It always feel good to laugh, whether it’s decreasing your stress while releasing your body’s feel-good endorphins, or because you’re simply having a great time with friends and loved ones. Vancouver TheatreSports League (“VTSL”) makes sure audiences get to experience their laugh-inducing shows both at their home on Granville Island and out in the community.
Last year VTSL visited more than 110 schools and performed to more than 35,000 school children. The VTSL community outreach program also gives regular free performances at Ronald McDonald House and provides free tickets to organizations such as The Children’s Wish Foundation and Covenant House.
Grapes of Laugh is VTSL’s annual fundraiser for these initiatives and you can be a part of a hilariously entertaining night for a fabulous cause. Roving characters, improv performances, feature wines, tasty food, silent auctions, all hosted by Fred Lee (Vancouver’s ‘Man About Town’) and Howard Blank.
What: VTSL’s Grapes of Laugh
Where: The Improv Centre (1502 Duranleau St, Vancouver)
When: Thursday February 25, 2016 at 7:00pm
Event tickets are priced at $50 and are available online now. VTSL sponsor, The Granville Island Hotel, is also offering Grapes of Laugh guests a very special Grapes night rate of $155 (subject to availability) so that you don’t have to worry about drinking and driving that evening.
Vancouver TheatreSports League is a not-for-profit registered charitable organization celebrating more than 35 years of laughter. Follow along on Facebook and Twitter for more information and book your tickets today.
Michael Schmidt‘s photography has been on my radar for years, while curating my weekly Vancouver photo roundup or while composing the monthly guest post contribution from the Stanley Park Ecology Society, his urban, nature, and wildlife photography always stands out.
You can now check out some of his prints this month at the West End Community Centre. Enjoy a collection of 11″ x 17″ and 14″ x 14″ canvases featuring local west coast imagery.
Photography Exhibit at the West End Community Centre
Where: West End Community Centre (870 Denman St, Vancouver)
Exhibit Length: Until Sunday, March 6, 2016
Hours: Monday to Thursday 9:00am to 10:00pm; Friday 9:00am to 9:00pm; Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm; Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm.
Michael Schmidt says he’s always had a connection to the coast. “Living here provides me so many opportunities to photograph the things I love: city-scapes, natural landscapes, and of course the wildlife. The Pacific Northwest is full of such boundless beauty, and it continues to be a daily inspiration to me. I don’t think I will ever run out of places or things to photograph here.”
The gallery exhibit features works that are for sale. Follow Michael on Facebook for more information about his photography and this event.
Over 2,000 delegates are visiting the Vancouver Convention Centre for the annual TED conference and if you are not one of the exclusive attendees, you can still watch several TED Talks at select locations around Vancouver.
Dream is the theme for this year’s conference, dedicated to “great feats of imagineering, invention, innovation, and the courageous dreamers who can bring us with them on their journey.”
Where to Watch TED Talks in Vancouver
Until February 19th, you can watch TEDTalks at these locations:
Vancouver Public Library – Central Branch, Kitsilano Branch, and Renfrew Branch
River District Community Centre (8683 Kerr St)
One Earth (1949 Comox St #1002)
Potluck Cafe Society (30 W Hastings St)
The Wolrige Foundation (1826 West 33 Rd Ave)
Vancouver Writers Fest
The University of British Columbia
Some educational institutions and non-government organizations will only be live streaming for their members so check with the venue to confirm their details.
The first session of TED this year was simulcast in theatres across the USA and Canada, Europe and Australia. The speakers set the tone with inspiration, moon shot dreams, reflection, facing fears, music, dance, and movement.
10 year old Ishita Katyal told us not to ask children what they want to be when they grow up, but what they want to be right now. Astro Teller told us great dreams aren’t just visions, they are calculated with strategies. He sees things with unbalanced optimism and enthusiastic skepticism. Perspective. Riccardo Sabatini brought out over 262,000 pages of human code sequencing on stage. Our mothers: The ultimate 3D printers.
AR Rahman‘s performance told us that things can be more beautiful with music. Dan Pallotta said that TED this year should stand for Tend to Each other’s Dreams. Shonda Rhimes talked about her her Year of Yes. She would say yes to everything, even things she was afraid of. She said her dream job wasn’t about dreaming, it became a job. Find play. “The more we play, the better we work.”
Bill T Jones closed out the night with a moving performance with a passionate delivery through dance. He took us on a journey.
Check out the full TED conference schedule to hear from even more great speakers and follow the conversation online using the tag #TED2016.
Wines of Chile is onsite at TED to spark discourse about Chile’s own dream for sustainability and diversity in the wine industry, and I am honoured to be their social media ambassador in attendance.
