Laura Marling at the Commodore

Comments 21 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Singer and songwriter Laura Marling is coming to Vancouver on Wednesday, bringing her award-winning British folk sound to the masses during her North American tour.

The 22 year-old won Best Female Solo Artist at the 2011 Brit Awards, released two albums between 2010 and 2011, and was once again nominated for Best Female Solo Artist at the Brit Awards this year.

Her current tour throughout Canada and the United States is in support of her third album, A Creature I Don’t Know and has played Coachella and Bonnaroo recently. Willy Mason will join her for the show at the Commodore and he’s been touring with her for most of this North American leg. Tickets are currently on sale for $35.25 (includes fees) for the Vancouver show.

If you would like to see Laura Marling in concert on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 I have a pair of tickets up for grabs. 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 tickets to see #LauraMarling in Vancouver from @LiveNationWest & @Miss604 http://ow.ly/bLr8N

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 10:00am on Monday, June 25, 2012. Must be 19 years of age to enter, win, and attend as this is not an all-ages show. Update The winner is Kathryn!

Stanley Park Miniature Train Station Fire

Comments 4 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Last night a fire was deliberately set at the Stanley Park miniature railway’s station. Despite the best efforts of fire crews, the structure was completely destroyed.

Crews doused nearby trees to prevent the flames from spreading, but could not save the replica train station — that also doubles as Santa’s workshop during the popular Bright Nights in Stanley Park celebration each Christmas. [CTV News]

“The building is a writeoff and the damage extensive,” he said. [Vancouver fire Capt. Gabe Roder] said the cooler weather helped to prevent what could have been a major catastrophe in the park. “Had it been in the middle of summer in a dry spell the outcome could have been much different,” he said. [Vancouver Sun]

The Stanley Park miniature railway opened in 1964, with Mayor Bill Rathie and Park Board Chairman George Wainborn driving in the last spike.


1966 – Stanley Park Miniature Railway. VPL Accession Number: 42876 & VPL Accession Number: 42872

Since that time it has become a fixture of the park, providing themed train rides with haunting tales at Halloween, stories and legends in Klahowya Village, and holiday carols during Bright Nights.

There is no word yet on how this will affect the train and upcoming seasonal programming.

Update The Park Board has passed on the message that the Spirit Catcher chain will be in operation on Saturday, June 23.

VIVA Vancouver 2012

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

VIVA Vancouver returns this summer as Robson Square and Granville Street transform into pedestrian paradises. Community events, performances, and unique attractions will occupy these busy downtown corridors (and more) from June 23rd until September 3rd.

Alfresco Vancouver #6 - Robson Square Alfresco Vancouver #6 - Robson Square
Dining Alfresco in Robson Square 2011 – Photo credit: Maurice Li & Maurice Li.

Granville will be closed to traffic between Smithe and Hastings on weekends while Robson will be closed between Hornby and Howe everyday. Buses will be re-routed including the #5 Robson that will return to its detour route on Burrard and Pender, and #6 Davie that will have detour stops along Seymour and Howe.

Other community VIVA Vancouver events will include Hot Tubs on East 44th, a Liveable Laneway local art market near East 8th and East Broadway, and Street Murals in Marpole, the West End, and Mount Pleasant. Parallel Park will take over two parking spots on East 14th, providing street-side seating, and Mount Pleasant will glow with mobile projections.

Follow VIVA Vancouver on Twitter and Facebook to learn more about special events happening in these spaces from this weekend through to Labour Day.

Rogers Presents Metric at the Commodore: Win Your Way In

Comments 63 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Rogers is bringing Metric to the Commodore for an intimate invitation-only concert this Saturday, June 23, 2012.

Live at Squamish 2011: Metric
Photo credit: John Bollwitt on Flickr

Last year we caught Metric for the first time (despite being fans for years) with tens of thousands of others in an outdoor setting. They rocked everyone’s socks off delivering one of the best festival shows I’ve seen. Lucky contest winners and special guests will now be able to watch Metric perform songs from their new album Synthetica in one of Vancouver’s favourite music venues thanks to the Rogers Wireless Box Office.

