We fell in love with a new festival last summer, along with 30,000 other people in the shadow of Mount Currie, in a field off Highway 99. From Nine Inch Nails to the Flaming Lips and Snopp Dogg, food carts and water slides, Trailer Park Boys and Bob Saget, ziplines and VIP cabanas, Pemberton Music Festival was definitely a summer highlight for many — and it will be returning in 2015 with early bird tickets on sale this Friday.
Photo by John Bollwitt for Miss604
Pemberton Music Festival Dates for 2015
HUKA Entertainment is pleased to announce 2015 dates for Pemberton Music Festival in Pemberton, BC on Thursday, July 16 through Sunday, July 19, 2015.
Early Bird tickets, which allow fans to purchase advance festival passes at a discount, go on sale online this Friday, December 12, 2014 at 10:00am.
Last year thousands of people camped out or took a Whistler/Creekside shuttle to get to and from the side. For campers, the experience will be improved upon for 2015:
Campgrounds for 2015 will be expanded to include property on both sides of the Sea to Sky Highway, which means that campers parked on the south side of the road opposite the festival grounds will have the option to camp there, and will no longer be required to carry their gear across the bridge spanning the road to the festival site. Additionally, paths from other parking lots leading to festival campgrounds will be upgraded to include hard-packed surfaces with minimal obstructions.
Other improvements will include food service and offerings for VIP patrons as well as placement of campground amenities, including showers and water filling stations. Additionally, a limited amount of RV passes for camping pass purchasers will be available at an Early Bird rate of $349. RV passes accommodate up to eight people per vehicle.
Full ticketing package and information can be found Pemberton Music Festival website. The four-day contemporary music festival is produced and promoted by HUKA Entertainment, in collaboration with the Village of Pemberton and land partners the Sunstone Group, the Lil’wat Nation and Squamish-Lillooet Regional District.
Follow Pemberton Music Festival on Twitter and Facebook for more information, and look for lineup announcements later in the new year.
I’m often asked about how busy I am, what events I’m attending, and which trips I’m taking next all for the sake of my blog. It seems like a pretty glamorous life but honestly I am most happy when I can sit at home my desk with a hot cup of coffee, look out at the rain that’s pelting Downtown Vancouver, and sift through 100 year old photos to track down a unique story. That happened to me yesterday when I was searching the City of Vancouver Archives for random holiday photos and I came across “Pictograph Rock“. Never before had I seen this large boulder, behind a knee-high fence in Stanley Park complete with a plaque. I immediately began to dig around to find out what this rock was and where it ended up.
1930: “Pictograph rock in Stanley Park”. Photo by James Crookall. Archives# CVA 260-228.
Tracking Down the Stanley Park Pictograph Rock
After finding a few more photos in the City of Vancouver Archives dating back to the late 1920s, my next stop was a general Google search with the term “Pictograph Rock Stanley Park” which came back with several results about a petroglyph in Stanley Park.
Pictographs and Petroglyphs: “Rock art is generally divided in two categories: carving sites (petroglyphs) and paintings sites (pictographs). Pictographs are paintings that were made by applying red ochre or, less commonly, black, white or yellow dye. Although the majority of the images were traced with the finger, some could be executed with brushes made of animal or vegetal fibres. Petroglyphs are carvings that are incised, abraded or ground by means of stone tools upon cliff walls, boulders and flat bedrock surfaces.” [Source]
It was obvious that this stone and its ancient markings were extremely significant. So why was it fenced off like a curiosity in an exhibition at Stanley Park and how did it get there?
1928: “Pictograph rock from Lone Cabin Creek” in Stanley Park. Archives# Mon P79.1.
Once it was determined that this was a petroglyph, I had more success with search results and was able to put together a timeline for this thanks to the author of the Northwest Coast Archeology blog.
In 1923 the boulder was discovered in the Lone Cabin Creek area of the middle Fraser River, just south of the Gang Ranch. It was then removed (without permission) and moved to Stanley Park in 1926 and positioned near the site of Lumberman’s Arch.
There’s a big gap between the photo from 1930 and then records that it moved to the Museum of Vancouver in 1992, but I would assumed it stayed in Stanley Park until that time. Another website, Spokane Outdoors shed some light on the story. It appears this written between 1992 and 2002, while the petroglyph was at Museum of Vancouver.
