~~ VIEW THE 2014 EVENT HERE ~~
The 2nd annual Gastown BBQ and Chili Festival will take over Carrall Street from 1:00pm until 8:00pm on Saturday, August 31st and Sunday, September 1st.
This two-day outdoor festival will raise funds for Athletics 4 Kids and provide the opportunity to experience a fantastic local food, BBQ and chili competition, live music, DJs, a craft beer tasting area and more.
On top of the cook-off competition for best ribs, brisket, wings and chili — with judges that include Chef David Hawksworth, Angus Reid (BC Lions), Jason Garrison (Vancouver Canucks), Joe Leary, and Dawn Chubai — there will also be a wing-eating competition. FortKnight Men’s Boutique will be running a charity cut or straight razor shave and you can explore the unique shops and services of Gastown while you’re in the area.
Admission is free for all ages and there are beer tents for those of age. A full scheduled of events is available online.
Gastown BBQ and Chili Festival: After Party
The Blarney Stone will host their 4th Annual Luau & Pig Roast on Sunday, September 1, 2013 at 5:00pm following the festival. The Boom Booms will perform live, the festival award winners will be announced, and the luau and pig roast will round out the weekend’s activities. Follow the Blarney Stone on Twitter for more information about the festival and the after-party luau.
The following has been contributed exclusively by guest author Kristyl Clark of She’s A Valley Mom, @ShesAValleyMom.
While it can be difficult to swap sunscreen and sandals for sweaters and school books, there is plenty of family fun to look forward to in the Fraser Valley this autumn.
From pumpkin patches and corn mazes to spook-tacular ghost trains, enticing events and picturesque trails, the Valley certainly does not fall flat on family fun. Now that my two pint-size princesses are both walking, I can’t wait to explore some of these local gems – many I even enjoyed as a wee Valley gal.
Here are 10 ways for families to celebrate autumn South of the Fraser River:
Aldor Acres
It’s not just the great pumpkins that attract visitors to Aldor Acres. This family farm in Glen Valley offers fun for the entire clan. On the property, one will find numerous animal displays inside the barns, along with a petting zoo that’s home to pigs, goats, rabbits and more.
After visiting with the animals, take a tractor-pulled hayride out to the patch to find that perfect pumpkin – the farm grows over 10 different varieties spread over 15 acres so there’s sure to be one for everybody. Don’t forget to stop by the ‘Farmacy’ for your farm fresh fare – Grandma Anderson’s homemade strawberry preserves are a family favourite in this Valley household.
When: September 30th to October 31st, 2013
Where: 24990 84th Street in Langley
Cost: $7 per person (anyone of walking age), $30 per family (two parents with their own children).
Campbell Valley Park
As the leaves begin to change colour and the air becomes crisp, a walk or picnic at Campbell Valley Park is an absolute must. Enjoy the great outdoors in this 1322-acre (260 hectare) park that offers picturesque hiking paths and horse riding trails galore. You’ll also find a cross-country equestrian jumping area as well as a historic schoolhouse and farmstead that dates back to 1888. I can’t wait to load up a picnic basket and take my two girls to this outdoor oasis.
Note: make sure your bring along some bird seed to feed the little dickey birds – they’ll feed right out of the palm of your hand.
When: Park open year-round
Where: Take Highway 1 east to Langley’s 200th street exit and head south for 14.5km. Turn east on 16th avenue for the North Valley entrance. From Highway 99, take the 8th Ave exit east for 7.5km and follow signs to make your way into the park. You’ll pass 176th (where you would turn to go to the border) and the Campbell Valley Store, which is a sure sign that you’re in the right area — but just keep going a bit further.
Cost: Free
Krause Berry Farms
Berries and wine and fresh-baked pies, oh my! Make sure you bring your stretchy pants when you head to this family friendly hot spot in Langley. With a petting zoo, playground, bakery and most recently added — a winery, it’s no big surprise Krause Berry Farms was voted ‘Best U-Pick Farm in BC‘.
