April is here and that means so are the cherry blossoms, the tulips, some favourite festivals, and many more events! This month Miss604 is a sponsor of the Portobello West Spring Market (April 22 & 23). Find this event and many more things to do around Metro Vancouver listed below.
April Events in Vancouver 2023 Monthly Calendar of Things to Do
On Saturday, April 29, Canadians can support community, culture and diversity by shopping local and engaging in a variety of celebrations during Canadian Independent Bookstore Day (“CIBD”). This cross-country, annual event highlights the importance of independent bookstores in Canadian culture and encourages readers to show support by visiting their local store online or in person.
Canadian Independent Bookstore Day in Vancouver
Many independent bookstores will launch their own creative ideas, ranging from maps of local indies in the neighbourhood, to events and readings, scavenger hunts, contests and displays. Here are some ways you can participate in Canadian Independent Bookstore Day:
Buy books Purchase books and other items in-person, online, or by phone to show your support and to enter the annual Contest for Book Lovers. This contest gives readers the opportunity to win one of three gift cards worth $250, $500, and $1,000 to an independent bookstore of the winner’s choosing. Each book purchased at a participating bookstore counts as one entry into the contest. Books by Canadian writers and illustrators are worth double.
Check out bookstore activities Local shops across Canada are planning celebratory activities for the big day including customer giveaways, discounts, exclusive products, author events, and more.
There are more than 275 bookstores and counting in Canada. Many stores have weathered the pandemic and across North America there has even been a 49% growth in the number of independent bookstores opening between 2009 and 2018. For many book buyers, the pandemic underscored the importance of community and culture.
The initiative has significant benefits for independent bookstores. 2022 sales during the week of CIBD increased by an average of 17% compared to the preceding week, and 175 bookstores across the country reported an increase in sales of 25% or more.
This, in turn, supports Canadian creators. Independent bookstores sell more books by Canadian contributors than their counterparts — sales by Canadian contributors made up 20% of independent bookstore sales, compared to 13% sold from other retailers.
Canadian Independent Bookstore Day grew from “Canadian Authors for Indies Day,” launched in 2015 by Janie Chang, who encouraged hundreds of authors to support independent bookstores on a particular day through readings, signings and other activities.
Follow CIBD on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to share our info about the campaign throughout the month of April.
Gateway Theatre presents the critically-acclaimed musical Hey Viola! on the Mainstage Theatre April 13 to 22, 2023. Featuring Canadian jazz and blues singer Krystle Dos Santos, this is a musical exploration of civil rights trailblazer, Viola Desmond.
Krystle Dos Santos and Steven Charles on bass, photo by David Cooper
Gateway Theatre Presents Hey Viola!
When: April 13, 2023 pay- what- you-will: April, 14-22, 2023
Vancouver songstress and actor Krystle Dos Santos, with the support of live musicians, brings the life of Viola Desmond to the stage using the dynamic and inspirational music that filled the home of this trailblazer of the civil rights movement. Hey Viola! takes the audience on an extraordinary journey through Viola’s life and the events that shaped her, from the 1917 Halifax explosion to the civil rights struggles of the 1950s. Featuring hot jazz, gospel, and traditional spirituals, this eye-opening new musical brings bold, new energy to the life and times of a remarkable woman.
Who is Viola Desmond, other than the newest face on the Canadian ten-dollar bill? She is best known for her courage in refusing to leave the whites-only section of Nova Scotia’s Roseland cinema in 1946, a decision that made history. What was the fire within this successful black Canadian businesswoman that gave her the courage and confidence to stand up to systemic racial injustices in Canada? Her story is told through music and song featuring brilliant hits of the era from Nina Simone, Sam Cooke, The Mills Brothers, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Richard M. Jones, and more—plus songs that influenced history including Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, A Change is Gonna Come, Sinnerman, and Mississippi Goddam.
This eye-opening musical was created by Tracey Power (Glory, Chelsea Hotel, and The Songs of Leonard Cohen), Co-creator and Director, and Krystle Dos Santos, an extraordinary actor, blues, jazz and soul singer and creator of “BLAK”, exploring Canada’s Black history.
The Museum of Vancouver (“MOV”) presents Dressed for History: Why Costume Collections Matter, a new feature exhibition featuring women’s fashion from 1750-2000. Clothing not only expresses aspects of a wearer’s identity, but it also reveals much about the larger context of production.
Evening Dress c. 1863 Museum of Vancouver Photo
Dressed for History: Why Costume Collections Matter
When: Opening March 16, 2023 until November, 2023
Where: Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver
Regular admission rates apply
Clothing is the most personal of artefacts, revealing so much about who we are, what we do and what we value. Clothing conveys information about occupation, social and economic status, gender and cultural identity and political and religious affiliation. As products of available raw materials, textile technologies, designs and styles, what we wear connects us to local and global stories of resource extraction, trade, labour and technology.
