Fridays on Front and Car Free Day combine for an evening of walkable entertainment, food options, beverages, vendors, and more along the riverfront in New Westminster.
Fridays on Front – Downtown New West Photo
Car Free Day New Westminster
Date: Friday, July 26, 2024 from 5:00pm to 9:00pm
Location: Front Street Mews, Downtown New Westminster
Admission: Free
Getting the good times going, DJ O Show will be bring her energetic blend and musical passion to the main stage. Vancouver Circus School will mesmerize the crowd with their incredible acrobatics and skill. Bradley Barkman and Benjamin Parker will play a musical showcase.
“Car Free Day Downtown New West allows people to enjoy the Front Street Mews and our summer-long series Fridays On Front as a car-free zone,” explains Jaydee Dimmer-Drew, Downtown New West BIA Events and Marketing Manager. “Encouraging attendees to use alternative modes of transportation, such as walking, cycling, or public transit, aligns with the spirit of Car Free Day and contributing to a cleaner Downtown New West.”
The Family Place will host a Kid Zone with games, street chalk and coloring, designed with babies, toddlers, and children in mind, offering activities to engage and entertain.
Plan for dinner down by the river as Kona Ice of Chilliwack, Mahshiko, Meet 2 Eat, Taco’N Todo, Tokyo Katsu-Sand and more food trucks will be on site.
Pirate Pak Day at White Spot is back! It’s the day where everyone gets to feel like a kid again, while also supporting a great cause. Now in its 12th year, there will be 51 participating White Spot restaurants throughout BC on August 14, 2024.
Pirate Pak Day at White Spot
For one day only, anyone (all ages) can order this iconic ship-shaped meal. $2 from the sale of every Pirate Pak sold that day will be donated to Zajac Ranch, a BC-based charity dedicated to providing children and young adults with serious illnesses and chronic disabilities an unforgettable summer camp experience.
Presented in the famous buccaneers’ boat, each Pirate Pak includes a limited selection of burgers and classic entrees, as well as fresh fries, creamy coleslaw, premium rich ice cream, and the treasured ‘gold’ coin representing the booty since founder Nat Bailey created the iconic meal more than 50 years ago. Today, Pirate Pak boats are 100% recyclable and compostable and offer hundreds of menu combinations, including vegetarian options.
Since 2012 White Spot has:
Sold 494,571 Pirate Paks on this special day;
Distributed 3,454 pounds of the treasured ‘gold’ chocolate coins;
Served 1,236,427 ounces of premium-rich ice cream;
Dedicated over 200 hours annually to preparations.
Small Boats, Big Impact
Over the years, White Spot has raised more than $1,000,000 for Zajac Ranch from various initiatives, sending hundreds of kids each year to the summer camp where they have a chance to engage in activities like horseback riding, kayaking, water sports, and arts and crafts, all of which are made fully accessible. These experiences empower them to overcome barriers, build resiliency, and simply enjoy being kids.
Visit the White Spot website for more information or follow on Instagram.
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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Sponsored Post — Sponsored by the West End BIA Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
As the heart of Pride in Vancouver for decades, the West End BIA and Concord Pacific have teamed up to bring celebrations back to the neighbourhood with Davie Village Pop-Up Pride August 3rd.
Davie Village Pop-Up Pride
Dates: Saturday, August 3, 2024 from 2:00pm to 10:00pm
Location: Pop-Up Locations in Davie Village (along Davie Street in Vancouver)
Enjoy music, performances, a drag show, breakdancing, Double Dutch, DJs and other activations, with a lively and inclusive atmosphere for all to enjoy. Join in the fun on Jervis (between Davie & See-em-ia Lane); at Jim Deva Plaza; in the Shoppers parking lot; and at 1033 Davie. The lineup so far includes:
Fleurs de Villes will also bring Pride-themed floral displays and installations to Davie Village for the weekend. Follow the West End BIA on Facebook and Instagram for the latest information about this pop up and more neighbourhood news.
