Updated July 18th, 2010: Yesterday John and I attended the opening day of the 3rd annual Fusion Festival at Holland Park in Surrey.
Once again it was packed with pavilions (offering food selections from over 30 countries) and four stages (one more than previous years) featuring performers from across the globe.
After the welcoming ceremonies, there was a parade of nations around the grounds. Surrey Mayor Diane Watts led the group and Mark Donnelly (known for belting out the anthem at Canucks games) was the flag-bearer for Canada.
From the expanded Taiwan tent with plenty of free samples, to the well-deserved line-up for Jamaican smoothies (because they’re a must-have) the 2010 Fusion Festival did not disappoint.
For making food purchases you need to get tickets. 1 ticket = $1. Most pavilions have items starting at two or three tickets however I made a list of what I can get for one: Butter scones (South Africa), Water (Portugal), Samosa (Kenya), Mandazi (Kenyan donut), Pop (Poland), Pop (China), Fruit Punch (Sri Lanka). For about three tickets you can get everything from tacos to dim sum.
Being a free festival including activities, performances, concerts and more, it’s definitely worth caching in a couple bucks for some tickets to try out some of the many delicacies that are being offered. All food pavilions are operated by local business, either from Surrey or around Metro Vancouver. Another addition this year is a second food tent, where you can seek shelter from the sun at a table in the shade.
Every 20 feet there is a new aroma in the air and different crafts, products, and displays. Learn about medieval Poland then hop over to decorate a flag in Canada. Be a part of the aboriginal friendship circle, then head to Ecuador to browse a collection of sweaters and dresses.
We’re heading back to the Fusion Festival today and once again, I highly recommend that you check it out.
It’s completely free to attend and easy to get to by SkyTrain (located between Central City and King George stations). The music continues today with the final show of the evening at 7:30pm with the Grapes of Wrath and be sure to load up on sunscreen.
Performances today include Alex Cuba, Jim Byrnes, and Sarah Harmer along with workshops on seven different stages. World beats, songwriting, drumming, and more are complimented with food options, beach blankets, and dancing.
There are more concerts and workshops through the evening and until the end of day on Sunday. Tickets (based on age, day, and time of day) start at $30.
Back in January I featured a series of time lapse videos from around Vancouver. Since that time a few more have been sent my way so I decided to round them up as well as search YouTube to see if I could find any new additions.
From the revolving restaurant on top of the Empire Landmark
Burrard Inlet, First Narrows, Lions Gate Bridge, Stanley Park
Yesterday we attended the launch of Granville Island Brewing’s latest seasonal creation, Raspberry Wheat Ale.
This pink summer beer combines water, malt, hops, yeast, and Fraser Valley raspberries. Pairings include a variety of fresh fruit dishes, fresh salads, chicken or light meat.
I’ve tried fruity-flavoured wheat ales before and they usually just taste like beer with a bunch of fruit dumped in. This carefully crafted brew is smooth and not too sweet. It has a tartness that refreshes and makes it one of my top selections to enjoy on a patio this summer in Vancouver.
Raspberry Wheat is available through August 2010 in select LDB stores and the GIB store on Granville Island.
Special Offer Today at 12:00pm there is a preview tasting at the Granville Island Brewery. They have 20 litres for the tasting so head down on your lunch break (which is probably right now) if you would like to sample the Raspberry Wheat Ale.
Yesterday I began a new Readers’ Choice series where I answer questions that my readers or Twitter contacts have about local history. Continuing on today I’ll tackle another question:
TylerIngram: @Miss604 What about the old ferry that used to go from vancouver to dunderave (West Van)?
1920s, West Vancouver Ferry crossing the Burrard Inlet, Archives Item#: SGN 1123
The West Vancouver Ferry began service in 1909 and ran across the Burrard Inlet from Vancouver to Dundarave.
From the West Vancouver Library: “The first ship was a 35-passenger boat called the West Vancouver, which ran between the 17th Street dock and Columbia Street in Vancouver. The ferry fleet was expanded in later years to run between the Vancouver Wharf, English Bay, Hollyburn, the Great Northern Cannery, and Caulfeild. These ferries were directly responsible for the growth in the Hollyburn and Dundarave areas and the development of businesses around the 14th, 17th, and 25th streets.”
1919, West Vancouver Ferry passing Prospect Point, Archives Item#: CVA 1123-7
By 1912 the ferry service had fallen on hard times. VancouverHistory.ca reports that it was then taken over by the municipality and would lose money for another 12 years. By the mid 1920s the ferry service was thriving once again as people along the West Coast were moving about (and the border crossing at the Peace Arch was constructed). The ferry service was eventually replaced entirely by the Lions Gate Bridge crossing, ending service in 1947.
1938, View of Lions Gate Bridge construction from the West Vancouver Ferry dock, Archives Item#: CVA 265-51
In 1988 the former ferry building at 101 14th Street in West Vancouver, built in 1913, was rehabilitated by Howard/Yano Architects to become an art gallery. The ferry terminal is now the Dundarave Pier.
I have a few more questions on deck to answer however if you would like to submit a topic or question for the Readers’ Choice history series, please feel free to leave a comment or contact me directly.
