Western Canada’s largest free literary festival, Word Vancouver, returns for its 26th year from September 19 to 27, 2020 presenting 140 authors and over 50 events featuring a mix of virtual hands-on workshops, panel discussions and readings.

Word Vancouver Literary Festival

When: September 19 to 27, 2020
Where: Online here
Cost: Free! View the full schedule online and be sure to RSVP as soon as possible as limited in-person events will fill up quickly.

The Festival will bring authors and readers together to share stories, fictional accounts, poems, tall-tales, picture books and points-of-view. Organizers hope that by providing this extensive, free online programming that they can offer connection and inspire creativity for everyone in the community.

The programming is curated by Bonnie Nish, Executive Director, of Word Vancouver along with two guest curators; Betsy Warland (LGBTQ2S+ programs) and Russell Wallace (Indigenous programs). Topics include the immigrant experience, Indigenous voices, grief and loss, LGBTQ2S+ perspectives, writing, illustrating, publishing and much more.

From graphic novels to history, the nature of poetry to journalism and time travel. The lineup this year is amazing! Follow along on Facebook for more info.

Word Vancouver is collaborating with many community organizations including: Word On the Street Toronto, The Italian Cultural Centre, The Vancouver Public Library, SFU / The Writers Studio, Chinese Canadian Writers’ Association, Association of Italian-Canadian Writers, Joy Kogawa House, Crime Writers of Canada and The Story Telling with Drag Queens Foundation.

Aurore Plavis is a local self-starter, with a lot of passion for eco-friendly and affordable clothing, that launched her small business Recreative Apparel in March of this year. I had the chance to chat with her about jumping in as an entrepreneur for the first time and what the inspiration was for launching her innovative product.

Eco-Friendly Active Wear from Recreative Apparel

Aurore wants to show the big brands of world that if a one-woman business can include sustainable practices at every step of the garment production process; from design, sourcing, manufacturing, and even afterlife; surely they should do too.

With a passion for fashion and the environment, she wanted to reconcile both by manufacturing a product with little cost to the earth and its people.

“Growing up, I couldn’t understand why global brands couldn’t do better. And why did it have to take the 2013 Dhaka garment factory collapse for consumers to understand that a $10 organic cotton top comes at a price for someone somewhere down the supply chain? And why are global brands not held accountable for their whole supply chain in the first place?”

While researching a business idea, she knew she wanted to raise awareness about plastic pollution, more specifically disposable plastic.

“I discovered a fabric made of a recycled polyester (rPET)/spandex blend that has a high ratio of recycled fibres made from post-consumer water bottles. Using recycled materials doesn’t just help save our oceans and land – it also does away with the need for raw materials that are involved in the production of traditional nylon (like crude oil). rPET uses less water and energy and emits less greenhouse gas than for virgin polyester. The rPET I use is Oeko-Tex certified (safe for people) and dyed with non-toxic dispersed dye. This fabric is perfect for activewear – it’s durable, breathable, moisture-wicking, anti-bacterial, UV-protective, and pill-resistant. So it was a no brainer!”

Aurore offers consumers an ethical and eco-friendly alternative to the big athleisure brands by making clothing for the active lady who cares for the earth and its people. Her target customer has her own sense of style and makes a statement by refusing to follow the ‘trends’. “She doesn’t care for fast-fashion and instead looks for investment pieces – timeless quality garments that she will cherish for a long time to come. She is a conscious consumer who support brands that she truly believes in.”

Recreative‘s mission is to offer a better alternative to the traditional linear business model (make, use, dispose).

“I want Recreative to become a fully circular business (make, use, return or recycle). This is what inspired our brand name, Recreative meaning “creating anew again and again”. This is what keeps me going!”

This is the first round of production, featuring foundation pieces and bright vibrant colours that can stand out in a crowd and radiate beauty from the inside out. There are plans to expand the line in the future, with sales from the first round supporting the next.

Giveaway

I have a Recreative Apparel tote and t-shirt to give away! I asked Aurore what some of her basic, everyday sustainability tips are and she gave me some examples:

• Carry a reusable bag wherever you go and let the cashier know you have one
• When ordering a cocktail remind the server that you don’t need a straw
• Carry a reusable water bottle wherever you go
• Most importantly, support local businesses. This not only reduces your carbon footprint but it also keeps wealth and jobs flowing within your community

To enter to win, share your everyday eco-friendly tips below in the comments to enter to win, or RT the following on Twitter for a bonus entry:

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Monday, September 14, 2020. UPDATE The winner is: Helena!

The #CHVCatchUp is a monthly series featuring the latest updates and news from Covenant House Vancouver team. Miss604 is proud to be the Official Blog Partner of CHV.

How Social Workers Support Youth at Covenant House Vancouver

The Integrated Case Management Team (“ICMT”) at Covenant House Vancouver is made up of registered Social Workers who provide youth-focused, coordinated, and all-encompassing services to young people experiencing homelessness. One of the Social Workers, Sunnie, shared this story as an example of how the team was able to support a young person named Matthew:

A legendary route and Canada’s Craft Beer Capital – we spent a day in Penticton earlier this summer, and while I can’t possibly cram any more of my photos in this post, I can give you the complete rundown of our epic adventure:

Our morning in Penticton began with Wayne & Freda (249 Westminster Ave W #105), a coffee shop that is as comforting and inviting as it sounds. With an impressive patio, mural artwork, and airy interior, the cafe serves up sustainable coffee and a curated menu that puts most other breakfast sandwiches to shame. This community hub was the perfect place to fuel up for the big day we had ahead of us, which involved cycling the KVR Trail and sampling local brews.

A Day in Penticton

We walked across downtown (after popping some W&F gluten free apple cinnamon bars in our backpacks) where we met Josh, the store manager at Freedom Bike Shop (533 Main St).

“As with all bike shops, we’re seeing an insane demand in bikes, everybody wants to ride a bike, biking is the new toilet paper,” Josh told me as John went around to the back alley to pick up our e-bike rentals for the day.

“It’s just so popular, which is great. I hope it’s going to mean really good things for cycling infrastructure in BC, and I just hope people keep it up.”

The plan was to ride the KVR Trail, past Naramata to a lookout at Little Tunnel. Then we’d cruise back down through the Ponderosa Pine forest, weaving back through the vineyards, and quench our thirst at some local breweries.

This month may feel a little topsy-turvy, so why not bring the inside out in Coquitlam? We’re finding the best of an unusual situation by suggesting ways to take the fun outdoors – safely. Here are some ideas to make the most of the last days of summer and embrace the changing of the seasons. 

Bring the Inside Out in Coquitlam This Month

Kick back on a patio 

Choose from more than two dozen patios in Coquitlam. Soak in the sunshine with a cold drink and some delicious food. Check out Visit Coquitlam’s patio listings to scope out your options.