Got Craft Vancouver Gift Bag Giveaway

Comments 188 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Holiday craft season is in full swing and Got Craft? is a must-see event if you love to shop handmade and shop local. Got Craft? aims to bring together a community that fosters handmade and D.I.Y. culture. Founded in 2007, Got Craft? is held twice a year in May and December featuring handmade designers, craft workshops, tasty treats, DJs, FREE swag bags, and everything from chocolate to cards and clothes.

GotCraftVancouve2013

The 14th annual Got Craft? will be at the Maritime Labour Centre (1800 Triumph Street in Vancouver) on Saturday December 14th (10:00am-8:00pm) or Sunday, December 15th (10:00am-5:00pm). Admission is $3 and children 10 and under are free. New for this show, beer and wine will be available for purchase between 12:00pm and 8:00pm on Saturday.

The first 50 people in line each day receive a swag bag. Designed by The Beautiful Project and hand printed by Locomotive Clothing, each bag is stuffed with a selection of goodies from our vendors and sponsors including MailChimp and UPPERCASE magazine.

Got Craft Vancouver Gift Bag Giveaway

GotCraftGiftBagPrize

If you would like to check out Got Craft? I have a 4-pack of tickets to give away. My contest winner will also receive one of the coveted Got Craft? swag bags AND these special items exclusive to my contest:

The winner plus three guests will be added to the guest list at the show. Here’s how you can enter to win tickets and this gigantic gift bag giveaway:

  • Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
  • Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win #GotCraft tickets & an exclusive swag bag from @lfieldsshoppe + @Miss604 http://ow.ly/rwZtY

I will draw one winner at 12:00pm on Thursday, December 12, 2013. The winner must pick up the swag bag at Got Craft? Saturday December 14 (10am-8pm) or Sunday, December 15 (10am-5pm).

Update The winner is Brent!

West Side Story Vancouver Pre-Sale

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

Broadway Across Canada presents West Side Story in Vancouver at the QE Theatre from February 4th to 9th, 2014 and today you can get a head-start on your ticket purchase.

West Side Story Pre-Sale VancouverPhoto credit © Carol Rosegg. Courtesy of Broadway Across Canada

More than fifty years ago one musical changed theater forever. Now it’s back and mesmerizing audiences once again. From the first note to the final breath, West Side Story soars as the greatest love story of all time. This revival, based on Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents’ Broadway direction, remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway’s finest and features such classics of the American musical theatre as “Something’s Coming,” “Tonight,” “America,” “I Feel Pretty” and “Somewhere.” As the Associated Press says, “West Side Story remains Broadway’s best dance-driven musical. Five decades have not dimmed the extraordinary choreography or the score that pulsates throughout.”

Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents’ Broadway direction is recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).

West Side Story Vancouver Pre-Sale

Tickets for the West Side Story pre-sale go on sale at 10:00am today (Friday, December 6, 2013) using this pre-sale link and this code: JETS.

The pre-sale will end on Sunday, December 8, 2013 and the general public can purchase tickets starting at 10:00 Monday, December 9, 2013 via Ticketmaster online of by calling 1-855-985-5000. Groups of 10 or more can access discounts at 1.800.889.8457.

Give the gift of a theatre experience this season or plan your own night out in downtown Vancouver. Follow Broadway Across Canada on Twitter and Facebook for more information about their shows this season.

NHL Heritage Classic Tickets on Sale Now

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

The 2014 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic will take place Sunday, March 2, 2014 at BC Place as the Vancouver Canucks take on the Ottawa Senators in an open-roof stadium match. The teams’ official jerseys were unveiled last week and today, the NHL hosted a media kick-off event at BC Place with special guests.

NHL Heritage Classic at BC Place NHL Heritage Classic at BC Place

NHL Heritage Classic at BC Place

In attendance today: John Collins/NHL Chief Operating Officer; Michael D. Gillis/Vancouver Canucks President & General Manager; Bill Moir/Tim Horton’s Chief Brand & Marketing Officer and President of the Tim Horton Children’s Foundation; Jeffrey Orridge/CBC Executive Director of Sports Properties and General Manager of Olympics Sports Properties; George Stroumboulopoulos/CBC; Julie Bristow/NHL Revealed™ Executive Producer; Dana Hayden/BC Pavilion Corporation President & CEO; Steve Webb/NHLPA Divisional Representative; Canucks players Ryan Kesler, Kevin Bieksa, and Daniel Sedin.

NHL Heritage Classic at BC Place

Vancouver’s Mayor Gregor Robertson took the opportunity to reference the Vancouver Millionaires defeating the Senators to win the Stanley Cup at Denman Arena in Vancouver in 1915. The Heritage Classic in March will be just shy of the 99th anniversary of that event.

NHL Heritage Classic at BC Place

Following a sit-down chat with all parties involved, the Vancouver Canucks players in attendance headed to centre field to see if they could launch a puck through the uprights at BC Place. The record was held by Sidney Crosby, however today it was shattered by Kevin Bieksa.

NHL Heritage Classic at BC Place

NHL Heritage Classic at BC Place NHL Heritage Classic at BC Place

NHL Heritage Classic at BC Place

The NHL also took this opportunity to promote the NHL Revealed series that will go behind the scenes this season to five outdoor games (featuring nine different NHL teams) and the NHL’s participation in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. NHL Revealed: A Season Like No Other, in the spirit of HBO’s 24/7: Road to the Winter Classic, will debuts January 22, 2014 on NBCSN and January 23, 2014 on CBC (with a re-air January 26th on Sportsnet in Canada). Sportsnet will provide additional viewing opportunities on January 26th, February 2nd, February 23rd, March 2nd (two hours), March 9th and March 16th.

