5 Reasons to Attend Surrey Canada Day 2014

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

Surrey Canada Day, one of Western Canada’s largest Canada Day celebrations, returns to Cloverdale to the newly and honourably re-named Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre for a full day of family fun on Tuesday, July 1, 2014. There, on the corner of 176th Street and 64th Avenue, you can enjoy entertainment and activities from 10:00am until 10:30pm, with a fireworks show to cap off the day.

5 Reasons to Attend Surrey Canada Day 2014

Surrey Canada Day is free to attend, you can bring your lawn chair or picnic blanket, camp out with the family all day. To get to the Amphitheatre grounds you can walk, bike, take transit, or drive (parking is free). Once you’re on site, here are a few of my favourite things that you should experience:

1. Music

Surrey Canada Day 2013 DSC_0735 Surrey Canada Day 2013

Chevron Main Stage Lineup
11:00am to 11:25am Matt Henry
11:30am to 12:00pm Norma McKnight
12:15pm to 1:00pm Will Stroet
1:05pm to 1:25pm Vancity Bhangra
1:30pm Cedar Hills Caledonian Pipe Band
1:30pm to 2:00pm Opening Ceremonies with Mayor & Council
2:00pm to 2:10pm DRS Bboy Crew
2:30pm to 3:00pm Halfway To Hollywood
3:30pm to 4:10pm Ray Gibson
4:30pm to 5:10pm Country Divas
5:30pm to 6:10pm Barracuda Heart Tribute Band
6:10pm/7:10pm/8:15pm/10:15pm DJ Flip-Out
6:30pm to 7:10pm Kyprios
7:30pm to 8:30pm Daniel Wesley
9:00pm to 10:15pm Matthew Good

2. Community

Surrey Canada Day 2009 Surrey Canada Day 2013 Surrey Canada Day 2010 Surrey Canada Day 2009

Local organizations, non-profits, businesses, and community partners will have tents setup with activities, giveaways, and information. Not only can you get to know your neighbours, you can engage with these exhibitors and learn more about your community while you’re out and about having fun. You can also enter to win a Honda Civic from Surrey Honda!

3. FREE Cupcakes

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Arrive in time for the official kick-off with Mayor and Council at 1:30pm as it’s tradition to follow this up with a massive cupcake giveaway.

4. Kettle Corn and Smoothies

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Burgers, wraps, cotton candy, kettle corn, smoothies, and much more is served up throughout the day. You can bring cash but there are ATMs on site and some food trucks may accept debit. Whether you enjoy grilled meats, a sugary treat, or a full serving of vegetables, there will be something for you at Surrey Canada Day.

5. Fireworks

Fireworks
Photo credit: Guus Krol on Flickr

The free Fireworks Spectacular will follow the mainstage concerts at 10:15pm.

Miss604 is a proud sponsor of Surrey Canada Day

More information about the Canada Day Expo, Shooting Stars Amusement Rides & Bouncy World, Seniors’ Strawberry Tea, and more can be found online and follow Surrey Events on Twitter and Facebook for details leading up to Canada day.

Canada Day Parade and Canada Day Fireworks Vancouver

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

Canada Day parades and Canada Day fireworks celebrations will take place across the region, with various communities celebrating our nation’s birthday with music, activities, and of course a night time display to light up the sky as families look on. In downtown Vancouver, Canada Day at Canada Place will be the centre of attention.

Canada Day Parade and Canada Day Fireworks Vancouver

Canada Day Fireworks
Photo credit: Alexis Birkill on Flickr

Canada Day Parade Along Georgia in Downtown Vancouver

What: Canada Day Parade
where: West Georgia and Broughton Streets
When: 7:00pm on July 1, 2014

The 6th Annual Canada Day Parade presented by Port Metro Vancouver starts at the corner of Georgia and Broughton Streets
ends at Burrard and Pender Streets. This free community event features more than 60 dynamic entries and recognizes diversity, multiculturalism, freedom and the special bond that connect all Canadians. Come and celebrate our nation’s birthday at the parade.

carnaval-canadaday
Photo courtesy of Latincouver

Carnaval del Sol will also take part in the Canada Day Parade in a traditional-style chiva bus. Watch participants salsa and Zumba on the bus along with Mexican, Peruvian and Salvadorean folkloric dance. This is guaranteed to be the most colourful and lively part of the parade.

Canada Day Fireworks in Coal Harbour

Fireworks in Burrard Inlet will be presented by Coast Capital Savings at 10:30pm on July 1, 2014. This will be a two-barge simultaneous pyrotechnic extravaganza with fireworks going off in Coal Harbour AND at Dundarave in West Vancouver.

CanadaDayFireworks

For front row seats to the fireworks, with live entertainment and access to indoor bathroom facilities, you can buy tickets to the Hudson’s Bay Fireworks Viewing Zone, located along the Canada Place West Promenade. Purchase your early bird, discounted tickets through Eventbrite for $12*. Tickets will also be available on July 1st for $15 through Eventbrite or on site at the Canada Place Welcome Centre, located on the Canada Place Front Plaza on Canada Place Way. *Kids 5 and under enter for free.

Vancouver Canadians Fireworks Nights

Comments 2 by Rebecca Bollwitt

The crack of the bat, the smell of the popcorn, and the boom of the fireworks! This season enjoy baseball from the reigning 3-time (in a row) Northwest League Champions, the Vancouver Canadians, along with added entertainment for young and old with giveaways, promotions, and fireworks nights.

