Nominations are now open for the 18th annual Small Business BC Awards. Once a simple business planning contest, the awards have evolved over the years to a large-scale provincial competition with a reputation for prestige and excellence among the BC small business community.
Small Business BC Awards
If you’re a business owner, you can nominate your own business. Or, if there’s a small business you love, show your appreciation and nominate on their behalf. Nominations and voting are open until 11:59pm on March 7, 2021.
Once nominated, businesses engage with their community to gather as many votes as possible before the deadline March 8th. The top 5 businesses in each category with the most votes and best applications will move on to the next stage of the contest, where they’ll pitch their business to a panel of business experts.
Nominees can increase their brand visibility, reach new customers and boost their reputation.
In a typical year, the event would culminate with a gala award ceremony where the success of the small business community is toasted. As we continue to navigate the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the award ceremony will be held virtually in 2021 over several days.
Update: Finalists Announced
In all, a total of 937 nominations were received, representing 558 small businesses in 88 communities across BC. These businesses received over 51,150 votes. Here are the Top 5 Finalists in each category:
The Got Craft? Virtual Market Foodie Edition is coming up February 4-7, 2021. This newest market will feature 35 Lower Mainland based chefs, bakers, and makers creating small batch food and drink including plant based, gluten free, and low sugar options.
Got Craft? Virtual Market Foodie Edition
When: Thursday, February 4 to Sunday, February 7, 2021 Where: Shop online then choose from flat rate shipping or free Vancouver curbside pick up.
The upcoming event will welcome 25% new vendors to the line up including Tempea Natural Foods, JJ Bakes Company, Kindred Cultures Water Kefir, Scratch Fine Foods, Hoochy ‘Booch Kombucha, and Nonno’s Pasta Shop, serving Vancouver’s first plant-based Italian pasta and sauce.
Shop small and support local businesses, offering a curated selection of goods including chocolate, kombucha, coffee and teas, Asian style dumplings, baking mixes, lemon squares, nut butters, honey, jam, kimchi, and so much more!
The Got Craft? Virtual Markets are online events to support and engage the creative community from the comfort and safety of our homes. Since they aren’t able to host events in-person due to COVID-19, it’s a way to come together while staying apart. Since moving Got Craft? events online at the beginning of June 2020, they’ve had the opportunity to showcase over 200 makers and small shops from across Canada.
Win a Prize Pack
In the great tradition of Got Craft? markets, I have an awesome prize pack to give away! Here’s what’s included:
[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win a #GotCraft Virtual Market Foodie Edition prize pack http://ow.ly/HQis50DhYYy @gotcraftmarket #gotcraft” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 10:00am on February 2, 2021. UPDATE The winner is Andrea A!
The Arts Club Theatre Company Artistic Director Ashlie Corcoran has announced the company’s upcoming theatrical projects, in the form of four world premiere audio plays from Western Canadian playwrights.
Unexpecting By Bronwyn Carradine, member of the Arts Club’s 2019 Emerging Playwrights’ Unit Release date: February 10, 2021
Married couple Annie and Josephine have been trying to start a family for the past five years. As their patience and pennies start to dry up, they begin to second-guess their choices, until another chance at a baby literally bursts through the front door. Unexpecting is a comedic exploration of marriage, friendship, and modern motherhood.
Night Passing By Scott Button, member of the Arts Club’s 2019 Emerging Playwrights’ Unit Release date: March 17, 2021
Ottawa, 1958. A young man moves from a rural town to the big city, hoping to reckon with his emerging sexuality—and comes face to face with the horrific, oppressive acts against the queer population there. Night Passing is inspired by the true stories of LGBTQ+ Canadians who endured brutal harassment at the hands of their own government, and the vital resistance that followed.
Someone Like You By Christine Quintana, a 2020–2021 Silver Commissions Playwright Release date: May 19, 2021
A boyfriend from hell. A nightmare apartment. A botched Tinder date. Isabelle and Kristen have been through a lot together. But the arrival of Kristen’s new romantic interest leaves Isabelle wondering how long she can stay in a supporting role. This new comedy launches Cyrano de Bergerac into the 21st century: mistaken identities, millennial manifestos, and the quest for self-love. Who might be waiting in the wings?
My Father Is the Greatest Man in the World By Tai Amy Grauman, a 2020–2021 Silver Commissions Playwright Release date: July 14, 2021
Rose grew up on a farm in small-town Alberta with her Métis family. Now a country singer in Nashville and pregnant with her first baby, Rose returns home with questions for her father, John. Once a trapper on the land, John has worked in the oil field since Rose was born. What from his past can help unlock her child’s future?
