Light Up Chinatown is new two-day event featuring a variety of family-friendly activities along East Pender and neighbouring streets happening this September. Presented by the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation and the Chinatown Business Improvement Association, enjoy everything from live entertainment, exclusive food collaborations, to glittering displays of lights and lanterns.
Light Up Chinatown
When: September 11-12, 2021 Where: East Pender & neighbouring streets Admission: Free
“Our goal for Light Up Chinatown is to encourage people to reconnect with Vancouver’s Chinatown, especially leading up to the Mid-Autumn Festival,” says Carol Lee, co-founder and chair of Vancouver Chinatown Foundation. “The lanterns and lights are beautiful beacons, highlighting the vibrant, cultural history this special neighbourhood continues to hold and represent.”
The two-day event kick-offs on Saturday, September 11, 2021 with an opening ceremony at the main stage on Columbia Street at Keefer at 11:00am. From there, attendees can join in on a variety of live festivities, including a performance by Goh Ballet, live music, magic show by Rod Chow, and food tastings while exploring shops around Chinatown for unique, specialty offerings.
Ken Tsui of Here There creative studio has brought together a line-up of culinary collaborations, bridging cultures together, including:
Vancouver Chinatown Foundation has also updated its Taste of Chinatown passport, a self-guided walking food tour where Light Up Chinatown visitors can sample must-try items from eateries. Passport maps will be handed out near the main stage on both days. Completed passports can be submitted to enter-to-win daily prizes from a variety of Chinatown businesses and restaurants.
There will also be an Instagram contest for those who share images throughout the two days, using the #LightUpChinatown hashtag and tagging @chinatownfoundation. The grand prize winner will win a Chinatown restaurant gift package.
I am using a rainy image on this post to bring on some downpour energy! From theatrical experiences and musical performances, to online programming and soccer action at BC Place, there are plenty of things to do in Vancouver this weekend, including the return of the PNE:
It’s back! The annual, free, Monstercat Compound block party returns to Railtown on September 18, 2021.
Monstercat Compound 2021
When: Saturday, September 18, 2021 2:00pm to 9:00pm Where: Monstercat HQ (380 Railway Street, Vancouver) Admission: Free, RSVP online here. Premium passes are also available for $25.
Festivities will include live electronic music on two stages, with performances from some of Canada’s top names in electronic music including The Funk Hunters, Tony Romera, and more.
The event will also include live art, video games, music education, merch, food trucks and much more. Compound welcomes fans, families alike, offering something for every Vancouverite.
Shop
Stock up on Monstercat apparel and accessories. The Merch Team will be on-site again with a jam-packed booth brimming with awesome items. The Shop booth will feature a huge sample sale featuring a choice selection of products released throughout the last 2 years, including some previously sold out items. Monstercat will have men’s, women’s, and unisex pieces available for purchase. You can also expect on-site heat printing of some classic Monstercat designs. For the first time ever, you’ll be able to pick your placements and build your own customized piece.
Art
Compound is so much more than just two stages of awesome music. This year they are expanding the live art element of their event by welcoming a lineup of Vancouver-based artists.
Monstercat is a Canadian independent electronic music record label based in Vancouver and founded in 2011.
The Lower Lonsdale Business Improvement Area (“LLBIA”) has announced the return of the highly popular, and free, Shipyards Festival which will take place in the Shipyards District in North Vancouver on Saturday September 25th.
Shipyards Festival 2021
When: Saturday, September 25, 2021 from 12:00pm to 10:00pm Where: Lower Lonsdale, The Shipyards, and Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver Admission: Free
“This is great news for the community, businesses, and the bands – we are all eager to get back to celebrating and enjoying large events together,” said Greg Holmes, Executive Director of the Lower Lonsdale BIA. “When we hosted this event in 2019, more than 15,000 people attended so we knew we had to bring the festival back.”
Shipyards Festival will feature four music stages and offer activities and attractions for all ages.
