Indian Summer Festival 2021

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

The 11th Indian Summer Festival (“ISF2021”) is on now until July 17th with most events available to stream on digital channels, and premieres at 7:00pm every Thursday and Saturday (except July 1st).

Indian Summer Festival 2021

Indian Summer Festival 2021

This year, the festival offers live digital event premieres (where audiences can interact through chat functionality) with an on-demand digital platform that makes it possible for events to be viewable until the end of the festival. The festival sees a stunning global cast of talent from beatboxers to tabla maestros, novelists and actors.

A Digital Pass to access all online events at the festival is $50. Individual tickets to all events are available on a sliding scale of no fee, $10 or $20.

“For this 11th year for the 2021 Indian Summer Festival, we thought that our theme should be “Shapeshifting,” says Sirish Rao, Indian Summer Festival’s Artistic Director. “It’s something that we’ve all had to do in the last year, and shapeshifters have existed in almost every culture.” The festival has elements of music, performing arts and literary discussions . “So we can experience the true transformative power of the arts,” adds Rao. “The arts give us levity, solace and help us make sense of our predicament and imagine our futures.”

Event Lineup

Saturday, June 19, 2021, 7:00pm (available to stream until July 17)
Anoushka Shankar – The Musical Journey of a Shapeshifter

Wednesday, June 23 – Saturday, July 3, 2021
VOX Infold (Lobe Spatial Sound Studio, 713 East Hastings, Vancouver)
This special project is a rare chance to experience the music of powerhouse vocal ensemble Vox Infold in the form of an immersive sound experience. Presented at the groundbreaking Lobe Spatial Sound Studio and using Lobe’s 4DSOUND system, this is music not just as sound but as a profound experience of space and dimension. Consider it a healing sound bath. Advance booking required and experienced as an individual or in a ‘household bubble.’ With Dawn Pemberton, Inuksuk Mckay, Russell Wallace, Tiffany Ayalik, Tiffany Moses, Shamik Bilgi and Ruby Singh.

Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

June is Attractions Month in Vancouver

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt
Disclosure: Review — Admission pass was covered by Tourism Vancouver. Not a paid post. Views are my own. Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.

To ring in June as the unofficial “Attractions Month in Vancouver”, the city’s exceptional attractions and sightseeing businesses have put together an array of exclusive offers available for reservations now. Locals who also book a stay at participating downtown hotels will receive an attractions voucher valued at up to $75, for their adventures in and around the city. 

Attractions Month in Vancouver

#LoveToExplore is the next phase of the #LoveVancouver promotion launched earlier this year by Tourism Vancouver, designed to inspire residents to rediscover our world-renowned city and the incredible experiences available right here at home.

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park Photowalk

I haven’t been to the North Shore in months so I thought for my own local attraction experience, I would head over to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Right now, you can get a free child admission for every adult admission to the park. Reservations required: Email info[at]capbridge.com or call (604) 985-7474 and quote TVAN135).

Capilano Suspension Bridge 2021
Had a lot of fun with my sister – and it’s easy to avoid crowds with all the protocols in place
Capilano Suspension Bridge 2021 c
Capilano Suspension Bridge 2021

Vancouver’s world-class attractions and unique experiences are critical to the rebuild of the city’s visitor economy. Tourism Vancouver states that prior to the pandemic, anchor attractions in Vancouver welcomed over 6 million visitors per year and generated an estimated $256 million in gate revenues. More than ever, the city’s tourism industry depends on residents taking advantage of these special offers and supporting local businesses throughout this upcoming summer.

Residents looking for up-to-the minute information are encouraged to connect with the Tourism Vancouver Virtual Visitor Centre. Members of the team are ready to connect through the “Live Chat” feature and share fresh ideas to help planning their trip to Vancouver this summer.

Jazz Festival Adds In-Person Shows

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt
Disclosure: Sponsored Post — Sponsored by Coastal Jazz & Blues Society Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.

With the recent announcement from BC’s Provincial Health Office regarding the move into Step 2 of British Columbia’s Restart Plan, the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival welcomes small in-person audiences to indoor concerts at two venues: Performance Works and The Ironworks.

TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival's Virtual Program for 2021
The TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival welcomes small in-person audiences to indoor concerts at two venues: Performance Works and The Ironworks.

Jazz Festival Adds In-Person Shows

At Performance Works, audiences of 40 will be permitted at the free daytime shows (2:30pm, June 25-July 4) and the evening ticketed events (8:00pm, June 25-July 4, 2021).