[182/365] Happy Birthday, Canada!
Photo credit: AJ on Flickr

Vancouver Canadians Fireworks Nights

When: Wednesday, June 18, 2014
What: Opening Night Fireworks Extravaganza / Magnetic Schedule Giveaway (first 2,500 fans)
Presented by: Granville Island Brewing

When: Thursday, June 19, 2014
What: Fireworks Extravaganza
Presented by: Global BC

When: Saturday, June 28, 2014
What: Fireworks Extravaganza
Presented by: CUPE BC

When: Monday, June 30, 2014
What: Fireworks Extravaganza
Presented by: Scotiabank benefitting The Boys & Girls Clubs of South Coast BC

When: Saturday, July 12, 2014
What: Fireworks Extravaganza
Presented by: Granville Island Brewing

When: Saturday, July 26, 2014
What: Fireworks Extravaganza
Presented by: Scotiabank benefitting Pacific Autism Family Centre

When: Wednesday, August 13, 2014
What: Fireworks Extravaganza / Baseball Giveaway (first 1,000 fans)
Presented by: Carter Honda

When: Saturday, August 30, 2014
What: Fireworks Extravaganza
Presented by: Holborn

Individual game tickets start at just $12.50. For a full list of giveaways and promotions visit the Vancouver Canadians online and follow along this season Twitter and Facebook. The Vancouver Canadians play at Nat Bailey Stadium (4601 Ontario St), which will host these fireworks nights following games.

Carnaval del Sol 2014

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

Granville Street and Robson Square will be the home base of “food, fun, culture, and fiesta” when Carnaval del Sol takes over July 5th and July 6th as a part of Latin America Week in Vancouver.

Presented by Latincouver, this free arts, culture, and music festival kicks off summer in style with energy and flavour, creating a Latin American plaza in the heart of downtown Vancouver.

Some of the scheduled events include locally and nationally renowned Latin musical artists, folk dance troupes, a marketplace that displays the work of Latin American artisans and games for kids. As soccer is an important activity in Latin America that brings communities together, a traditional multicultural street soccer tournament is another highlight of the Carnaval Del Sol.

Registration for the street soccer tournament at Carnaval del Sol is now open. Join soccer fans and organize a team to play in the “LatinCouver Mini World Cup” where 16 teams will play in a world cup-style event with each team representing a country of the world.

Latincouver Carnaval del Sol
Photo credit: Michael Kwan on Flickr

Head over to Robson Square for a dance party, enjoy cuisine from local food trucks, take in the secondary stage entertainment lineup, and check out the work of many local and international artists. Carnaval del Sol will be located along Granville Street, from Nelson to Dunsmuir.

Latin America Week in Vancouver

Miss604 is a proud media partner of Latin America Week in Vancouver and the Carnaval Del Sol, presenting the following events this summer: Latin America House for World Cup viewing June 12 to July 13; Carnaval Del Sol July 5-6; Inspirational Latin Awards July 2; Canada Day Parade July 1; Tastes of Latin America June 28 to July 6, 2014.

Travel Nevada: Death Valley and Sandrails

Comments 1 by John Biehler
Disclosure: Review — John's experience was courtesy of Travel Nevada. He was not paid to write this recap and it is formed of his own opinions. Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.

One of the things I love about Las Vegas is the wide variety of things to do there, aside from the casino floor (which can also definitely be fun). This series will share my recent trip with Travel Nevada, covering some of the fun activities that you can do in Nevada, all within a few hours (or less) from the Las Vegas Strip.

Death Valley and Sandrails

The final instalment in my Travel Nevada series covers a few popular day trip options when visiting Las Vegas. A popular one is Death Valley National Park. At around 2 hours from the strip, Death Valley has lots of sights to see. Just make sure you bring lots of water and have a full tank of gas.

Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler
Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler

Our first stop was the Furnace Creek Visitor Center where their outdoor thermometer told us what we already knew, it was hot out.

Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler

Our next stop was Zabriskie Point to see some of the beautiful panoramic views of the area with the valley floor in the background.

Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler
Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler

Next up was Devil’s Golf Course. A massive lake bed that dried up leaving behind all the salt formations. You can actually hear it crackling in the hot sun…like ice on a sunny winter morning. Desolate doesn’t begin to describe this place.

Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler
Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler

Our final stop in Death Valley was Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level.

Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler
Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler

We decided to stay overnight in Pahrump, Nevada at Wine Ridge to give us more time in the park. These little cottages made for a great stay next door to a winery and meant we didn’t have to a 2 hour drive back to Las Vegas after a day in Death Valley. Pahrump is also home to the Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch where a number of automotive manufacturers test out their vehicles in the extreme heat of Death Valley.

Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler

If you’re looking for a different kind of pace, another popular destination is Laughlin, Nevada. With it’s beautiful river boardwalk and easily walkable ‘strip’, a host of hotels and casinos, Laughlin is also a great place for outdoor activities either on the water or in the desert.

Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler

We met up with Joe from Dirt Road Tours and headed into the hills to hit the trails with his sandrails.

Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler
Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler

With miles of trails for off roading, it was a fun way to spend the morning. You do need to start early before the midday sun kicks into full effect. Expect to get very dusty and dirty…in the best way.

Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler
Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler
Travel Nevada
Photo credit: John Biehler

These machines are a blast to drive. I could have done this all day.

More photos of Dirt Road Tours and Death Valley National Park can be found on my Flickr.