The Commons Stage: Bedouin Soundclash, XL the Band, Small Town Artillery, MNGWA, Turunesh, Francis Arevalo, Redwoods, Nimkish, Ben Cotrill
Shipbuilders Square Stage: The Zolas, Astrocolour, IAMTHELIVING, Harlequin Gold, Via Barcelonia, Bridgehill, Grade School, The Della Kit, Bukola Balogun
Seaspan Family Stage: Ginalina, Robin Reddy Show, Matt Henry
Burrard Dry Dock: Celebrating World Maritime Day with North Shore Celtic Ensemble, Early Spirit, Kierah
Lonsdale Quay Stage 12:00pm to 5:00pm: Ivan Hartle, Myc Sharratt, Michaela Slinger, Bukola Balogun
During the day, kids and families are sure to enjoy the Seaspan Family Zone in The Pipe Shop thanks to entertainment provided by Ginalina, Robin Reddy Show, and Trained Human Matt Henry, as well as face-painting, balloon arts, and crafts.
The Burrard Dry Dock will feature Celtic performances celebrating World Maritime Day. Lonsdale Quay Stage will host a full day of intimate and emerging recording artists.
Parking will be limited so biking, walking or using transit is encouraged. A bike valet service will be available. Follow the Shipyards District on Facebook for more info.
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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Sample — Flight courtesy of Helijet, single ticket entry courtesy of the Malahat Skywalk. Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
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I recently had the chance to visit Vancouver Island’s newest attraction, the Malahat Skywalk, and it’s like no attraction I’ve experienced before!
Submitted photo, from above! Credit Malahat SkyWalk
Visiting the Malahat Skywalk
The experience starts at the welcome centre, where you’ll find a small gift shop and cafe just past the ticket gates. Down a gravel path, are several carvings and natural art pieces that offer fun photo ops for families as children jump up on stumps and pose making silly faces – and this is just the beginning of the experience. The path leads to the elevated TreeWalk, a 600m boardwalk amongst the trees, where kids can also do a little scavenger hunt and spot bent wood owls, carved birds and more along the arbutus and cedar-lined walkway.
Welcome centre, artwork, the TreeWalk, and my friend Tanya posing for me at the top
The walkway has a very gentle incline until you reach the main attraction: a 250m spiral ramp that offers incredible panoramic views of Finlayson Arm, Saanich Peninsula, Mount Baker and the distant Coast Mountains.
Views along the TreeWalk
Before you wind your way up the ramp you will need to decide how you want to get back down: Will you walk or will you slide? If you’d like to take the slide (20m high and 50m long) that twists through the inner part of the spiral, you can pick up a mat at the bottom. Carry the mat to the top with you as it will be your way down on the slide.
Once you get to the top, stopping for many photo ops along the way, you can also walk across a net – looking all the way down to the bottom of the spiral.
There are places to sit, info boards to read, and of course the view.
Whether you slide back down or take a leisurely stroll back down the ramp, there’s a thrill is simply being up on the skywalk regardless.
The slide and the net at the top
More tips:
The whole walk is 2.2km in length so wear comfortable shoes. Sneakers/runners are also good to walk across the net at the top. I was wearing flip flops and I felt like my toes would slip through the sturdy rope. They wouldn’t, but better shoes would have given me more confidence.
On a hot summer day, I would recommend bringing some water and even a snack with you to enjoy before you walk back along either the elevated TreeWalk or the gravel path below that leads you back to the welcome centre.
It is recommended that you plan for about 90 minutes for the whole experience, so plan your visit accordingly.
When you purchase tickets online, they’re good for a year from your purchase date so even if your plans change, you can visit another time within that year.
Adult passes are $31.95 and an annual adult pass is $87.00, so if you plan on visiting every season – which would be awesome to see all the changing colours in the fall, the blossoms in the spring, it’s worth the upgrade.
The Malahat Skywalk opened in July and it’s now open seven days a week, 10:00am to 6:00pm, 365 days a year.
Getting to Vancouver Island
Thanks to Helijet for getting me over to Vancouver Island so I could have this experience.
The 35 minute flight from Downtown Vancouver to Victoria was really scenic, and such a thrill after not flying anywhere in over a year! Keep an eye on their social media for flash sales.
View these images and more in my Instagram stories, posts and reels.
