The longest running offshore fireworks competition in the world, the Honda Celebration of Light, returns to English Bay in Downtown Vancouver this summer with three nights of light, music, and food.
Honda Celebration of Light Fireworks Countries
July 23, 2022 Japan Akariya Fireworks
Akariya Fireworks strive for the absolute safety, as much as the best performance. This team took home 1st place in both the Honda Celebration of Light 2014 and 2017.
July 27, 2022 Canada – Midnight Sun Fireworks
Midnight Sun Fireworks is an award winning team of Yukon Pyrotechnicians; passionate about creating unique shows that bring life to the music in their soundtracks.
July 30, 2022 Spain – Pirotecnia Zaragozana
Founded in 1860, Pirotecnia Zaragozana is one of the most awarded companies in Spain providing you with prestigious, safe and quality shows.
While the fireworks spectacle is free for all to enjoy, there are a few premium experiences that you can book to enhance your viewing experience:
Concord Lounge at the Inukshuk: A chilled-out waterfront VIP lounge with the closest view of the fireworks.
Scotiabank Lounge: Lively social atmosphere with panoramic views from the top of the bathhouse roof at English Bay.
English Bay Grandstand: Reserved bleachers seats with elevated views of the fireworks.
Private Cabanas: Perched atop the English Bay Grandstand, the Private Cabanas offer the most exclusive hosting option for groups or corporate partners. Each cabana hosts up to 24 people per night in an exclusive environment featuring premium food and beverage options.
The Patios: Located on either side of the English Bay Grandstand. Enjoy unobstructed views from your own exclusive patio that can host up to 65 people per night in a lively atmosphere.
Photo Submitted – Honda Celebration of Light grandstand
When it comes to music, multiple pop-up stages will surround English Bay with a selection of BC-based talent performing from day to night. If you’re coming down for dinner, visit West End restaurants and eateries, along with a variety of food trucks that will be on site. New this year, the festival will have a local marketplace/artisan pop-up shopping experience at Morton Park.
Follow the Honda Celebration of Light on Facebook for the latest updates and news.
Adaawx Publishing is released the second edition of the national bestselling book First Nations 101 in print and as an e-book on May 19, 2022. Written by Lynda Gray (Ts’msyen Nation), the book is an accessible primer on contemporary Indigenous issues geared towards both non-Indigenous and Indigenous readers.
The book’s cover art features a killerwhale, the author’s clan, and was created by Phil Gray.
First Nations 101 by Lynda Gray
Pre-order online now. $1 dollar from each sale will be donated to the Ts’msyen Revolution Fund to support language and culture revitalization in laxyuubm Ts’msyen (Ts’msyen territory). The fund was established by Gray and her children, scholar Robin Gray and artist Phil Gray.
The second edition comes more than a decade after the original publication, and features timely updates on current conversations around residential schools, language restoration, decolonization, reconciliation, and more.
“Over the past few years, we’ve seen major policy developments and revelations about Canada’s recent past that have impacted Indigenous communities legally and emotionally,” says Gray. “From Canada’s adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples to the discovery of 215 children’s remains at Kamloops Indian Residential School last summer, this country’s relationship with Indigenous people has been at the forefront of many minds. First Nations 101 will help both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people understand the true history of Canada, while charting a path forward towards reconciliation.”
First Nations 101was first published in 2011 and has sold more than 26,000 copies to date. At the time of its publication, the book was one of the few sources of information focused on the breadth of issues affecting Indigenous communities across Canada. Gray wanted to contribute to a more nuanced understanding of Indigenous people and culture, and set out to write an easy-to-read introduction. She founded Adaawx Publishing in order to maintain complete autonomy over the writing process. Adaawx is a Sm’algyax (Ts’msyen language) word that translates to “oral history” or “truth telling.”
Gray was inspired to revise and expand First Nations 101 by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, among other recent events. The author spent the past two years during the pandemic doing research and learning from other Indigenous people to ensure the 76-chapter book offers a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of critical issues.
The second edition includes 16 new chapters:
Traditional Governance
Traditional Economies
Loss of Traditional Parenting Skills
(Mis)Appropriation
Environmental Concerns
Decolonization
Water for Life
Rematriation
Indigenous Feminisms
Sexual & Reproductive Health
Economic Development
Police, Fire & Emergency Preparedness
Indigenous Knowledge
Family Tree & Genealogy Research – Finding Our Way Home
What Is Reconciliation?
How to Become a Great Ally
About Lynda Gray
Lynda Gray is a member of the Ts’msyen Nation on the Northwest Coast of BC (Gisbutwada / Killerwhale Clan). Born in Prince Rupert, she has lived in East Vancouver since she was a child. She and her children have learned about their Ts’msyen culture and community from their participation in the Lax Kxeen Ts’msyen Dance Group, as well as from attending traditional feasts in Lax Kw’alaams. Gray is an active member of the Indigenous community, and her work is grounded in a strong belief in community development, youth empowerment, and culture as therapy. She has a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from UBC, was the executive director of the Urban Native Youth Association for eight years, and currently serves on the National Indigenous Cultural Safety (ICS) Advisory Circle.
