Online festivals, art exhibitions, digital installations downtown, and more creative activities are on the calendar for March in Metro Vancouver and in particular this weekend. From a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience from Zee Zee Theatre, to an illuminated light display near English Bay, here is a handful of things to do in Vancouver, and beyond:
In April 2020, the city was quiet, shut down. Pink petals rained down like confetti and sat on the sidewalk, untouched. Official Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival (“VCBF”) events were delayed, then cancelled. For 2021, the blossoms are budding and so is the festival, with a reimagined lineup of activities you can do on your own, while we enjoy this collective seasonal experience.
The 15th edition of the VCBF will connect communities and generations with about a dozen free programs to safely engage participants in interactive, social, and artful ways.
Participants can complete five voice-guided Virtual Routes from any location, with or without a dog. Each route highlights a stage of Guide and Service Dog training from puppy to graduation; “Puppy Pen 2K”, “Puppy Explore 5K”, “Puppy Focus 5K”, “Puppy Skills 10K”, and “Graduation 3K”.
RunGo Dash for Dogs 2021
Registration: $25 (gives access to all 5 routes)
Start Location: Anywhere
Start Date: Between February 25, 2021 – March 25th 2021
Start Times: Anytime
Distances: 2k, 3k, 5k, 5k and 10k (or run all 5 routes for the 25k Challenge)
This year’s RunGo Dash for Dogs virtual race series will highlight the journey from puppy-in-training (like Maggie, pictured) to a graduated Guide and Service Dog
Runners can choose to do any number of the routes or complete all of them to complete the 25K Challenge before race finish on March 25th. You will receive virtual badges for each stage and you’ll be sent a Dash for Dogs dog tag medal, a Bandana (for you or your dog) and other goodies from partners.
“BC & Alberta Guide Dogs is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year, so we wanted to have some fun with the number ‘25’,” says Race Director, Craig Slagel. “We also wanted to give a glimpse into how a little puppy becomes a Guide or Service Dog, so it’s been great to incorporate messages from training staff and volunteers into the routes.”
Craig Slagel is the Founder of RunGo and has been supporting BC & Alberta Guide Dogs with this event for six consecutive years. In that time, Dash for Dogs has raised over $90,000 for the organization.
“We’re immensely grateful to partner once again with Craig and RunGo,” says BC & Alberta Guide Dogs CEO, Bill Thornton, “and we especially admire their persistence through in-person event restrictions to provide this one-of-a-kind virtual race experience.”
RunGo is the most popular running app for discovering the best routes in the world with turn-by-turn voice navigation.
The mission of BC & Alberta Guide Dogs is to meet the growing demand for professionally trained Guide Dogs and Autism Support Dogs for citizens of British Columbia and Alberta, and PTSD Service Dogs for citizens of British Columbia.
The Britannia Mine Museum is launching their Terralab Learning Space and will be introducing special educational programming for families and bubble groups during Spring Break as part of their year of STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art & Math) focus.
Terralab STEAM Learning Space
Britannia Mine Museum Spring Break
When: Every day, 9:00am to 4:30pm
Where: 1 Forbes Way, Britannia Beach (10 mins south of Squamish on the Sea to Sky)
Safety Protocols: Due to COVID-19 restrictions and limited capacity, it is highly recommended that you book online in advance. You can view all Safety Protocols online here, which include mandatory masks on site and more.
Terralab STEAM Learning Space
From March 13th to April 1st at 11:00am and 1:45pm every day, the Museum will host short interpreter-led STEAM “Mini Mud Monsters” sessions in the Terralab space, where families or bubble groups can learn about microorganisms in our freshwater ecosystems.
Add a Comment
by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Sponsored Post — Unpaid post. Miss604 is a partner of Honda Canada. Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
This weekend you can take part in a virtual games night, for a great cause! Make-A-Wish® Canada and Honda Canada Foundation have partnered for the first-ever Make-A-Wish Play for Wishes.
Make-A-Wish Play for Wishes
When: Friday, March 5 to Saturday, March 7, 2021 How to Play:Register online
Honda Canada Foundation is matching up to $25,000 of funds raised, doubling the impact for #PlayForWishes! Featuring wish kid Xander and television sportscaster Kate Beirness as ambassadors, Play for Wishes is a virtual games night event to help raise funds that will grant life-changing wishes to children with critical illnesses.
Registered participants can enjoy the many games provided, like bingo, trivia, or they can play their favourite board games, video games or team challenges. Participants get to choose how and when to have fun with friends and family, in the safety of their homes, all while making a difference in the lives of wish children who need the hope of a wish during a difficult time.
“Over the past ten years, Honda Canada Foundation has raised close to $1.4 million to support our mission,” says Sheila Rees, Make-A-Wish Canada’s Vice President of Development. “The national virtual Play for Wishes is just another incredible initiative of how Honda Canada Foundation is committed to ensuring that life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses continue, especially during these extraordinary times.”
In 2019, the organization granted over 1,600 life changing wishes. But as we all know, 2020 was different and as a result of COVID-19, more than 4,000 wishes were delayed. While Make-A-Wish Canada’s ability to grant wishes that involve travel and gatherings has been impacted, the life-changing work continues. Make-A-Wish Canada remains focused on their mission and continues to grant memorable wishes while keeping wish families safe.
For a child fighting a critical illness, every day of waiting for a wish is one too many. By participating in Play for Wishes, you can help give a kid a piece of their childhood back.
Since 1983, Make-A-Wish Canada has granted over 35,000 wishes across the country, over 1,000 last year alone.