This winter the City and Slope festival will tie in adventures on our local mountains with interactive events downtown. From February 9 to 12, 2012, you can enjoy live concerts, attractions, and snow-filled action on the hills.
City
Illuminate Yaletown: Light displays, music, and more in this heritage district.
Science World Light Show: Nightly on the dome.
Museum of Vancouver: Check out the Neon Vancouver / Ugly Vancouver exhibit.
Slope
Mount Seymour: Enjoy “80s Day” on Sunday, February 12th. Dress up and enter to win some great prizes.
Grouse Mountain: Enjoy 24 hours of winter at Grouse as it stays open February 11th straight through to February 12th. Sunset and sunrise snowshoe tours, live DJ’s, nighttime ziplining, and hitting the slopes at 3:00am, if you like.
Cypress Mountain: It was 2 years ago that Cypress welcomed the world and was home to Canada’s first Olympic gold medal. They’re bringing the excitement back in a Vancouver 2010 anniversary celebration Friday, February 10th.
Visitors can build a weekend package (hotel stay and activities) from $218. A full schedule is posted online including information about the Hey Ocean, Benny Benassi, Alesso, Ko, Kevin Scott, and Dave Aude performances.
To promote City and Slope, I’ve been offered 2 passes for Grouse Mountain to give away. The winner can use these anytime this season and even during City and Slope’s “24 Hours of Grouse”. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post naming a City and Slope event (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries next Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 11:00am. Follow City and Slope on Twitter and Facebook for more information and event listings.
Update The winner is @alicejhwong!
Today is Robbie Burns Day, celebrating the life and poetry of Robert Burns. Burns Suppers are usually held January 25th (the anniversary of the Scot’s birthday) and involve whisky, haggis, and reading of Burns’ poetry.
Photo credit:
rfduck on Flickr
This year Simon Fraser University is taking the notion of the Burns Supper one step further by attempting to set a world record for the logest recitation of Robert Burns’ poetry and songs.
What SFU Marathon Burns Reading.
When January 25, 2012 8:00 am to 12:30 pm
Where SFU Harbour Centre, 515 W Hastings St
Notes This is a free event but you are to “bring your own Burns” for reading.
It’s probably too late to RSVP online and book a 5-minute time slot for your reading but the public is welcome to attend. There will be refreshments and entertainment all morning.
Update They did it! According to News1130, SFU set a new world record with their Robbie Burns Day readings. Over 100 people spent 4 hours, 9 minutes, and 24 seconds reciting the poet’s words.
Illuminate Yaletown returns next month as the historic streets of Yaletown host a winter festival complete with dazzling installations. Light art exhibits will be glowing between Drake and Nelson, on Mainland and Hamilton Streets once the sun sets on February 10th and 11th.
Photo credit:
[travelfox] on Flickr – Submitted to the Miss604 Flickr Pool
Illuminate Yaletown utilizes advanced video and lighting technology that is both cutting edge and power smart. Showcasing the latest technological and environmental advancements in the lighting and power generation, this light show has the ability to awe the audience with its brilliance. Illuminate Yaletown is an event that can speak to the use of renewable power sources, cleaner generation technologies as well as more efficient light technologies.
Photo credit:
Matzuda on Flickr – Submitted to the Miss604 Flickr Pool
Photo credit: Adam Nowek & mountainhiker on Flickr – Submitted to the Miss604 Flickr Pool
The event is free to attend and explore and will host a photo competition on Flickr. Add your photos to the Illuminate Yaletown group and tag them with “Vancouver” and “Yaletown”.
Illuminate Yaletown is a part of City and Slope that will take place around Vancouver February 9 to 11, 2012, tying in events on the local mountains with festivities in town.
BC Travel Tuesday, with a Whistler spin, continues this week as I partner with backyardbc.com to help British Columbians get out and explore their home province.
backyardbc is a new travel website designed specifically for residents of British Columbia. Essentially a “be a tourist in your own backyard” program, participating hotels & resorts offer residents of BC exclusive rates and specials, designed to motivate BCers to travel more within the Province. Each offer has its own unique reservation code, and all bookings are done directly with our hotel and resort partners. Visit backyardbc online, on Twitter, or Facebook and see more of BC!
The winner of last week’s getaway to the Coast Whistler is Natalie (Comment January 17 at 11:09pm). We have 3 weeks left of Whistler accommodation giveaways and today’s prize is located in Creekside. Close to restaurants, the slopes, and the famous Southside Diner, there’s no shortage of things to do. Staying in and enjoying the snow-flanked hot tubs at your hotel is also a fine way to spend a chilly evening.
Evolution Whistler Creekside
Website, Twitter, Facebook, backyardbc listing
Location: 2020 London Lane, Whistler, BC
About: “Just a 2 minute walk from the Whistler Creekside Gondola, this modern mountain lodge offers trendy suites with chic design, as well as a full kitchen with high end appliances, dining area, living area with a cozy fireplace, private balconies and an in suite washer and dryer. The amenities are endless with an outdoor heated pool, two hot tubs, a sauna, eucalyptus steam room, fitness centre, a games room and a media room.”
Prize: 2 Nights accommodation in a 1 bedroom suite.
Value: $600
To enter to win, leave a comment on this post (1 entry) and/or post the following on Twitter (1 entry):
Gift certificates for hotel and resort stays will be sent directly to each weekly winner so they can arrange their visit personally with the property. Based on availability. Blackout dates for Evolution are February 17 to 25, March 9 to 17, May 18 to 20, December 21 to January 1, and all stat holiday weekends. Must be 19 years of age or older to enter and win. This week’s winner will be announced next Tuesday.
View all posts in the series by following or subscribing to my BCTravelTuesday tag. Open to residents of BC.
It was on this day, January 23, 1939 that the two lions on the South end of the Lions Gate Bridge were installed. The two regal figures were created by Charles Marega and were the last commissioned work for this prominent yet struggling Vancouver sculptor.
1939 – VPL Accession Number: 3036. Photographer: Leonard Frank
A letter from Charles Marega about the pieces:
“Thank God I have work now. I am modeling a Lion for Vancouver’s suspension bridge. I had much trouble to get the work. The engineer is from Montreal, and wanted the Lion to modeled in Montreal. But the president of the bridge committee, who is a long-standing friend of mine, and his wife a good friend of mamas, finally assigned the work to me. I would have preferred the Lions to be in bronze or stone – but it has to be cheap – so they will be done in concrete which annoys me, as I could otherwise have made both Lions from one model. However I have to content myself to get work at all.” – letter from Charles Marega dated August 1938 found under the Public Art Registry & in the posession of Marega researcher Peggy Imready.
Looking at some older photos of the lions (like the two directly below) it almost looks as though there are horns or hats on top of the lions’ heads. I haven’t been able to find any record of these and they don’t appear in the 1939 photo at the top of this post. Since both of the following photos were taken on the same day, perhaps decorating the lions is a tradition that is decades old.
1950’s – VPL Accession Number: 41405 & VPL Accession Number: 41406A by The Province Newspaper
Over the years the lions have been a sign of ‘quitting time’ for North Shore commuters, the focus of tourist photos, brought awareness to causes and campaigns through their mysterious get-ups, and provided support for our home teams.
The Lions Gate Bridge was completed in 1938 and was orinally just 2 lanes. It was tolled until the 1960’s although the toll revenue covered the bridge expenses by 1952.
