“So, what’s behind the mountains?” John asked me when he first moved to Vancouver over 10 years ago. He grew up in America’s Midwest, where the sky is big and the corn fields roll on as far as the eye can see. I could understand his curiosity. “More mountains,” I replied.
I felt pretty confident with this statement, being a local who has taken many flights to Northern BC, and road tripped and camped across the province my entire life. Of course there’s also Google Maps to bring a point home.
For his birthday this year, I lined up a special treat for John. We love exploring our region, whether it’s from the top of a mountain or sailing on the sea, and this year we took to the sky with Sky Helicopters.
I first met the team from Sky Helicopters back in 2015 and when I was trying to think of something really unique and experiential to give John for his birthday, their tours came to mind.
We drove out to their hangar at the airport in Pitt Meadows (they can do Downtown Vancouver pickups for an extra fee) and checked in for our flight. It was a gorgeous fall day. As we sat in the passenger lounge we looked out at the Trans Canada Trail along the Fraser River dike. Families were out for walks, dogs were pulling at their leashes, and cyclists were braving the chilly late-fall winds. Leaves were tumbling down from branches like the snowflakes we saw earlier in the week. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
Remembrance Day, November 11th, is a day to remember the courage, service and sacrifice of thousands of men and women, and to honour them by never forgetting them.
Your city will most likely have a service or ceremony on November 11th, around its local cenotaph, and to make things easier I have rounded up a list of events (that have been publicized, as of the date of publishing of this post) that you can attend.
If I am missing an event, please feel free to leave a comment with details and I will be sure to add it to the list.
Remembrance Day Ceremonies Around Metro Vancouver
Event: Vancouver Ceremony at Victory Square
Where: Victory Square Cenotaph at W Hastings St and Cambie St
When: 10:00am
Details The ceremony will begin with a performance by the Vancouver Bach Youth Choir and Sarabande. At 10:10am veterans, military marching units, and bands will be led to Victory Square by the Vancouver Flag Party for the cenotaph ceremony. Shortly afterward, there will be a combined performance by Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services and the Regimental Pipes and Drums of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. At 11:00am the Last Post will be sounded. Two Minutes of Silence, during which a 21-gun salute by the 15th Field Artillery Regiment will be heard from Portside Park. Lament and Rouse will follow. The Royal Canadian Air Force will conduct a fly-past moments later, weather permitting. The enduring In Flanders Fields will then be sung by the Bach Youth Choir and Sarabande and wreaths will be placed at the Cenotaph.
The Remembrance Day parade will begin once the ceremony finishes. Participants will march west along Hastings past the reviewing stand between Homer and Richards, turning right at Richards, east on Cordova, then south on Cambie. The veterans’ section of the parade will march west along Hastings Street past the reviewing stand and disperse. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
For the first time in the company’s history, Cirque du Soleil is is producing a show on ice. Cirque du Soleil’s CRYSTAL is coming to Abbotsford in 2018, pushing the boundaries of performance by combining stunning skating and acrobatic feats that defy the imagination.
Cirque du Soleil’s CRYSTAL
Where: Abbotsford Centre (33800 King Rd, Abbotsford)
When: Wednesday, April 11 to Sunday, April 15, 2018
Tickets: On sale to Cirque Club members today and will be available on sale to the public on Friday, November 10, 2017
Synchronized skating, freestyles figures, and extreme skating are featured alongside traditional circus disciplines such as swinging trapeze, aerial traps and hand to hand… all on ice!
In CRYSTAL, gymnasts and skaters perform acrobatics on the ice and in the air, seamlessly combining multiple disciplines for a world class audience experience. The result is an adrenaline-packed show for the whole family that pushes the boundaries and surpasses all expectations.
Watch world-class ice skaters and acrobats explore their new frozen playground with speed and fluidity as they challenge the laws of gravity with never-before-seen acrobatics.
Photo: Matt Beard / Costumes: Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt / 2017 Cirque du Soleil
CRYSTAL is Cirque du Soleil’s 42nd original production since 1984. KURIOS is currently under the big top in Vancouver until December 3, 2017. Follow Cirque on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest info.
Variety Week has become the fall kick off for the annual Show of Hearts Telethon in February that helps Variety – the Children’s Charity assist BC kids with special needs. I’m very pleased to share the news that this year, the campaign has raised enough to support over 330 kids!
Variety Week on Global BC Raises Over $835,000
With donations received from all across British Columbia, Variety – the Children’s Charity announced that over $835,000 has been raised in support of children with special needs during the second annual Variety Week on Global BC.