About the Rogers Wireless Box Office:
This mobile ticketing system is a partnership between Live Nation and Rogers Wireless. Benefits as a Wireless Box Office customer include access to premium ticket allotments, pre-sales, artist experiences, exclusive show entrances, and more. Wireless Box Office tickets are available to all Live Nation shows/concerts and several Rogers-sponsored events.

To purchase tickets using this system go online or text “tickets” to “4849” or select the Rogers customer option during your online Ticketmaster purchase. Tickets are then delivered to the customer as an SMS text message and MMS bar code – this will get you into your event. If you’re not a Rogers customer, your tickets will be sent as PDF attachments in an email.

Rogers Wireless Box Office would love to send one Miss604 reader and their guest to see Metric at the Commodore this Saturday. Here’s how you can enter to win:

  • Leave a comment here naming your favourite Metric song (1 entry)
  • Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win tix to see Metric at the Commodore from the Rogers Wireless Box Office #RWBOcontest & @Miss604 http://ow.ly/1O3Ya0

The contest closes (very quickly) at 12:00am on Friday, June 22, 2012. The winner will be notified immediately and given a code to claim their tickets at the Rogers Wireless Box Office. Must be 19 years of age or older to enter, win, and attend. Good luck!

Update The winner is Michael Hudson!

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

Comments 1 by Rebecca Bollwitt

On a recent history-themed tour of Whatcom County, I visited the Heritage Flight Museum in Bellingham, home to a collection of vintage aircraft and a bounty of colourful airborne tales.

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

The Heritage Flight Museum has been at the Bellingham International Airport since 2001 and is already bursting at its seams. It was founded in 1996 by Major General William Anders, who was an Apollo 8 astronaut and is credited for taking the groundbreaking Earthrise photo.

This striking image was called “the most influential environmental photograph ever taken” by photographer Galen Rowell.

Taken by Apollo 8 crewmember Bill Anders on December 24, 1968. File source: NASA.

“We came all this way to explore the moon, and the most important thing is that we discovered the Earth” – Bill Anders

The collection of memorabilia at the museum has grown from World War I and World War II, to include Vietnam and Korean war items. The entrance area contains display cases and models, and once you pass the Earthrise and NASA exhibits toward the back of the room you can step into the hangar.

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

They have a flight simulator and little push-car style planes for the kids to enjoy, early blueprints of the Bellingham Airport, and an impressive roster of planes that they take up to the Abbotsford Airshow each year.

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

Our guide, Program Director Kate Simmons, displayed a natural passion for aircraft and flight, citing names of missions, squadrons, and models of planes on command. She informed us that all of the planes are flyable and they do fly them often, “nothing has a permanent parking spot.”

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

There is also a tribute to the tributes to the 39th Fighter Squadron, Cobra in the Clouds, who first assembled Bellingham. These men went on to become one of the most-decorated squadrons of WWII in the South Pacific. The museum has made a commitment to sharing stories like these through their education programs and tours.

The little hangar holds plenty of information along with impressive eye candy for those who love planes. If you would like to see them in action, up in the clouds, stop by on one of their designated “Fly Days” which happen on the 3rd Saturday of each month with select aircraft.

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham
A separate hangar holds these two planes from 1916 which are being restored
for a commemorative flight to France in 2016.

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

Kate made the great suggestion of stopping in if you’re early for that flight out of Bellingham or even making a day out of it and taking a sightseeing flight with one of the operators at the airport. San Juan Airlines does sightseeing flights that start at $50 for half an hour.

Flight fanatics in the region can visit the Canadian Museum of Flight in Langley, spend the weekend at the Abbotsford Airshow this summer, and discover the history — and see the working planes — of Bellingham’s Heritage Flight Museum the next time they cross the border.

The Heritage Flight Museum is located at the Bellingham Airport, at 4165 Mitchell Way and is open Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. No appointment is necessary and admission is $5 per person.

Heritage Flight Museum Bellingham

When I was young Bellingham was a day trip destination for my family where we would explore places like the fish hatchery. As I grew older, Bellis Fair – and its abundance of retail options – became the reason to cross the border. In recent years, I have rediscovered Bellingham (including Fairhaven) and learned more about its art scene, parks system, and history. Follow some of my posts about this region and the rest of county using my tag: Whatcom.