It’s the busiest weekend for Vancouver events this month, and there’s something for everyone! From a Pow Wow in Langley, to a Fire Dragon Festival in Vancouver, Mid-Autumn Moon Festival in Richmond, and a rollerskating throwback in Surrey. There are so many fun and engaging things to do, even if the weather might not cooperate:
Savour the final days of summer and ease into fall in Vancouver’s vibrant West End. Explore the local beaches and parks, browse charming boutiques and specialty shops, and indulge in the diverse flavours offered around every corner of the neighbourhood. Whether you’re soaking up the sun or enjoying a cozy autumn stroll, the West End has something to offer at every turn – and – we have one more chance for you to win some West End Spend Local Dollars this month:
West End Spend Local Dollars
To earn Spend Local Dollars visit the West End Farmer’s Market on Saturdays. There you’ll get a card to collect stamps when you shop the market, and once you’ve completed four you’ll get $25 Spend Local Dollars in return!
Participating Businesses:
Al Chile 1340 Davie Street
Cafe Portrait 1120 Denman Street
Delany’s Coffee House 1105 Denman Street
D’oro Gelato e Caffe 1094 Denman Street
Forage 1300 Robson Street
Gringo 1074 Davie Street
Jervis Joint 1300 Robson Street
Little Sisters Book & Art Emporium 1238 Davie Street
Kev’s Epicerie 961 Denman Street
Kim Prints 1179 Denman Street
Local Legends Cards & Collectibles 1610 Robson St #110
Mi Tierra Latina Davie 1104 Davie Street
Peaked Pies 975 Denman Street
Tavola 1829 Robson Street
The Bayside Lounge 1755 Davie Street
The Fountainhead Pub 1025 Davie Street
The Park Pub 1755 Davie Street
The Shamrock Bar & Grill 1184 Denman St #102
The Quick Nickel 1736 Davie Street
Unni Pastries 1773 Robson Street
Terms and conditions apply, find full details through the West End BIA.
Celebrate the change of seasons this fall with Harvest Days at VanDusen Botanical Garden. As the leaves tumble and crunch underfoot, enjoy seasonal activities, a veggie garden, fun photo areas, tasty treats, and more.
Miss604 photo
Fall at VanDusen Botanical Garden
Dates: Weekends September 28 to October 20, 2024 10:00am to 4:00pm
Including Thanksgiving Day October 14, 2024
Location:VanDusen Botanical Garden (5251 Oak St, Vancouver)
Tickets:Available online in advance. Harvest Days is included with regular Garden admission tickets on event days.
Find your way through the hedge maze and take part in creating a seasonal craft. Enjoy snacks from a selection of food vendors that will be on site including Popcorn at the Park, Coffee & Cookie Truck, Bistrotvan, and Melt City Grilled Cheese.
Bluegrass and family folk live music sessions will be held daily from artists such as Loon Lake Holler, the Contingency, and Oh Clementine. Explore the garden’s autumn highlights like the sugar maples, ginkgo trees, bald cypress, and the stunning Autumn Stroll.
This year’s displays will feature the works of local artist, Nickie Lewis, who specializes in eco-friendly art created entirely out of natural, organic, and 100% biodegradable materials. Take a walk down Sculpture Stroll to spot her nature-inspired artwork.
Stay tuned for more seasonal activities from the City of Vancouver including the Stanley Park Ghost Train.
Savour the flavours of the Fraser Valley at the Taste of Abby in Abbotsford this month, with a night market followed by nine days of delicious experiences.
Taste of Abbotsford Fall Food Festival
Taste of Abby Fall Food Festival in Abbotsford
Dates: September 13-22, 2024
Location: Various venues in Abbotsford
Tickets: Tickets/registration required, some free events as well
The night market will be held at Jubilee Park in Historic Downtown Abbotsford uniting food trucks, restaurants, farmers, chefs and winery, brewery, and cidery owners. The evening ends with the Food and Farm Excellence Awards.
Other events include a paint and sip night, the free AgriCULTURE Symposium, Movies at the Vineyard at Cannon Estate Winery, the Abbotsford Farm and Country Market, the Silverbrook Farms Fish Fry, and an entire food festival at Tradex for a cause.
A unique event this year is Pickleball and Pints (Tuesday, September 17). Tourism Abbotsford has booked the courts at Jubilee Park and teamed up with TopSpin Pickleball Club to provide an afternoon of pickleball fun. Treat yourself afterwards at Old Yale Brewing with extra specials for Taste of Abby pickleball participants.
Singletree Winery will host a Harvest Dinner in the Vineyard (Saturday, September 21) featuring locally sourced cuisine by The Chef’s Acres, crafted by Red Seal Chef Craig Scherer. Enjoy your meal with lush vineyards and a serene forest as your backdrop.
Howesclere Evergreens & Gardens will host a unique event (Sunday, September 22) with a u-pick session in the dahlia patch and gardens, followed by an intimate long table dinner amongst the blooms by Heirloom and Maple.
The Fire Dragon Festival in Vancouver’s Chinatown hosts a day of cultural performances, culinary exploration, and heritage appreciation, culminating with a fiery procession through the historic neighbourhood at dusk.
Photo submitted – Fire Dragon Festival (2022)
Fire Dragon Festival in Chinatown
Date: Saturday, September 14, 2024 from 11:00am to 5:00, parade at 7:00pm
Location: Chinatown Plaza Mall (180 Keefer St) and 578 Carrall for the parade start
Performance and sound garden by Burnaby North Secondary Chinese Orchestra
Evening Ceremony and Parade
The main event will see the Fire Dragon with its glowing embers snaking its way through the streets of Chinatown. Follow the dragon and the team of hardworking performers as it twists and turns to the beat of their drums.
There will be an Indigenous welcome by Coastal Wolf Pack, an eye dotting ceremony of fire dragon, and the main parade led by Chau Luen Athletics.
About the Fire Dragon Festival
The Fire Dragon Festival is produced by the Chinatown Celebration Society: “The origin of Fire Dragon Dance can be traced to over hundred years ago in Tai Hang, Hong Kong. After suffering from a storm, the people of Pok Fu Lam Village were attacked by a snake that shattered the village’s peaceful existence.
The villagers caught and killed the snake, but in the days following the snake’s death, a nasty plague broke out in the region. A village elder proclaimed that Buddha came to him in a dream, advising that to stop the misfortune, they must perform a fire dragon dance around the village for three days and three nights. The villagers obliged and miraculously, the plague went away. Thus began the tradition of the Fire Dragon.“
To this day, the Fire Dragon Dance is the main activity of the Mid-Autumn celebration in Pok Fu Lam, and is a traditional custom of the Hakka ethnic group from China.
