Happy Valentine’s Day! The Sea to Sky Gondola re-opening will take place on February 14, 2020. It’s will be just over six month since a criminal act of vandalism on August 10, 2019 forced the closure.
Sea to Sky Gondola Re-Opening
Sea to Sky Gondola
In the coming weeks, thirty new cabins will be installed on the new main haul rope that arrived from Switzerland at the end of October. The reopening comes just in time for Family Day Long Weekend with the gondola welcoming guests back with 50% off lift tickets all weekend long in celebration of the love and support they received from their community during the closure.
“We are so excited that on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2020, we get to carry our passholders and guests back up the mountain on a brand-new cable, in brand-new cabins. Our community stood by the gondola and showed us overwhelming support, confidence, and love through the last six months, and for that, we are so grateful.” – Kirby Brown, Sea to Sky Gondola General Manager.
The final pieces of the rebuild are coming together and the final safety inspections and certification by Technical Safety BC is slated for the first week of February. Work that took place on the journey to rebuild the Sea to Sky Gondola includes the installation of a new 4.4km long main haul cable, assembly and installation of thirty new cabins, and the installation of a new state of the art security system.
With a snowy winter wonderland waiting at the summit and 50% off lift tickets for the entire Family Day Long Weekend, the Sea to Sky Gondola looks forward to showing the love to the community that showed them such extraordinary support during the closure.
Coming from Vancouver? The Squamish Connector (24 seats) offers roundtrip shuttle service from three downtown Vancouver locations to the Sea to Sky Gondola. Guests can enjoy three hours at the Sea to Sky Gondola before returning to downtown Vancouver by 4:00pm.
Hours of operation until May 15, 2020, are 10:00am to 4:00pm.
Show One Productions presents the anticipated return of the world famous, all-male ballet company Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo(“Trocks”) on stage in Vancouver for one night only!
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo in Vancouver
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. Photo by Zoran Jelenic.
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre (630 Hamilton St, Vancouver) When: February 1, 2020 at 8:00pm Tickets: Available online now »
This sensational performance will showcase the Trocks’ wickedly absurd antics and serious dancing chops — featuring sly send-ups of beloved ballet classics and contemporary works. Infused with a heavy dose of highbrow hilarity, this antic-laden evening will offer audiences a chance to experience high-powered diva energy as the men strut their stuff in size 11 pointe shoes.
“The Trocks offer a welcome respite from our challenging times” says Svetlana Dvoretsky, President & Executive Producer of Show One Productions. “In these difficult periods, this production is full of raucous humour and unbridled positivity. Indeed, audiences always have the time of their lives at Trocks’ performances. Whether they are laughing along with the company’s unique rendition of ballet favourites like Swan Lake or delighting at their take on contemporary dance, audiences frequently cite the group’s sensational comic timing and peerless ballet technique as the singular reason they keep coming back again and again.”
Founded by a group of professional dancers in 1974, the New York-based company is dedicated to presenting lovingly crafted parodies of beloved ballet classics. Since its first performance, the company was lauded by audiences and critics alike, with rave reviews from The New Yorker, The New York Times, and The Guardian. Trocks soon began a grand tradition of touring the world.
Today the Trocks have performed in more than 30 countries and 500 cities worldwide. Follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more info.
Win Tickets
I have a pair of tickets to give away to this funny and sophisticated show, here’s how you can enter to win:
The 54th annual Variety BC Show of Hearts Telethon will be broadcast live on Global BC from the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver on Sunday, February 9, 2020. The iconic event will air from 9:30am to 5:30pm and can also be streamed on Global’s website.
Show of Hearts Telethon 2020
The eight-hour telecast will introduce viewers to Variety kids from across the province including 12-year-old Brody who has Marfan syndrome, cerebral palsy and epilepsy and who received an adaptive stroller, an electric wheelchair and a van conversion from Variety.
Viewers will also have the opportunity to catch up with some of the kids they met during Variety Week including 9-year-old Cole who was partially paralyzed after a cancerous tumor crushed his spine. Variety has funded his rehabilitation by providing physiotherapy sessions to help him retrain his muscles and nervous system so that he can regain feeling in his legs. Now as Cole tries to take his first unassisted steps, it is with the help of a pair of custom leg braces also provided by Variety.
Returning hosts include Global BC’s Chris Gailus & Sophie Lui, Global Okanagan’s Doris Bregolisse, 980 CKNW’s Jody Vance and CFOX’s Karen Khunkhun. They’ll be joined by actor Paul Greene, inspirational speaker Cara E. Yar Khan and long-time Show of Hearts favourite, Alvin Law.
This year’s entertainment line-up will feature performances by Juno Award-winning indie band Said The Whale, singer-songwriter Shawn Austin, Canadian blues rockers Wide Mouth Mason, country artist Todd Richard and special guests, multi-platinum selling group The Tenors.
