Recipients of the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards 2023, presented by Scotiabank, have been announced! winners and nominees were celebrated during a gala ceremony at the Westin Bayshore tonight. 78 nominees across 13 categories were honoured while hosts Sophie Lui and Fred Lee kept the entertainment and program rolling.
There was a greeting by TsaTsomTun Dennis Leon (cultural advisor, Kwantlen First Nations), and Premier David Eby also addressed the crowd of over 1,300 that included local mayors and council, nominees, and supporters.
Each nominee chose a YWCA area that is important to them for a chance to donate $10,000, courtesy of Scotiabank, to the YWCA program of her choice. The public voted on this award, for which all nominees were eligible.
Fundraising
The goal of $140,000 was surpassed, with the evening raising an incredible $167,700 in donations for a new Housing Community in Burnaby. This will provide 32 new homes for 73 women and children.
In the 40th year of the Women of Distinction Awards, the YWCA wanted to dream big. During the event, they announced a goal to find 40 donors to donate $5,000 to honour the amazing women who have built our community. 11 incredible donors have stepped forward already! You can be one of 40 people to donate and make a positive impact on the future of your community.
Nominations Open
Nominations for the 2024 awards are now open! Deadline to nominate is Friday, December 1, 2023 at 5:00pm. The YWCA strongly encourage nominations that recognize the contributions of Black, Indigenous and People of Colour, as well as LGBTQ2S+ individuals. These awards honour all women, including trans women.
Miss604 is a proud sponsor of the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards, since 2010.
A big thank you to Alexis, from the Miss604 team, for being in attendance and getting all of this information along with all of the photos you may have seen on Instagram and Twitter.
A group of local breweries, cideries and distilleries are saying “Cheers!” to Langley’s emerging but vibrant artisan beverage scene with the inaugural Langley Craft Beverage Week May 12 to 21, 2023.
Participating businesses include The Barley Merchant, Brookswood Brewing, Camp Beer Co., Dead Frog Brewery, Farm Country Brewing, Five Roads Brewing, Fraser Valley Cider Company, Locality Brewing, Trading Post Brewing, Smugglers Trail, and Roots & Wings Distillery.
Craft beverage fans can enjoy unique samplings and events hosted by each participating business at their respective locations.
In addition, instructors and students from Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Brewing & Brewery Operations diploma (the only program of its kind in BC and the first brewing program in Canada to be recognized by the Master Brewers Association of the Americas) will be onsite at Craft & Canapes at The Barley Merchant on May 17th, with a special collab brew made with The Barley Merchant team.
Collaboration brews are a hot trend in the drinks world, so the participating local brewers have partnered up on a Langley Loop Collab beer that will launch at the kickoff of Langley Craft Beverage Week. This limited-edition 2023 Brewhalla Beer, called Waterways Black Currant Hazy Pale Ale, will be poured at all craft beverage week events. Think of it as a thanks to the growers, makers and the land around Langley.
Helping to cap it all off, the sixth annual Brewhalla Fort Langley Beer & Music Festival – featuring craft beverages, live music, food trucks and more – will take place May 20th during Langley Craft Beverage Week.
A portion of the proceeds from sales of the 2023 Brewhalla Langley Loop Collab beer will be donated to Watersheds BC, a project hosted at MakeWay. Watersheds BC is a capacity-developing organization that catalyzes, supports, and strengthens local watershed governance and security.
Emily Carr University of Art + Design will be holding its highly anticipated annual 2023 exhibition featuring works from over 350 graduating students from Canada’s top ranked school for art, media and design. Known as The Show, the exhibition celebrates its opening night on May 11th and will run through May 25th at ECU’s campus on Great Northern Way. Admission is free.
Emily Carr University The Show Exhibition 2023
Emily Carr University Student Exhibition: The Show
When: May 11 to 25, 2023
Standard building hours: 7:30am (8:00am weekends) to 11:00pm weekends
Closed holiday Monday, May 22nd
Where: Emily Carr University 520 E 1st Ave, Vancouver
“The Show is a fantastic opportunity for art collectors, industry professionals and members of the public to discover the next generation of talent as graduates complete their education at ECU and step onto the world stage as artists, designers and innovators,” says Trish Kelly, Vice President Academic and Provost of Emily Carr University. “Expect bold, inventive and stunning works that reflect the diversity and extraordinary talent of our graduates.”
One of the graduating students whose work will be featured is Cheryl Wong. Her installation, titled Multisensory Design: HK Memories, features sights, sounds and smells evocative of her native Hong Kong – including a wall hanging made up of red-white-blue bags woven together to form a map of the region.
Another exhibitor is Khim Hipol whose collection of photographs and weavings explore the idea of labour and cleaning as well as Filipino representation in Canada. Hipol’s family worked in the cleaning and service industry when they first immigrated to B.C. and his weaving is influenced by the basahan (cleaning rags) that his grandmother used to make and sell back in the Philippines.
Ranked as the top art and design school in Canada and the 24th in the world, ECU has a history of producing graduates who go on to become some of the most influential creative professionals working today, including Douglas Coupland, Stan Douglas, Sonny Assu, Neko Case, Brian Jungen and Annie Liu, among others.
In addition to the artwork on display, ECU’s Faculty of Design and Dynamic Media will be screening films created by students in the 2D + Experimental Animation, 3D Computer Animation and Film + Screen Arts programs.
Fleurs de Villes brings its world-renowned floral show to VanDusen Botanical Garden for the first time ever with Fleurs de Villes VOYAGE, presented by Porsche. This fresh, floral journey of discovery will connect visitors to the world through flowers from June 9 to 18 as part of the flower show’s global tour. This is an opportunity to celebrate the culture, people and heritage of destinations around the world “en fleurs.”
Fleurs de Villes VOYAGE at VanDusen
When: June 9 to 18, 2023 daily 9:00am to 7:00pm
Where: VanDusen Botanical Garden (5251 Oak St, Vancouver)
Admission: Tickets available for purchase online. General admission (ages 13 and up) $26; Child admission (5 to 12 years) $10; VBGA member admission (ages 13 and up) $24.
This stunning showcase of floral talent will take visitors on a journey of discovery through VanDusen Botanical Garden through pop-up floral installations, including world-famous fresh floral mannequins, all inspired by iconic global destinations. Honouring timeless monuments and diverse traditions, festivals, and fashion from cities around the world, Fleurs de Villes VOYAGE will be a feast of cultural storytelling, connecting the world through flowers like never before.
Fresh floral mannequins and spectacular installations will take visitors on a journey of discovery to iconic global destinations. Inspired by timeless monuments as well as the diverse traditions, festivals, fashion and notable people from cities around the world, the Fleurs de Villes VOYAGE show will be a feast of cultural storytelling, connecting the world through flowers like never before.
The space will consist of installations and activations to surprise, educate, and delight people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. What can only be described as a photographer’s paradise, the floral trail will begin with a beautiful flower festooned archway and wend its way through the magical garden pathways with fresh floral installations by Vancouver’s top floral artists, a fun children’s discovery trail, and live entertainment for floral enthusiasts.
Make the most of your visit by exploring the 55-acre garden, indulging in a floral high tea, or participating in workshops and demonstrations led by talented local florists. Bloedel Conservatory will host another VOYAGE-inspired installation, dazzling guests in the nearby iconic park
Vancouver-based Fleurs de Villes (Flowers of the cities) is an international luxury experiential brand that creates bespoke floral events, partnering with local floral designers to showcase each city’s talent and create stunning displays of art. Fleurs de Villes combines the love of flowers, local design talent, and bespoke, utterly unique displays, for experiential events like none other.
Canada’s largest marathon, the BMO Vancouver Marathon is happening this Sunday, May 7, 2023, winding its way through the city on a spectacularly scenic course. While registration has already soldout, details of the event such as road closures, the route map, and festival info is available below:
BMO Vancouver Half Marathon RUNVAN® Maylies Lang
One of the world’s top destination marathons, the BMO Vancouver Marathon features 70% shoreline views and a stunning tour through twelve of the city’s most iconic neighbourhoods, while the fast Half Marathon kicks off with an epic downhill start overlooking Vancouver’s iconic city skyline.
BMO Vancouver Marathon
When: Sunday, May 7, 2023 8:30am Where: The Marathon and Half Marathon start near Queen Elizabeth Park and finish in Downtown Vancouver. Each race distance offers a uniquely scenic experience. The 8KM starts within Stanley Park on Lagoon Drive.
Featuring a Marathon, Half Marathon, 8KM, and Kids Run, all courses offer stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, towering forests, iconic landmarks, and traditionally run through world-renowned Stanley Park towards an energized downtown Finish Line.
Race routes will impact traffic on Saturday, May 6, 2023, in Vancouver’s Riley Park, Coal Harbour and Downtown area, and on Sunday, May 7, 2023, in Riley Park, South Cambie, Oakridge, Fairview, Kerrisdale, Dunbar, UBC, Point Grey, Kitsilano, West End, Coal Harbour, Chinatown, Yaletown, Cambie, False Creek and Downtown neighbourhoods.
