Sponsored by the Burnaby Arts Council

The Burnaby Arts Council proudly presents its Gala & Fashion Show Fundraiser on April 13th, which will include a Live Art Auction with a limited edition framed print by Susan Point, original artwork by Bill Higginson and local favourite ceramic artist Keith Rice-Jones and much more!

Burnaby Arts Council Gala & Fashion Show Fundraiser

• Where: Deer Lake Art Gallery (6584 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby)
• When: Saturday, April 13, 2019
  7:30pm doors, event 8:00pm to 10:00pm
• Tickets: Tickets are available online now for just $35 and they include admission to the fashion show, art auction, live painting, silent auction, nibbles and a cash bar.

Live auctioneer and emcee David C Jones will keep the evening flowing. Enjoy live music from Cumbia Galera, door prizes, and of course all the amazing art you can bid on and take home!

Live Painting & Art Auction

The event will also have live painting with February Park’s Edge winner – Jace Kim, whose piece, created on site, will be included in the live art auction. Jace Kim is a Canadian painter currently based in Vancouver, BC. He was born and raised in Korea where he was highly influenced by comic book art until the age of 15.

He graduated Emily Carr University of Art and Design with a bachelor’s degree in Media art (animation) with the passion of animator. He worked in various game and motion graphic companies as a digital artist but he made a drastic transition to become a traditional painter.

Fashion Show

The event will also have a lovely 2019 spring/summer fashion design showcase featuring Yifat Jovani. Schooled in Miriam College in Tel Aviv, Yifat draws her inspiration from her years of travels, her love of nature, geometric shapes and from the beauty and strength of the women around her. As a mother of two, a designer, and a career woman, she recognizes the demands of the modern woman’s lifestyle.

She believes women don’t have to suffer to look fabulous, and designs clothes that are easy to wear, easy to pair and easy to care for. It is this marriage between comfort and style that makes Yifat Jovani designs’ unique, and adds to their growing popularity and increased media attention. All creations are locally produced and manufactured in Vancouver.

Win Tickets

I have 2 pairs of tickets to give away to the Gala & Fashion Show Fundraiser!

Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Like, comment on, or share this post on Facebook (1 entry)
• Click below to post an entry on Twitter

Click to enter via TwitterClick To Tweet

For almost 50 years the Burnaby Arts Council has fostered & promoted the Arts in our community. In 2020, they celebrate a year long explosion of dynamic programming filled with even more exciting events!

Follow the Burnaby Arts Council on Facebook and Twitter and using the tag #BurnabyArtsConnected on social media.

I will draw two contest winners at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Friday, March 29, 2019.

It’s the first weekend of spring and it’s Spring Break! The cherry blossoms are here are so is a lineup of events for you to enjoy this weekend:

Things to do in Vancouver This Weekend

Friday, March 22, 2019
Another Night Out For Music Heals
Festival du Bois
The Choir of Clare College Cambridge
Cooking Class for Kids: Mexican Cooking
Children of God at Surrey Arts Centre
Perspectives: An Anti-Racism Arts Festival
Spring Break at The Polygon Gallery
Re/Form Conference Squamish
Vancouver International Auto Show
Monster Theatre: Jesus Christ: The Lost Years
Historic Stewart Farm: Spring Break Drop-In: Farm Life
Spring Break at Burnaby Village Museum
Gateway Theatre: Gross Misconduct
Sonic Boom Music Festival
Vancouver International Dance Festival
Spring Break at Fort Langley National Historic Site
Spring Break at the Space Centre
Spring Break at the Cannery
Vancouver Fashion Week

Continue reading »

One Girl Can is excited to be hosting their 5th annual IWANTtoBE event. Taking place on April 25^th, this fast-paced, inspiring evening brings together a community of like-minded Vancouverites, all in the name of eradicating poverty and gender inequality in Africa through education. 

