As the snow falls on Metro Vancouver many are gathering out in the sub-zero temperatures to toboggan, skate, watch concerts and eat mini-donuts. Surrey’s Winterfest has returned as the social media sponsor for the festival. John and I have been out all morning (and we’ll return this evening) to capture some of the sights of this year’s free, all-day, family event.

Update This morning the Surrey Eagles, Vancouver Girls, Scouts Canada, Abbotsford Heat, and the City of Surrey mascots all took part in a skate while the crowd bought baked goods, hot chocolates, visited the many displays on-site.

Activities at the Kids Zone inside SFU Surrey (where it was nice and warm) with balloons, martial arts, a second stage for concerts, and crafts.

Winterfest is located at Central City in Surrey right in front of the mall and SFU campus. 102nd Avenue is closed for road hockey and festivities but you can either park at the mall or take the SkyTrain directly to the Central City SkyTrain station.

Tobogganing and skating are free (skates are provided if you don’t bring your own) and the headliners tonight are The Peak’s ‘Performance Project’ winner Kyprios and Hot Hot Heat.

There is still plenty of time to make your way down as the event will run until about 11:00pm today. We’ll return later to post more photos from the evening concerts and the Olympic anniversary celebration coming up at 6:00pm.

View photos from the evening concerts over on Jaxsaid and the rest of John’s photos are available on his Flickr.

Update Once again, the City of Surrey was able to provide a full day of entertainment, sport and art, free for the community. While the temperatures stayed on the freezing side and flakes fell from the sky like confetti, families, youth, and adults alike participated in Winterfest activities throughout the day and well into the evening.

Surrey Winterfest returns for the fourth year next month for a full day of free family fun at Central City. John and I have been covering Winterfest since it first started in 2008 and it’s been fun to watch it grow — especially last year when it transformed into one of the most successful Vancouver 2010 celebration sites. This year the kids activities, food vendors, and maybe even the stilt walkers return Saturday, February 26th, 2011.

Festivities and concerts will run from 12:00pm until 10:00pm with an Olympic Flashback Ceremony at 6:00pm over on the main stage. Free activities include the toboggan hill, the outdoor skating surface, curling zone, road hockey, Kids World, Storyville, the Sustainability Zone, Right to Play / Adaptive Sports, and more.

Live entertainment includes performances by Stef Lang, Shaun Verreault of Wide Mouth Mason, Dr. Strangelove, Kyprios, and headliners Hot Hot Heat. On the secondary stage on the SFU mezzanine they’ll have the Surrey City Orchestra, Surrey Celebration Dance Team, SOULdiers & B-Boys, and Elite’s Most Wanted Bhangra. All shows are free and open to the public.

Winterfest is accessible by SkyTrain, located near the Surrey City Centre station and you can follow @Surrey_Events on Twitter for updates and information.

During the 2010 Winter Games it won’t just be Vancouver and Whistler bubbling with excitement, events, and festivities of global proportions. The City of Surrey is an official Celebration Site during the Olympics with Holland Park being the centre of it all.

From February 12th until February 28th you can check out daily concerts and activities at Holland Park in Surrey. Right between King George & Surrey Central SkyTrain stations it’s super easy to get to and you won’t have to worry about driving through “red zones” or finding a meter to park [Google Map]

“Staff have put together an impressive line-up of top-notch artists for Surrey’s Celebration Site at Holland Park,” said Mayor Dianne Watts. “I can’t think of a better way to be a part of the Olympic Spirit than enjoying some of Canada’s best LIVE talent!”

