It’s already May and the list of weekend events in Vancouver is growing longer as we get closer to summer. From local attractions and mainstay markets, to new festivals, shows and exhibits. Check out the big list of things to do around Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley this Friday to Sunday:
Weekend Events in Vancouver Things to do May 5-7, 2023
The Monster – the world’s biggest inflatable obstacle course – is coming to TradeX in Abbotsford in June. Bounce and jump your way around 1,000 feet of inflatable fun, designed for adults and kids alike. The event will also feature DJs and live performances, cocktails and beer, all adding to the fun and festive atmosphere.
Not only is it a great way to get some exercise and release some stress, but it also offers a unique and thrilling way to spend time with friends and family! Take on 42 mind-blowing obstacles including the 59-foot “Mega Slide”, the outrageous “Exterminator” and the terrifying “House of Hell”.
More Events at Tradex
TradeX is one of the Lower Mainland’s largest indoor event centres. A cornerstone of the event industry for over 30 years, TradeX has a long history of hosting live events, trade and consumer shows, festivals, film and sporting events while supporting tourism initiatives within Abbotsford by increasing the economic benefits to the region. Also at Tradex in Abbotsford this season, visit Jurassic Quest from May 19-22 and the Coastal Swap Meet May 26-27.
The Tour de Concord criterium cycling raceand its accompanying Free Family Bike Festival is coming up Saturday, June 10th. Tour de Concord is part of Concord’s returning Summer Wellness Series which also includes “Own Your Run” and Yoga @ Concord Community Park with lululemon.
Concord Pacific Photo
Free Family Bike Festival and Tour de Concord Cycling Race
When: Saturday, June 10, 2023 from 10:00am to 3:00pm
Where: Concord Pacific Place (88 Pacific Boulevard)
Admission: Free! Everyone is welcome to register online and check in on site to receive a wristband that grants admission and access to perks at the bike-themed community festival. All those who register and check-in on site will be entered for various prize draws, including a chance to win thousands in Trek gift cards and a staycation at the Westin Bayshore with a VIDA Spa visit.
The race and the onsite festival will be Vancouver’s first major summer event and takes place on a new 900-metre cycling course fully contained within Concord Pacific Place on the north shore of False Creek. This new configuration allows for a custom designed route that eliminates the need for closures of surrounding city streets to minimize disruptions for surrounding residents.
Experience the exhilaration of amateur and pro cyclists’ racers close-up with: Amateur Races; Kids 6-12 Years Old Track Lap; Concord Charity Race; Men’s and Women’s Pro Races. Athletes can register via Cycling BC.
More Event Features
Kids aged 6-12 are encouraged to bring their own bikes and see how it feels to take a lap on the closed course prior to the Tour de Concord Criterium.
There are also free bike safety checks and tune-ups provided by Trek Bicycle, food trucks, various bike vendors, and a beer garden. Kids can enjoy free treats including popcorn and ice cream.
Cycling BC’s HopOn Kids Zone offers free drop-in skills, obstacle course and games sessions for children between the ages of 3-12.
See displays of the latest e-bikes, road bikes and mountain bikes, and help end bike theft by registering your bike for free onsite with the 529 Garage, the world’s largest digital registration and theft recovery system.
Concord Pacific Photo
Concord Charity Race
Ten teams of three cyclists will complete eight 900-metre laps. The best combined team lap times overall wins $5000 for the local kids’ charity or organization of their choice. There is already a waiting list for this popular race.
Along with Tour de Concord, the Concord Pacific presents a summer wellness series in partnership with lululemon, and the “Own Your Run” which starts today at Concord Community Park. It will be followed in July by Thursday Yoga at Concord Community Park which attracts hundreds every week throughout the summer.
Join the Vancouver Heritage Foundation (“VHF”) to discover the rich heritage and diverse stories of Vancouver’s first neighbourhood: Strathcona. Pick your stops from the self-guided Vancouver Heritage House Tour book and learn historical information about every site with the help of volunteers on location as well.
Tickets cannot be accessed through email as they are detailed guidebooks and must either be mailed if purchased before May 25 or picked up from the VHF office (303 – 3102 Main Street) open from 9:00am to 5:00pm mid-May. Guidebooks may also be picked up from VHF office on June 4 from 9:30am to 3:30pm.
Strathcona, or the East End as it was known until the 1950s, is Vancouver’s first neighbourhood. What started out as a collection of shacks and cottages around the Hastings Mill site has grown into a vibrant, multicultural community filled with historic sites, community spaces, artist studios and corner grocery stores. A diverse area that many new immigrants once called home, it is a community that has managed to survive and thrive, despite constant pressure for change.
Take a peek inside a selection of unique heritage properties and learn about their history, architecture, and design, as well as other lesser-known places and spaces that have shaped the area. Participants will also have the opportunity to connect with local Strathcona businesses and community organizations through outdoor activations and further explore the neighbourhood through themed discovery routes and a heritage scavenger hunt.
The tour is self-guided and ticket holders can choose which stops to visit and in which order. Volunteers and your guidebook will offer historical information about each site as well as additional neighbourhood insights.
The tour will be well enjoyed on foot, by bike or by transit, although parking information will also be provided. Please be aware that ticket holders are responsible for finding and covering costs associated with vehicle parking. VHF will also provide information on local transit routes with your ticket.
This summer at Burnaby Village Museum you can explore historical exhibits and live demonstrations, take a ride on the restored 1912 C.W. Parker Carousel, enjoy a picnic lunch in the meadow, and much more!
Summer at Burnaby Village Museum
When: May 6 to September 4, 2023
11:00am to 4:30pm, Tuesday to Sunday, including statutory holidays
Where: Burnaby Village Museum (6501 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby)
Admission: FREE! Ride the restored 1912 C.W. Parker Carousel for $2.65
Scavenger Hunt Throughout the site Pick up your scavenger hunt at the gates and explore the scents of South Asia.
Bell’s Basics – Bell’s Dry Goods Learn about matching, measuring and patterning fabrics.
Coffee Grinding – General Store See and smell the coffee beans ground by hand.
Cedar Basket – Love Farmhouse Learn about Hazel’s cedar basket.
Ruby’s Lunch – Seaforth School What is in Ruby’s lunch? Find out at the schoolhouse.
Blacksmithing – Blacksmith Shop Watch the metalsmith heat and hammer metal objects.
Weekly Activities
Heritage Games – in the Meadow Tuesdays 1:00pm to 3:00pm Engage in a variety of hands-on games and toys. Fun for kids and adults!
Steam Demo – in the Steam Shed Wednesdays throughout the day Learn about how steam pressure runs machinery.
Butter Making – at the Love Farmhouse Thursdays 11:30am to 3:30pm Watch, learn (or churn?) and try butter made from scratch.
Mahjong – at the Herbalist Fridays 1:00pm to 3:00pm Participate in this Chinese game of strategy, skill, and summation.
Coast Salish Seed Bombs – Saturdays, 11:15am & 2:15pm Make a seed bomb with Coast Salish plant seeds. Take it home or place it in your garden. This is a registered program, book your spot at the entrance to the site for $5.
Gardner in Residence – in the Orchard Sundays, 12:00pm to 4:00pm
Hands on Harvest – in the Orchard Sundays (beginning June) 1:00pm to 2:00pm
Featured Exhibits
Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby
This exhibit highlights the stories of Burnaby’s South Asian Canadian communities as they migrated to Burnaby in the early 1900s to find jobs, experienced restrictive policies and worked together to build community supports. Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby evolved from a multi-year research project to record and present the diverse experiences of Burnaby’s South Asian Canadian communities and features recorded poetry and plays, family photographs, cultural belongings and the commissioned art by renowned South Asian visual artist, Jag Nagra.
Produced in close consultation with the Museum’s South Asian Advisory Committee and curated by Burnaby Village Museum’s Curator Jane Lemke and Simon Fraser University Visiting Faculty Dr. Anushay Malik.
Leela Datta and M. R. Datta with their six children in Nairobi, 1965. The family moved from Nairobi to England, later settling in Burnaby. Leela was born and raised in Kenya, a descendant of indentured workers who managed to build a successful life for themselves. Image courtesy of Shushma Datt and Sadhna Datta.