While I haven’t had the pleasure of bringing my girls here yet, it’s been at the top of my family to-do bucket list. For the Fall season, there’s fresh corn, everbearing strawberries and juicy raspberries ripe for the picking. I can’t wait to load up on autumn’s bounty, which includes homemade pumpkin pies and pumpkin ice cream. I’m also eager to grab a bottle of berry-flavoured ‘mommy juice ‘ while I’m there from their country-themed winery. Giddy-up!
When: Open until Dec. 22 (Late April or Early May, depending on crop)
Where: 6179 248 Street in Langley
Cost: Free admission
Greater Vancouver Zoo
Your family will in love with the Greater Vancouver Zoo all over again this autumn. Recently, the zoo launched their ‘best tech secret’ — a website and e-learning experience for visitors called Zoo 3.0. With just a click of your smartphone and the scan of a bar code, you can obtain rare footage and facts about the Zoo’s featured animals: Macaw, Grizzly Bear, Hippopotamus, Siberian Tiger, Oregon Spotted Frog and Muskox. While my brood tends to visit this family destination several times a year, the Fall is our favourite time to swing by. It tends to be less busy and you don’t have to worry as much about keeping cool in the sweltering heat.
When: Open year-round
Where: 5048 – 264th Street in Aldergrove
Cost: Adult (16-64: $22.25), Student (16 plus with ID: $20.25), Child (3-15 :$16.25), Family (2 adults, 3 children: $70.25), Children (two and under are free).
Castle Fun Park
As the mercury drops, you’ll be wanting to have a few indoor activities on the back burner for you brood. Whether you’re young, or young at heart, there’s no shortage of fun to be had at Castle Fun Park in Abbotsford. From indoor and outdoor mini-golf courses to batting cages, go-karts and arcade games, it’s a great spot for a date night or a family night out. I can’t wait to race the hubs on the go-cart track — this Valley mama is gonna kick butt!
When: Open year-round
Where: 36165 North Parallel Road in Abbotsford
Cost: Free admission (arcade, mini-golf, go-carts are all extra)
Twilight Drive-In Theatre
What better way to take off the autumn chill off than to bundle up the kiddies and enjoy an alfresco movie from the comfort of your own car or minivan. A true blast from the past, the Twilight Drive-In is the Fraser Valley’s outdoor big screen experience — it’s also one of only three Drive-In theatres left in B.C.
The hubs and I have our drive-in experience down pat: let the kiddies watch the first family friendly flick and then hope they pass out so we can snuggle and watch the second movie without a peep from the backs-seat peanut gallery.
When: Closes at the end of November and reopens mid-to-late February.
Where: 260 Street and Fraser Hwy in Langley
Cost: General Admission ($12.50), Child (5-12: $7.50) and seniors (65 and over: $9.50). Tuesdays general admission are $9.50 and Thursdays — a great night for families —$28 for a car load with a max of five people.
Chilliwack Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch
Your family will be ‘a-mazed’ by the Chilliwack Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch — pun intended. Since 1999, two families, the Bruinsma’s and the Taekema’s, have been operating their famed corn maze that attracts families from all over the Valley and beyond. If you’ve already mastered the maze before, you’ll be able to return this Fall to a new challege — each year the design is changed.
When: Open until October 31st
Where: 41905 Yale Road West in Chilliwack
Cost: Children 2 and under: free, Children 3-12: $9.50 (incl tax), Adults $11.50 (incl tax), groups of 25 or more $9 each (incl tax).
Taves Family Applebarn
I can’t wait to spend the day at The Taves Family Applebarn with my family once again. Last year, my oldest, Molly,4, enjoyed the enormous Jumping Pillow Bouncy Barn and little Zoe,2, loved to see all the bunny rabbits that take up residence in Bunny Town. Daddy seemed to have his eye on the Cannon Corn Gun — perhaps we’ll have to let him give it a whirl this time around. With so many activities like pony rides, Cider Press Demonstrations, corn maze, pumpkin patch, Up Pick Apples and a Farmville Bee Hive Viewing Window, you’ll want to spend the entire day. Make sure you try the corn on the cob — it’s worth the trek alone.
When: Open until October 31st
Where: 333 Gladwin Road in Abbotsford
Cost: Check out rates here.
Bear Creek Park Train Pumpkin Express
I can still remember the first time I took a ride on the Bear Creek Park Train, which really isn’t all that long ago. In the Fall, the train becomes the Pumpkin Express and takes passengers on a tour through the decorated forest. As the younger passengers depart from their adventure, they are given a child size pumpkin. They can also participant in crafts making under the tent on the platform and play Halloween games.
When: October 11th to October 31st
Where: 13758 88 Ave in Surrey
Cost: Adults: $9 and Children $8:50 each
Historic Stewart Farm House
For the ultimate blast from the past, the Historic Stewart Farm House is another personal favourite. Located in Elgin Heritage Park in South Surrey, this pictureperfect site recreates the time period 1890 to 1920. Here you’ll find a fully restored and furnished 1894 farmhouse, original pole barn with agricultural tool and machinery display, root cellar, heritage gardens and orchard. Walking trails and picnic tables with scenic views make it the perfect spot for a family picnic. Staff and volunteers in Victorian farm provide tours of the house and the grounds — there are also several events thorough the year, including one of my favourite Fall events: the Old Harvest Fair.
When: Open year-round, closed December 22nd until February 10th
Where: 13723 Crescent Road in Surrey
Cost: Admission by donation
And there you have it — 10 fun-tastick Fraser Valley hot spots to discover, or to fall in love with all over again this autumn. If you see me and my family on location at one of these destinations, make sure you say hello. I’ll be the frazzled mom with the luke-warm coffee and a double stroller.
Wines of Argentina will host Celebrate One Night In Argentina in Vancouver on Wednesday, September 25, 2013. The evening will have DJs, a graffiti artist and more than 25 wineries making it a lively festival of modern Argentine culture right here in town.
What: Celebrate One Night In Argentina
When: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 from 7:00pm to 9:30pm
Where: Jewel Ballroom at 1495 West 8th Ave, Vancouver
Tickets: Available online for $49 and receive a $10 discount by using the code: greatwine.
The event will benefit the BC Hospitality Foundation’s Tip Out To Help fundraising efforts: “The British Columbia Hospitality Foundation (BCHF) provides financial support for individuals within the hospitality community who are coping with a financial crisis arising from a health or medical condition. The Foundation also awards scholarships to students enrolled in hospitality, culinary and sommelier programmes in BC.”
Follow Wines of Argentina on Facebook and Twitter, and follow the tag #CelebrateArgentina to find out more about the event.
If you would like to win your way in, and enjoy some incredible offerings from Wines of Argentina, I have a pair of tickets to give away. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Must be 19+ to enter the contest and to attend. Please enjoy responsibly. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Monday, September 9, 2013. You can also enter to win a VIP trip to Whistler’s Cornucopia via Wines of Argentina.
Update The winner is Rachel Cheryl!
I dreamt up today’s photo feature from the Vancouver Public Library and City of Vancouver Archives as I do many others: I type in a subject that I think might be featured in bunch of archive photos and see what comes up. Today, that word was horses and I am in luck. The first gasoline-powered car arrived in Vancouver in 1904 but it took a while to catch on. Horses played quite an important role in the history of the city, even throughout the decades as fixtures of parades and celebrations:
1890: A trio of horses in Hollow Tree and one of the men riding is
Sam Brighouse. Archives# St Pk N1.
(Left) 1900s: These horses are clearing land for the courthouse building (today it’s the Vancouver Art Gallery). Photographer: Philip Timms. VPL# 7197. (Right) 1917: Officers on horseback at the Cambie Street Grounds. Archives# Mil P87.6.
(Left) 1904: Girl on a horse at the Gabriola mansion in the West End. VPL# 7276. (Right) 1908: Man and woman on horseback outside Christ Church Cathedral at Georgia and Burrard. VPL# 8689. Photographer: Philip Timms.
