Combine fitness, performance art skills, and good old fashion play with CircusWest this fall as they launch their new program for the season for kids and adults alike.
Photos courtesy of CircusWest
CircusWest is Vancouver’s circus performing arts society – a comprehensive circus arts centre for all ages. Located in the historic Garden Auditorium on the PNE grounds in east Vancouver, CircusWest offers children, teens, and adults an opportunity to explore Circus Arts in an encouraging, non-competitive environment. CircusWest’s programs encourage respect for oneself and others and provide an environment to learn responsible risk-taking. As a collaborative community in which everyone can develop skills, find their artistic voice, and realize their potential, CircusWest is a creative space where individuals can dream big, push limits, and defy gravity – all while having fun.
Programs include: CirKids (ages 3 to 19); Camps (spring break and summer); CATS Circus Arts Training Sessions (drop-in practice); Adult & Teen (classes for ages 13 and up); birthday parties (kids, teens, and adults); and workshops (for groups, companies, team-building).
Not sure what class may be for you? CircusWest is offering an Intro to Circus Fun Night on September 10th from 8:00pm to 9:30pm, where you can try your hand at a variety of circus skills and equipment on this safe and fun filled night. Please note, that some of the more popular classes may fill up by this date, so sign up in advance if you know which class you want to take.
CircusWest’s classes make for perfect training to help build and maintain core strength, balance and flexibility while providing a unique way of artistic expression. There are classes offered for all ages in a supportive, non-competitive environment let by highly experienced coaches.
Win Free Tuition
CircusWest has partnered with Miss604 to give away tuition* for a 6-week Adult & Teen class (September 15 to October 26). The winner can choose from a variety of classes including trampoline, tissue (aerial silks), main a main (handstands), acrobatics, aerial hoop & trapeze, intro to jazz & modern, strength & flexibility, swinging trapeze and partner acro.
Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, September 3, 2014. The winner drawn can either sign up for themselves or gift this prize to a loved one (for example a parent can sign up their child, provided the child is 13 years or older). Follow CircusWest on Twitter and Facebook to learn more about their programs and special events.
*Must be 13 years and up to participate in Adult & Teen classes. The winner will be required to pay for Gymnastics BC insurance ($20) and CircusWest annual membership ($15). Prize includes a quality class of $155-200 in value for a 6-week class September 15 to October 26, 2014.
Update The winner is Jenn!
Two days ago Instagram introduced Hyperlapse, a new app that allows users to create speedy timelapse videos with their phones:
“Traditionally, time lapse videos depend on holding your phone or camera still while you film. Hyperlapse from Instagram features built-in stabilization technology that lets you create moving, handheld time lapses that result in a cinematic look, quality and feel—a feat that has previously only been possible with expensive equipment. We designed Hyperlapse to be as simple as possible. You don’t need an account to create a hyperlapse. Instead, you open up straight to the camera. Tap once to begin recording and tap again to stop. Choose a playback speed that you like between 1x-12x and tap the green check mark to save it to your camera roll. You can share your video on Instagram easily from there.”
5 Vancouver Hyperlapse Videos
Vancouverites have been quick to add Hyperlapse to their app collections and film the city around them. Here are just a few early Hyperlapse videos of Vancouver that locals have captured this week.
Hyperlapse from Instagram is available only for iOS devices in Apple’s App Store right now.
The Rifflandia Festival will take over Victoria clubs, bars, public spaces and parks from September 11th to September 14th as this mega music event welcomes acts like Girl Talk, Serena Ryder, Dragonette, The Skatalites, Dear Rouge, Head of the Herd, Jon and Roy, Rich Aucoin, We Hunt Buffalo, and dozens more.
Rifflandia Festival Artists
Death Cab for Cutie, Girl Talk, Serena Ryder, Dragonette, Del the Funky Homosapien, Kool Keith The Beatnuts, Choir Choir Choir, LIINKS, Miami Nights 1984, Neon Steve, Oliver Swain’s Big Machine, Ratking, The Roper Show 222, Annie Becker, Bocce Avocado, Chet, The Franklin Electric, GI Blunt, Kate Kurdyak, Lola Parks, MF Jones, The New Groovement, Paperboy & the Messengers, Raleigh, Ruby Karinto, Shaprece, The Shilohs, DJ Stallion Thieves, DJ Trever, The Wild Romantics, Willhorse, DJ Wood… just to name a few!
