Vancouver Meeting Planners Guide 2008-2009 - (Page 88) Calendar of Events Photography (left to right): HSBC Celebration of Light ©Tourism Vancouver/Colin Jewall; Chinese New Year Festival ©Richard Cummins Tickets Tonight TicketsTonight is Vancouver’s only Same-Day Half-Price ticket outlet. Located in the downtown Visitor Centre, it also offers advance tickets for events sold by Ticketmaster as well as tickets for independent productions. Nov. 11–16 Circle Crafts Annual Christmas Market Find gorgeous clay work, new and hot Canadian fashion and jewellery, stunning glasswork, handmade candles and soaps, unique clothing and toy items for kids, amazing home decor items and much more. Convention Centre, Vancouver Nov. 19 Douglas Day B.C. turns 150 today! On November 19, 1858, Governor James Douglas read a proclamation in Fort Langley declaring the territory a British colony. Celebrate, enjoy the B.C. 150 theatre presentation, tours and more. 604.513.4777, pc.gc.ca/fortlangley Nov. 22–Jan. 4 Heritage Christmas Historic setting for Christmas activities. The village and farmhouse are beautifully decorated with lights and traditional ornaments for the festive season. A visit with Father Christmas is a must. 604.293.6501, city.burnaby.bc.ca/cityhall/, departments/departments_parks/prksrc _fclts/prksrc_fclts_brnbyv.html Nov. 28–Jan. 3 Bright Nights The Vancouver Parks Board and the British Columbia Professional Fire Fighter’s Burn Fund have partnered together to create nights of magic and illumination in the middle of wondrous Stanley Park. 604.257.8531, vancouver.ca/parks/events/brightnights/ index.htm Late Nov.–Dec. 24 Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain Bring your family to Santa’s Workshop, meet reindeer, take a sleigh ride through our mystical alpine forest and experience the tranquil beauty of skating on our pond, surrounded by snow-topped trees. 604.984.0661, grousemountain.com NOVEMBER NOVEMBER Dec. 8–Jan. 1 Christmas at Canada Place Canada Place and the Vancouver Convention Centre invite you to experience holiday magic on Vancouver’s waterfront. Admission is by donation, with proceeds benefiting local charities. 604.775.8025, canadaplace.ca/ christmas Mid-Dec. Winter Solstice Celebration at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens Follow the sea of handmade lanterns and the compelling rhythms of drummers to our magical garden as it comes to life at night. 604.662.3207, vancouverchinesegarden.com Feb. 18–March 3 Chutzpah! Festival Comedy, music, theatre and cutting-edge dance are just a few of the highlights of this annual festival designed to celebrate professional Jewish artists and their collaborators from around the world. 604.247.5145, chutzpahfestival.com Feb. 21–23 FIS Women’s Alpine Skiing World Cup The women’s FIS World Cup visits Vancouver for competitions in the downhill and combined events. The most glamorous event in skiing, competitors travel to premier ski resorts, gathering points as they go. fis-ski.com Feb. 21–24 Winterruption Interrupt your winter blahs with great music, theatre, film, dance and literary, culinary and visual arts. It gives you an opportunity to celebrate Vancouver’s vibrant creative community. And most of it is free! 604.872.5200, coastaljazz.ca/index.cfm?page_id=8 Feb. 22–24 FIS Men’s Alpine Skiing World Cup The FIS World Cup visits Vancouver for competitions in the Super G and giant slalom events. The most glamorous event in skiing, competitors travel to premier ski resorts, gathering points as they go. fis-ski.com For more information, please visit ticketstonight.ca. JANUARY Jan. 1 Polar Bear Swim Dive the ice-cold waters of English Bay and start the New Year with a crisp new outlook. 604.665.3424 Starting Jan. 14 Dine Out Vancouver Presented by Visa Tourism Vancouver’s annual culinary promotion showcases Vancouver’s renowned food-and-wine scene. Participating restaurants offer special three-course dinner menus to allow diners to sample the best of local cuisine at exceptional value. 604.683.2000, tourism vancouver.com Jan. 20–Feb. 8 PuSh Festival – International Performing Arts Festival The festival presents groundbreaking work in live theatre, dance, music and various hybrid forms of performance. It attracts acclaimed local, national and international artists and their work. 1.866.608.8284, pushfestival.ca Late Jan.–Early Feb. Chinese New Year Festival Live music, traditional painting, fortune telling, martial arts, calligraphy writing, storytelling, lucky red packets and a special exhibition of traditional New Year arts by the Chinese Canadian Artists Federation. 