Enter to Win
I have three author-signed copies of First Nations 101 (Second Edition) to give away! Here’s how you can enter to win:
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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Sponsored Post — Sponsored by Surrey Civic Theatres Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
The Spirit of Harriet Tubman is the powerful and award-winning one-woman show, written and performed by Leslie McCurdy, which has toured across North America for 25 years. It’s coming to the Surrey SPARK Stages at the end of the month, sharing this incredible story and performance with local audiences.
The Spirit of Harriet Tubman
When: Sunday, May 29, 2022 at 4:00pm
Where: Main Stage at Surrey Arts Centre (13750 88 Ave, Surrey)
Miss604 readers can get $5 off their Spirit of Harriet Tubman ticket purchase by using the code: SPARK at checkout.
A captivating lesson in recent history, The Spirit of Harriet Tubman shares the story of McCurdy’s personal hero, the legendary Underground Railroad organizer, nurse, and spy, Harriet Tubman. Children of all ages have commented on how inspirational the play is, and after an incredible 25 years on stage, McCurdy hopes to continue inspiring audiences of all ages with her play for many years to come.
“Harriet Tubman is a fabulous character to be recreating,” says McCurdy. “She was such a formidable fighter for human rights, as a woman and particularly a Black woman…I have been told that the play is powerful and inspirational and shares so much information about Harriet Tubman as a person, so I humbly accept that. I know that I love performing it, so perhaps that resonates well.”
For a breathtaking hour, McCurdy portrays Harriet Tubman, captivating audiences as she recreates her incredible life story from the age of six, to her death in her early nineties. She does this by sharing familiar stories, as well as some rarely told, using words said to have been Harriet Tubman’s own.
What is unique about this performance is that while Tubman is well known around the world for her courage, in this performance, McCurdy helps the audience understand Tubman’s unique relationship to Canada. This part of Tubman’s story was largely untold until she brought it to light when she first started touring the performance.
The legend is that Harriet Tubman made nineteen trips into Canada to help free over three hundred Black American slaves. This fact is even more remarkable when you consider Tubman was a small woman, standing just four feet, 10 inches tall. However, she was large in spirit, and she had a drive to care for others, helped everybody she could, and made the world a better place.
The Spirit of Harriet Tubman is a story of human courage and resilience that makes an impact on audiences young and old. The play inspires audiences to believe in their dreams, have the courage pursue them, and recognize their potential to change the world.
Surrey SPARK Stages Weekend
This presentation is part of Surrey SPARK Stages Weekend May 27-29, 2022 at the Surrey Arts Centre at Bear Creek Park.
Surrey Civic Theatres is launching a new series of memory making experiences for kids and families and this weekend will kick it off in style with everything from aerial circus to music, these performances are for the whole family with shows for babies, toddlers, and tweens that grown-ups will love too.
Your Surrey SPARK ticket includes:
The Wee Studio, a special space for make believe for the little ones.
Stories for the Heart, old timey storytelling in a big blanket fort!
Walk through a traditional longhouse arch into the Indigenous Creation Courtyard for a celebration of culture through storytelling, music and art.
Afrobeats & World Music Flashmob Dance, a hip hop dance workshop with Ndidi Cascade & Prince Nii.
Plus, roving performers and many other sparkalicious surprises along the way!
Ticketed performances include an afternoon with Charlotte Diamond, Fred Penner and Rick Scott; The Ambassador of Joy and award-winning puppeteer, Joshua Holden; an all ages dance party and more.
As a part of Surrey Civic Theatres, Surrey SPARK Stages offers spectacular performing arts events and activities for kids and their families throughout the year. Follow along on Facebook and Instagram for the latest information.
The Greater Vancouver Food Bank (“GVFB”) and 102.7 The PEAK present Foodstock, a festival of music and food for a cause at Swanguard Stadium in Burnaby this summer. The event will feature local bands, local breweries and beverage partners, and food trucks.
Foodstock at Swangard for the Food Bank
When: Sunday, June 26, 2022 12:00pm to 5:00pm
Where: Swangard Stadium (3833 Imperial St. Burnaby)
Tickets:Available online now for $50 (plus taxes and fees) and include one beverage ticket to be used at the vendor of your choice.
Additional beverage tickets will be on sale on site. This is a 19+ event. All guests will be required to show proof of age before being granted access to the grounds.
Bring a blanket or your own lawn chairs to stake out a spot on the Swangard Stadium field to spend the day.
Food/Beverage Lineup
50% of the proceeds from all beverage sales, and 10% of food sales will be donated to the GVFB.
Enjoy beverages from Strange Fellows Brewing, Luppolo Brewing Company, Dageraad Brewing, Bomber Brewing, Studio Brewing, Bridge Brewing, Wildeye Brewing, NUDE Beverages and more to be announced. Food trucks will include Beavertails, Kyu Grill, Shameless Buns, Wings, and Reel Mac n Cheese, will be serving tasty eats.