More Pride in the West End
The Bubly Davie Street Lounge (at 1207 Bute Street) will be hosting a series of dynamic events during Pride, kicking off with and opening ceremony on July 26th led by Jaylene Tyme (get tickets here). The legendary Vancouver Pride Parade will take place on Sunday, August 4th, beginning at Denman and Davie Streets, with the new route following along Beach and Pacific Avenues, dispersing at Cambie Street. Festivities will also continue along Davie Street throughout the day.
Voting is now open for the photos that will appear in the Hope in Shadows 2025 Calendar, presented by Megaphone Magazine. Hope in Shadows is a photography project that shares the stories of people experiencing poverty and homelessness through their own lens.
The 2024 calendar cover featuring the photo called “Friendship” by local volunteer and community member, Ali Kenny
Hope in Shadows Voting Now Open
The Hope in Shadows calendar project was created by Pivot Legal Society in 2003 and gifted to Megaphone Magazine’s vendors in 2016. Each year, the project engages up to 150 Downtown Eastside community members in a photo contest. Participants are provided a theme, disposable camera and training on how to gather consent from photo subjects, and sent out into the streets for 5 days to take images of their lives. Returned cameras are developed, resulting in up to 2,500 images for a jury of community members and staff to parse down to the Top 30.
Megaphone received over 2,000 photos for this year’s contest, which a community jury narrowed down to just 30 finalists. These top 30 photographs showcase this year’s theme: Snapshot – A Moment in Time. They offer an intimate look into what matters most to Megaphone vendors, storytellers and peers.
Despite communities grappling with poverty and social marginalizion being subject to extensive scrutiny and reporting, the media rarely captures the complete story. Hope in Shadows showcases photography that counters prevailing narratives and captures the essence of marginalized communities with familiarity and affection. It allows participants to reclaim their image.
Through award-winning photography featured in a widely circulated calendar, the project highlights lived experiences and prompts reflection on the barriers hindering equal participation.
Megaphone’s Hope in Shadows calendar is sold by Megaphone vendors on the streets of Vancouver. Vendors buy each calendar for $10 and sell them for $20, keeping the profit and earning a meaningful income. Follow Megaphone on Facebook for more info.
Miss604’s Rebecca Bollwitt is a monthly columnist for Megaphone Magazine.
The Vancouver Mural Festival returns August 7 to 11, 2024 to celebrate Vancouver’s diverse communities through art and live events. During the festival’s Mount Pleasant Street Party, you can watch the walls be transformed around you as part of the 7th Annual Holden Courage Graffiti Jam.
VMF Photo from the first Holden Courage Memorial Graffiti Jam in 2017
Holden Courage Graffiti Jam
Dates: August 10-11, 2024 from 2:00pm to 10:00pm
Street Party Dates August 8-11, 2024
Location: Main & East 5th Ave
Part of the Mount Pleasant Street Party at City Centre Artist Lodge ( 2111 Main St, Vancouver) and surrounding lots and streets
Tickets: Free!
The Graffiti Jam will be part of the new Craft and Canvas Corner presented by the BC Ale Trail. Visitors can sample brews from some of Mount Pleasant’s legends and other top-notch breweries. Sip on your favorite craft beers and enjoy the live graffiti art.
The event is in honour of Holden Courage, a local graffiti artist who passed away in 2015 at the age of 21. The project is funded by the Holden Courage Memorial Fund for Artists, which was created by Tara McGuire, Holden Courage’s mother:
“Since 2017, writers have been creating street art in Holden‘s name at Main & East 5th Ave. It makes me feel grateful and sad and joyful and angry and happy and overwhelmed all at the same time. Thank you for being a valuable part of Holden’s legacy of colour, fun, paint, music, trouble, community, friendship, and the unforgettable sound of a rattling can.”
The Mount Pleasant Street Party will have live art and music, multiple stages, food trucks, local vendors, a kids zone, a zero proof bar, licensed bars, craft beer tasting market, open artist studios, cozy hangout spots, and more. Download the VMF app for all of the event info, mural locations, and more.
