The other day I grabbed a cup of coffee and decided to walk from Downtown to Chinatown, or as I like to call it: The Paper Hound to Massy Books route. With Canadian Independent Bookstore Day (“CIBD”) on the way – it’s always on the last Saturday in April – I wanted to highlight these shops and others in our community who are very worthy of your support.
These indie bookstores are deeply passionate about their work, they prioritize customer service, and they provide unmatched value for the book-buying public.
Independent Bookstore Day in Vancouver
Canadian Independent Bookstore Day (April 30, 2022) is the annual day when readers, writers, illustrators, publishers, and other industry supporters come together to celebrate indie bookstores across Canada. By joining the celebration, you are advocating for independent businesses, supporting a flourishing bookselling community, and investing in Canadian culture.
Independent booksellers are an integral part of Canadian culture. Indie bookstores are pillars of the communities in which they reside. Their staff are actively involved in the neighbourhood and provide an inclusive space where people can connect over shared interests and engage in important discourse. Local booksellers also play a vital role in the Canadian literary ecosystem. They are conduits of discovery, championing Canadian creators at all career stages and introducing Canadian readers to a diverse range of voices – including writers who identify as Indigenous, Black, People of Colour, and LGBTQ2S+ – from across Canada’s rich cultural landscape.
Participating Locations in Vancouver
Local shops across Canada are planning celebratory activities for the big day including customer giveaways, discounts, exclusive products, author events, and more. In Vancouver, look for special offerings from:
Visit as many of the stores listed here as you can for chances to win awesome gift certificates, bookish accessories and other great literary items. Each bookstore is running their own draw and there are many prizes to be won from the stores, and publishers such as Raincoast Books, Ampersand Inc., Harper Collins, Canadian Manda Group, and Penguin Random House.
CIBD is an opportunity to raise awareness about everything that indies have to offer. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for info about the campaign.
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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Sponsored Post — Sponsored by Burnaby Village Museum Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
It’s a favourite, free, local attraction filled with history, family fun, and learning in a beautiful setting! Now, get ready for summer at Burnaby Village Museum with new activities along with your favourite things to see and do as this 10 acre open air museum celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Summer at Burnaby Village Museum
When: May 7 to September 5, 2022
11:00am to 4:30pm, Tuesday to Sunday, including statutory holidays
Where: Burnaby Village Museum (6501 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby)
Admission: FREE! Ride the restored 1912 C.W. Parker Carousel for $2.65
This May marks 50 years since the Burnaby Village Museum (“BVM”) opened to the public for its first full year in 1972. They will celebrate the momentous occasion with new exhibits, entertainment and activities, offering visitors an immersive experience of the 1920s village comprising heritage and recreated buildings.
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What’s New at Burnaby Village Museum
We are 50: Explore the Unexpected: This new exhibit will showcase objects rarely seen by the public before.
Kids Conservation Lab: Go behind-the-scenes and learn what it takes to be a museum conservator in this interactive exhibit.
Anniversary arches: Life-sized arch installations will showcase the museum’s evolving role in the community through the eyes of local artists. To be unveiled late May 2022.
Scavenger hunt & giveaways: Pickup your scavenger hunt at the gates and explore conservation projects of all sizes throughout the museum. Special 50th anniversary giveaways available at both gates for opening weekend (May 7 & 8).
View through time: Learn the history of the museum’s buildings through photographs and anniversary banners.
Explore the carousel gallery and discover the history behind this 100+ year old treasure of the fairgrounds.
Museum memory book craft: Design your own keepsake memory book of your visit to the museum.
Community day: Join BVM on May 23 for their big anniversary celebration with live music, activities and speeches beginning at 2:00pm.
Walking tours: Beginning May 24, you can register and participate in a guided walking tour of the museum. Tours will take place every Tuesday and Saturday at 2:00pm.