The Shelly Stone
“This petroglyph was carved in the vicinity of Lone Cabin Creek, north of Lillooet, on the Fraser River. It first gained Euro-Canadian attention in 1923 upon its discovery by H.S. Brown a cariboo prospector. He brought its existance to the attention of William Shelly, the Vancouver Parks Board commissioner of the era. Shelly proposed moving the six-ton rock from its location on the Fraser to a new home in Stanley Park.
Three years alter, the move commenced. The rock was first loaded onto a raft to be floated to the nearest railway station. This awkward plan failed as the weight of the boulder caused the raft to sink immediately after loading. The next, more successful attempt involved a team of ten horses and a sled. In the dead of winter, the “Shelly Stone” was dragged to the closest rail line. This whole procedure took over a month and cost Shelly two thousand dollars which was a lot of money at the time.
The Shelly Stone arrived safely at Stanley Park. It was set in a foundation of concrete as it was felt this would prevent the enormous rock from being carried off or destroyed. The rock remained at Brockton Pt mislabeled as an Indian Pictograph until moved to the Vancouver Museum basement in June of 1992.”
From the Museum to Repatriation
Naturally my next step was to inquire with the Museum of Vancouver (“MOV”) and it took the team less than a day to get back to me with a very happy ending to the boulder’s story.
“I discovered that we repatriated the petroglyph rock back to Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nations in 2012,” Myles Constable of the MOV told me. He also sent me a link to the MOV’s own blog post from 2012 written by Joan Seidl:
For many years, I squinted at murky black and white photographs taken in 1926 showing a great petroglyph-covered rock as it was hauled away from the Fraser River somewhere in the interior. I despaired that we would ever know the rock’s original location with any certainty. It seemed that removing the rock back in 1926 had been utter folly. It felt against nature to even consider hauling a six ton rock from the interior of BC and move it to Vancouver. But driven by compulsion and arrogance (to my understanding), people did it, and the great rock now sits at the Museum of Vancouver after many years in Stanley Park.
The blog post confirms some of the story from the Spokane Outdoors website (referenced above) about how it was discovered by gold prospector H.S. Brown and moved to Vancouver.
Brown was an admirer of the Mohawk poet Pauline Johnson who was buried in Stanley Park after her death in 1913. His original plan was to sell his placer gold claim and use the proceeds to place the stone by her grave in Stanley Park. When Brown was unable to sell his claim, the chair of the Vancouver Park Board, W.C. Shelly, stepped in.
Shelly wanted the petroglyph in order to add it to the collection of totems poles, house posts, and other First Nations art that he was assembling from throughout BC in order to create a faux “Indian Village” in Stanley Park. (Shelly was apparently indifferent to the fact that the government was trying to evict the real Coast Salish settlements in the Park at the time).
There the boulder sat in Stanley Park, for decades. Increasing incidents of vandalism led the Park Board to ask the Museum to look after the rock in the early 1990s. In 1992, the petroglyph was moved from Stanley Park to the Museum’s interior courtyard. For 20 years, the boulder stood in the courtyard with its many petroglyphs slowly disappearing under a layer of moss and lichen.
The Power is in the Place as Well as the Rock
Photo: Museum of Vancouver, cleaning the stone.
In 2010, Bruce Miller, an anthropology professor at UBC who also chairs MOV’s Collections Committee, brought the petroglyph to the attention of the Committee.
Bruce explained the contemporary understanding of petroglyphs as highly sacred objects that are integral to their original sites (the power is in the place as well as the rock), and encouraged MOV to work towards repatriation. Bruce brought in archaeologist Chris Arnett who specializes in BC petroglyphs. We shared the documentation we had with Chris. After researching, Chris advised us that we ought to speak with the Canoe Creek Indian Band, now known as Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation, from whose territory the petroglyph had been taken without permission in 1926.
In September 2010 Chief Hank Adam and Phyllis Webstad of the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation visited the MOV to see the petroglyph and meet with our staff. In October, the First Nation formally requested repatriation. After working through the process required by MOV’s Collections Policy, the MOV’s Board of Directors voted to repatriate the petroglyph in March 2011 — lightning speed in the Museum business.
Joan Seidl’s blog post for the MOV is very moving, which is why I have quoted so much of it here. I especially love this passage:
In late August 2011, Chief Adam led us to the exact spot where the rock had stood. It was a powerful experience — the Fraser rushing by, the sun beating down, velvety hills all around. Even the skeptics among us (me) were convinced when we held up the historical photographs of the petroglyph move in 1926 and matched up the silhouettes of the mountains, ridge for ridge. And then, standing there, Chief Adam said, “Look down”. At our feet were more rocks with petroglyphs — as the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation say, “sister rocks”. This was the place.