Here is the FULL LINEUP of FREE shows in Surrey during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games:

Friday February 12, 2010

Surrey House Stage
3:00pm Surrey 2010 Celebration Site Opens
4:00pm Uzume Taiko
4:30pm Wild Moccasins
5:00pm Surrey Celebration Dance Team
5:15pm Goh Ballet
5:30pm Jeremy Fisher
6:00pm Live Games Coverage – Opening Ceremonies
9:00pm Destineak featuring Westcoast Contortion
10:00pm Dehli 2 Dublin

Celebration Stage
4:00pm Surrey 2010 Celebration Site Launch
5:45pm Fire Show
6:00pm Live Games Coverage – Opening Ceremonies
9:00pm Fireworks
9:15pm Blue Rodeo and Friends

Saturday February 13, 2010

Surrey House Stage
12:00pm Chinese Parade
1:30pm Korean Traditional Art
2:30pm Ralph Shaw
3:30pm Langley Ukelele Ensemble
4:30pm Ariane Maryke Lemire
5:30pm George Leach
6:30pm Turanga Ararau Dancers
7:00pm Welcome Ceremony
7:30pm Ache Brasil
8:30pm En Karma
10:00pm KS Makhan

Celebration Stage
12:00pm Chinese Parade
1:00pm Lion Dancers
2:00pm Martial Arts Demonstration
4:00pm Surrey Celebration Dance Team
6:00pm Wil
7:00pm Current Swell
8:00pm Jets Overhead
9:00pm Five Alarm Funk
10:00pm Daniel Wesley

Sunday February 14, 2010

Surrey House Stage
12:00pm Kutapira
1:00pm Shan-e Punjab
2:00pm The Fugitives
3:00pm Leeroy Stagger
4:00pm Agnostic Gospel Mountain Choir
5:00pm Goh Ballet
6:00pm Vancouver Opera
7:00pm Welcome Ceremony
7:30pm Jim Byrnes & The Sojourners
9:00pm Serena Ryder

Celebration Stage
ALL DAY Live Games Coverage

Wednesday February 17, 2010

Surrey House Stage
3:30pm Halifax Wharf Rats
4:00pm Live Games Coverage
7:00pm Welcome Ceremony
7:30pm Ryan Dahle
8:15pm Bend Sinister
9:00pm Hot Hot Heat

Thursday February 18, 2010

Surrey House Stage
3:30pm Tainted Lovers
4:00pm Live Games Coverage – Men’s Hockey – Canada vs. Switzerland
7:00pm Welcome Ceremony
7:15pm Dustin Bentall
8:00pm Ridley Bent
9:00pm Corb Lund

Celebration Stage
ALL DAY Live Games Coverage

Friday February 19, 2010

Surrey House Stage
3:30pm Pan North
7:00pm Welcome Ceremony
7:30pm Classical Nouveaux
8:30pm Alex Cuba
10:00pm Jully Black

Celebration Stage
5:00pm We Are the City
6:00pm Goodbye Beatdown
7:00pm The Arkells
8:00pm Dan Mangan
9:00pm Sam Roberts Band

Saturday February 18, 2010

Surrey House Stage
1:00pm Punjab Beat
1:45pm Shan E Punjab
2:30pm Vancouver Korean Dance Society
3:30pm Allez Ouest
4:30pm Shane Phillip
5:30pm Zuco 103
7:00pm Welcome Ceremony
7:30pm Said The Whale
8:30pm Hey Ocean
10:00pm Mother Mother

Celebration Stage
12:00pm Mike Battie
2:00pm Kids Choral Group
6:30pm DRUM!
8:00pm Dal Hothi and the Headlines
9:00pm Tiger Style
10:00pm Malkit Singh

Sunday February 21, 2010

Surrey House Stage
12:00pm Flamenco Dancers
1:00pm Lyric Singers
2:00pm Gorky Park
3:30pm Tainted Lovers
4:40pm Live Games Coverage – Men’s Hockey, Canada VS USA
7:00pm Welcome Ceremony
7:30pm Odds
9:00pm 54-40

Celebration Stage
ALL DAY Live Games Coverage

Wednesday February 24, 1010

Surrey House Stage
3:30pm The Wheat In The Barley
4:00pm Live Games Coverage – Men’s Hockey Quarterfinal
7:00pm Welcome Ceremony
7:30pm The Paperboys
9:00pm The Irish Descendants

