CandyTown in Yaletown is the neighbourhood’s latest holiday tradition, returning this year on Saturday, November 23, 2013. This free outdoor winter festival offers fun for the whole family in one of the city’s most unique shopping and dining destinations.

CandyTown will be setup along Mainland Street in Yaletown from 12:00pm until 9:00pm on November 23rd, as the heritage district transforms into a winder wonderland.

The Yaletown Business Improvement Association has plenty in store for visitors including horse-drawn carriage rides, Christmas arts and crafts, and plenty of sweet treats. Check out the “All I Want for Christmas” Gift Market, live music, ice carving demos, candy-making, the Yaletown Rotary Club Xmas Tree Lot, CandyTown Cocktail Tour, and visit with Santa.

With food vendors such as Big Red’s Poutine, Coquettish Cupcakes, Maple Sugar Shack, The Pie Hole, BeaverTails Pastry, and the many exquisite Yaletown shops open to start your holiday shopping, this event is not to be missed.

CandyTown in Yaletown also supports the BC Children’s Hospital, Vancouver Food Bank and Starlight Children’s Foundation, and attendees are invited to donate to these important organizations. Follow the Yaletown BIA on Twitter and Facebook for more information about CandyTown and other seasonal happenings.

The Museum of Anthropology at UBC recently opened a new exhibition, The Marvellous Real: Art from Mexico, 1926-2011. On until March next year, The Marvellous Real features 55 artworks that capture the idea of the “marvellous real”, a term coined by Cuban writer and ethno-musicologist, Alejo Carpentier (1904 – 1980). The term is used to describe a particular kind of magic realism that is manifest in the arts and everyday life of Latin America.

Carlos Amorales, Sin título (Untitled) (detail) 2004. Image courtesy of the Museum of Anthropology.

Eluding the expected through bizarre amalgamations, improbable juxtapositions, and fantastic correlations, the marvellous real is, as Carpentier said, “neither beautiful nor ugly; rather, it is amazing because it is strange.”

Drawn from the FEMSA Collection in Mexico, the exhibition includes works by Dr. Atl, Leonora Carrington, Jean Charlot, Juan O’Gorman, Alice Rahon, David Alfaro Siqueiros, Juan Soriano, and Rufino Tamayo, as well as a younger generation of visual artists like Carlos Amorales, Sandra Cabriada, Claudia Fernández, Adela Goldbard, Yishai Jusidman, Alejandro Santiago and Francisco Toledo. Curated by Dr. Nicola Levell (Assistant Professor, Anthropology, UBC).

The exhibition is made possible through the generous support of the FEMSA Collection, the Agencia Mexicana de Cooperación International Para el Desarrollo, the Consulado General de México en Vancouver, the Ollin Mexican Canadian Association for Arts, Culture and Education, and the Fundación Alejo Carpentier.

The MOA galleries and shop (at 6393 NW Marine Drive at UBC) are open daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm and until 9:00pm on Tuesdays.

If you would like to visit the The Marvellous Real exhibit I have a pair of passes to give away (valid until March 30, 2014). Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

Follow the Museum of Anthropology on Twitter and Facebook for more information about this exhibit and other happenings at the museum. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 5:00pm on Friday, November 8, 2013.

Update The winner is Angie N!

The Robson Square ice rink is opening for free skating this season on Friday, November 15, 2013 through to February, 2014.

Photo credit: BC Gov Photos – Submitted to the Miss604 Flickr Pool

Robson Square Ice Rink Hours

Sunday to Thursday: 9:00am to 9:00pm
Friday and Saturday: 9:00am to 11:00pm
Christmas Eve (December 24, 2013): 9:00am to 9:00pm
Christmas Day (December 25, 2013): 12:00pm to 5:00pm
Boxing Day (December 26, 2013): 9:00am to 9:00pm
New Year’s Eve (December 31, 2013): 9:00am to 11:00pm
New Year’s Day (January 1, 2014): 9:00am to 9:00pm

Skating is free with your own skates otherwise rentals are available. Skate rentals are $4, helmets $2, and ice cleats are $2. The rink also features a concession stand with snacks and warm drinks.

The Government of BC’s Robson Square ice rink serves as a seasonal heartbeat to the city, allowing us to slow down and enjoy simple pleasures with family and friends this season while being literally in the middle of the hustle and bustle of downtown shopping.

Ryan Kesler at Old Navy + Robson Square

Old Navy is opening their new store on Granville and Robson on Saturday, November 16, 2013 and they’re doing a cross-over event with opening day of the Robson Square ice rink. The store at 708 Robson will host a huge family-friendly party with ice skating, fab freebies, amazing deals, and an in-store appearance by Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks. Skating that day will be from 9:00am to 11:00pm and there will be special activities and events from 12:00pm to 6:00pm.

Movember at Robson Square

Come on down to the Robson Square Ice Rink on Tuesday, November 26, 2013 and go for a skate with your fellow Mo Bros and Mo Sisters. Free hot chocolate and skate sharpening for anyone sporting a moustache. 5:00pm to 9:00pm.

Neighbourhood Toy Store Day is once again being celebrated at local, independent toy retailers across Canada on Saturday, November 9, 2013.

This one-day celebration encourages you to shop local and enjoy family fun with in-store specials, activities, discounts, deals, giveaways, and more. Participating retailers in the Vancouver area include:

Granville Island Toy Company
Location: 3298 Main St, Vancouver
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The Village Toy Shop
Location: 262 Newport Drive, Port Moody
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Toy Jungle Park Royal
Location: 2022 Park Royal South, West Vancouver
Toy Jungle Morgan Crossing
Location: #N110 – 15850 26th Ave, Surrey
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Follow Neighbourhood Toy Stores of Canada (“A Canadian network of specialty toy retailers and their suppliers working together to provide a superior source of toys within our communities”) on Twitter and Facebook for more information.

The 4th annual Vancouver Christmas Market opens on Friday, November 22, 2013 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza. Filled with the old-world charm of traditional German Christmas markets, the Vancouver Christmas Market offers unique gifts, handcrafted ornaments, live music, sweet and savoury snacks, and over 45 exhibitors in wooden huts decorated in thousands of twinkling lights.

The sights and smells of the festive season culminate with cheer in the outdoor plaza as you stroll along with a cup of mulled wine, shop for gifts, and listen to carols.

For the price of any paid admission again this year, visitors will be given a free Season’s Pass so they can enjoy the Market time and again throughout the 33-day event. You can also come early on weekdays to beat the crowds and enjoy 2-for-1 lunch admission, making the Market the perfect place to grab a delicious midday meal with colleagues and friends.

The Vancouver Christmas Market will be open daily from 11:00am to 9:00pm from November 22nd until December 24th. Admission is $6 for adults (13+) Monday to Friday from 4:00pm to 9:00pm and weekends from 11:00am to 9:00pm. Adult admission is $3 Monday to Friday from 11:00am to 4:00pm. Youth admission is $3, children (up to 6 years old ) are free. Rates include tax and tickets can be purchased online in advance.

Entrance to the market is near the corner of Georgia and Hamilton in downtown Vancouver. Follow the Vancouver Christmas Market on Facebook and Twitter for more information about activities, events, and live entertainment.