On June 13, 2012 — 86 years after it was taken — the stone was returned to its original location.
I cannot type any words more appropriate than Joan Seidl’s witness account but it filled my heart with joy to know that this rock made it back to Lone Cabin Creek.
What started out as a random find in the City Archives database turned into the discovery of a bigger message, one I had to take a small journey (albeit around the city and the web) to realize. While many of us wander and travel, there will always be no place like home. The environment, the people, the entire feeling of being somewhere you are comfortable and where you belong – and your own effect on those people and those places can be felt.
I think Joan Seidl relayed Bruce Miller’s message the best by saying: “The power is in the place as well as the rock“. That can apply to many things in our daily lives, no matter how long it takes us to find that special place, or how long it takes us to reach home again.
Christmas for me on the West Coast means walking on soggy paths under soaked evergreens, warm fireplaces, sweet aromas of baked goods, shopping for unique gifts for your favourite people, music that evokes memories of childhood and family, and of course spending time with loved ones. All of this above and more can be found on Salt Spring Island, which is why John and I spent a few days at Hastings House last winter, and you can have your own experience during Christmas on Salt Spring events this season as well.
Christmas on Salt Spring Island
Discover a wealth of curated boutique shopping, winery tours, spas, art galleries, outdoor adventures, and festive, foodie experiences. Considered one of Canada’s best-kept secret holiday destinations, there are a lot of ways to explore Salt Spring Island’s holiday magic. Santa arrived a few weeks ago and the first events of the season, like the chili cookoff, were a big success.
I attended the 4th annual Glowtini cocktail competition and sampled ten different seasonal creations from local bartenders, which is double previous years. I was blown away at home many local ingredients were used in each. Vancouver Island spirits, Salt Spring clams and mussels for Caesars, local honey, ciders, eggs, and more. The savoury cocktail was definitely the trend and the winner this year was Alex from Rock Salt Restaurant in Fulford Village. The Fulford Flip: Laughing Apple Farm’s mulled cider, VSOP brandy, Aperol, fresh lemon juice, walnut bitters & egg white:
The Salt Spring Christmas Committee is comprised of the Island’s accommodation providers, retailers, restaurant owners, specialty stores, local media, the island’s arts community and the members of the Chamber of Commerce. The goal of the Christmas Committee is to encourage visitors to explore a holiday destination that rekindles the magic of the holidays, provides a warm community welcome and offers a sophisticated food, beverage, shopping and world renowned art scene.
Win a Luxury Getaway to Salt Spring Island
Christmas is a time of giving and for the last three years the Salt Spring Christmas Committee has offered up an amazing getaway for one lucky Miss604 reader and their guest — and we’re doing it again this year!
Your prize starts with a round trip flight for two, departing from floatplane docks at either the YVR Seaplane base, or from downtown Vancouver courtesy Salt Spring Air. Destination Ganges Harbour on beautiful Salt Spring Island.
Hastings House Country House Hotel will meet you at the seaplane dock and escort you to the hotel where you will spend two luxurious overnight stays in a Deluxe Hillside Suite including: Dinner, Breakfast Hamper, Afternoon Tea and a gift card from the Wellspring Spa.
Settle into your Deluxe Hillside Suite overlooking Ganges Harbour. Your hillside room features a king size bed, gas fireplace, large bathroom with deep soaking tub and separate shower, heated floors and a covered balcony to drink in the views. Enjoy an exquisite meal in one of Canada’s best dining rooms in the Manor House on the estate property.
The following day discover a morning hamper at your door with freshly baked muffins. Come to the Manor House and enjoy a full English Breakfast to prepare you for another day of discovering more fabulous adventures on Salt Spring! And be sure to visit the Wellspring Spa for a revitalizing treatment at this tranquil oasis.
This luxury prize package also includes a dinner gift certificate from Auntie Pestos – a local favourite nestled in a waterfront boardwalk in the heart of Ganges. Chef Shawn Walton prepares a fresh, from scratch menu using quality local ingredients wherever possible. And a $50 boutique shopping gift card from Twang & Pearl – described by American Way Magazine as ‘Anthropologie with an Edge’, this sweet shop delivers on its promise of delighting locals and visitors with its uncommonly beautiful finds.