Celebration Stage
ALL DAY Live Games Coverage

Thursday February 25, 2010

Surrey House Stage
3:30pm The Headlines
4:00pm Live Games Coverage – Women’s Gold Medal Hockey
7:00pm Welcome Ceremony
7:30pm Headpins
9:00pm Streetheart

Celebration Stage
ALL DAY Live Games Coverage

Friday February 26, 2010

Surrey House Stage
12:45pm Live Games Coverage – Men’s Hockey Semifinal
3:30pm Dr. Strangelove
5:15pm Ben Stigson
6:00pm Jaydee Bixby
6:45pm Live Games Coverage – Men’s Hockey Semifinal
9:00pm The Higgins
10:00pm Doc Walker

Celebration Stage
5:00pm Bridges & Breakdowns
6:00pm Inward Eye
7:00pm Two Hours Traffic
8:00pm illScarlett
9:00pm Marianas Trench

Saturday February 27, 2010

Surrey House Stage
12:00pm Cheung Doong Korean Drum
1:00pm Mukutano
2:00pm Ezeadi Onokwulu and One Human Race
3:00pm Mani Khaira
4:00pm Jon and Roy
5:15pm Kuba Ohms
6:00pm Steve Riley & The Playboys
6:45pm Welcome Ceremony
7:00pm Live Games Coverage – Men’s Hockey Bronze Medal Game
9:30pm Wide Mouth Mason

Celebration Stage
12:00pm Teatro Tatro
7:00pm Hey Rosetta
8:00pm You Say Party! We Say Die!
9:00pm Tokyo Police Club
10:00pm Wintersleep

Sunday February 28, 2010

Surrey House Stage
11:30 AM Kutapira
12:15pm Live Games Coverage – Men’s Gold Medal Hockey
3:00pm Roma Zhigan
4:00pm Tainted Lovers
5:30pm Live Games Coverage – Closing Ceremonies

Celebration Stage
12:15pm Live Games Coverage – Men’s Gold Medal Hockey
3:00pm Maurice
4:00pm Randy Bachman
5:30pm Live Games Coverage – Closing Ceremonies

The Celebration Site will be open Wednesdays through Sundays from 3:00pm until 10:00pm with extended hours on Fridays and Saturdays where the festivities will go until 11:00pm. Everything will also be simulcast on five massive video screens along with televisions placed throughout the site.

This will kind of be like their annual Winterfest (with skating rink, sliding zone, sustainability zone) but on a much larger scale including the torch relay and an art showcase.

John and I have been attending and covering Surrey events for a few years now and I can personally attest to how well-organized, well-planned, and flat out entertaining they are. I must also add that the absolute best thing about this is that it is completely and totally FREE.

You can find event listings on Facebook or Twitter as well.

Update February 1, 2010 The Torch Relay is making its way through Surrey February 8th and 9th. You can check out a full map of the route here.

I’ve covered dozens of events from film festivals, to tech conferences, interviews with artists, and concerts and each experience is always unique. However, I must say that when working with the City of Surrey, John and I both agree, it’s an absolute pleasure. They’re organized, the staff is accessible, and getting full media access including the photo pit — and being able to go backstage to sip some Wally’s Wheat Ale when it’s over — is just tops.

My first official blogging assignment for the City was last winter for their inaugural Winterfest at Central City. Since Surrey was named a Canadian Cultural Capital city in 2008 they started up Winterfest along with the Fusion Festival in the summer. Each festival had fun for the family, activities, crafts, and concerts — all with free admission and evening fireworks as well.

Surrey is also home to the largest Canada Day celebration in Western Canada, which I also covered while enjoying sunshine, lemonade, and the sweet sweet sounds of Wil, Rymes with Orange, the Payola$ and Loverboy.