Unexpecting and Night Passing, developed in the Arts Club’s 2019–2020 Emerging Playwrights’ Unit, were originally written for the stage and later adapted to an audio format. Someone Like You and My Father Is the Greatest Man in the World, developed as Silver Commission projects, were originally commissioned as stage plays, but were modified to an audio format prior to being written.
Subscribe to the whole series for $30 or purchase access to an individual audio play for $10. To enjoy Listen to This for free, subscribe to Spotify and Apple Podcasts and receive 15-minute weekly instalments of each show.
Laduree’s Valentine’s Day collection, Vénus, mon Amour, is an exquisite line of Parisian treats launching this February. Enjoy limited edition macaron gift boxes, heart-shaped cakes for two, and an Afternoon Tea à Deux from February 11 to 14, 2021.
Laduree’s Valentine’s Day Collection
Vancouver’s Ladurée Boutique and Tea Salon is located at 1141 Robson St. Macarons and Valentine’s Day boxes are also available at the Ladurée Carriage Pop Up inside Holt Renfrew at 737 Dunsmuir St.
Last year, my mother and I enjoyed tea for two at Laduree on Robson. It was so lovely and the last time she and I had a special dining experience out together before COVID restrictions came into play in March. It’s a sweet memory that I’ve kept with me all year.
The limited edition Vénus, mon Amour macaron boxes (box of eight for $38; box of 18 for $70 ) feature beautiful, coloured drawings of Venus and Cupid with gold and silver accents. Guests can fill the boxes with their desired macaron flavours, with 16 available to choose from: favourite classics such as rose, pistachio, salted caramel, and chocolate; seasonal offerings, such as matcha moringa and almond lucuma; the new vegan chocolate and vegan caramel coconut matcha; and Ladurée’s unique chocolate coated macarons. Macarons can also be ok personalized with a custom design.
Pastries and More
Executive pastry chef Eulalie Hermand has created two special heart-shaped cakes (from $25 for two people) this year, including: the classic Ladurée flavour Ispahan with two rose macaron shells filled with rose petal cream, fresh raspberries, and lychees; and a Gourmet Chocolate Macaron with delicate champagne cream and strawberry confit inside.
All cakes, pastries, and macarons can be pre-ordered online for in-store pick-up or delivery within Greater Vancouver.
The new Ladurée Afternoon Tea à Deux ($80 for two; $95 for two with a cocktail or champagne pairing) is available February 12 to February 14, 2021 for dine-in only. Guests will have the chance to enjoy a delicious set featuring two macarons, choice between the heart-shaped Ispahan cake or heart-shaped Gourmet Chocolate Macaron, savoury canapes, mini savoury croissants, fruit salad, and tea, coffee, or hot chocolate. Reservations are required and can be made online or by calling (604) 336-3030.
This morning the organizers of the Bloom Abbotsford Tulip Festival announced that after four years of hosting one of the Fraser Valley’s largest and most colourful outdoor events, they plan to eventually rebloom in the North Okanagan.
Abbotsford Tulip Festival is Moving to the North Okanagan
“It’s a bittersweet feeling to say goodbye to the incredible community that supported our vision for the last few years but we’re hopeful for the future of the event in our new community in the Northern Okanagan,” said Alexis Szarek, Founder of Bloom, The Abbotsford Tulip Festival. “We want to thank all of our dedicated staff and volunteers who greatly contributed to our success in Abbotsford, as well as the many community stakeholders who helped us along the way.”
Bloom, The Abbotsford Tulip Festival held their first event in the spring of 2016 with the goal of bringing four generations of Szarek’s family’s passion for growing tulips to a broader audience.
The outdoor festival attracted up to 100,000 visitors each year over six weeks from April to May who gathered to marvel at the 2.5 million rainbow coloured tulips in full bloom. The event employed over dozens of staff and volunteers every year, and had a significant impact on the local economy while boosting tourism and putting Abbotsford on a global stage for its reputation as an agritourism destination.
Several recent factors impacted the decision to permanently close the Abbotsford Tulip Festival, including the forced cancellation of the 2020 event last April due to the pandemic, as well as the uncertainty of the 2021 season. In addition, earlier this year, the land where the festival had been held for four consecutive years was sold to new owners further compromising the future of the event. Szarek and her growing family have since relocated to Armstrong where she and her husband, Marc hope to re-imagine Bloom for the North Okanagan community.
