The Lululemon SeaWheeze™ Half Marathon and Sunset Festival take place this Saturday, August 15, 2015 with an estimated 10,000 runners and 15,000 festival goers expected to participate. The half marathon course runs through Chinatown, Coal Harbour, False Creek, Kitsilano, the West End and Stanley Park. The Sunset Festival that follows will be held at Brockton Fields in Stanley Park.
Participants can check out the expo and showcase store pop-up and sunset yoga on Friday and the Sunset Festival on Saturday with live music from St Lucia, Yeasayer, Bear Mountain, and Alex Mazerolle.
Lululemon SeaWheeze Half Marathon Road Closures
The scenic 21.1km (13.1 miles) SeaWheeze Half Marathon route starts and finishes at the Olympic Cauldron at Jack Poole Plaza. Runners will set out at 7:00am with the last will cross the finish line by 12:15pm with a strict 12:30pm course closure.
Road closures will be in place throughout the course and several buses will be re-routed during the event. Canada Place access will remain open at all times. Vehicle traffic can access the Port via Waterfront Road from Main Street.
The Seawall will be closed from 7:00am–12:00pm on Saturday between Devonian Park and The Westin Bayshore and between Second Beach and Lumberman’s Arch. Detours will be in place for pedestrians, cyclists and in-line skaters. This closure is in place to ensure the safety of the public and event participants along this narrow section of the Seawall. Expect general delays along other parts of the Seawall. Connect with SeaWheeze on Twitter and Facebook for more information.
VanDusen Botanical Garden is a seasonal beacon in Vancouver, a place I visit in the fall for changing colours in the trees, in the winter for the Festival of Lights, and in the spring for the natural pink confetti of the cherry blossoms.
This summer I visited with my niece from Chicago, strolling between fragrant flowers in the gardens and enjoying lunch on the Truffles Cafe patio. This oasis in our city, just off Oak Street, is celebrating 40 years this month and everyone is invited.
VanDusen Botanical Garden 40th Anniversary
When Sunday, August 16, 2015 from 10:00am to 5:00pm
Where VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak Street
Tickets Retro rates of $2.00 per person (all ages)
Bring your friends and family to enjoy a fun-filled day at the garden. Featuring live music, historical and botanical talks and tours, an heirloom veggie harvest, family entertainment, photo booth, climbing wall, putting green, face-painting, tasty treats, and much more.
Free popcorn, free cake at noon, BBQ hot dogs and ice cream will be for sale. All entertainment and activities are included with admission.
Parking is limited so guests are encouraged to take transit, bike, or walk to the garden. Follow VanDusen on Facebook for more information about the anniversary celebration and upcoming special events.
For nearly a decade, Vancouverites and our international guests have been experiencing a taste of Latin America just off the coast of Vancouver with SalsaCruises.com, with Vancouver’s largest privately-owned cruising vessel, the MV Britannia. Now you have the chance to experience this unique night out on the water for the first time, or once again, to dance the night away.
The MV Britannia has three levels of DJs pumping a variety of music for testing your most sultry Latin moves and heart-pumping salsa lessons by some of Vancouver’s best instructors. Book a private event or join one of the incredibly fun summertime salsa cruises. Nights out on a salsa cruise have Mexican cuisine available on board and a bar on 3 levels to quench your thirst all night.
Whether you are taking the onboard class to learn the dance moves or you just want that cruise around Vancouver’s stunning harbour, your evening will be a memorable one. In August, there is also a family cruise with fun for all ages including face painting, balloons, special guests, and of course dancing.
Win a Salsa Cruise for Two
SalsaCruises.com is offering up a pair of tickets to their upcoming event on August 15th to a lucky Miss604 reader and their dance partner. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Like, share, or comment on this Facebook post (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at 12:00pm on Thursday, August 13, 2015. Follow SalsaCruises.com on Facebook for more information about their events this summer.
Update The winner is Bronwyn!
It’s a Vancouver bucket list item that you might not have even considered before. Sign up for The Drop Zone for Easter Seals and you can rappel down a 20-storey office tower in downtown Vancouver — all for a great cause!
Easter Seals Drop Zone, Vancouver’s original charity rappelling event, is celebrating its 10th anniversary on Wednesday, September 9, 2015 from 8:00am to 5:00pm. The 20-storey rappel challenges participants to step out of their comfort zones and conquer their fears, all while raising funds for Easter Seals BC.