Since 2008, Rifflandia has become a city-wide music fest in our province’s capital with an impressive concert lineup, theme days like Nautical Friday, Save The Day Saturday and R&R Sunday, and a collection of three creative festivals (Thinklandia / Artlandia / Makelandia) all rolled into one. There’s also a charity component with $2 from every Rifflandia ticket sold going to War Child making it a very worthy (and fun) reason to hop a ferry to Victoria for the weekend.
Rifflandia Venue Map
Single day tickets and festival passes are available online or in person at Royal McPherson Box Office, Lyle’s Place, and Ditch Records. Follow Rifflandia on Twitter and Facebook for more information. Some venues are open to children (12+) so whether you’re looking for weekend fun with the family or your favourite band is playing your favourite Victoria club, there’s something for everyone.
Vancouver’s cobblestone streets will be dripping with sweet and smoky sauce this weekend as the Gastown BBQ & Chili Festival takes place Saturday, August 30th and Sunday, August 31st. Carrall Street will be closed to traffic and the neighbourhood will turn into a festival space complete with live music, picnic tables, and some of the city’s best barbecue.
Photo courtesy of Gastown BBQ & Chili Festival
Gastown BBQ & Chili Festival
Entertainment includes Bend Sinister, The Sheets, and The Deep End while the following restaurants participate in the BBQ & Chili cook-off:
The Blarney Stone, Chill Winston, The Irish Heather, TUC Craft Kitchen, Lamplighter, Peckinpah, Gringo, The Hastings Warehouse, Calabash, The Charles Bar, Deacon’s Corner, Railtown Café.
The festivities will take place on the 200 block of Carrall Street, between Water St (Gassy Jack statue of Maple Tree Square) and Cordova Street (passing by the entrance to blood alley). The entire street will be closed to vehicular traffic. Large tents and barbecues will line the street which will be filled with picnic tables, a beer tent, restaurant patios, and a large musical stage hosting live music all weekend long.
Visitors can enjoy a wing eating competition, brisket, chili, pig roasts, dancing, music, appearances by Jason Garrison (NHL), Georgia Simmerling (Canadian Ski Cross Team), Angus Reid (BC Lions), Jordan Harvey (Whitecaps) and more. This year’s festival will be in support Athletics for Kids.
Food stations will be open both days from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. Saturday’s festivities will run from 12:00pm to 5:00pm and Sunday’s from 12:00pm to 10:00pm finishing up with Bend Sinister’s performance at The Blarney Stone. View the event schedule online and follow The Blarney Stone on Twitter for more information.
The Westham Island Herb Farm hosts their 9th annual A Day at the Farm event on Saturday, September 6, 2014 from 10:00am to 4:00pm.
Organized by the Delta Farm and Wildlife Trust A Day at the Farm is a great way for the entire family to learn about farming and agriculture in Delta. Go for a ride on a hay wagon tours, meet a dairy farmer, learn about chickens, see how crops grow in the region, watch draft horses plough, and listen to live music.
The goal is to give Lower Mainland residents the opportunity to reconnect with where their food is grown while also learning about how the island’s habitat is home to many wildlife species.
Now for a bit of a geography lesson: Starting in New Westminster and heading west, the Fraser River first splits around Lulu Island (Richmond) and Annacis Island. The north arm waves around Mitchell Island and then Sea Island (YVR Airport) and Swishwash Island before touching down in the Salish Sea (Strait of Georgia).
The south arm passes Deas Island (which is actually attached to the land), Kirkland Island, Gunn Island, Barber Island, Duck Island, Shady Island and finally Westham Island before it hits the sea. Westham Island is home to several farms, a winery, the Alasken Nation Wildlife Area and the George C. Reifel Bird Sanctuary.
Westham Island Herb Farm is open daily to the public, from 9:00am to 5:00pm, between May and October. All of their produce is grown by them or their neighbours in Delta soil or from other agricultural areas of British Columbia. Explore this area during A Day at the Farm on September 6th and follow the Westham Island Herb Farm on Twitter and Facebook to learn more about what they do and their upcoming events heading into a new season.