To recap, this incredible prize (valued at $2,000 and is exclusive to Miss604) consists of:
Two nights accommodation for two, at Hastings House Country House Hotel, including: Dinner the evening of your arrival, Afternoon Tea and English breakfast, and Wellspring Spa gift card
Dining gift certificate at one of the Island’s popular eateries, Auntie Pestos
$50.00 Gift Certificate for boutique shopping at Twang & Pearl
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, December 17, 2014. Must be 19+ to enter and claim. Prize includes and is limited to the items listed in the prize recap above. The winner will have to claim their prize between March 1, 2015 and June 25, 2015, based on availability of flights and accommodation. Blackout effect during long weekends). The winner will also agree to be disclosed and do any follow-ups via social media. The Christmas on Salt Spring Committee, Hastings House Country House Hotel, Salt Spring Air, Twang & Pearl, and Auntie Pestos are sponsoring the prize pack.
Ballet BC presents the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in The Nutcracker this weekend at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. As Canada’s premiere ballet company and one of the oldest ballet companies in North America, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet will bring this magical holiday dream to life with the some of the country’s best and brightest young artists.
Photo courtesy of Ballet BC. RWB Company Photo by Vince Pahkala.
Nutcracker Ballet in Vancouver
Follow the fearless female heroine, Clara, as her Christmas dream becomes our magical reality. Danced to Tchaikovsky’s glorious music, Clara’s turn-of-the-century stately mansion becomes a whirlwind fantasy of live toy soldiers, dancing mice and a mischievous bear who steals the Christmas pudding.
With her Nutcracker Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy by her side, Clara confidently overcomes all obstacles on this wild Christmas night! Sumptuous costumes and an imaginative set design bring holiday sparkle to the stage, while a few Canadian surprises freshen-up the up the traditional tale – audiences can expect a snowy pond hockey game and a battle on Parliament Hill to create even more ruckus on stage. This all-ages adventure is presented with incredible beauty and splendour, making Nutcracker an unforgettable treat the whole family will savour.
Choreography by Galina Yordanova and Nina Menon. Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Costume Design by Paul Daigle. Scenic Design by Brian Perchaluk. Lighting Design by Michael J. Whitfield.
Photo courtesy of Ballet BC. RWB Company Photo by Vince Pahkala.
Performances of The Nutcracker at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre will be at 7:30pm on Friday, December 12, 2014; Saturday, December 13, 2014; and Sunday, December 14, 2014 with additional 2:00pm performances on December 13th and December 14th.
Tickets are on sale now, ranging from $35 to $98.50, and family packs (2 adults, 2 children) are available from $229 to $300 (including service charges). Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster online or by phone at 1-855-985-2787 (855-985-ARTS).
Win Tickets
I have a pair of tickets to give away The Nutcracker performance on Saturday, December 13, 2014 at 7:30pm. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win tickets to @RWBallet #Nutcracker in #Vancouver from @BalletBC @Miss604 http://ow.ly/FCrXc
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Thursday, December 11, 2014. Follow Ballet BC on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.
We all know that time is money and for the local Vancouver startup Time Auction, the value they offer in exchange for your time is priceless. They have recently launched a program with UBC’s Sauder School of Business that will connect you with local business leaders, all you have to do is offer to volunteer your time in your community.
Volunteers meeting Jordan Banks, Managing Director of Facebook Canada
Time Auction’s latest initiative is to have locals bid on the opportunity to hang out with a Vancouver business leader, offering up a certain number of volunteer hours in exchange for the reward.
Step 1:
Give back to your community by volunteering at a charity, not-for-profit, school club, or personal initiative.
Step 2:
Each volunteer hour completed in the last 60 days can be traded for a chance to win an auction that you like.
Step 3:
If your entry is drawn and your hours are verified by Time Auction, you win your reward.
Exclusive to UBC’s Sauder School of Business, you can bid on the chance to tour Rogers Arena with Kirk McLean, grab lunch in Whistler with Whistler Blackcomb’s CEO, watch a Whitecaps match with COO Rachel Lewis, tour EA Studios with an SVP, cook a meal with Chef David Hawksworth, meet the Top 30 Under 30 Founder of Appnovation, do a tour and lunch at the Vancouver Sun with its Editor-in-Chief, watch a Canucks game with its COO, and tour a Polygon Homes property with its CEO.
The Miss604 Time Auction
A lunch meeting with me also up for bids, with your contribution of a minimum of 5 volunteer hours logged. I’ll meet you in Downtown Vancouver for a lunch where we can talk about entrepreneurship, social media strategies, website development and design, blogging, becoming a published author, or some of my favourite topics like local history. You have until February, 2015 to complete some volunteer hours, place your bid, and enter to win this lunch with me. Best of luck!
Photo: Museum of Vancouver, cleaning the stone.
