Education & Career Fairs (“ECF”) invites you to their 20th anniversary events to kick start your career this fall. When you visit ECF this year, you will experience all the exciting stages of planning the trip of a lifetime: pursuing your dreams. If you are looking for a job or training options, ECF makes it easy to get a new start since the Fair is free!

What’s New for 2016

Interactive Gallery – Let the Centre for Arts and Technology give you the full experience of what it will be like to pursue your passion with this interactive gallery. Every station offers a different experience. Look, listen and feel – view life through the lens of a professional camera, immerse yourself in sound or feel what it’s like to create and animate. Or perhaps you want to see what computers can really do in the Network Administrator Specialist gallery. Pop by and see that your passion is within reach.

Learning Lounge – Seminars, presentations and demonstrations by exhibitors will take place in the Learning Lounge. Listen to experts provide valuable insight on everything from high demand jobs, school applications, how to balance doing what you love vs. what pays the bills and more! Don’t miss out on these free Learning Lounge Talks, including “Paying for School Like a Boss” presented by Stenberg College. Plan ahead and view upcoming Learning Lounge Talks here.

Exhibitors

Find out which of the 100+ organizations can help you get trained and get hired, and take the “Plan Your Trip Quiz”.

Who Will Be There?

Abbotsford Education & Career Fair

Date: Tuesday November 29, 2016
Hours: 9:00am to 3:00pm
Where: TRADEX in Abbotsford (1190 Cornell St)
Tickets: Book free tickets online now!

Vancouver Education & Career Fair

Date: Friday December 9, 2016
Hours: 9:00am to 3:00pm
Where: Vancouver Convention Centre EAST, Exhibit Hall B (Canada Place)
Tickets: Book free tickets online now!

There will also be Education & Career Fairs in Nanaimo at Vancouver Island Conference Centre on December 1st and Kelowna at Prospera Place on December 5th.

Follow Education & Career Fairs on Facebook and Twitter for more information.

There’s a new, free, holiday celebration on Vancouver’s west side as Wesbrook Village hosts a season-long Balloon Winter Wonderland, which will launch alongside a Holiday Craft Fair on December 3rd.

Wesbrook Balloon Winter Wonderland

The Balloon Winter Wonderland, housed in the 1,600 square foot Wesbrook Welcome Centre, will be open daily from December 3rd to December 18th, 10:00am to 8:00pm.

The exhibit will feature four familiar holiday scenes, made entirely from biodegradable, nitrogen-filled balloons. Created by balloon artist Angela Fraser of A-Star Art Parlour, the display will use over 2,500 balloons and take around seven days to construct.

Wesbrook Holiday Craft Fair

The Holiday Craft Fair at the new Wesbrook Community Centre takes place on December 3rd from 10:00am to 5:00pm and will include offerings from over 50 BC artisans and a number of Wesbrook Village businesses. Holiday shoppers will be able to purchase everything from knitwear, to soaps, to jewelry and baked goods.

The launch of these holiday events will feature photos with Santa on December 3rd (11:00am to 1:00pm), and festive music from the UBC Thunderbird Band. Carollers from UBC Theatre will also entertain crowds and spread holiday cheer starting at 12:00pm that day.

A number of other local businesses will be staging additional holiday events, including brunch at BierCraft Restaurant, a tea sampling at Murchie’s Fine Tea, face-painting at Fido, and a kids’ craft and colouring station at Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt.

Entry to all events is free and free parking is available across from Save-On-Foods and in the underground parkade. Discover Wesbrook Village at 16th Avenue at Wesbrook Mall, at UBC.

The Cultch presents East Van Panto: Little Red Riding Hood at the York Theatre this season, with special matinee performances and post-show Q&A sessions on select dates.

East Van Panto: Little Red Riding Hood

Where: York Theatre (639 Commercial Drive, Vancouver)
When: Wednesday, November 23 to Saturday, December 31, 2016
Opening Night Friday, November 25th at 7:00pm.
Tickets: On sale now starting at $20. Available at The Cultch box office, by phone (604) 251-1363 or online. Child tickets are just $20 for any seat in the house (must be 18 and under) and Family Packs are avilable from $120 (includes 2 adult & 2 child tickets).