The Vancouver Heritage Foundation is celebrating Vancouver Heritage Week February 15th to 21st as a part of Heritage Week in BC. Spearheaded by Heritage BC, and kicking off with National Heritage Day celebrated Canada wide, this year the theme is “Distinctive Destinations: Experience Historic Places”.
1911: Sightseeing in Stanley Park at Hollow Tree. Archives# St Pk P229.
Vancouver Heritage Week
The VHF is presenting a week of events to showcase the historic sites and places that make Vancouver special. including tours and talks that look at Stanley Park, downtown’s historic hotels and Vancouver’s early tourism advertising, and more:
Selling Vancouver to Tourists: 1890 – 1960
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
7:30pm – 9:30pm
Hycroft Manor, 1498 McRae Ave
Register Here $15 or $9 with valid student ID
During the first Evening Lecture of the year, Michael Kluckner explores how Vancouver was marketed by the Canadian Pacific Railway and others as a tourist destination.
Spending the Night: Vancouver’s Historic Hotels
Saturday, February 20, 2016
10:00am – 12:00pm
Downtown Vancouver
This event is currently at capacity: please call if you’d like to be added to the wait list
John Atkin leads this walking tour of downtown Vancouver hotels, past and present, to discover the history and architecture of these storied buildings.
Historic Stanley Park: From British Enclave to Urban Oasis
Sunday, February 21, 2016
9:30am – 12:00pm
Stanley Park and Vancouver Rowing Club
Register Here $20 or $15 with valid student ID
Maurice Guibord leads a walking tour and illustrated lecture on Stanley Park. After touring a fascinating corner of the park warm up with complementary coffee and enjoy a lecture utilizing vintage postcards inside the Vancouver Rowing Club.
Thank you to event partners Vancouver Rowing Club and Emelle’s Catering
My Sweet Spot Contest
Do you have a favourite place or heritage location in the city? In honour of Heritage Day, the National Trust is hosting a social media contest. My Sweet Spot is a chance to showcase your favourite distinctive destination and win amazing prizes. Enter online then post your picture or selfie to #MySweetSpotNT to enter.
1946: Advertisement for “Vancouver, City of Destiny” presented by Canadian Paramount News. Archives# CVA 1184-2346. Photo by Jack Lindsay.
Bonus Event in March
Historic Vancouver By Night Bus Tour
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
6:30pm – 9:30pm
Various stops around Vancouver
Register Here $40
As a special fundraiser, John Atkin leads a night time bus tour around Vancouver’s heritage streetscapes and historic stops. See what’s changed, what remains and what’s ahead in the city’s urban landscape from a uniquely ‘after dark’ perspective. Three mystery stops will take us through different neighbourhoods, while John shares archival images and stories along the way. There will be trivia and prizes, a night time snack and hot chocolate, plus a few surprises. Flashlights are optional.
Follow along on Twitter using the tag #HeritageWeekBC.
The 4th Annual Pet Lover Show, Western Canada’s largest go-to destination for all things pet-related, is returning to TRADEX in Abbotsford where you can celebrate every aspect of being a pet parent and pet enthusiast.
Pet Lover Show
Dates: Saturday, February 27 & Sunday, February 28, 2016
Times: 10:00am to 6:00pm Saturday and 10:00am to 5:00pm Sunday
Where: TRADEX: 1190 Cornell Street, Abbotsford, BC
Tickets: Available online in advance or at the box office. Adults (16+ years) $12; Seniors (65+) or Youth (6-15) $8; Child (5 years and under) free; Family (2 youth, 2 adults) $32.
With thousands of the latest pet products and services, educational seminars from top industry experts, and exciting live entertainment, the Pet Lover Show brings together the largest number of animal enthusiasts, pet owners, and industry professionals in Western Canada.
This highly anticipated event is the place to gain knowledge from health and behavioural experts, insight into the newest in animal-related products, and a chance to witness incredible animal acts like dancing and skateboarding dogs. Exhibitors will also offer the latest in animal services, including animal communication, massage, Reiki, and much more.
Attendees can look forward to non-stop entertainment across five stages featuring BC.’s top canine athletes, rabbit agility demonstrations, and the Can-Am/TICA Cat Show where purebred and house cats will compete for the title of “Best In Show” cat.
For the first time ever, attendees can also bring their own well-behaved pet to the show (click here for full details. Show-goers will see cats, dogs, ferrets, rabbits, llamas, reptiles, and more, while owners can participate in interactive activities alongside their pet, including training sessions, photo opportunities, and contests. Prospective pet owners can also learn about the personalities and attributes of both popular and rare breeds at the Meet the Breed exhibit.
Win Tickets to the Pet Lover Show
If you would like to attend, I have a family 4-pack of tickets to give away. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment naming something you love about pets (1 entry
- Post the following on Twitter
Follow the Pet Lover Show on Facebook and Twitter for more information. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Sunday, February 21, 2016.
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