Fun. with Tegan and Sara at Ambleside West Vancouver

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

Last week Live Nation announced Mumford and Sons will be playing Holland Park in Surrey and yesterday their latest Concerts in the Park series was unveiled: fun. along with Tegan and Sara will be performing at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver on Saturday, August 31, 2013 at 5:00pm.

Ambleside
Photo credit: colink. on Flickr

On the beach, summer sunset, views of the Burrard Inlet and Stanley Park while two critically-acclaimed bands rock out. What could be better?

A portion of ticket sales from the artists’ tour will benefit The Ally Coalition, a partnership created by fun. and designer Rachel Antonoff devoted to encouraging and inspiring the music, fashion, and entertainment communities to take action in support of LGBTQ equality. Each tour stop will showcase the Equality Village, featuring The Ally Coalition as well as other local and national LGBTQ equality organizations.

Tickets go on sale Friday, April 12, 2013 at 10:00am and will all be general admission for $45 (including GST, plus fees). Purchase your tickets through Live Nation, charge by phone, or at Planet Ice locations in Maple Ridge, Coquitlam and Delta. Follow Live Nation West on Twitter for the latest concert news.

Vancouver Bach Choir Presents Phantom of the Opera

Comments 82 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Vancouver Bach Choir presents Phantom of the Opera for one show only on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 8:00pm at The Orpheum. This specially commissioned work from Canadian composer Andrew Downing was created to underscore and enrich the legendary silent film of the same name. The choir and a hand-picked chamber ensemble will perform the score while the cinematic masterpiece screens.

phantomoftheoperaAudience members will relive the terror, heartache, and romance of The Phantom of the Opera as a crisp print of the film is projected within the Orpheum concert hall. Released by Universal Pictures in 1925, Rupert Julian’s masterpiece is held to be one of the best horror movies ever created; its success would prompt the studio to finance a legendary string of monster features including Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, and The Mummy.

Lon Chaney’s performance as the Phantom remains harrowing, despite nearly a century passing since its first haunting screening (at which time the famous unmasking scene was said to have made patrons faint and scream).

The Orpheum is the perfect venue for this combination of classic film, choir, live music, and multimedia. Tickets for Vancouver Bach Choir’s Phantom of the Opera are on sale now for $25 to $59 (plus fees, taxes; student and senior discounts available) and can be purchased online, in person at the Orpheum box office, or by calling (604) 696-4290.

I have a pair of tickets to give away for this performance. Here’s how you can enter to win:

  • Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
  • Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win tix to @VanBachChoir’s Phantom of the Opera from @Miss604 http://ow.ly/jFmdz

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Tuesday, April 9, 2013. The winner will receive a pair of tickets to the performance on Saturday, April 20, 2013 at 8:00pm. Follow the Vancouver Bach Choir on Facebook and Twitter for performance information and show news this season.

Update The winner is Neal Hannah!

Tulips of the Valley Festival 2013

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

2014 Tulips of the Valley Festival Info

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival attracts crowds south of the border but in our own backyard, the Tulips of the Valley Festival paints Agassiz with all the colours of the season. Opening April 17, 2013 the festival here only lasts as long as the blooms, which is about 2 weeks. Tulips will cover over 40 acres of land and admirers can purchase bulbs of these Canadian-grown beauties surrounded by mountain views.

Agassiz, BC

To get to the Tulips of the Valley Festival, you can park at Seabird Gasbar on Chowat Road off Highway 7. Parking cost is separate from entrance fees for the fields. Once parked, the fiels are more than a 500 meter walk from the lot so be prepared for the trek (and to wander the 40 acres of tulips).

40 Acres of Tulips

The festival will be open Wednesday to Friday 12:00pm to 4:00pm, Saturday and Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm, and closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Admission will be $3 for adults, $2.50 for seniors or groups of 10 or more. Kids 12 and under are free.

40 Acres of Tulips

For bulb purchases you can stop by the Tulip Stand at 1694 Tranmer Road in Agassiz, which is open now from dawn to dusk daily until Mother’s Day 2013. Purchase fresh-cut tulips and potted hyacinths.

40 Acres of Tulips

The festival is also along the Circle Farm Tour in Agassiz so you can spend a full day in the region picking up fresh herbs, cheeses, hazelnuts, and more — all grown here.

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival 2013

Comments 1 by Rebecca Bollwitt

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is now open for 2013, running from April 1st until April 30th in Washington State around La Conner and Mount Vernon. You can drive to various tulip, daffodil and iris fields and events or do a cycling tour. There are dozens of locations for activities with Tulip Town (15002 Bradshaw Road) and RoozenGaarde (15867 Beaver Marsh Road) being hubs.