Four remarkable local collectors have recognized the importance of preserving costumes to document the past and inspire our present and future. Ivan Sayers, Claus Jahnke, Melanie Talkington and the members of the BC Society for the Museum of Original Costume (“SMOC”) are fashion historians with significant collections that feature some of the rarest garments and fabrics in the world. The Museum of Vancouver has invited these collectors to share their deep knowledge of costume history by showcasing pieces from their collections.
The exhibition features 43 full costumes, 5 corsets, 31 pairs of shoes, 28 hats, 10 handbags, 8 fans, and undergarments too numerous to count. Representing close to 300 individual items!
Dressed for History: Why Costume Collections Mattermakes the case that fashion, and costumes are significant and enduring expressions of personal identity and of political and social change. This exhibition confirms Vancouver as home to world-class costume interpreters, collectors and historians.
Good news! There’s plenty of free* family-friendly entertainment for kids around Vancouver this spring break. Spend time in a museum learning about local history, or outside surrounded by trees and other plants as you take in the splendour of the spring season.
Free Spring Break Activities Around Vancouver
Sea to Sky Gondola
When: March 13 – 30, 2023 from 9:00am to 5:00pm
Where: Sea to Sky Gondola (36800 BC-99, Squamish)
Details: Kids age 12 and under ride free Monday to Thursday during spring break: With online purchase of an adult or senior day ticket, receive one free child ticket. Explore the snow-covered summit, cross the suspension bridge, and look out at multiple viewing points this spring break at the Sea to Sky Gondola! End your visit at the lodge for craft beer, cider, and locally inspired food.
VanDusen Botanical Garden
When: March 11 – 26, 2023
Where: VanDusen Botanical Garden (5151 Oak Street Vancouver)
Details: Receive one free child admission for every adult, senior or youth admission ticket purchased on site. Walk around acres of green trees and other gorgeous plants, check out the Elizabethan maze and stone garden, and more at VanDusen Botanical Gardens.
Steveston Tram
When: March 11 – 26, 2023
Where: Steveston Tram (4111 Moncton Street Richmond)
Details: Free admission! Find the tram conductor and ask for a scavenger hunt activity sheet to help explore the exhibits about Richmond’s transportation history. Look for the newly opened hands-on exhibit of the restored Tram Car 1220. Kids ages 4-12 can choose between an easy or difficult scavenger hunt and receive a small prize when the hunt is completed. More information available online.
Britannia Shipyards
When: March 11 – 28, 2023
Where: Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site (5180 Westwater Dr, Richmond)
Details: Free admission. Explore the Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site this spring break with interactive stations. Decoding Morse code to learning about recycling fishing nets and more family-friendly hands-on fun.
Burnaby Village Museum photo submitted
Burnaby Village Museum
When: March 13 – 24, 2023
Where: Burnaby Village Museum (6501 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby)
Details: Free admission. Daily activities include Bell’s Basics to learn about measuring fabrics, Coffee grinding, blacksmithing, and more. Special activities available on limited days as well. More information available online.
Fort Langley
When: March 13 – 26, 2023
Where: Fort Langley National Historic Site of Canada (23433 Mavis Avenue, Langley Township)
Details: Free admission for youth 17 and under and annual pass holders. This spring is all about learning about the local B’s: bees, butterflies, bears, birds, and more! Visitors are welcomed to participate in a planting station, take home a peat pot, and grow plants to help local pollinators this spring. Join Fort Langley as they showcase a different community organization every day of spring break to teach guests about one of the local B’s.
Skating at The Shipyards
When: Now – March 26, 2023
Where: The Shipyards Skate Plaza (125 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver)
Details: Free admission for those with their own skates. Skate rentals are available $7 for adults, $5 for kids; helmets and skate aides are free. The Shipyard Commons outdoor skate plaza is the region’s largest outdoor skating rink. The rink is located on the waterfront at The Shipyards, and is set against the beautiful backdrop of downtown Vancouver and the North Shore mountains.
Museum of Surrey
When: Tuesdays to Thursdays March 14 – 24, 2023
Where: Museum of Surrey (17710 56a Ave, Surrey)
Details: Free admission. Join the Museum of Surrey in a scavenger hunt, create ocean themed recyclable crafts, taste some seaweed, and more.
*Prices reflect the public admission rates online as of March 17, 2023. While we stay up the date with the latest news from these wonderful local attractions and post the most accurate information available, visitors should always adhere to the admission prices posted on-site and online for these venues.