IWANTtoBE 2019

Where: Imperial Vancouver (319 Main St, Vancouver)
When: Thursday, April 25, 2019 from 5:30pm to 9:00pm
Tickets: Available online now for $125 per person.

Last year’s event filled Vancouver’s Imperial Theatre with 400 local professionals and influencers who came together to raise $350,000 and, as a result, provided 180 scholarships to African girls to attend high school and university. 

This year, One Girl Can is taking their event to a new level, with a surprise special guest coming all the way from Kenya. Lotte Davis, CEO & Founder says, “Many people in our community have been with us since our very first event five years ago. Their belief in our cause has changed thousands of lives, and our special guest will be proof of just how transformative their support can be. When you invest in one girl, the benefit extends far beyond her, impacting her family, her community and her country.”

The event, emceed by local TV personality Fiona Forbes and made possible by lead sponsors TD and Beedie, also features an enviable line up of silent and live auction items. With two incredible African safaris, local weekend getaways, restaurant vouchers and much more, guests will have plenty of opportunities to bid in support of girls’ education in Africa. Attendees will also receive a gift bag from AG Hair, valued at $85, and delicious drinks and food by Granville Island Catering.  

“As our community in Vancouver has been rapidly expanding, the same has been happening in Kenya and Uganda,” says Davis. “I’m really looking forward to bridging these two communities together in a meaningful way through our special guest. I think people will feel really connected to the tangible impact their support is having.”   

Follow One Girl Can on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date with their activities in Kenya & Uganda!

Thank you to event sponsors TD, Beedie, KPMG, Mirabel Vineyards, Odlum Brown, Great Little Box Company, Blubird, Clio, Deloitte, Univar, Contemporary Office Interiors, Hub International, Southern & Associates, iA Financial Group, AG Hair, Miss604, BC Living, LIVING magazine and Business In Vancouver for making this night possible.

Miss604 is the proud Blog Sponsor of IWANTtoBE 2019.

The 11th G Day Vancouver takes place on April 29, 2019 at the Nikkei Cultural Centre in Burnaby. This day-long event is a meaningful experience that welcomes and recognizes girls as they take their first steps on the journey toward adulthood.

G Day Vancouver

• When: Monday April 29, 2019 from 9:30am – 4.30pm
  (Pro D Day for Vancouver, Burnaby and New West school districts)
• Where: Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre (6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby)
• Tickets: $60 each (girls/adults) available online now

Tween girls ages 10 to 12 are invited, along with their parents or other supportive adults, to an immersive learning experience that celebrates the transition between childhood and adolescence. G Day Vancouver offers a unique emotional imprint that supports positive self-esteem, peer and family relationships in a community context.

Since the first G Day launched in 2014, over 1,300 girls and 700 adults have attended across five Canadian cities.

In addition to inspiring speakers and interactive activities addressing topics including leadership, positive self-esteem and body image, the day includes a multitude of diverse, fun, creative activities. The girls are encouraged to sing together, create art and share stories and experiences in both small as well as larger groups. G Day also features dance, martial arts or other forms of movement.

G Day Vancouver’s presenter lineup boasts several well-known local personalities including:

• Tamara Taggart, Broadcaster, Activist, Philanthropist and nomination candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada in Vancouver-Kingsway
• Jocelyn MacDougall, Community Convener, Activist and Singer
• Michelle Wilson, Transgender Rights and Inclusion Advocate Tickets are $60 each; limited quantities of sponsored tickets are available for families who would not otherwise be able to attend for financial reasons.

“G Day is designed to build girls’ self-esteem, as well as compassion and respect for other girls,” says G Day Founder Madeleine Shaw “Taking time to honour key life transitions in-person is a profound experience that is increasingly precious in today’s rapid-fire, screen-filled world. Entering their tween years, girls inhabit an increasingly sexualized, socially competitive landscape that can undermine their self-confidence and make them more vulnerable to destructive influences and behaviours as they enter their teenage years.”

Follow G Day on Facebook and Instagram for more info, and get your tickets today.