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“We’re very excited about our anniversary celebrations and hope that Burnaby residents and visitors from all over will celebrate with us,” said Deborah Tuyttens, the museum’s Cultural Heritage Manager. “It’s a great time to look back at the village’s history, but it’s also a great time to look forward,” she said.
The museum has also created a coffee table book titled, Our Stories at 50: Fifty Years at the Burnaby Village Museumto mark this special occasion. Enjoy learning more about the museum in this beautiful anniversary book, available for purchase at the carousel gift shop.
Everyone is so happy to see the return of the Chilliwack Tulip Festival – a signature Fraser Valley and springtime experience which is on now! With the sunny weather this weekend, the event is currently sold out for Saturday but there are some morning and early evening slots available to book for Sunday. I had a lovely time there on Friday morning (starting at 8:00am) and the light was lovely for photos, which I want to share with you:
Chilliwack Tulip Festival Photos
The various tulip varieties bloom at different times, so that all of the flowers can be enjoyed throughout the season, just in different locations around the fields. There are between 7 and 20 acres of flowers in full bloom for the duration of the festival.
Take your own photos at the Chiliwack Tulip Festival, just be sure to book your tickets in advance so you don’t miss out! Also, wear appropriate footwear as this is a working farm and the fields are a bit saturated from all the recent rain.
When: Every day from April 11th for 3-4 weeks
Where: 41310 Royalwood Dr, just off Highway 1’s Yale Rd exit
There are also three food trucks that rotate through the site during the festival, and a farm shop where you can take home hand-made goods, and of course some flowers of your own. Follow the Chilliwack Tulip Festival on Facebook for the latest info and updates.
Esther Leung-Kong is a Vancouver-based Chinese Canadian author who aims to help educate children on diversity, immigrant struggles, and cultural representation through her bilingual book Wonderfully Made 奇妙的傑作 for kids 5 to 10 years old.
Wonderfully Made 奇妙的傑作 Book Giveaway
In Wonderfully Made, Leung-Kong shares her story and struggles of fitting in as a child immigrating to a new place. Along the way she met Indigenous friends and learned about their stories that helped transform her journey in embracing her own cultural roots.
Leung-Kong’s passion includes advocating for justice and compassion both locally and globally through her work at the non-profit organization Culture Regeneration Research Society and volunteering with the local grassroot charity Vancouver Urban Ministries, leadership development for young people and inspiring others through music. Throughout the years she has been raising awareness among the Chinese immigrant community about colonial history and treatment of Indigenous people.
The bilingual book is available in hardcover and ebook, with illustrations by Melanie Choi, and narrated by the author in audiobook format.
Enter to Win
I have a book along with audiobook link to give away! Here’s how you can enter to win:
I will draw two winners at random from all entries at 12:00pm on April 28, 2022. Open to Metro Vancouver only.
Testimonial from Phyllis (Jack) Webstad, Founder and Executive Director of the Orange Shirt Society:
“In 2003 I went to China to teach English, I only lasted 3 months! For the first few weeks all I did was cry; I had to remind myself that no one sent me, that I was free to go home at any time, this made me feel better. I arrived near the end of January, which is the beginning of the Chinese New Year. l’d always wondered what millions of people looked like, well I sure found out fast. It was like someone took me and dropped me on another planet. Everything I knew to be true was no longer true – from the language to the currency, to the food, I couldn’t even cross the street by myself. I needed someone to help me. This is what Wonderfully Made reminded me of. Because of this experience, I could associate with the experience of Esther coming to Canada and having a difficult time adjusting.
Thank you, Esther, for learning about and helping to educate others about Residential Schools in Canada. No matter what nationality we are or where we are from, we all have a right to walk on this earth and to breathe the air. No one is better or less than anyone else. We are all wonderfully made!”
This weekend celebrate Earth Day at outdoor venues across the region, enjoy theatrical presentations, a festival of Indigenous song, stories, and dance, and much more! Here’s what’s happening around Metro Vancouver April 22-24, 2022:
