Festival. Organizers have also announced the lineup for the festival, aka the Lisa Nemetz International Jewish Performing Arts Festival. The arts festival takes place Feb. 15-March 15 2018 at various venues, including the Norman Rothstein Theatre, Scotiabank Dance Centre, Rickshaw Theatre, and Fox Cabaret.

One of the highlights of the annual event is its Dance Series. This year’s Chutzpah! features some of the most sought-after contemporary choreographers in the world, along with theatre, comedy and music. Here are some highlights.

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18th Annual Chutzpah! Festival lineup announced

Discount tickets still available for the 2018 Vancouver International Wine Festival

by Shawn Conner in Food & Drink on December 6, 2017

Thinking about going to the 2018 Vancouver International Wine Festival? There’s no better time to make plans than right now.

Discounts for the International Festival Tasting, the Delta Air Lines Tasting Lounge and the Gold Pass are available until Dec. 15, or while supplies last. For more details on these events, see below. Tickets for other events, including dinners and seminars, go on sale Jan. 10. Hotel packages, which include a ticket to the International Tasting, go on sale in early January.

Here’s a brief look the festival, which takes place Feb. 24-March 4.

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Discount tickets still available for the 2018 Vancouver International Wine Festival

Second Jo Koy show added to JFL NorthWest lineup

by Shawn Conner in Events on December 5, 2017

Jo Koy

(Updated Dec. 12) This just in: JFL NorthWest has announced a second show by Jo Koy.

The festival headliner’s 7 p.m. performance on March 7 is sold out. Due to demand, tickets for a second show, at 9:30 p.m., went on sale earlier today (Dec. 12).

Other headliners include Trevor Noah, Maria Bamford, Brian Regan and Mike Birbiglia. All told, JFL NorthWest is presenting over 90 shows with over 100 comedians at over 30 venues.

In addition, this year’s JFL NorthWest introduces Vancouver to a new comedy film festival. And JFL NorthWest, in association with SiriusXM, highlights the best in local talent with the Best of the West Series.

The festival takes place March 1-10 2018 at various venues, including Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vogue Theatre, Vancouver Playhouse, Rio Theatre, Biltmore Cabaret, ANNEX Theatre, Fox Cabaret, The Comedy Mix, and Yuk Yuk’s. Tickets, including singles and the new three-day pass, are on sale at jflnorthwest.com.

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Second Jo Koy show added to JFL NorthWest lineup

Bastards dance, Birdman drums, Ghetto Blaster confronts at Vancouver’s 2018 PuSh Festival

by Shawn Conner in Entertainment on November 23, 2017

An image from Eternal Tides, one performance only at the 2018 PuSh Festival.

Earlier this week, the 2018 PuSh Festival schedule was announced. As always, there’s a plethora of international talent coming to town, presenting shows that range from dance to theatre to movies with live musical accompaniment.

Below are some of our picks for the performing arts festival, which runs Jan 16-Feb. 4 at various venues in downtown Vancouver. (Click on titles to view trailers.) Tickets are on sale now.

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Bastards dance, Birdman drums, Ghetto Blaster confronts at Vancouver’s 2018 PuSh Festival

Innovative West Coast dancers, choreographers at this year’s Dance in Vancouver

by Shawn Conner in Events on November 10, 2017

Aeriosa. Tim Matheson photo.

The Dance Centre presents the 11th biennial Dance In Vancouver. A showcase of BC’s contemporary dance scene, it takes place Nov. 22-25 at Scotiabank Dance Centre (677 Davie St.).

Organized every two years, the event provides a unique opportunity to experience some of the West Coast’s most innovative and creative contemporary dancers and choreographers. The 2017 edition features such acclaimed companies as Aeriosa, Co.ERASGA, Inverso, Wen Wei Dance, dumb instrument Dance, Radical System Art, and more.

To get the inside scoop, we talked to Julianne Chapple. A dancer, choreographer, and former artist-in-residence at the Dance Centre, Chapple performs her piece Self Portrait as part of an afternoon program Nov. 25.

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Innovative West Coast dancers, choreographers at this year’s Dance in Vancouver