Variety Week allowed viewers to experience firsthand the difference every dollar donated to Variety BC can make, as they were introduced to children and families supported by the charity throughout every Global BC newscast during the week. Many of these stories will be updated at the 2018 Show of Hearts Telethon on Global BC in February.
“Our goal with Variety Week was very simple,” said Variety BC CEO Cally Wesson. We wanted to help as many kids with special needs in BC as we possibly could, and I think we have done that by really showing the need, and impact of our donors’ contributions. With our average grant for a child coming in at around $2,500, we raised enough during the week to make a make a real, tangible difference for more than 334 kids and their families.”
To conclude the week, Variety BC hosted a street festival on Friday at Robson Square in downtown Vancouver, with entertainment including performances by special guests The Washboard Union, Eli Bennet, Todd Richard and Shylo Sharity. Global BC was there throughout the day, with the News Hour at 6 broadcast live on location.
“It’s really important for us here at Global to be helping the community; to be helping families and children in the province where we live,” said Jill Krop, Director, News & Community, Global BC. “We have an amazing medical system in Canada, and yet there is so much that our tax dollars don’t cover, so many needs that go unfunded or underfunded, and that’s really where Variety steps in.”
Donations came from every corner of the province, with a few special donors even offering sizable matching contributions each day throughout the week.
“We have had an amazing amount of support, with matching donations from Victory Square Technologies, Coastal Ford, Connect Hearing, Will Webster Foundation and Maple Ridge Chrysler,” said Wesson.
“Add to that the combined support from so many individuals who came together from all across the province to rally around a common goal. I can’t thank them enough, or our partners at Global BC for everything they do for us, and for making this week possible.”
Other sponsors throughout the week included: Artech Audio, Canada, Scaffold, Cloverdale Rodeo, Joseph Richard Group, Miss604, Strathcona Beer Company, TripleO’s and White Spot.
About Variety BC
Variety – the Children’s Charity steps in where health care ends, providing direct help to children with special needs in BC and the Yukon. For over 50 years Variety has ensured children have the support to reach their potential. Funding from Variety helps to cover costs for medical care and services, mobility equipment, specialized therapies and developmental programs not covered by private or public health plans.
There is still a tremendous need to help thousands more kids and families in BC. Those who missed Variety Week can still go online and make a donation at or call 310-KIDS (5437). For more information, follow Variety on Facebook.
Miss604’s Rebecca Bollwitt is a proud member of the Board of Directors of Variety – The Children’s Charity of BC
Refresh Market, one of British Columbia’s leading indie markets for handmade and locally designed goods, is gearing up for its biggest two-day market of the year with expanded hours and exclusive early access before doors open to the public. A hundred makers and pop-up shops will participate in this seasonal destination market happening in Squamish.
Refresh Market in Squamish
Where: West Coast Railway Heritage Park, Squamish
When: Friday, November 17, 2017 from 4:00pm to 10:00pm
Saturday, November 18, 2017 from 10:00am to 4:00pm
Tickets on sale now. Admission is $5 at the door, $3 online and free for kids under 12. The first to arrive on both Friday and Saturday will receive one of 50 market swag bags.
Since its launch in 2011, Refresh Market has remained one of the most anticipated “shop small” events for consumers, artists, and designers who flock there for its curated range of handmade items and creative appeal. The market receives more than 900 vendor applications annually.
Visitors can expect a highly edited mix of handmade and locally designed clothing, jewelry, ceramics, vintage, dry goods and more from new and established local brands and shops. Explore wares from homegrown favourites Billie’s Flower House, Nootka & Sea and Wild and Heart, as well as newcomers Boreal Folk Apothecary, AW by Andrea Wong, Melissa Araujo, Sarah Mulder Jewelry and Uniform Handmade. Of the 100 participating vendors, 30 per cent are new to the market.
New this year! First Dibs is an exclusive first look at Refresh Market before its doors open to the public. Guests will receive exclusive early admission, a welcome gift courtesy of Squamish apothecary and lifestyle shop Nootka Naturals, a cocktail mixed by award-winning mixologist and Gillespie’s Fine Spirits owner Kelly Ann Woods and the opportunity to score something new before someone else gets the chance. First Dibs tickets (for Friday, 3:00pm to 4:00pm) are $25 each and are limited.
Win First Dibs Access
I have a pair of exclusive First Dibs tickets to give away to a lucky Miss604 reader. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Click below to get another entry by posting on Twitter:
[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win first dibs @refresh_market tickets http://ow.ly/WUvG30goKp8″ quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]
Follow Refresh Market on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more information. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Monday, November 13, 2017. The winner must be able to pick up the prize at the market.
Update The winner is Brie!