Skagit Tulip Festival
Our photos from Tulip Town, 2011

Tulip Town

View the newly enhanced Veterans Memorial Garden and visit the International Peace Gardens. Learn why the Tulip is world’s Peace Flower. Enjoy fresh-picked tulip bouquets, visit the garden shop (for potted tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, peonies, and more), pick up posters and souvenirs, and stop by the Tulip Cafe. On top of the tulip fields there is an indoor show, mural, and artwork for sale. Open daily in April from 9:00am to 5:00pm (later if weather permits). Admission is $5 per person, all military personnel with ID $4, children 10 and under free. Free parking in all fields. No pets permitted.

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival Skagit Tulip Festival
Our photos from Tulip Town, 2011

RoozenGaarde

A division of Washington Bulb Co., Inc., the largest flower bulb grower in the United States with over a thousand acres of Skagit Valley tulip, daffodil, and iris fields. Owned by the Roozen family, tulip growers in Holland and the United States since the early 1700’s.

Visit the 3.5 acre display garden planted with over a quarter million bulbs & featuring an authentic Dutch windmill. There are over 100 tulip varieties and 150 varieties of flowers in total in the display garden including daffodils, hyacinths, crocus, iris, and specialty flowers. Garden admission: $5 per person, $4 for military with I.D., children 10 and under are free. Parking is free. Admission ticket provides free access to all parking areas located in the RoozenGaarde/WBC tulip fields. Admission charge only applies to the spring bloom period. Season passes available. We accept all major credit cards. Open daily 9:00am to 7:00pm. No pets permitted in the garden.

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
Our photos from Tulip Town, 2011

Tulip Festival Info

There are several special events throughout the month, art shows, and even local museums, breweries, and wineries join in the fun with specials. Mount Vernon and La Conner are about 100km south of Vancouver and 90km north of Seattle just off the I-5.

Follow the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival on Facebook and Twitter for more information and stop on by later this month to see all of the beautiful tulips in bloom.

Friday Late Night Movies at the Rio Theatre: April 2013

Comments 1 by Rebecca Bollwitt

The Rio Theatre has released its line-up for Friday Late Night Movies for April along with a cast of local hosts for each event.

RioTheatre-AprilLateNight

Friday, April 5, 2013 – Hosted by Andrew Barber
The Warriors
Directed by Walter Hill, 1979
“In a future, dystopian New York City, turf gangs and cops rule the streets. When one gang leader tries to bring all gangs together against the cops Coney Island’s The Warriors are framed for his murder and the entire city turns on them.” The Warriors is back by popular demand! Comedian Andrew Barber, best known as the most anti-Vancouver Boston Bruins fan ever, is set to host.

Friday, April 12, 2013 – Hosted by Paul Anthony
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure
Directed by Tim Burton, 1985
“When eccentric man-child Pee-Wee Herman gets his beloved bike stolen in broad daylight, he sets out across the U.S. on the adventure of his life.” This Tim Burton classic has been requested repeatedly by our devoted (and very vocal) patrons, and we’re pleased to present it for them. Actor, comedian, and Talent Time host Paul Anthony is on board to host this hilarious crowd-pleaser.

Friday, April 19, 2013 – Hosted by Stephen Quinn
The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension
Directed by W.D. Richter, 1984
“Adventurer/surgeon/rock musician Buckaroo Banzai and his band of men, the Hong Kong Cavaliers, take on evil alien invaders from the 8th dimension.” CBC Radio’s On the Coast host, Stephen Quinn told us enthusiastically, “It’s John Lithgow’s best performance!” Strong words. See for yourself when this major cult-classic hits the big screen. Can’t wait to see the costumes for this one…

Friday, April 26, 2013 – Hosted by Michael Unger
They Live
Directed by John Carpenter, 1988
“A drifter discovers a pair of sunglasses that allow him to wake up to the fact that aliens have taken over the Earth.” John Carpenter’s classic gets the big screen treatment. Hockey God Michael Unger is back again after a fantastic stint hosting our March screening of Blue Velvet. “Put the glasses on!”

All screenings start at 11:00pm and are for those of legal drinking age — since the Rio now has bar service. Tickets are $8 or just $6 if you arrive in costume. Follow the Rio Theatre on Facebook and Twitter for more special event info, screenings, and film updates.

Miss604.com is a media partner for the Friday Late Night Movie series at the Rio Theatre.