A few years ago I visited the colourful Tulips of the Valley Festival in Agassiz with rows upon rows of budding varieties of the springtime flowers. This past weekend, we had the chance to visit the festival’s American counterpart just North of La Conner in Washington State.
The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is just taking off as thousands of bulbs are springing to life in the fields. The main event takes place at “Tulip Town” off McLean Rd at Best Rd however you can view maps online to scope out other fields and festivities like roadside barbecue salmon, and walking through acres of yellow daffodil fields.
In the pavilion at Tulip Town there are snacks, an art exhibit, tulip purchases, face painting, and more. Outside you can catch a tractor ride around the tulips, fly a kite, or follow a story-board they’ve setup for kids. Parking is free but admission is $5, which I figure is a reasonable enough price to support the local community.
The festival on now until April 30, 2011. View photos from their Flickr account and get updates from @SVTulipFest on Twitter.
The Celebration of Light is returning to English Bay this summer and this morning the official country line-up was announced. Despite a few years where funding was fading for the event that attracts tens of thousands to Vancouver’s waterfront, this is the 21st year for the world’s largest offshore fireworks festival.
Winners of the competition from the last three years will square off with crowd-favourite China opening things up July 30th, Spain will follow August 3rd, and Canada will round things off August 6, 2011.
Shore104 will once again present a concert series prior to the explosive evening performances. There will a strict recycling program in place and everyone is always encouraged to take out what they take down to the beach. You can grab a free spot along the beach on a warm summer evening or purchase reserved bleacher seats this year.
Follow @CelebofLight on Twitter for updates and if you’ve ever wanted to see what goes on at the barge in the bay, you can read about a tour I did last year.
The beauty of living in Vancouver is that we have seemingly endless options for weekend activities. Whether it’s heading for a walk in the woods, cycling a sea side route, or even leaving town to explore more of the Pacific Northwest. When some retail therapy is in order, especially with a strong Canadian dollar in our pockets, Bellingham is a top destination for locals.
We discovered this weekend that aside from doing slingshot trips South, hitting up Target and Trader Joe’s, there’s a beautiful overnight option available right along the bay.
Hotel Bellwether
Website, Twitter, Facebook, rooms from $165 USD.
This 65-room inn is just 10 minutes from Bellis Fair mall and is situated right on Bellingham Bay. Surrounded by free parking, walking trails, kite-flyers, and sailboats, it’s a picturesque maritime setting.
John and I have a bit of a routine when we check into hotel rooms. Open the door, check to see where the washroom is, scope out the view on the balcony, plug in our electronics, and hook up to the WIFI. We found a snug jacuzzi tub, standing shower stall, TV with full digital cable (so we could still get CTV or CBC), and complimentary (high speed) internet. We were told that most rooms have a king size bed and two of the three floors are pet-friendly.
After we settled in, we were given a tour of the property including a peek at the lighthouse suite. Located in an actual lighthouse-style structure, it’s 3 floors of accommodation with panoramic balconies and amenities fit for honeymooners or anyone who wants to feel like a newlywed.
We returned to our bay-view room, popped open some Washington state wine, and watched the sun duck behind the Olympic Mountains before we headed down to Harborside Bistro, located on the first floor of the hotel.
Dinner featured locally-sourced ingredients like fiddlehead ferns, fresh mushrooms, and Oregon beef. We barely shared our caramel bread pudding or bourbon chocolate desserts with each other as it was difficult not to gobble them down immediately following our meal.
Until recently, I had no idea that the Bellwether, and its entire waterfront district (with plaza, spa, restaurants) existed. For a quick trip out of town, without losing stunning coastal views, it’s a nice option to rest your head if indeed you’d like to shop til you drop or make some time for a bit of romance with a loved one.
Disclosure: cmp.ly/2 I was not paid to visit the hotel however our accommodation was courtesy of the Bellwether.
The Vancouver theatre scene has always been alive and kicking however this spring and summer it seems it to have attracted a large variety of blockbuster productions.
Riverdance
April 5 – April 10, 2011 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre
The Graduate
April 14 – May 14, 2011 at the Granville Island Stage
Fiddler on the Roof
April 29 – May 1, 2011 at the Centre for Performing Arts
Wicked
June 1 – June 26, 2011 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Mamma Mia
August 16 – August 21, 2011 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Hairspray
May 12 – June 10 at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage
I also want to include mention of the 25th anniversary of Ballet BC at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre April 14, 15 and 16, 2011 as well as Bard on the Beach and Theatre Under the Stars that will open up again in June and July.
I have two tickets to give away to The Graduate at The Arts Club on Granville Island which is opening this week.
Mrs. Robinson, Are You Trying to Seduce Me?
“Benjamin Braddock is a little worried about his future. Just out of college, he doesn’t know what he wants from life—but it sure isn’t plastics. Then he meets Elaine. The only problem? She’s Mrs. Robinson’s daughter!”
Adapted for the stage by Terry Johnson and based on the novel by Charles Webb and the screenplay by Calder Willingham and Buck Henry.
To enter to win, leave a comment on this post listing your favourite venue for watching a play in Vancouver and/or post the following on Twitter:
I will draw one winner Friday, April 22, 2011 at 12:00pm. Please also check out year-round productions put together by theatre companies of all sizes throughout the city.
Update The winner is Tiffany – Enjoy the show!
It’s Ballet BC’s 25th anniversary and they will celebrate by presenting a collection of world premiere performances next week.
“We are delighted to be bringing our Vancouver audiences an exciting evening of new works by Canadian and Ballet BC alumni. We are also honoured to be collaborating with one of Canada’s leading chamber orchestras, The Turning Point Ensemble. This magnificent program of four new creations promises to be a thrilling experience for both dance and music lovers alike.†says Ballet BC Artistic Director Emily Molnar.
Alexis Fletcher. Photo by Chris Randle
April 14th – April 16th will feature the following works at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Choreography: Serge Bennathan
Music: New Composition by Michael Oesterle
Choreography: Wen Wei Wang
Music: Owen Underhill
Choreography: Gioconda Barbuto
Music: New Composition by Anthony Genge
Choreography: Donald Sales (read a great interview with him in the Georgia Straight)
Music: David Lang
I have two tickets to give away to the production Friday, April 15th.
To enter to win, leave a comment on this post the following on Twitter.
I will draw a winner at 9:00am, April 13, 2011.
Update The winner is Mercedes – have a great time!