Living in a city that is being taken over by Olympic planning and construction, while also losing major free events for the entire family, it’s nice to see other cities engaging their neighbours and celebrating all of their communities together.

Also for all those who complain about suburbanites coming into downtown and causing a raucous during our festivals and fireworks — please by all means — feel free to bundle up the kiddies in the stroller, take the SkyTrain out to Surrey for Canada Day or the Fusion Festival (or even the Farmers Market, the Clova Jam or the Surrey Childrens’ Festival) and experience all they have to offer — there’s plenty of room for all.

After a brief presentation about Surrey’s involvement in the 2010 games (including being a stop on the torch’s journey) the evening festivities began here at Winterfest.

A funky marching band from Oregon, March Forth, played a quick set that involved dozens of instruments and a fireworks display that had glittery spark cascade down over the crowd with the majestic Central City building in the background.

John and I then headed into the sponsors reception, which was filled with council dignitaries, Olympic athletes, and the awesome crew who put this event together.

We were enjoying some dinner (along with wifi and power for our MacBooks) inside Central City Brew Pub while Eva Avila took the stage so I hopped out to check out her set. The crowd absolutely loved her as she played a charismatic set on the main stage here in the plaza.

Faber Drive is up next and then we’ll have coverage of Thornley‘s set soon. In the meantime, check out the 100+ photos John has taken today.

We finished the day with Thornley on the big stage in the middle of Central City plaza in Surrey. I’ll have a full event recap up within the next day or so but for now you can enjoy the photos we took at this fantastic (free) event put on by the City of Surrey.

Browse my Flickr set from Winterfest 2009, as well as John’s Flickr set.

Stepping of the platform at Surrey Central SkyTrain station you could already feel the bass from the main stage and smell the sweet sugary goodness of mini donuts. Today is Winterfest in Surrey and I’m pleased to be their official blogger — covering events, sharing photos, and inviting everyone to come down to this free event.

2010 Winter Games Zone

City of Surrey 2010 Winter Games Zone presented by the Spirit of BC is full of activities and information about Surrey’s involvement and plans for the 2010 games.

They have a toboggan run setup, curling, and the infamous skating rink (that does not contain real ice but is pretty much just as slick) along with information about Surrey’s plans for 2010 as a celebration site city.

In the BCLC 2010 Winter Games Dome, you can pick up a collectible souvenir and also have a chance to win tickets for the Olympics.

Kids’ World

You can tell when Dora the Explorer is in the building because it erupts with applause while strollers and toddlers swarm the childrens animated television star (in mascot form). Inside Central City (on the mezzanine level of SFU Surrey) there is another stage for kids concerts as well as a craft zone.

I was able to catch Bobs and Lolo on the main stage outside as well.

Another big hit is the Sustainability Zone outside at the North end of the Surrey Rec Centre parking lot.

The official opening ceremonies will take place at 5:30pm with a very special 2010 Olympics presentation. The evening’s schedule picks up the pace as Eva Avila, Faber Drive, and Thornley rock the Central City plaza. John and I will also be attending the sponsor reception to do a little schmoozing. The skating rink will be open late, until about 8:30pm and will switch into cosmic mode at 6:00pm.

It’s a clear day and there’s so much to do and see (and the swag ranges from free saplings to funky foam hats) so come by and join us if you can. If you’re unable to attend you can follow all the action right here, and check out all of John’s amazing photos that are up on his Flickr.

This evening I was able to sit in on the ‘win your way in’ CFOX Uninvited Guest performance with Thornley at the Roxy due to my involvement with tomorrow’s Winterfest in Surrey. Thornley (Ian Thornley, previously of Big Wreck, and his band) will be headlining the concert stage at Winterfest which is entirely free for all.

I’m really liking what I’ve heard so far from the new album, Tiny Pictures. It’s a mix of Ian’s strong vocals and guitar skills along with some pop tracks such as Make Believe, which was co-written by Dave Genn (54-40, Matthew Good Band) and was produced by Chad Kroeger of Nickelback (but I won’t hold that against them). The entire album was recorded at Alex Lifeson’s (Rush) studio in Toronto. You can listen to the entire performance from today on 99.3 the Fox at 8:00pm tonight.

