Join a Mid-Autumn celebration at Richmond’s Lansdowne Centre this weekend and learn about this tradition that has deep cultural and historical significance in the Chinese community. The Centre will have a handful of special activations and displays to mark this occasion, and a very special meet and greet opportunity.
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Lansdowne Centre’s Mid-Autumn Celebration
When: Saturday, September 23 & Sunday, September 24, 2023 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm
Where: Lansdowne Centre (5300 No. 3 Road, Richmond)
“The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is an ancient festival with roots in harvest festival celebrations and moon worshiping rituals. It occurs on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month which happens some time between mid September and early October. This is when the moon is at its fullest after the autumnal equinox. It is a popular, happy time of year when families get together to share food, admire the full moon, light lanterns and eat mooncakes.” [Source]
Visit the Moon and Rabbit Display, which is an integral part of the mid-autumn celebration and is a symbol of kindness and compassion. Then stop by Centre Court for a stunning lantern display, which symbolizes illumination. There will also be arts and crafts, an artisan market, a riddle game, and more.
Then there’s the bunnies! Rabbitat, a devoted charity rescuing feral and abandoned rabbits, will be offering a Bunny Meet & Treat experience from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. Immerse yourself in a whimsical world of fluffy fun for a $5 donation. Spend some time bonding with the bunnies and support the Rabbitats mission.
Win a VIP Bunny Experience
I have a VIP Bunny Experience to give away to one lucky winner that includes:
Admission for up to 4 individuals
Skip-the-line access for Bunny Meet & Treat (at the designated time for 15 minutes)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Thursday, September 21, 2023. The winner’s time slot is between 11:00am and 12:00pm on Saturday, September 23, 2023.
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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Sponsored Post — Sponsored by The Improv Centre Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
A whodunnit and an improv show all in one! The Improv Centre presents Stage Fright 2: Murder at the Disco on Friday and Saturday nights this season on Granville Island. This is a groovy twist on TIC’s wildly successful interactive murder mystery show.
(Left to Right) Karinga Wells, Jacki Gunn, Jalen Saip, Ed Witzke, Riley Hardwick, Maggie Onedo. Photo by Brandon Hart Photography
Murder Mystery Show at The Improv Centre on Granville Island
When: September 28 – October 28, 2023
Fridays and Saturdays. Doors 6:30pm, show 7:30pm
Where: The Improv Centre (1502 Duranleau St, Vancouver on Granville Island)
Tickets: Starting at $26.50, available online now or in person at the TIC Box Office. Tickets for opening night (September 28) will be priced at $15.
It’s 1977 and the ‘Diamond Disco’ is all abuzz as it’s time for their annual disco-til-you-drop-a-thon. Everyone is ready to boogie to the max to win a major cash prize…but for one of these disco dancers, it’ll be their last. This interactive whodunnit is full of hilarious hijinks inspired by audience suggestions. And in true Stage Fright form, it’ll be up to one lucky audience member to solve the Murder at the Disco!
Last fall’s show was set in the early 1950’s with an emphasis on the glitz and glamour of show biz as a familiar murder mystery trope. “This time, we’re going with the 1970’s because it’s such a dynamic time period with a lot of groovy characters and old-timey detective dramas and themes we can explore,” says Artistic Director Jalen Saip. “Our ensemble is very excited to delve into some whacky and mischievous characters in this production – inspired by our audience’s suggestions – and to include one lucky audience member as our lead detective throughout the second half of the performance!”
Celebrate the arrival of fall by following the seasonal farm trail to Agassiz, where you can harvest your own pumpkins at the Harrison Pumpkin Festival — home of the “all-you-can-carry” pumpkin patch.
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Harrison Pumpkin Festival
Open September 29 – October 29 (or while supplies last)
Hours: Thursday & Friday 11:00am to 5:00pm; Saturday & Sunday 10:00am to 5:00pm
Hours: Monday October 9 (Thanksgiving) from 10:00am to 3:00pm
Where: Harrison Pumpkin Festival 5039 Lougheed Highway, Agassiz
Admission: $15 per person (ages 2 and under free) for all-you-can-carry pumpkins. Tickets available for purchase online.
For the past 17 years, one family has been bringing flower fests to the valley and now operating under the umbrella of Onos Farms they’re excited to present this new autumn option.
There’s more than 22 different types of pumpkins for you to find at the Harrison Pumpkin Festival. Add texture and even more colour to your fall photos and carving activities. From cute half-pounders to classic carvers from 10 to 100 pounds, you’ll want to fill your trunk with many decorative options.
