Canucks Autism Network Birthday Festival
byCanucks Autism Network (“CAN”) is turning 10 and they’re celebrating with the first-ever CAN Birthday Festival, presented by Coast Capital Savings, happening July 7th at Surrey Civic Plaza.
Hosted by the City of Surrey, the CAN Birthday Festival will feature traditional birthday activities as well as carnival inflatables, food trucks, vendors, a dunk tank, and a host of live entertainment for the whole family, including performances by Bobs & Lolo and the Famous Players Band.
Canucks Autism Network Birthday Festival
Where: Surrey Civic Plaza (Surrey City Hall, 13450 104 Ave)
Steps away from Surrey Central Expo Line SkyTrain station. Parking is also available underground parkade via 104 Avenue and University Drive.
When: Saturday, July 7, 2018 from 12:00am to 6:00pm with
sensory-friendly hours 10:00am to 12:00pm
Admission: FREE and open to the public.
“The CAN Birthday Festival will be an unprecedented celebration of the incredible successes that our thousands of members have accomplished throughout CAN’s 10-year history,” Katy Harandi, President and CEO
Founded by Vancouver Canucks Co-owners Paolo and Clara Aquilini in 2008, CAN provides year-round sports and recreation programs for individuals and families living with autism, while increasing awareness and providing training in communities across British Columbia.
The inspiration behind the event came from the countless stories of children with autism who are excluded from birthday parties. In anticipation of the event, CAN mailed out handcrafted birthday invitations personally inviting more than 1,700 children and youth with autism to attend the celebration; marking the first-ever birthday invite for many of the recipients.
In an effort to make to make the environment welcoming and accessible to individuals with autism and their families, the event will include sensory-friendly hours in the morning. The sensory-friendly hours will boast shorter lineups, smaller crowds, and reduced volume. Noise-cancelling headphones will also be available for rental.
Schedule of Events
10:00am to 12:00pm Sensory-friendly hours
Event Entertainment, presented by YVR- Vancouver International Airport
10:00am to 11:00am Rod Boss, Comedy Magician
10:15am to 10:45am CAN Band, Musical Performance by Young Adults with Autism
11:00am to 11:30am
& 12:00pm to 12:30pm Bobs & Lolo, Duo Musical Performance
12:30pm to 1:15pm Axe Capoeira, Martial Arts & Dance Performance
1:15pm to 2:30pm
& 3:00pm to 4:15pm Famous Players Band, Vancouver’s Best Cover Band
4:30pm to 4:40pm Royal Academy of Bhangra, Dance Performance
Win a Trip Anywhere WestJet Flies
Enter the CAN Birthday Festival Raffle for your chance at WestJet’s “Gift of Flight”! Win a roundtrip flight for two to any worldwide destination that WestJet flies! Tickets are 1 for $20 or 3 for $50.
CAN Fundraising
Want to support CAN? Sign up and fundraise for the CAN Birthday Festival here. With an estimated 1 in 66 individuals diagnosed, there are over 16,000 children and youth living with autism in BC alone. With your support, we can help thousands of children, youth and young adults with autism make friends, gain confidence and realize limitless possibilities.
The CAN Birthday Festival also highlights the deeply rooted impact that the organization has had in the Surrey community. With over 4,000 families within CAN’s province-wide membership, approximately 15% are from the City of Surrey. According to the Ministry of Child and Family Development, Surrey has the highest number of children and youth with autism of any city within BC.
For more information, follow CAN on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and be sure to stop by the CAN Birthday Festival.
