Vancouver is a city of runners — of all levels — and our sidewalks, Seawall paths, and forest trails are well-traveled. We’re fortunate enough to have a variety of running events offered each season and the next big one is the SeaWheeze Half Marathon along with the Sunset Festival.
SeaWheeze Half Marathon
- What: A 21.1km half marathon around Downtown Vancouver and Kitsilano.
- Where: The run starts and finishes near the Olympic Cauldron at West Cordova and Thurlow, outside of the Vancouver Convention Centre.
- When: Saturday, August 10, 2013 with the Half Marathon starting at 7:00am. All runners will finish the course by 12:15pm (with a strict 12:30pm course closure).
- Road Closures: There will be road closures in Chinatown, Coal Harbour, Downtown, West End, and along the Seawall. A full list is available online.
The SeaWheeze Half Marathon will take place August 10th and it’s already sold out however you can still join in the fun at the Sunset Festival with music, yoga, a showcase store, and more all open to the public.
SeaWheeze Showcase Store
The SeaWheeze Showcase Store is a 28,000 square foot space full of exclusive SeaWheeze product available only on SeaWheeze weekend. It will be located at the Vancouver Convention Centre on Friday, August 9th (8:00am to 9:00pm) and Saturday, August 10th (8:00am to 1:00pm).
SeaWheeze Yoga
Join a free yoga class with 500-5,000 other yogis at Jack Poole Plaza on Friday, August 9th from 12:00pm to 1:00pm, or on Kits Beach from 7:30pm to 8:30pm.
SeeWheeze Sunset Festival
SeaWheeze finishers and the public are invited to the Sunset Festival with yoga, food, live music, beer garden, and more at Brockton Oval in Stanley Park. Gates are open from 4:30pm until 10:15pm on Saturday, August 10th. Tickets are available online for $25.
No parking will be available so you can either take transit into Stanley Park and walk over or walk all the way over from downtown (it’s not that far!). A shuttle will also be running from the finish line over to the festival location and there will be bike parking by donation.
At 4:30pm you can BYOM (Bring Your Own Mat) for some yoga ahead of the evening’s entertainment. The live concert will begin at 7:15pm with Passenger followed by Xavier Rudd.
Download the SeaWheeze iPhone App for more route, run, and event information.
The Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival is coming up on Saturday, August 10, 2013 at Deer Lake Park with top acts such as Blue Rodeo and Charles Bradley (the Screaming Eagle of Soul).
A soulful mix of quality tunes, a green backdrop at the lake, the ability to bring your own blankets, low-back beach chairs and coolers, all make this one sweet summer festival in the heart of the city. Tickets are currently on sale for $70 (taxes/fees may apply) or $200 for a party park of 4. Single tickets are available at the door as well for $75. Children 12 years and younger are free at the gates with an accompanying adult.
Other performers include Shakura S’Aida, ZZ Ward, Ndidi Onukwulu, David Gogo, Jon and Roy, The Sojourners, John Lee Sanders, Vince Vaccaro, Brickhouse, and Shaun Verreault. Follow the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival on Facebook for more event information.
UniverCity’s I SPY Contest
UniverCity is an impressive new development atop Burnaby Mountain at SFU. I admit I haven’t spent much time at SFU recently and I couldn’t believe the changes throughout the last decade. Condominiums, plazas, beautifully-crafted buildings, grocery shopping, dining options, and my new favourite thing — Yeti Yogurt.
In the 1990s, SFU created its Community Trust to build a community that would generate income for the university from development without damaging the environment. That community became UniverCity, a model for practical and affordable sustainability.
SFU had two primary goals in developing a residential community: to create a more “complete community” on the mountain, with a diverse range of housing choices, shops, services, and amenities; and to establish an Endowment Fund to support teaching and research at SFU. Although the land remains under SFU ownership, fully serviced and subdivided parcels are available to developers through 99-year lease agreements. [Source: UniverCity]
This residential community is at one of the highest points in Burnaby and celebrates all the city has to offer including the showpiece of summer, the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival.
UniverCity is currently hosting I SPY, a contest to win tickets to the festival. To participate, search for UniverCity stickers hidden within the community each week. Once you have found the sticker, claim your tickets at the Trust office (#150-8960 University High Street) during office hours (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm).
Visit the Trust office or follow along on Facebook and Twitter (SFU Community Trust) for clues on the ticket whereabouts. A total of 8 (4 pairs) tickets are up for grabs. Participants are eligible to win a maximum of one pair (2) tickets. The I SPY contest runs until August 9th, 2013.
My Contest
To promote the I SPY contest, UniverCity has offered up a pair of tickets to one lucky Miss604 reader as well. Here’s how you can enter to win your way into the Burnaby Blues and Roots Festival on August 10th:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Tuesday, August 6, 2013. The winner’s tickets will be available for pick-up at the UniverCity Trust office. Update The winner is: Judy Cupskey!
There are a few photo themes you’ll come across pretty much every day when you join the popular mobile photo sharing site Instagram. Images of food, cats, feet (running shoes, heels, barefoot at the beach), airplane wings, and sunsets. In Vancouver, you can probably add Quarry Rock to that list. The main attraction of this North Vancouver hike are its panoramic Deep Cove and Indian Arm views.
Quarry Rock Trail
According to the BC Mountaineering Club this 2 hour hike is about 3.8km, it’s open year-round, it’s pet-friendly, it gains 100m in elevation and is considered “easy”. You can get to the trailhead in Deep Cove by transit and there are plenty of beaches around to cool off after your trek.
The Quarry Rock Trail is located at the start/end of the Baden Powell Trail, a 48km-long route that traverses the north shore from Horseshoe Bay to Deep Cove. Points of interest along the Baden Powell Trail include the summit of Black Mountain, crossing the Capilano River by way of the Cleveland Dam, the Grouse Grind, Lynn Canyon suspension bridge, and Seymour Canyon.
The start of the Baden Powell Trail begins along Panorama Drive just beyond the park area. Look for the sign on the left side of the street and walk up the edge of the driveway towards the wooden steps. The first section of the trail climbs quickly up the set of stairs and then up and over the maze of tree roots.
The terrain is typical of North Shore hikes; densely wooded areas of Douglas Fir and Hemlock trees, small creeks from mountain runoff, and the smell of fresh forest air. [Source: Vancouver Trails]
Once you’re done taking in the views from Quarry Rock, you can enjoy a free summer concert in Panorama Park or stop into one of the local cafes for a treat.
For more information about hikes this season, check out Tourism Vancouver’s Top 5 Easy Summer Hikes and sites like Vancouver Trails and Club Tread for detailed information.
Canada was on display last night at the Celebration of Light fireworks in English Bay as hundreds of thousands took to the shoreline to witness the show in the sky. Although the UK received praise for their James Bond-themed fireworks last Saturday, the chatter online seems to favour the home country:
https://twitter.com/ProtruckR/status/362873366140555265
This morning, a few fireworks photos of Canada’s turn at the Celebration of Light have been contributed to the Miss604 Flickr Pool:
Thailand finishes the Celebration of Light fireworks season on Saturday, August 3rd. Be sure to show up early on fireworks nights to enjoy free SHOREfest concerts and the Red Bull Airshow.
Molson Canadian Live and The Cellar Nightclub on Granville have announced their Summer Concert Series line-up and it’s packed with local talent. After a day in the sun, duck inside to enjoy live music from the following acts:
Friday, August 2nd, 2013
We Hunt Buffalo, The Wild!,
Slow Wave Saga
Friday, August 9th, 2013
The Turn, Columbia, Pedwell, Matt Cairns
Tuesday, August 20th, 2013
Colleen Brown, Ben Parker
Friday, August 30th, 2013
Bleeker Ridge, Static in the Stars,
Gentle Machine, MG Graveyard
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Wednesday, August 7th, 2013
Hunter Valentine, Set to Stun,
The Deadset
Friday, August 16, 2013
Fields of Green, Modern Limits,
This Side of Town, Quarterlights
Friday, August 23rd, 2013
Dear Rouge, The Oceanographers
Sunday, September 1st, 2013
Anami Vice
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When you attend a Molson Canadian Live Summer Concert Series event at The Cellar between now and September 1st, 2013 you will be entered to win a grand prize of a trip for two to Ontario’s Cottage Country for the Molson Live @ The Lake concert event in September.
Attendees at The Cellar specifically between now and August 7th also have the chance to win tickets to Squamish Valley Music Festival, which is coming up August 9th and 10th.
Tickets for the Summer Concert Series at The Cellar are available online in advance for $10. Doors open at 7:00pm on showcase nights.
If you would like to win your way into the Summer Concert Series on Friday, August 16th, 2013 with Fields of Green, Modern Limits, This Side of Town, and Quarterlights, I have a pair of tickets to give away. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment naming your favourite artist on the line-up for the Summer Concert Series (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, August 7th, 2013. Must be 19+. Please enjoy responsibly. Follow The Cellar on Facebook and Twitter for more special event info.
Update The winner is Tracy!
