Celebrate Indigenous culture and history by becoming a Talaysay Tours App supporter through their Kickstarter campaign, on now until June 21, 2023 and see Stanley Park through their Indigenous lens.
Talaysay Tours photo.
Update! This is fully funded and is available now in the app stores (Apple, Android)
Indigenous Stanley Park Tour App Project on Kickstarter
Talaysay Tours provides uniquely native outdoor cultural tours on the Sunshine Coast, up the Sea to Sky in Squamish and Whistler, and in Downtown Vancouver. Their goal and inspiration is to provide authentic cultural and eco experiences. Their signature offerings for the last few years include Talking Trees, Talking Totems, and the Spoken Treasures tours in Stanley Park. The new app will expand on these popular experiences.
When Indigenous Oral History Meets Technology
The project is an Indigenous-guided tour of Áx̱achu7 (Beaver Lake), X̱wáy̓x̱way (Lumberman’s Arch) and Pápiy̓eḵ (Brockton Point Totem Park) all contained on your mobile phone.
Virtual guides will teach you about the land, totems, art, culture and stories of Stanley Park, a gathering site and home to xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) peoples for thousands of years.
Access generations of oral history and teachings shared for the first time using the exciting location-based video player and interactive map, allowing you to explore the Talking Trees and Totems Tours at your own pace.
Experience the tours from your mobile phone from where you are, anywhere in the world. Or, if you’re visiting Stanley Park, open the app and guides will pop up as you walk along the tour path. They’ll tell you all about the plant, tree, totem or piece of art you are standing next to.
Learn about Indigenous culture, geography, history and language through play through educational interactive games.
You can back the Kickstarter project here. There are a variety of levels of support, from a $10 contribution, to a $50 level with the app, buttons, and tote bag, a $95 level that includes your own tour, and many more. Pick the pledge that works for you and help make this app a reality!
Talaysay Tours photo.
This campaign ends June 21st on National Indigenous Peoples Day and campaign supporters will receive the Fall/Winter App on June 30th.
The Pacific National Exhibition has announced its programming for the Fair August 19 to September 4, 2023 including its popular PNE Summer Nights Concerts.
Fair at the PNE Summer Nights Concerts – PNE Photo
BC’s longest running and largest ticketed event
PNE Summer Night Concerts 2023
PNE Fair guests will enjoy sensational performances this year featuring some of music history’s biggest names in Pop, Rock, and R&B as well as emerging artists whose stars are on the rise.
Saturday, August 19 – TLC Sunday, August 20 – Boyz II Men Tuesday, August 22 – Tenille Townes Wednesday, August 23 – Boney M ft. Maizie Williams Thursday, August 24 – Yung Gravy & bbno$ Friday, August 25 – Billy Talent Saturday, August 26 – AQUA Sunday, August 27 – Billy Idol Tuesday, August 29 – Pink Martini ft. China Forbes Wednesday, August 30 – Doug and the Slugs with the VSO Thursday, August 31 – Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo Friday, September 1 – Jason Derulo Saturday, September 2 – Stars of Drag Sunday, September 3 – Walk off the Earth Monday, September 4 – Blue Rodeo: 30 Years In July
The Summer Night Concerts will run every evening the Fair is open, starting on Saturday August 19th at the Chevrolet Stage in the PNE Amphitheatre.
All concert goers will need a Fair Gate Pass as well as a paid concert ticket. There will be a combination of reserved seats for superfans and standing room only floor tickets. Ticket prices will start at $20 and go on sale via TicketLeader starting Friday, May 26th.
More Entertainment and Attractions
Just for Laughs Comedy will bring several nights of unparalleled comedic talent in the Pacific Coliseum. Headliners to be announced in June.
An Immersive Monet Art Exhibition will feature 400 of Claude Monet’s artworks brought to new life in Beyond Monet, a unique and exhilarating multimedia experience.
Back by popular demand, Knights of Valour will be free with admission. With full contact, un-choreographed, real live jousting, this is a thrilling show of horsemanship, bravery and chivalry like you’ve never seen before.
For the first time ever the PNE will be hosting the Best of the West Archery Championships Saturday, August 26th and Sunday, August 27th.
Flying Fools High Diving Show features incredible world class divers who will make you laugh and make you gasp as they dive from incredible heights.
Of course the SuperDogs will be there, and on the BCAA TOONCITY stage families will enjoy Blue’s Dance Party, Animal Antics, and Super Action Academy.
Be part of The Big Rockout, enjoy the Market, Canoe Cultures, Agriculture at the Fair, nightly fireworks, duelling pianos, and a legendary drag show round out the entertainment.
Purchase your gate passes, ride passes, and concert passes online in advance.
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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Sponsored Post — Sponsored by City of Richmond/Richmond Museum Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
The Richmond Museum Society presents Doors Open Richmond (“DOR”), taking place June 3-4, 2023. This free, in-person event invites residents and visitors to explore 39 diverse cultural places and civic services of Richmond.
Photos submitted
Doors Open Richmond 2023
When: June 3-4, 2023 (open hours vary for each site)
Where: 39 diverse cultural sites and City services (map)
Admission: Free!
Some sites may require pre-registration so check them out in advance on the event website.
Pre-registration is required for the bus tours. Call 604-276-4300 to register. For those with an Xplor account, go online and click “browse and register” and search the registration number for the bus tour listed below.
This year’s event features an array of in-person activities and guided tours that showcase Richmond’s diversity alongside its civic services, providing unique experiences for the whole family.
Some highlights this year include:
Several new sites for 2023 highlight the city’s vibrant cultural mosaic. Among these additions are the Richmond Multicultural Community Services, offering Richmond newcomers an introductory public art bus tour that takes them through local parks and public spaces to discover diverse art installations.
The Turkish Canadian Society invites visitors to indulge in a mesmerizing cultural experience featuring a blend of traditional and contemporary Turkish art, crafts, cuisine, and performances, including a Turkish choir and folk dances.
The return of the popular 39 Service Battalion & 12 Service Battalion Museum, where visitors can witness the dedication of everyday citizens who voluntarily train to support the local army reserve. Visitors can learn about the work happening at the Battalion through displays and insightful commentary from volunteer hosts.
Sites that showcase the diversity of food available in Richmond. Included on the sold out bus tour is a visit to Anar Persian Cuisine, where guests can immerse themselves in Persian culture and sample an array of traditional dishes; Lamajoun Armenian Restaurant, a family-owned business that showcases authentic Armenian and Georgian cuisine, complemented by exquisite clary art from an Armenian artist; and Sanduz Estate wines, boasting one of the largest wine selections in BC set in the heart of Richmond’s rich agricultural lands.
An emphasis on accessibility, with wheelchair and walker friendly bus tours to provide seamless access to the featured sites and some sites providing Cantonese or Mandarin speaking guides.
Established in 2008, Doors Open Richmond is the longest-running Doors Open event in British Columbia.
The local event is part of the Doors Open Canada program and is supported by the City of Richmond, the BC Arts Council and Canadian Heritage. The event is produced by the Richmond Museum Society. Follow on Facebook and Instagram for updates and check the event website for opening hours for the venues as they are subject to change.
Set to open to the public on Saturday, July 1st, the Chinese Canadian Museum is Canada’s first museum recognizing past, present, and future contributions and stories of Chinese Canadians towards the growth and success of BC and Canada.
Chinese Canadian Museum to Open in Vancouver
Once completed, the museum will feature bright, renewed, and contemporary spaces that herald cultural experiences and its connection to the illustrious Chinese Canadian historical perspectives and modern-day narratives. Through exhibitions, educational programming, and special events, the Chinese Canadian Museum promises to be an impactful addition to the fabric of Chinatown and across Canada.
The modern, contemporary, renewed Chinese Canadian Museum will feature:
A special introduction gallery space that will feature Odysseys and Migration, an exhibition exploring the Chinese diaspora from 1788 to present day.
A period living room with interactive antique objects that bring visitors back in time to the 1930s when the original owners of the Wing Sang Building, the Yip Sang family lived in Chinatown.
Chinatown’s oldest school room (est. 1901) with many original elements kept intact — it initially served as a classroom for Yip Sang’s children and children from the community.
An interactive immigration map on which visitors can draw and share the origins and immigration journeys of their families.
A painted mural by Chinese Canadian artist Marlene Yuen, highlighting Chinese Canadian journeys and experiences past to present.
A commissioned Indigenous mural art piece by Musqueam artist Susan Point and her son Thomas Cannell to honour the strong connection and the historical ties of the Indigenous peoples and early Chinese workers in Canadian history.
The Wing Sang Building, which means “everlasting” in Chinese, was originally built in 1889 as a small two-storey warehouse by Yip Sang, a successful merchant whose own story is a testament to the success of Chinese immigrants. A larger three-storey warehouse was built in 1901 to envelop the smaller building. Another separate six-storey building was constructed at the back in 1912 to house his growing family, which included three wives and 23 children. A covered walkway was built between the buildings over the narrow Market Alley, which was a thriving social gathering spot for the community with laundry shops, barber shop, and lodgings.
What’s the Door For?
On the building’s façade can be seen a door on the second floor, appearing to open up to … nowhere. Its purpose will be revealed in the museum’s new video campaign “What’s the door for?” — giving audiences fun facts about the historic Wing Sang Building.