40 artisan distilleries from across the province will be bringing their spirits to the 6th annual BC Distilled Festival on Saturday, April 6, 2019. Attendees – including a lucky Miss604 contest winner and their guest – will have the chance to taste some of the best spirits in Canada.

BC Distilled

Where: Croatian Cultural Centre, 3520 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
When: Saturday, April 6, 2019
Trade/VIP Tasting: 2:00pm to 4:30pm
Public Tasting: 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Tickets: On sale now for $69.99, VIP $79.99, plus additional event tickets are available online.

25 of the distilleries in attendance this year won medals at the recent Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition – Canada’s only national spirit competition reserved exclusively for small distilleries, with a national panel of independent judges completing blind assessments of artisan spirits submitted by distillers across the country.

Here are 4 awesome things that make BC Distilled unique:

• Samples are not ticketed. Attendees are encouraged to try spirits without the pressure of finishing every drop to get their money’s worth out of a sample ticket.
• The venue is not sold to maximum capacity, so there is room to move and relax, and attendees won’t face long lineups to try spirits and other samples.
• Each distillery is represented by staff (in most cases the distiller is present), which means attendees get to talk to the people who actually make the spirits – not just agents.
• The Legacy Liquor pop-up shop is one of the most popular aspects of the show – it has the best selection of BC spirits anywhere in the province – for one night only!

BC Distilled is once again partnering with Pacific Assistance Dogs Society (PADS), whose participation is among attendees’ favourite parts of the event. Volunteers with dogs will be roaming the event while offering tickets to a 50/50 draw.

Participating Distilleries

Resurrection Spirits Arbutus Distillery Shelter Point Distillery Sheringham Distillery Moon Distillery Ltd. True North Distilleries de Vine Spirits Odd Society Spirits Victoria Caledonian Taunton Bay Spirits Legend Distilling The Liberty Distillery The Woods Spirit Co. Tofino Distillery Tumbleweed Spirits After Dark Distillery Ltd. Pacific Rim Distilling Alchemist Distiller, Inc. Pemberton Distillery Inc. Gillespie’s Fine Spirits

Mad Laboratory Distilling Fermentorium Distilling Co. Maple Leaf Spirits Inc. Sons of Vancouver Distillery Ampersand Distilling Company Central City Brewers & Distillers Bruinwood Estate Distillery Monashee Spirits Craft Distillery Ltd. Salt Spring Shine Craft Distillery The 101 Brewhouse + Distillery Forbidden Spirits Distilling Co. Merridale Cidery & Distillery Deep Cove Brewers and Distillers Urban Distilleries & Winery Wayward Distillation House Old Order Distilling Co. Yaletown Distilling Company The Dubh Glas Distillery One Foot Crow Craft Distillery Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery

Win Tickets

I have a pair of tickets to give away to the public tasting event on April 6th, here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Click below to post an entry on Twitter

Click to enter via TwitterClick To Tweet

Follow BC Distilled on Facebook and Twitter for more information. Please enjoy responsibly. Must be 19+. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 9:00pm on Wednesday, March 27, 2019.

It’s the first day of spring so in my morning perusal of the City of Vancouver Archives I thought I’d make it the subject of my keyword search. It turns out, Spring – the coiled red sculpture at Robson Square – turned up the first results.

Spring at Robson Square

The steel feature was installed in 1981 and is the work of artists Alan Chung Hung. “He moved to Vancouver in 1969 and studied at the Vancouver School of Art. He was one of the founding members of the Chinese Canadian Visual Arts Society in Vancouver. Chung Hung died of cancer en route from Hong Kong to Vancouver in 1994.” – City of Vancouver Public Art Registry

Spring won a juried competition funded by BC Building Corporation during the development of Robson Square.

Hung’s other works include Clouds above 938 Hornby, and the iconic Vanier Park mainstay, Gate to the Northwest Passage that frames beautiful views of the city and mountains.

Read about more public art in Vancouver in the Vancouver Icons series here »