1915-1918: View of road with horse-drawn buggy and motor vehicles at Stanley Park Pavilion. Archives# CVA 1376-110.
1942: Move over Budweiser! These cart horses are pulling for Vancouver Breweries. Photographer: Jack Lindsay. Archives# CVA 1184-1532.
(Left) 1942: Vancouver Breweries horses and cart. Archives# CVA 1184-1531. (Right) 1900: Horse-drawn Vancouver Transfer Company baggage wagon. Archives# Trans P156.
1912: Firemen and horse-drawn engine on Granville at Broadway. Archives# FD P13.
1932: Crowd (including horses) at the opening of the Burrard Bridge. (Left) Archives# CVA 447-118. Photographer: Walter E. Frost (Right) VPL# 25216. Dominion Photo Co.
(Left) 1961: Clydesdales at the PNE. VPL#41099. (Right) 1960s: Pony ride in Stanley Park Zoo. VPL# 41137. Province Newspaper Photos.
1960: Grey Cup Parade along Georgia and Howe in Vancouver. Archives #2008-022.168.
Photographer: Leslie F. Sheraton.
Check out more archive photos here »
The Indigo Girls have been touring the world for the last 25 years and they’re about to embark on a new Canadian Tour this fall. Amy Ray and Emily Saliers are a timeless folk rock duo that has released albums since 1987 both as a group and individually.
Photo courtesy of Paul Mercs Concerts
These social-conscious women each have a long list of accomplishments such as setting up a non-profit, restaurant entrepreneurship, and authoring books. The Two North Canadian Tour will kick-off in Vancouver on Saturday, September 21st and will head right across the country, playing from Nelson to Moncton through to October.
Two North: Indigo Girls Canadian Tour 2013
September 21 Vancouver, BC at the Vogue Theatre
September 22 Victoria, BC at McPherson Playhouse
September 24 Kelowna, BC at the Kelowna Community Theatre
September 25 Nelson, BC at the Capitol Theatre Nelson
September 27 Cranbrook, BC at the Key City Theatre
September 28 Lethbridge, AB at the Yates Memorial Theatre
September 30 Calgary, AB at Knox United Church
October 1 St. Albert, AB at Arden Theatre
October 2 Saskatoon, SK at Broadway Theatre
October 15 Peterborough, ON at Showplace Performance Theatre
October 16 Ottawa, ON at the Centrepointe Theatre
October 18 Guelph, ON at the River Run Centre
October 19 London, ON at Centennial Hall
October 21 Halifax, NS at the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, Dalhousie Arts Centre
October 22 Moncton, NB at the The Centre at Casino New Brunswick
Decades into their career, the Indigo Girls still amaze conventional pundits with their ability to grow and thrive despite the changing state of the music industry. Emily Saliers and Amy Ray began performing together in high school. Since then, they have had a recording career that consists of fourteen studio albums, three live records, and three greatest hits compilations. Of these releases, seven reached gold status, four reached platinum, and one hit the double platinum mark, with cumulative sales in excess of twelve million albums in the US.
With the duo’s tour history spanning twenty-five years, as well as their staunch dedication to a number of social and environmental causes, the Indigo Girls have earned a devoted following over the years. So many artists who launched their careers in the late 1980s have slipped from our collective memory. In contrast, the Indigo Girls stand tall, having earned the lasting respect of a multi-generational audience.
Tickets for the Vancouver show are on sale now via Northern Tickets or by calling (604) 569-1144 or 1-855-551-9747. You can also stop by the Northern Tickets office (near the Vogue Theatre) at 918 Granville.
Win Tickets to Indigo Girls in Vancouver
If you would like to win your way in to see The Indigo Girls live in Vancouver, I have a pair of tickets to give away thanks to Paul Mercs Concerts. Here’s how to enter the draw:
- Leave a comment naming your favourite Indigo Girls tune (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Monday, September 2, 2013. Follow Paul Mercs Concerts on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about upcoming shows and artist events in your area.
Update The winner is @aeamratlal Glenda!
