Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is not only one of this summer’s most anticipated blockbusters it’s also the long-awaited cinematic finale to the entire Harry Potter saga.

The film will be premiering in Vancouver next week and I have 5 double passes to give away to the biggest Potter fans I can find around town. There are 3 ways to enter to win so you can do just one or complete all of them. Here are the options:

A. Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

B. Post a photo of your Harry Potter collection (figures, movies, posters, toys, etc.) to Twitter and include @WBPicturesCan & @Miss604 in your tweet. (2 entries)

C. Fill out the quiz form below (1 entry)

I will draw 5 winners from all of the compiled entries on Monday, July 11th at 9:00am. The winners and a guest will be able to attend the Vancouver premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 on Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at the Scotiabank Theatre on Burrard.

Update Special event for fans! Harry Potter Picnic & Muggle Quidditch Match: On Monday, July 11th at 5:30pm Harry Potter fans are invited to David Lam Park to celebrate the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2! Fans are encouraged to come down in costume and – in true Harry Potter Picnic form – bring a picnic blanket and Harry Potter-themed snack or baked goods to share. Prizes will be awarded to the first 15 people to come to David Lam Park in costume. Another 10 will given for bringing the most creative snack or baked good. Prizes include advance screening passes, t-shirts, and promotional prize packs. While enjoying the sun and snacks, participants are also welcome to watch a game of Muggle Quidditch and learn how to play if they think they have what it takes to be the next star Seeker.

Update I had 415 entries (by form) for this contest and over 200 tweets. The winners are: Veronica, Marcy, @ciloha, @Karly_GreenP, @YuriArtibise – congratulations!

Vancouver’s first Indian Summer Festival is an international festival of arts and ideas. Presented by Teamwork Productions and SFU Woodward’s, it will showcase “top talent from India – across music, dance, literature, film, cuisine, yoga and wellness – in conversation with Canadian counterparts.”

The idea is to celebrate “India in Canada” and fold these events and activities into Vancouver’s year-long 125th anniversary celebrations.

It all kicks off with a gala reception tomorrow, hosted by one of the world’s top Indian cuisine chefs (and local Vancouverite) Vikram Vij, and is quickly followed by multiple daily events throughout the festival. This includes the Indian Summer Film Festival (July 8 – 14), the Well-Being Experience (July 9 – 10) with Hatha Yoga, Vinyasa Flow and Kundalini, Words on Water and A Literary Afternoon Tea on the Terrace, Bollywood Dance Classes (free), and cooking with Vikram Vij.

Tickets range from free, to $30 – $100 and there are still some available for the opening gala.

The Indian Summer Arts Society is a Vancouver-based not-for-profit organization whose mandate is to foster cultural collaborations and dialogue between Canada and India, and within communities in Canada. The festival will run July 7, 2011 until July 17, 2011. Follow Indian Summer on Twitter or Facebook for more updates.

July 5th, 1959 was the opening day of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in downtown Vancouver and a few weeks later Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II personally gave it her name. The venue accommodates 2,781 patrons and over the years it has hosted some of the world’s greatest plays, musicals, operas, ballets and concerts.

1957, excavation for the theatre. VPL Accession Number: 40590.
Photo credit: Province Newspaper; Jennings, Byron Charles.

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When the Celebration of Light fireworks schedule collides with Bard on the Beach there’s no reason to miss one or the other. Two of the most-loved summertime activities in Vancouver combine at Vanier Park as Bard on the Beach presents its special “Bard-B-Q” event. On July 30th, August 3rd, and August 6th you can enjoy Shakespeare under the tents, a salmon barbecue during an extended intermission, and following the production you’ll move to a private seating area for the fireworks in English Bay.

This event always sells out and is a joint fundraiser for Bard on the Beach and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre (a $25 tax receipt is issued for your ticket purchase). This season Bard on the Beach presents As You Like It and The Merchant of Venice under the main tent.

Photo credit: Su-chan on Flickr

If you would like to enjoy this one-of-a-kind event on a simmering summer evening by the water, I have a pair of tickets to give away. The winner and a guest will receive tickets for the August 3rd event and the performance of As You Like It. This also includes dessert and coffee after the show and front row seats for the fireworks. Total value is $210.

Here’s how you can enter to win:

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm July 20, 2011. Follow @BardontheBeach on Twitter throughout the season for updates and specials.

Update The winner is Treena!

Outdoor movies are quickly becoming a summer tradition, in communities from the North Shore to the Fraser Valley, and Surrey is once again presenting free outdoor movie nights in Holland Park this August.

Last year’s lineup as advertised at the Surrey Fusion Festival

August 6, 2011: Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2
August 13, 2011: Ramona & Beezus (with Selena Gomez)
August 20, 2011: Tangled
August 27, 2011: Justin Bieber: Never Say Never

All movies are free and suitable for all ages. You can bring your own picnic or enjoy refreshments courtesy of the North Surrey Lions Club. More pre-movie activities will be announced closer to each date. Follow the Downtown Surrey Business Improvement Association on Twitter for additional updates and information.