Miss604 Social Lounge influencers at the 2019 Show of Hearts Telethon
Donations to the Variety Show of Hearts Telethon can be made by calling toll-free at 310-KIDS and also online at variety.bc.ca or by texting “KIDS” to 45678 to make an automatic $20 contribution.
There really is nothing sweeter to me than hearing my partner’s laughter, which is why a night of comedy at Vancouver TheatreSports Romance Week sounds like the perfect way to celebrate Valentine’s Day in the city.
Vancouver TheatreSports Romance Week
In honour of Valentine’s Day, VTS is celebrating the fun, funny, and spicy of all things love and romance with Romance Week, which begins on Wednesday, February 5, 2020 and runs through to Saturday, February 15, 2020 at The Improv Centre on Granville Island. Tickets are available online and prices start at just $10.75.
Are you single and think that Valentine’s Day is a big yawn? Come on down anyway. Grab a gaggle of equally single friends and have a fun night together. VTS offers special discounts for groups of 10 or more.
Romance Week Program:
The Love of Your Life – An Improvised True Romance February 5-8, 12-13, & 15, 2020 at 7:30pm Developed by former VTS Artistic Director Denise Jones, this show premiered at the 2019 Vancouver Fringe Festival where it played to packed houses. The Love of Your Life is a witty and romantic look at one real couple’s relationship as revealed through interviews and interpreted by VTS improvisers. An actual couple from the audience joins the ensemble on stage for the show. During the first half, they are interviewed by the host. The ensemble, utilizing the information given by the couple, re-creates some key moments in their life leading up to the present time. The second half of the show takes what has been learned about the couple, infuses that with suggestions from the audience, and projects what the future will hold for them in a series of improvised scenarios. “One of the show’s most moving performances at the Fringe Festival happened when we featured a couple who had been together 40 years,” says Ms. Jones. “This show will touch both your heart and your funny bone.”
Love Matches – A Valentine’s Day All-Out Love Battle February 14, 2020 at 7:30pm and 9:30pm Hosted by none other than Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, and our own, very dapper GQpid, Love Matches (based on the classic TheatreSports format) features an all-out love battle of epic proportions as ‘improv couples’ duke it out in an audience-inspired competition to prove that love conquers all. The evening also includes various special characters such as a Love Astrologer who will check your Heart Chart (are your sun signs compatible?) and personalized improvised love sonnets you can take with you, as well as specials at the bar.
OK Tinder – Swipe Right Comedy February 6 & 13, 2020 at 9:15pm Looking for love on the internet? Jump into 60 minutes of fast-paced, no-holds-barred comedy looking at the good, bad, and laughably ludicrous of Vancouver’s notorious dating scene.
Frisky Friday February 7 & 14, 2020 at 11:15pm Bring the sizzle to your Friday nights as an all-star cast of VTS ensemble members explores the funny side of naughty. From fetishes to threesomes, no subject will be deemed too scandalous to spoof. Based on audience suggestions, this is not a show for the faint of heart or those with delicate sensibilities. It is for mature adults who want to get their laugh on.
The Late Show – Adult Only Comedy February 8 & 15, 2020 at 11:15pm This show takes the furry handcuffs off improvisers to present edgy, uncensored, improv comedy. With the aid of audience suggestions, VTS’ quick-witted ensemble members create scenarios that explore mature themes, content, and language. You never know how far this show will go with the audience as willing accomplices.
Date Night Improv Workshop For Couples* February 14, 2020 at 7:00pm to 9:00pm If you are looking to really spice up your Valentine’s evening, consider attending VTS’ Date Night Improv Workshop. This special improv class for couples will be offered only on February 14. This 2-hour workshop is designed with couples in mind. Come with your partner to play and laugh during this fun, stress-free, one-of-a-kind, date night event. Let yourselves loose through improv games and exercises led by ensemble members Clare Filipow and Allen Morrison. Make this year’s Valentine’s Day memorable by adding some play to your evening. *Cost: $30/person. Register at online here.
Everyone is back at work and while we have some exciting food festivals coming up, there aren’t too many events this week/weekend. Where you will find a full lineup is on stage. Check with the theatre nearest to you to see what’s playing and support our local scene! Find a few of these listings and more things to do in Vancouver this weekend below:
I’ve had this image of Coal Harbour saved in my browser for a few years now as it shows so many interesting elements of Vancouver, 80+ years ago. The archives notes its creation date as 1940 however you can see the Denman Arena on the right, and it burnt down in 1936 so it must have been taken before then.
The biggest change between then and now is Devonian Harbour Park, which you can see from the photo is home to marinas and port buildings back then. Thanks to a donation in 1984 from the Devonian Foundation in Alberta, today it’s a 4.42 hectare green space with rolling lawns, sculptures and pond.