I’m very pleased to partner again with Winterfest in Surrey this year (and it looks like they’re excited to have me there as well). Come on out to Surrey tomorrow (take the SkyTrain right to Central City) from 12:00pm until 10:00pm for a full day of entertainment and activities for the entire family.

I will be posting photos and blogging throughout the day so you can check out all the action right here starting if you’re unable to make it down (although you should really try because it’ll be a blast).

Last year we attended and covered several key events in Surrey that involved thousands of participants, activities, events, and concerts. This year they’re bringing back Winterfest, the biggest hit of the snowy season, for a full day of outdoor and indoor activities along with some pretty rockin’ performances.

DATE:
Saturday, February 7th, 2009
12:00pm – 10:00pm
Opening Ceremonies at 5:30pm on the Main Stage

LOCATION:
Central City Plaza
13450 102 Ave, Surrey, BC

FEATURES:
Kids crafts, Guitar Hero, tobogganing, outdoor skating rink, and curling (just to name a few)

PERFORMANCES:
Dora the Explorer (12:15pm – 3:15pm)
Katari Taiko (1:00pm – 1:30pm)
Bobs and Lolo (1:45pm – 2:15pm)
Freshh (2:30pm – 3:00pm)
The Prestigitainer (3:15pm – 3:30pm)
Tainted Lovers (4:00pm – 5:15pm)
Eva Avila (6:30pm – 7:15pm)
Faber Drive (7:30pm – 8:15pm)
Thornley (8:45pm – 10:00pm)

One thing that John and I both determined in 2008 was that this city sure knows how to put on an event and treat everyone like rock stars – while charging NO admission fees at all. There’s fun and games for the kids, and plenty of food and musical entertainment for the big kids. I’ve partnered with the City of Surrey yet again blog the event so we’ll have Winterfest coverage on the day, as well as photos, recaps and interviews.

To say our Saturday was Surrey-licious would be an understatement. John and I took the train out to Central City in the early afternoon to meet up with our good friend (and honorary sister) and my niece for Winterfest. We got some thundersticks, ice skated on plastic, were hassled by mascots and listened to some really loud music on a big live stage. Children were running amok everywhere, it was slightly soggy out but all in all, it was a pretty great day even if my niece didn’t want to make a “magic wand” or get her face painted (in all honesty, neither did I, so it was cool).

John was able to take some good shots despite the grey weather and low-light, the following are from his Flickr set.

The Rec Centre parking lot, 102nd Ave, and the Central City Plaza were all reserved for Winterfest.

Olympic mascot “Quatchi” with Surrey mayor, Diane Watts.

Shane Philip with the didjeridu on stage.

Kids craft fair and story-telling inside the mall. Smell the commerce – mixed with Elmer’s glue.

More activities for kids. This tent was giving away saplings. My niece had no use for such a thing although she did enjoy this animal tracks quiz.

We skated on a synthetic polymer “ice rink”. It was… interesting.

He is the “Ice Prince”. He wanted to tell you that a lot, which my niece did not appreciate.

View the rest of the photos from Winterfest in John’s Flickr set.

As previously announced, Winterfest is happening this Saturday from 12:00pm to 10:00pm at Central City plaza in Surrey (just across from the Surrey Central Skytrain). Outdoor skating rink, live concerts, food vendors, hockey challenge, and Guitar Hero are just some of the activities. A schedule and event map have been released so here are a few more details:

click to download PDF

… and much much more. I think John and I will actually make an entire “Surrey Day” out of it, so it should be pretty fun – Ya Whalley!

All events take place at Central City and are conveniently in close proximity to Central City Brewing where I would assume you’d be able to catch the Canucks in action that evening as well. See the Winterfest site for more details.