The farm also has glorious flower displays of dahlias, zinnias and cosmos that should be in luxuriant bloom all season (weather permitting). The Farm Store will be full of cut flowers, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, plus tulip and daffodil bulbs (while supplies last). A food truck will be on site each day of the festival to feed your pumpkin-picking crew.
The entry price gets you “all-you-can-carry” pumpkins, but you must be able to literally carry them in your arms—that is, without the use of a trolley, cart or other device. Pumpkins will also be available in the Farm Store for those who don’t relish the heavy lifting.
The fest is hosting a photo contest on Instagram where you can show off creative ways to heft as many of those all-you-can-carry pumpkins as possible. To enter, simply tag @harrisonsunflowerfest on Instagram and use the hashtag #OnosFarmsPumpkinContest in your post.
To add to the fun, and to create some friendly competition, there will be a pumpkin-weighing station near the store. Weigh and measure your picks and compete to see who snags the heaviest pumpkin load in any given category. Keep an eye on your standing in the stats online, where daily updates will be made to the leaderboard.
Uncover the eerie history of Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood on The Lost Souls of Gastown Tour from Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours this season.
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The Lost Souls of Gastown Tour
Following the trail of our guide’s lamplight, we embarked on a captivating journey of Gastown’s gruesome history earlier this month. The Lost Souls of Gastown Tour explores the unsettling past of the city, featuring Victorian-era stories. On this trip through time, we learned things many locals might not even know, most notable was the true destruction of the Great Vancouver Fire of 1886, and who came to the rescue. And, despite losing hundreds of buildings, one hotel withstood the flames… the tour explains how.
Our guide told of a smallpox epidemic, during which victims of the illness were brought to live out the rest of their days on and island off Stanley Park. The Deadman’s Island quarantine site is the resting place of many who had fallen ill with the deadly ailment.
The tour concludes at the site of an unsolved murder, where we learned of the death of gold prospector John Bray. With multiple fatal shots to his head, Bray had managed to live out several weeks before his eventual passing, but no murderer was ever named.
The Lost Souls of Gastown Tour is sure to offer you a captivating journey through hidden history, making it a thrilling experience if you want to uncover the city’s intriguing, mysterious past. This performance-theatre experience has been awarded the title of one of Canada’s 20 greatest experiences by travel company Viator/TripAdvisor, and you’ll see why.
Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours
When: On now until October 31, 2023. Tours run every Night at 7:00pm; Thursday-Saturday at 8:00pm
Where: Various Gastown Locations
Meeting point at corner of Water and Cordova Streets, beside Monaco Cafe
Electric wheelchair accessible and is led on mostly flat terrain (with some historic cobblestones). The tour does start with a small hill, which may be more challenging for guests in a conventional/non-electric wheelchair.
Homes For The Holidays is a quintessential event that kicks off festive season in Vancouver. Happening at UBC’s iconic Cecil Green Park House this November, it’s an enchanting experience that supports a great cause, with all proceeds benefitting the young people in Take a Hike programs.
Enjoy a self-guided tour with music and refreshments, and wander through the exquisitely decorated rooms of one of Vancouver’s most prestigious properties at Homes For The Holidays.
Homes for the Holidays – Photos Submitted
Homes For The Holidays
Step into a world of holiday inspiration as five brilliant interior designers, along with professional florists and home décor retailers, weave their magic through a storied heritage home, adorning it with the most exquisite trimmings. This showcase of uniquely festive décor ideas will range from tablescapes to room vignettes, and attendees are sure to be inspired to reimagine these looks in their own homes.
When: Saturday November 18 & Sunday, November 19, 2023. Time entry between 11:00am and 9:00pm each day.
Where: Cecil Green Park House (6251 Cecil Green Park Rd, Vancouver)
Tickets:On sale now! Regular admission is $50, VIP is $65 dollars and includes a complimentary beverage, no timed entry, and a gift.
After touring the beautifully decorated rooms, wander outside to the covered Terrace of Trees overlooking the gorgeous gardens of Cecil Green Park. Here visitors will be encouraged to linger and admire the sponsored trees which will be beautifully decorated by designers. Also on this terrace, we will be displaying and promoting the items in our carefully curated Silent Auction.
Purchase your tickets now, and be part of something truly special as we come together for a charitable celebration that will leave you inspired and filled with the joy of the season.
About Take a Hike Foundation
Take a Hike Foundation (TAH) empowers youth who experience vulnerability to change the trajectory of their lives with a full-time mental health and emotional well-being program embedded in an alternate education classroom.
Take a Hike Foundation Youth – Photo Supplied
The program engages youth with intentional, continuous clinical counselling, outdoor experiential learning, and community. TAH’s public school district partners provide high quality education, and together, they empower youth with the skills and resilience they need to graduate high school, build healthy relationships, and achieve success – however they define it.