Register now to start your fundraising for Easter Seals and if you reach $1,000 or more, you can participate in The Drop Zone taking place Wednesday, September 9, 2015 at 999 West Hastings in Downtown Vancouver. The money raised will benefit Easter Seals House in Vancouver as well as summer camps for children with disabilities in Shawnigan, Winfield and Squamish.
Since 2005, nearly 6,000 superheroes have joined the exclusive Superhero Club for Easter Seals, raising more than $10 million dollars for Canadians with disabilities. Be part of a formidable group of heroes and continue this amazing fundraising trend in 2014. By doing so you will make a big difference for families living with disabilities.
Easter Seals is dedicated to fully enhancing the quality of life, self-esteem and self-determination of Canadians living with disabilities by providing programs and support in these areas: Active Living; Family & Community Support; Assistive Devices Programs.
I participated in The Drop Zone back in 2010 and I highly recommend you give it a try, and support this worthy cause.
Win a Drop Zone Climb Pack
Cliffhanger Climbing has offered up two gift cards to help me promote this year’s Easter Seals Drop Zone. Win an introductory 2 hour climbing course at Cliffhanger (total value $140). Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
The winner (and guest) must be 14 years or older. Course date options are Monday at 6:00pm; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday at 7:00pm; or Sunday at 10:00am. I will draw one winner at 12:00pm on Tuesday, August 18, 2015. Follow Easter Seals on Twitter and Facebook for more information, fundraising tips, and updates.
Update The winner is @salinasiu!
Virgin Mobile Presents Squamish Valley Music Festival weekend, bringing some of the world’s biggest artists up the Sea to Sky. Along with celebrating a lot of local BC talent, over 70 artists join the three headliners Mumford & Sons, Drake, Sam Smith for a wide selection of music from all genres.
The first full day was Friday, August 7th and it kicked off with Dear Rouge on the Stawamus Stage and ended with Sam Smith closing out the Tantalus Stage before ODESZA closed out the Stawamus Stage. The Perrier Greenhouse and Garibaldi stages also hosted acts while the Blueprint Arena kept bumping well into the night all weekend long.
I have attended every Squamish Festival (Live at Squamish, Squamish Valley Music Festival) since its inception and the atmosphere on Friday reminded me of those first days at the new festival back in 2010. The vibe on the fields was happy, positive and a younger audience showed up to enjoy all genres. On site with my family, we shopped in the marketplace, caught up with friends at the many booths on site (including the ever-awesome Music Heals), and strolled from stage to stage chasing our favourite acts and discovering new gems.
Dear Rouge
I had the chance to catch up with Drew and Danielle of Dear Rouge, whom I first interviewed in 2012 before they won the Peak Performance Project that year. I’ll have details of our conversation and a few more photos posted tomorrow. Their set at the festival impressed even their most die-hard fans and Danielle brought her signature style to the stage, complimenting her powerful vocals.
James Bay
Schoolboy Q
Brandon Flowers
You should have heard the crowd when they realized that this sharp-dressed crooner was “the Mr Brightside guy”, as Flowers ended his set with The Killers’ popular track.
Sam Smith
Nearing the end of his two-year tour, all in support of his first and only album, Sam Smith appeared on stage looking trim, happy, and visibly moved by the reception of the crowd who knew every one of his lyrics.
View all of my photos in this slideshow on Flickr:
Squamish Valley Music Festival Lineup
Mumford & Sons, Drake, Sam Smith, Of Monsters And Men, Kaskade, Alabama Shakes, Brandon Flowers, Schoolboy Q, Mother Mother, Chance The Rapper, Adventure Club, Porter Robinson (live), Hot Chip, The Kills, Milky Chance, Arkells, Vance Joy, Death From Above 1979, Sharon Jones & The Dap-kings, Odesza, Royal Blood, Angus & Julia Stone, George Ezra, Bahamas, Kaytranada, A-trak, Tchami, Gorgon City (DJ Set), Slightly Stoopid, K-os, Joel Plaskett With The Emergency, First Aid Kit, Mariachi El Bronx, Whitehorse, Robert Delong, Hannah Wants, James Bay, Elle King, Slow Magic, Benjamin Booker, The Funk Hunters, Sza, Bear’s Den, Alvvays, Justin Nozuka, Dear Rouge, Peking Duk, P Reign, Tei Shi, Oliver, Mat The Alien, The River And The Road, Willa, Scott Helman, Old Man Canyon, Little India.
You can still get day-of tickets at the box office near the Squamish Adventure Centre. More information is available online, or by calling 1-888-999-2321. Follow Squamish Valley Music Festival on Twitter and Facebook.