Daytime FreeEvening Ticketed
Cat Toren’s HUMAN KINDSnotty Nose Rez Kids
Turner/Ryga Quintet – Tribute to Charlie Parker Dálava 
Jillian Lebeck Trio Khari Wendell McClelland
KUYA Quintet Blue Moon Marquee
Emad Armoush’s RayhanTonye Aganaba
Itamar Erez Quintet  Peggy Lee Band
Quatuor André Lachance Ludic
Dawn Pemberton Dee Daniels
San Pedro Cinco Jill Barber
Jasmine Jazz ft the Jodi Proznick Trio
Get tickets here

At The Ironworks, audiences of 25 will be permitted at the free daytime shows (4:30pm, June 25-July 4) and the evening ticketed events (9:00pm, June 25-July 4, 2021). 

Daytime FreeEvening Ticketed
Alvaro Rojas’ Music for 22 Josh Zubot Quartet
Burrows/Carter/Loewen/Reed Grdina-Houle-Loewen
Jeff Younger’s Dreaming Skies The Watermill Project
Chris Gestrin’s Shadows Quartet Paul Plimley Trio
Stop Time III Longhand Trio Plus Zubots
Wawona Limbs of the Stars
Lisa Cay Miller/Ben Brown/Feven Kidane Tommy Babin’s Benzene
AssertionWaxwing
Torsten Müller’s Particle Storm Talking Pictures
Eli DavidoviciLoewen/Carter + Not For Proper 
Get tickets here

Events at the Western Front, Tom Lee Music and Pyatt Hall, as well as the International Streaming Series, will remain virtual.

Seating arrangements and physical distancing will be in full compliance with PHO guidelines and will be strictly enforced. Festival safety plans are available on the Coastal Jazz & Blues Society website’s Attending a Show page along with helpful information about pre-sales, registering for tickets, and more. 

Patrons must register for these tickets in advance in order to comply with contact tracing and safety protocols. Tickets WILL NOT be available at the venue. Tickets will be available to the general public on Saturday, June 19 at 10:00am. Registration and ticket purchases can be made online by navigating to the individual show page.

The TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Vancouver’s signature Festival, celebrates its 35th edition this summer from Friday, June 25 to Sunday, July 4. The 2021 Festival includes performances by British Columbia’s plethora of talented artists; streams from New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Amsterdam, and Paris; free online workshops; club performances; talks; and a continued partnership with North Shore Jazz. All streamed performances will be available to view on Coastal Jazz & Blues Society’s YouTube channel from broadcast date to 11:59pm PT on July 6, 2021.

For more information and the latest updates, follow Coastal Jazz on Facebook.

Vancouver Pride Events 2021

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

Vancouver Pride Society has announced its full schedule for the 2021 #ChooseYourPride celebrations. While acknowledging that Pride doesn’t look the same for all community members, the organization is hosting more than 60 events including in-person and digital experiences taking place July 3 to August 3, 2021.

Vancouver Pride Photo by Belle Ancell
Model: Mida Malek. Photo by Belle Ancell.

Vancouver Pride Events 2021

When: July 3 to August 3, 2021
Where: Various locations across Vancouver and online
Tickets/Registration: Ranging from $0–$10 available online starting June 28, 2021 at 10:00am

As one of the first in-person Summer festivals since COVID hit in 2020, Vancouver Pride Society will bring the pandemic-friendly VanPrideFest to Jonathan Rogers Park in Mount Pleasant from July 30 to August 1, 2021. The series of free open-air programming with community partners offers ten different time slots dedicated to the specificities of the local 2SLGBTQAI+ community. The event is free but registration is required so organizers are able to comply with all provincial health orders.

For the first time this year, organizers are bringing a series of COVID-safe Pride Lounges to Vancouver Downtown, which will pop across from Jim Deva Plaza, Stanley Park Brewpub, and šxʷƛ̓ ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Attendees will be able to book a time slot for up to six people within their bubble in advance and enjoy drinks under the summer sky with lounge-style entertainment.

Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

Things to do in Vancouver This Weekend June 18-20

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

While we are now free to move about the province and leave our region for recreational purposes, there’s a great lineup of events and things to do in Vancouver this weekend as usual! Here’s what’s happening around town this Friday to Sunday:

Things to do in Vancouver This Weekend

Things to do in Vancouver This Weekend

Friday, June 18, 2021
Sponsored by Miss604: Burnaby Village Museum
Indigenous Identities
Talking Truths: Following in Her Footsteps
Museum of Surrey – Trains for Tots
South Granville Food Truck Fest
Music Waste 2021
Rivers Have Mouths Exhibition
Vancouver International Dance Festival: Lamondance – Before Dawn
Fleurs de Villes ROSÉ in Downtown Vancouver
Indian Summer Festival
BIKEnnale and WALKennale

Continue reading this post ⟩⟩