A few months ago I signed on to sponsor Hats Off Day in Burnaby. I admit, when the Burnaby Heights Merchant Association approached me I had never previously heard of the event. What I soon found out is that it’s an annual highlight for many and whenever I would mention it in conversation, the responses were along the lines of “I love Hats Off Day!“, “It’s my favourite!“, “It’s so much fun!“.
The idea behind the one-day event is that the merchants of Burnaby Heights are tipping their hats, or taking their hats off to the community and the customers that have kept many of them in business over the last few decades.
It’s a parade followed by a street festival on Hastings between Boundary and Gamma (which is well over 10 city blocks).
Each retailer, bank, and restaurant opens their doors and offers up special deals, treats, and activities for the tens of thousands of visitors. John and I walked the length of the festival to put together this photo collection.
Latincouver, a community organization for Latin American culture in Vancouver, presents Carnaval del Sol this month on Granville Street.
Salsa on Granville. Photo credit: John Bollwitt
On Sunday June 26th, Granville will turn into a pedestrian plaza from 10:00am until 10:00pm for the festivities.
Check out a soccer street tournament, with the participation of the Vancouver WhiteCaps FC and Mayor Gregor Robertson.
Listen to performances by Rio Samaya, Aquizamin Garcia, Liliam Santamaria, Sergio Flores, Coral Fusion Latina, Tanga, Mexico Vivo, Grupo America, Dominicanisima and Spanish Passion’s Flamenco Latino.
Enjoy an authentic Latin American open-air food court and a marketplace, games and activities for children, a sustainability speaker series, salsa and Zumba street-dancing.
This event is entirely free for everyone and all ages are welcome. Information about being a vendor or volunteer is available online and you can follow @latincouver on Twitter for updates.
Miss604.com is a proud media sponsor of Carnaval del Sol.
This morning the Terry Fox Foundation released a statement that Betty Fox, Terry Fox’s mother, is seriously ill:
We wish to share that our wife and mother, Mrs. Betty Fox, is seriously ill. Media reports today that she has cancer are incorrect. To respect her privacy, no other details will be provided.
We have always appreciated the support and understanding the media has granted to our family since Terry’s Marathon of Hope in 1980. We are hopeful that Betty’s privacy and ours will be respected at this time. We thank you in advance for your consideration.
Betty and Rolly Fox at Vancouver 2010. Photo credit: adrian8_8 on Flickr
Since Fox, a Port Coquitlam kid who became a national hero, started his Marathon of Hope across Canada in 1980, more than $550 million has been raised in his memory to fight cancer.
For more than 30 years Betty has been the face of the Terry Fox Foundation, encouraging, inspiring, pushing the world to continue her son’s dream of eradicating cancer.
She quit her job, traveled the world, listened to stories, shed tears, shaved her head, and was selected to be a flag bearer among other Canadian celebrities for the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics – all in the name of her son.
It was what he would have wanted.
My sister reminded me that we were in the audience when she was interviewed by George Stroumboulopoulos on what was then CBC’s The Hour. Her thoughtful responses were very touching.
The Blanche Macdonald Centre in Vancouver, Canada’s top makeup and esthetics school, has begun a special fundraising campaign during Canucks Stanley Cup final home games.
Photo courtesy Blanche Macdonald Centre. View more photos on Facebook.
Stop by from 11:30am to 4:30pm this Saturday (and possibly Friday June 10th and Wednesday June 15th) to get your face airbrushed or nails “Canuckified” in exchange for a donation to Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.
Stenciled makeup will include the following options
Lucky Numbers: Airbrush your favorite Canuck’s number on your arm or face, $5/number
Face Off: Canucks logo on your face, $10
Wrap Around: Classic arm bands in Canuck colours, $15 per arm, 4 bands
Breakaway: “Vancouver Canucks” or “Go Canucks Go” along your arm, back or chest $10
#1 Fan: Fully airbrushed jersey front or back, minimum $100 donation. For this you must book in advance and it will take about 45 minutes.
Photo courtesy Blanche Macdonald Centre. View more photos on Facebook.
Options for fingernails
Nail Em Good: Your choice of two Canucks logos (includes base, logo, topcoat), $5/nail
Drop the Gloves: Freehand full Canucks nail art (includes nail shaping, nail art) limited to two per game, $50
Kelly Schmidt, Creative Director at Blanche Macdonald told me by email: “Being located in the heart of the amazing energy of the Stanley Cup Finals, we at Blanche Macdonald thought, what could be more fun and rewarding than having yourself Canuckified to show your ultimate support during the biggest event of the year? And it’s such a great opportunity to support the community and raise funds for Canuck Place Children’s Hospice at the same time!”
If you have a custom request a donation quote will be made on-site and they’ll try to bring your idea to life. More information is available on the Facebook Event Page. Blanche Macdonald is located at 460 Robson Street and on Twitter @BlancheWorld.
I’ve always been a fan of taking theatre outside the theatre and seeing what happens and next week the Metro Parkade on Pender Street (between Burrard and Thurlow) will be the site of a great collaboration between nine different theatre companies in Vancouver — (Yes, a Parkade! Theatre in a Parkade). Bridge Mix 2011 is the second installment of the site-specific theatre festival and is about bridging communities through a shared public presentation in a found space in the City of Vancouver.
This year’s participants will include Slam Ink, Enlightenment Theatre, Spectral Theatre (these guys are hilarious I’ll probably write something on their work one day), Tiger Milk Collective, ITSAZOO Productions (I LOVED their production of Death of a Clown a few years ago), Monster Collective, Delinquent Theatre, Genus Theatre. There will also be Saturday night dance parties on the roof of the parking lot with live music and DJs by Wachu (included in your price of admission) and revives last year’s highlight: a roving bar.
Bridge Mix 2011 runs Wednesday through Saturday nights at 8 pm starting June 8 and running through until June 25. Guides will meet the audience at the entrance of the Metro Parkade, 1070 W Pender St. Tickets are $18 (Adults) and $14, Students & Seniors (65+). Every Wednesday night will be ‘No Excuse Wednesdays’ where tickets will be Pay-What-You-Can, with cash-only tickets available at the door. Tickets for all other shows may be purchased online or with cash at the door.
This feature was written exclusively for Miss604 by actor, writer, and producer, Michelle Kim. Michelle is the new author of Miss604.com’s “Theatre Thursday” weekly series. You can read all of her posts and find her on Twitter @miju.
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Check out a soccer street tournament, with the participation of the 