Music Lineup
Bend Sinister, Sleepy Gonzales, Generous Thieves, Noodle Boys, Uncle Strut, Green Alderson, Madelyn Read, and Good Goin’.
The GVFB provides assistance to over 10,000 people each month through direct distribution in Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster and the North Shore. 25% of their clients are children, and 17% are seniors. The GVFB also provides food support to 119 community agencies throughout these communities, such as housing agencies, women and children’s shelters, transition houses and after-school programs, which in turn provide meals and snacks to thousands of people each week.
Chor Leoni has announced the debut performance of its new professional ensemble with A Sound Like This: Chor Leoni & The Leonids which will take place next weekend in the newly restored St. Andrew’s-Wesley United in Downtown Vancouver.
Photo by Phil Jack
A Sound Like This: Chor Leoni & The Leonids
When: May 12 & 13, 2022 at 7:30pm
Where: St. Andrew-Wesley’s United (1022 Nelson St, Vancouver)
Gathering nine acclaimed male singers from across North America, The Leonids’ inaugural performance marks a new chapter in Chor Leoni’s history and coincides with Chor Leoni’s VanMan Choral Summit, which gathers more than 300 singers of all ages for a week of collaboration and celebration, culminating in the VanMan Summit Concert (May 14 at the Chan Centre).
“For 30 years, Chor Leoni has boldly championed its art form through innovative concerts, collaborations, and commissions, all while creating musical experiences that hope to uplift its audience and community,” says Erick Lichte, Artistic Director of Chor Leoni.
“As we look to further our vision in new ways, we considered the impact our very own project-based, professional ensemble could have inside the mission of Chor Leoni. In this spirit, Chor Leoni is thrilled to present The Leonids, a professional TTBB chamber vocal ensemble composed of world class singers and aptly named after the spectacular once-a-year meteor shower.”
The Leonids will serve as mentors to Chor Leoni, the VanMan Festival singers, the Emerging Choral Artist Program, and to the participants of the MYVoice Youth Program.
Win Tickets
I have a pair of tickets to give away to the opening night performance on May 12th. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Selected by Lichte, The Leonids include some of the finest singers from North America’s most acclaimed ensembles: Chanticleer, Conspirare, Cantus, Anúna, Roomful of Teeth, Seraphic Fire, and New York Polyphony, among others. In addition, each of the nine singers maintain active solo careers, specializing in oratorio, new and early music, and art song.
For their inaugural performance, The Leonids include:
Eric Alatorre, Bass: Known for his 28 seasons with GRAMMY Award-winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer, Alatorre’s legendary career has taken him around the globe and seen him mentor countless new generations of singers.
Enrico Lagasca, Bass-Baritone: Acclaimed to have “a beautiful sound” (The New York Times), Lagasca is enjoying a diverse career as a soloist and chorister across North America with repertoire from early to contemporary music.
Jonathan Woody, Bass-baritone: A sought-after performer of early and new music, Woody has been featured with historically-informed orchestras such as Apollo’s Fire, Boston Early Music Festival, and Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.
Sam Kreidenweis, Baritone: A member of Ireland’s Dublin-based Anúna, who has also been heard with Conspirare, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, and Vocal Arts Ensemble, Kreidenweis’ stylistic versatility, rich sound, and engaging stage presence have gained him praise internationally.
Dann Coakwell, Tenor: A soloist with Conspirare, Coakwell’s voice can be heard on the GRAMMY Award-winning album The Sacred Spirit of Russia and the GRAMMY nominated album The Hope of Loving, as well as on Considering Matthew Shepard and the critically praised Zabur.
Andrew Fuchs, Tenor: Fuchs is an artist whose wide-ranging repertoire includes an abundance of early music, including recent debuts at the Kennedy Center in Monteverdi’s Vespers with The Thirteen, and at the Lincoln Center in Bach’s Magnificat with the American Classical Orchestra.
Jacob Perry, Tenor: Praised for his “gorgeous and stylish” interpretations of Renaissance and Baroque repertoire (ClevelandClassical.com), Perry has been featured as a soloist with Apollo’s Fire, Handel Choir of Baltimore, Mountainside Baroque, Tempesta di Mare, and The Thirteen.
Steven Soph, Tenor: A “superb vocal soloist” (The Washington Post) with “impressive clarity and color” (The New York Times), Soph regularly sings with top vocal ensembles including Seraphic Fire, Conspirare, Roomful of Teeth, and more.
Steven Caldicott Wilson, Tenor: A regular artist with Handel + Haydn Boston and the Trinity Baroque Orchestra NYC, Caldicott Wilson is also a longtime member of the twice GRAMMY-nominated classical a cappella vocal quartet New York Polyphony.
A Sound Like This will feature both solo sets from Chor Leoni and The Leonids, and collaborative performances with both groups. The program’s diverse repertoire includes works spanning the entire breadth of choral singing, from re-envisioned madrigals; sacred tangos; atmospheric Latvian and Estonian masterpieces; and uplifting pop and jazz numbers.