NHL Heritage Classic Canucks and Senators Tickets on Sale Now
Rendering of the Heritage Classic in Vancouver at BC Place. Image courtesy of the NHL.

I have to admit that at first I wasn’t sold with the idea of and indoor/outdoor hockey game at BC Place but being there today with the sun beaming down and the frigid cross winds pinching my nose, I looked up at the stands and imagined them filled with over 50,000 hockey fans. My pond hockey-playing, toque-wearing, maple syrup-loving Canadian heart just melted and I found myself extremely excited for the upcoming match.

NHL Heritage Classic Tickets on Sale Now

Tickets went on sale to the public today via Ticketmaster.ca/NHL and 1-855-985-5000. The game will be broadcast live on CBC and RDS in Canada and NBCSN in the U.S. beginning at 1:00pm (Pacific) on Sunday, March 2, 2014.

As a supporter of the 2014 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic, the 37 downtown hotel members of the Vancouver Hotel Destination Association will be featuring great prices on their booking site at BeVancouver.com. Official fan packages for all NHL signature events will be available from Global Event Forum, the Official NHL Events™ Fan Package Partner.

West Coast Express Santa Train Toy and Food Drive

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Take the train to Vancouver and back for holiday festivities and shopping over the next two Saturdays. The West Coast Express Santa Train is back on track, providing same day return trips in exchange for your donations to local causes.

West Coast Express Santa Train Toy Drive

West Coast express in Haney BC
Photo credit: Pocoken on Flickr

On Saturday, December 7th and Saturday, December 14th, 2013 customers will receive a return ticket for the day in exchange for a new, unwrapped toy.

Santa Trains will be departing Mission City at 10:00am, stopping at all stations before arriving at Waterfront Station at approximately 11:15 am. Once in Vancouver, you can enjoy the sights and sounds of the holiday season before returning home from Waterfront Station at 4:00pm.

Santa will be onboard the westbound trip in the morning to say hello to travelers young and old. In the afternoon, our North Pole Station (at Waterfront) will be open at 3:00pm, so you can come back early to enjoy some music, fun activities and photo opportunities with Santa.

All donations support the Christmas Bureau in Mission, the MRPM Hamper Society and the Share Society of the Tri-Cities.

West Coast Express Santa Train Food Drive

Because the Santa Train has grown in popularity and has been very successful over the years, it expanded beyond its traditional toy drive role in 2010 as a way of providing even more help to those in need. As a result, between December 7th and 14th canned goods and non-perishable food items will be accepted; they can be dropped off at the food collection bins located at Waterfront Station.

*Though donations of canned food will be especially appreciated, to hop onboard the Santa Train riders will still need to bring a new unwrapped toy. This means that we will not be able to exchange a Santa Train ticket for a food donation; it is, however, a wonderful gesture of added generosity.

Donation drop-off locations and exact train times are listed online.

Aunt Leah’s Christmas Tree Lots

Comments 55 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Aunt Leah’s Christmas Tree Lots are now open in several locations around Metro Vancouver. What sets these lots apart is that they are a major annual fundraiser for Aunt Leah’s Place, which helps make a difference in the lives of foster kids, mothers, and babies.

AuntLeahsChristmasTreeLots2013
Photo courtesy of Aunt Leah’s on Facebook

It is estimated that half of BC foster youth will experience homelessness. Aunt Leah’s Society is perhaps the only organization providing programs and support specifically for foster youth transitioning out of government care in BC. Aunt Leah’s provides supported housing, job training, and coaching on essential life skills to foster youth before and after they “age out” of government care at age 19. Aunt Leah’s Tree Lots are the society’s biggest fundraiser each year. Last year, they raised close to $80,000 for Aunt Leah’s unique, targeted programs.

Aunt Leah’s Tree Lot locations for Christmas 2013

Aunt Leah’s has 17 years of experience in tree sales and four locations:

Vancouver Christmas Tree Lot

Location: St. Stephen’s United Church at 54th and Granville Street
Hours: 7 days a week from 10:00am to 9:00pm

Burnaby Christmas Tree Lot

Location: All Saints Anglican Church at Royal Oak and Rumble
Hours: Monday to Thursday from 1:00pm to 9:00pm
Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 10:00am to 9:00pm

Coquitlam Christmas Tree Lot

Location: Eagle Ridge United Church at 2813 Glen Drive
Hours: Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 10:00am to 9:00pm

North Vancouver Christmas Tree Lot

Location: Lonsdale Quay – East Plaza 123 Carrie Cates Court
Hours: Monday, Thursday, Friday from 12:00pm to 8:00pm
Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am to 6:00pm

One hundred percent of the profits from Aunt Leah’s Christmas Tree sales go to pay for housing and programs to support vulnerable new moms and other youths who are aging out of the foster-care system.

Wreath Giveaway

There are seven different types of trees along with stands, wreaths, ornaments and other greenery available for purchase as well. Last year I partnered with Aunt Leah’s for a giveaway and they have graciously offered up a beautiful wreath once again (value $40). 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 a wreath from @AuntLeahs #AuntLeahsTrees & @Miss604 http://ow.ly/rsEbO

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Tuesday, December 10, 2013. Follow Aunt Leah’s on Twitter and Facebook for news and updates.

Update The winner is @jessbailey7!