Little Red Riding Hood is bombing down the Adanac bike trail to deliver a basket of goodies to her sweet little granny. Easy, right? Not in the East Van Panto where everything gets real wacky, real fast! Cheer Little Red along as she battles everything from bike thieves to distracted drivers to The Big Bad Wolf.

Theatre Replacement is thrilled that the Panto has developed into a beloved holiday tradition for hundreds of local families. The company is celebrating that spirit of inclusion by continuing to expand the circle of artists that work on the show each year, including an all-star cast featuring Andrew McNee, Rachel Aberle, Chirag Naik, and James Long. This year, Theatre Replacement is also excited to welcome writer Mark Chavez and director Anita Rochon to the Panto family.

Enjoy a post-show Q&A on November 27th & December 4th (2:00pm); December 7th & 13th (7:00pm). There will be 2:00pm matinee performances November 26 & 27; December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 20-24, 27-31.

Win Tickets

I have a pair of tickets to give away to opening night on November 25th. Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 10:00am on Tuesday, November 22, 2016. Follow The Cultch on Twitter and Facebook for the latest performance information.

Update The winner is Christelle!

The 5th annual CandyTown is neighbourhood-wide celebration hosted by Yaletown’s generous merchants through the Yaletown Business Improvement Association. Last year’s event attracted more than 15,000 revelers who enjoyed visits with Santa, entertainers, and of course some sweet treats.

CandyTown in Yaletown

Where: Mainland Street in Yaletown
When: Saturday, November 26, 2016 from 12:00pm to 7:00pm
Admission: The festival is free and open to the public

Guests can enjoy visits with Santa and the Ice Queen, Christmas arts and crafts, sweet treats, and more. CandyTown is an event to ignite the festive spirit in all guests. Friends and families will get the ultimate holiday photo in front of the live ice sculptures, shop for presents at the “All I Want for Christmas” gift market, and find the perfect tree from the Yaletown Rotary Club Christmas Tree Lot.

CandyTown isn’t just for kids. Christmas lovers will find plenty here to spark their desires, from CandyTown themed cocktails (try the CandyCane martini at OPUS Bar) to horse-drawn carriage rides that cruise along Pacific (rides are 15 minutes and depart from Salsa and Agave on Pacific Boulevard, with a suggested donation of $2).

Food trucks will be on-site, such as Cloud Nine Cotton Candy Co., Hugs by Mollie’s Minis and Old Country Pierogi, and Yaletown restaurants such as Earls and Rodney’s Oyster House will create seasonal morsels. More than 15 additional food vendors will also serve mouthwatering fare, including Bella Gelateria, Bluebird Cakery, and Damien’s Belgian Waffles.

Attendees are encouraged to bring cash for donations that will benefit BC Children’s Hospital and Starlight Children’s Foundation. Donations will be accepted for horse-drawn carriage rides as well as visits with Santa and the Ice Queen.

Burnaby Heights merchants bring holiday cheer to Hastings Street during Light Up the Heights, a sidewalk festival on Saturday, December 3rd.

Light Up the Heights for the Holidays

Where: Burnaby Heights along Hastings Street (Boundary to Gamma)
When: Saturday, December 3, 2016 from 12:00pm to 5:00pm
Admission: Free

Local merchants will be decked out and in a festive spirit with treats, music, special pricing, and giveaways to make the shopping season bright.

There will be a tree lighting ceremony at 4:30pm at Burnaby Fire Hall No. 5 (4211 Hastings St) and everyone can enjoy Valley Bakery cookies and Caffe Divano hot chocolate with City dignitaries, festive characters, holiday carols, and Santa Claus himself. Guests can also enter the holiday raffle to win a Cioffi’s Meat and Deli Honey Ham (approximately 10 pounds) just in time for their holiday dinner.

Follow the Burnaby Heights Merchant Association on Facebook and Twitter for more information.