This is the third time I have organized Twestival in Vancouver and each experience has been an adventure and a challenge. Since 2007 I have been using my site to raise awareness and funds for causes, from the annual Blogathon or through events I have hosted, to collecting food donations for these causes.
In 2009 Amanda Rose (@Amanda on Twitter) thought of combining Twitter with a live event that would support a cause. She took it big time – she took it global. Suddenly Twestival Global was born and in February of 2009 about 200 cities around the world were supporting Charity:Water with live events on the same night. Over $250,000 was raised by people coming together through Twitter. Later that year, in September, cities were able to select their own causes and here in Vancouver, the BC Childrens Hospital topped a public poll and because our fundraising cause for Twestival Local.
The Global Twestival team has done amazing things to organize WordPress blogs for every participating city, online ticketing systems, branding, and helping with global sponsors and partnerships.
Although I was pretty much alone in my previous Twestival efforts in Vancouver (and we raised about $4,000 and $3,000 for the cause each time) I am absolutely thrilled to have a fantastic team this time. I put the call out on Twitter and several people have stepped up to help. Even though it’s still stressful to coordinate an event for 250 people, I have fewer headaches and I’ve had so much help.
I knew Marc Smith from Amuse Consulting was a good event planner but we wouldn’t be having Twestival Vancouver at the CBC broadcast centre without him, nor would we have logistics in place, a food sponsor, and all the small but very important details that go into getting an event off the ground.
Melissa, Azita, Kim, and Sonia all contacted me through Twitter and we met one morning a few weeks ago to get this event underway. We were late to the game, due to a bit of a big event happening in Vancouver in February, but these ladies jumped right on their tasks. Gathering sponsorships, finding prizes, booking entertainment and being a great support system. Kirsten joined us a bit later but she’s already put together some great content about the cause to share at the event and secured the HootSuite Owl for an appearance. We also have a team of on-site volunteers that will help with registration, raffle tickets, silent auction and more.
Twestival Vancouver 2010
When: March 25th, 2010 from 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Where: CBC Vancouver – the new Audience Lounge (700 Hamilton at Georgia)
What: A fundraising party to support Concern Worldwide
Who: Everyone in Vancouver that uses Twitter
Flight Centre has also sponsored Twestivals in Canada, offering up a $200 travel voucher to all host cities.
Swag Bags
All attendees will get goodies handed out at the event. The HootSuite Owl will have some to hand out and we’ll also have bags from London Drugs that contain Twestival buttons, made by Six Cent Press, and passes to the UBC Botanical Gardens.
Tickets
Your $20 admission ticket goes directly to Concern Worldwide. With this admission we will supply you with a wine ticket, a swag bag, entertainment, wine, food, and hopefully a really great time. Tickets are currently on sale and we must sell these in advance so our venue has a list of participants ahead of time.
The Twestival Global team was also pleased to announce a sponsorship from Entrepreneurs Foundation & Austin Ventures Challenge Grant. For every dollar raised, this foundation will match it 100% up to $100,000. That means your $20 ticket = $40 for Concern Worldwide, thanks to them.
This isn’t an event purely for those in technology or social media – it’s for anyone and everyone who uses Twitter. It’s to show what a powerful communication tool it can be and that it can have a positive impact on the world and our communities. We hope you’ll join us by either purchasing a ticket, placing a donation, coming to hang out with us, or simply posting a link on Twitter. Thank you for your support.
World Theatre Day is March 27th, 2010 and the Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance is preparing special deal and performances to take part this global campaign.
Although we missed a panel yesterday hosted by stage and screen actor Jackson Davies (The Producers, The Foursome, The Beachcombers) there are still quite a few chances to check out some theatre in Vancouver leading up to WTD on Saturday.
Events and Deals
Art by Actors paintings will be on display at The Stanley Industrial Alliance Theatre until April 17th.
There will also be several flash mob performances around Vancouver from March 21st until March 27th. You can view a full World Theatre Day lineup for Vancouver online.
The World Theatre Day Wrap Party will be held March 28th at the WISE Hall. The program includes reading the International WTD message (written by Dame Judi Dench), encore performances and videos of our flash mob events, and video conferencing with other WTD parties world-wide. Admission will be by donation.
It may look like a daffodil pin but it’s actually a badge of courage. The Canadian Cancer Society is distributing daffodil pins as well as live flowers in 2010 in association with the inaugural Daffodil Day.
The entire month of April in BC and Vancouver is Daffodil Month but on the 9th people are encouraged to wear daffodil pins to show their support. Pins can be purchased by donation at the following locations across the province:
Events across BC and the Yukon can be found listed online. You can follow @DaffodilDayCCS on Twitter or Facebook for news and updates leading up to April 9th, 2010.
How to Get There: About 150 km outside of Vancouver, the lake is about a 30 minute drive off the main road in Chilliwack, winding along the river. You’ll pass fisherman every few minutes parked or camped along the side of the road, fixing fishing line or cooking up a catch on an open campfire.
Features: The beach stretches out on the North end covered in fine white sand as an old-growth forest covers the mountains that flank the sides of the crystal-clear lake. The campground has a playground and several open spaces while the lake is fit for swimming, canoeing, kayaking, or boating.
Notes: The setting is absolutely gorgeous and although Cultus Lake has its merits as a summertime playground, this destination about 40km away is far more secluded and pristine.
Reservations for the season at BC Parks open up April 1st with most Provincial Parks beginning their camping season during the May long weekend.
On this day in Metro Vancouver history the SkyBridge, connecting New Westminster and Surrey (Columbia and Scott Road SkyTrain stations), opened to the public.
The $28 million transit-only structure was built by Kerkhoff Bridge and Industrial Division Ltd., of Chilliwack, and Hyundai Engineering and Construction Division Co. Ltd. of Korea. Construction had started October 28, 1987.
The 616-metre- (2,020 feet) long structure was part of a $179 million, 3.1 kilometre SkyTrain extension. It is set aslant the Fraser River to ease the curve coming from New Westminster. The bridge, which carries trains 50 metres above the Fraser, is the world’s longest cable-stayed bridge designed solely for rapid transit. There are two tracks, enabling SkyTrains to pass on the bridge. The 104 deck sections were built in Richmond, barged up the Fraser and then lifted into place by heavy equipment. Thirty-five thousand cubic metres of concrete (4,000 truckloads), 13.5 kilometres of stay cables and 13 kilometres of steel pilings were used in the construction. The bridge’s two towers are each 123 metres (404 feet) high. [Source: VancouverHistory.ca]
When I was a little girl we would drive over the Pattullo Bridge every Sunday. Along the way I would spot the progress of the giant columns that would come to hold up the SkyBridge, bringing the SkyTrain out our way. Every weekend they grew taller and without knowing what the final span would look like, it was always a treat to see how far it had come along. All finished up on March 19th 1990, it is still the longest cable-supported transit-only bridge in the world today.
The SkyTrain has come a long way since Expo 86, with two more lines and millions of riders each year. It has hosted everything from Dance Parties and No Pants Flash Mobs, to car load of Canucks fans, and the SkyBridge has played an integral part of getting people from A to B.
Happy Birthday SkyBridge! Here’s to increases in transit ridership and hopefully one day, SkyTrain or light rail expansion further through Surrey and the Fraser Valley.
Although we missed a panel yesterday hosted by stage and screen actor Jackson Davies (The Producers, The Foursome, The Beachcombers) there are still quite a few chances to check out some theatre in Vancouver leading up to WTD on Saturday.