Featuring renowned Hong Kong-born Asian-American actor Tzi Ma, who is now based in Vancouver, the video series also highlights interviews with some of Yip Sang’s eldest grandchildren, including 88-year-old Mel Yip, who shares insights into his family’s legacy and memories growing up in the building.
About the Project
Vancouver real estate marketer Bob Rennie bought the Wing Sang Building in 2004, and renovated and restored it as his office and art exhibition space. In 2022, the Province of B.C. provided $27.5 million to help purchase the heritage building as the home of the Chinese Canadian Museum.
Renovations at the museum are currently underway, as well as the installation of its inaugural exhibition, The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act. July 1, 2023 marks 100 years since the Chinese Immigration Act was passed into law in 1923.
The museum’s renewal is a three-phase multi-year project focused on revitalizing and upgrading more than 21,000 square feet of building space including expanding the amount of exhibition and programming space to house future permanent and temporary exhibitions.
The Chinese Canadian Museum is realized by contributions from the Province of B.C., totalling $48.5 million in support of the establishment. Along with a $25-million fundraising campaign from private donors across Canada, the museum is in great shape for its grand opening, with more work needed in subsequent phases for the full building to be renovated into museum, programming, and education space.
On May 23, 2023 it was announced that the Chinese Canadian Museum received $5,179,000 from the Government of Canada in support of its building and space renewal at its new permanent location. The federal funding is provided through the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan) and will go a long way to the realization of the Chinese Canadian Museum as a world-class museum. These include the development of insightful and compelling exhibitions, public education programs, special events and community engagement initiatives.
The first of its kind in Canada, the Chinese Canadian Museum is located in Vancouver’s Chinatown and will open to the public on July 1, 2023. Follow along on Facebook and Instagram for updates.
The recipients of the 20th annual BC Achievement Foundation Community Awards were honoured at a special event on May 10th. The program, presented by BC Achievement – an independent foundation that honours excellence and inspires achievement throughout the province – recognizes extraordinary British Columbians who build better, stronger and more resilient communities.
BCAF Community Award Recipients 2023
BC Achievement Foundation Community Award Recipients
“This year’s Community Award recipients demonstrate exceptional commitment to making their communities – and our province – healthier, happier and more hopeful,” said Premier David Eby. “From ambitious students to established entrepreneurs, the honourees show us how everyone can have a hand in building a stronger BC. Their stories are sure to inspire British Columbians across the province.”
“We are privileged to showcase and celebrate the contributions of these outstanding recipients who shine as examples of leadership, dedication and selflessness,” said Walter Pela, Chair of the BC Achievement Foundation. “Communities are shaped and strengthened by people who willingly share their talents, passion and time in the service of others,” he added.
The Community Award recipients are selected by an independent jury panel, whose 2023 members include Mayor Sarrah Storey of Fraser Lake, Mayor Maja Tait of Sooke, and past recipients Kal Dosanjh of Surrey, Julie Fowler of Penticton, and Sqwulutsultun William Yoachim of Nanaimo. This year’s recipients include:
Connie Cocchia, West Vancouver
Dr. Amy Gilchrist, Victoria
Jack Gin, Burnaby
James Harry Sr., Burnaby
Kat Hartwig, Brisco
Simon Daniel James, Bowen Island
David Lemon, Delta
Meeka Morgan, Ashcroft
Gerry Nellestijn, Salmo
Kim North, Lillooet
Don Philip Peters, North Vancouver
Stephanie Quon, Vancouver
Esther Rausenberg, Vancouver
Sahara Shaik, Vancouver
Jessie Sutherland, Richmond
Upkar Singh Tatlay, Surrey
Gary Thandi, Surrey
Kiranjot Kaur Toor, Surrey
Spencer van Vloten, Vancouver
Kihlyahda Christian White & Candace Weir-White, Masset
The Mitchell Award designate of the Community Award is selected by the BC Achievement Foundation Board in consultation with the program’s community. The award recognizes an individual who, through their work and/or volunteer activities, demonstrates an unwavering commitment to elevating people around them. This year’s Mitchell Award of Distinction recipient is Kat Hartwig of Brisco, a champion of environmental conservation, whose selfless leadership style empowers others to lead and excel.
Each awardee received a certificate and medallion designed by Robert Davidson, OC, OBC. They are also celebrated through an online campaign #ShineTheLightBC to commemorate their excellence and inspirational achievements positively impacting British Columbians.
For more information about the BC Achievement Foundation or Community Award program follow on Facebook or visit the website here.
Nominations for the 2024 awards will be open starting December 1, 2023.