604.662.1655, vancouverchinesegarden.com Tickets Tonight booth ©Tourism Vancouver OCTOBER Oct. 4–Jan. 11 WACK! Art & the Feminist Revolution Bringing together the work of 120 artists to examine the international foundations and impact of feminism on art. This remarkable body of work emerged from the dynamic relationship between art and feminism between 1965 and 1980, a time in which a majority of feminist activism and art making occurred across the globe. 604.662.4719, vanartgallery.bc.ca Oct. 6–Nov. 1 Halloween Ghost Train Vancouver’s autumn must-see and must-do family event where thousands of passengers show up at the ghost train each October to experience a thrilling ride deep into the heart of the forest. 604.257.8531, vancouver.ca/ parks/events/ghosttrain/ Oct. 16–Nov. 1 Fright Nights Dare yourself or double dare your friends to go through terrifying haunted houses, the haunted maze and spooktacular amusement park rides in the dark. 604.253.2311, pne.ca Oct. 17–31 Haunted Trolley Tours The Vancouver Museum marks the Halloween season with Haunted Trolley Tours. Explore the darkened museum, examine grisly artifacts and ride the trolley through the streets with stories and spirit sightings. 604.736.4431, vanmuseum.bc.ca/haunted.html Oct. 28 101 Pumpkin Event The first 101 families to arrive with children in costume receive a free pumpkin. Participate in a pumpkin-carving competition. Other attractions include pony rides and stalls serving delicious food. 604.929.9341, maplewoodfarm.bc.ca MARCH Early March Festival Du Bois This 20th annual celebration of B.C.’s Francophone folk and world music culture delivers performances from Canada and beyond, sharing the community’s joie de vivre through great food and unique hospitality. 604.936.0092, festivaldubois.ca March 12–15 CelticFest Vancouver Bringing together all aspects of the local Celtic community, this annual celebration includes a St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The festival promotes and showcases local Celtic music, dance, spoken word, theatre, film, arts, crafts and Highland sports. March 23–29 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festivals Canada’s premier wine event. Displays feature hundreds of wines from around the globe. Enjoy wintery dinners at some of Vancouver’s finest restaurants, take part in formal wine tastings and attend seminars. 604.873.3311 March 26–29 Juno Awards Canada’s music awards ceremony celebrates with four days of festivities and events. The live, televised awards show happens Sun., March 29. junoawards.ca DECEMBER Dec. 1–23 Christmas Carol Ship Parade A uniquely Vancouver event where boat owners from around the waters of Vancouver Harbour deck out their boats in festive ornaments and decorations and participate in a water flotilla. 604.878.8999, carolships.org Dec. 6–Jan. 3 Canyon Lights You’re invited to a winter celebration of light. Cross the bridge to Treetops Adventure and explore the frost from night’s perspective. See 200,000 twinkling lights throughout the park and more. 604.985.7474, capbridge.com/ rates_information/special_events/canyon.html Dec. 7 Annual Rogers Santa Claus Parade Parade route runs through downtown Vancouver, the Rogers Santa Claus Parade will attract more than 50 different bands, floats and community groups. Great family fun! rogerssantaclausparade.com Dec. 7–Jan. 1 Festival of Lights The central acres of VanDusen Garden are transformed into a holiday magic land with seasonal displays and more than 20,000 twinkling lights. 604.878.9274, vandusen garden.org FEBRUARY February Talking Stick Festival Presented by Full Circle: A First Nations Performance. Celebrating traditional and contemporary Aborignal performance and art and uniting a diverse and talented community of local, national and international artists. Featuring a fusion of music, dance, theatre, multimedia and performance art. 604.683.8993, fullcircle.ca Early Feb. Chinese New Year Parade Enjoy a traditional Chinese New Year parade through the streets of Vancouver’s Chinatown. vancouverchinatown.ca/events Feb. 4–8 Vancouver International Boat Show From the Kid’s Zone to fishing seminars, contests and giveaways, there’s something for all. Western Canada’s largest boat show is celebrating 47 years as the best place to see and buy boats, gear and accessories. 604.678.8820, vancouverboatshow.ca/ APRIL April 20 Vancouver Sun Run HSBC is proud to present Canada’s biggest run and the second-largest 10K in North America. After you cross the finish line, join us for the post-race festivities and live music at BC Place. 604.689.9441, sunrun.com 88 t o u r i s m va n c o u ve r. c o m http://www.tourismvancouver.com
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