The Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival has launched a new concert series: Jazz in the Vines. Once a month, from March to June, a Campbell Valley winery will host a special ticketed concert featuring top jazz talent alongside exceptional food and hospitality — and, of course, incredible wines from this growing region.
The first two concerts will be held indoors while the last two concerts in the series will be held outdoors. These concerts will also serve as a sneak preview of the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival (July 24 – 26, 2020), as each of the artists will be performing at the summer festival. For more information, follow the festival on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Win Tickets
I have a pair of tickets to give away to the very first in the series, the concert with Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne at Glass House Estate Winery on March 19th.
Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne is a blues legend with decades of playing, countless globe-trotting tours and a slate of acclaimed, award-winning albums under the belt of his flamboyant zoot suit.
The award-winning piano master is known for colourfully energetic shows and his mastery of classic boogie-woogie as well as jump blues and New Orleans jazz. He is a true modern-day bluesman whose unique brand of jazz, boogie-woogie and swinging piano sound eerily similar to Fats Domino.
[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win tickets to Jazz in the Vines presented by @fortjazzfest and featuring @kennybluesboss at @glasshousewine http://ow.ly/XRzm30qn2BR” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. Must be 19+ please enjoy responsibly.
As a West Ender, I like to think of Stanley Park as my backyard. It is 1,001 acres of forest trails, gardens, bike paths, and tourist attractions. There’s really something for everyone, and I’m honoured to share this little slice of West Coast heaven with the rest of the world. I recently came across some amusing illustrations of US National Parks based on their worst online reviews and it inspired me to look at how Stanley Park stacks up. Searching by “Terrible” aka one star reviews, I found a fair share of complaints so I have decided to respond to a few here, on behalf of the neighbourhood:
I Respond to Bad Reviews of Stanley Park
Heron at Lost Lagoon that I spotted in January 2020
Review: “Overrated – Nothing spectacular to see, yeah, lots of trees but I didn’t get to see any wildlife except 1 squirrel.”
It’s a handy guide to the province’s craft beer scene paired with local culture and this month the BC Ale Trail celebrates International Women’s Day by shining a spotlight on women in the typically male-dominated industry.
BC Ale Trail Celebrates International Women’s Day
Check out the lineup of brews and events around BC:
Barkerville’s Aunt Florence PMS Beer
Top of the list is a PMS Beer – Aunt Florence, from Barkerville Brewing in Quesnel. It’s a craft beer created to alleviate negative premenstrual symptoms using herbs that can reduce inflammation, cramping, and bloating, and will improve circulation and relieve stress. Proceeds from the beer will be donated to this year’s charity of choice, Ovarian Cancer Research.
The Pink Boots Society has partnered with Yakima Hops Co to make an exclusive Pink Boots Collaboration Brew Day hops blend available for brewers to purchase with proceeds going towards educational sponsorship and programming for Pink Boots members. The Pink Boots Society was originally developed in alignment with International Women’s Day to celebrate women’s achievements in the beer industry. The society assists, inspires and encourages women beer industry professionals to advance their careers through education.
Callister Brewing – International Women’s Day
Kelowna’s Rustic Reel Brewing’s Reel Day Retreat is an all women, all-day event with inspirational speakers, activities, food and beer.
Vancouver’s Callister Brewing’s Women’s Brew Day is a day tailored to female homebrewers and brewing professionals to share knowledge and just hang out with like-minded/brewing enthusiasts, located in the heart of Yeast Van.
About the BC Ale Trail
In partnership with Destination British Columbia and the BC Craft Brewers Guild, the BC Ale Trail emphasizes how a visit to or around British Columbia is enhanced with a pint of craft beer culture. With an increasing preference for local craft beer in BC and growth of artisanal beer in North America, the BC Ale trail embraces the “buy local” movement, helps showcase independent breweries, and connects visitors with the unique culture at the heart of communities all over the province.
The Vancouver South African Film Festival (“VSAFF”) is proud to present features and documentaries that explore the culture, history and politics of South Africa – films that inspire, entertain and inform at its 10th Annual Film Festival from March 27 – 29, 2020.
Vancouver South African Film Festival 2020
Where: Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema, Goldcorp Centre for the Arts (2nd floor) at 149 W. Hastings St, Vancouver
Festival Passes: $145 Weekend Festival Pass including Friday evening gala party. $110 Weekend Festival Pass (All films, no gala party). $55 Gala Pass (Friday night opening film and fabulous gala party at Spaces Gastown)
Film Lineup
Skin – Friday, March 27, 2020 at 7:00pm Without Skin, there would be no Vancouver South African Film Festival. This extraordinary film, based on a true story, inspired the first VSAFF and was embraced by everyone who saw it. It was the Gala opening film at the first VSAFF – and it’s the Gala opening feature once again this yea, bringing it back for the retrospective screening it deserves.
Sides Of A Horn – Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 11:30am The first film to tell the story of Africa’s poaching war from both sides of the fence. Based on actual events, and filmed in the townships and game reserves most directly impacted by wildlife crime, this dramatic short film (only 17 minutes) paints a balanced portrait of a modern battle that is tearing communities apart and driving the rhino to the edge of extinction.
Rooibos Restitution – Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 11:30am tells the story of the indigenous San and Khoi people and their struggle to be recognized as the original knowledge holders of the uses of rooibos. They have staked their claim to legal ownership of something entirely intangible – the traditional knowledge of their ancestors.
Pili – Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 1:30pm Each year VSAFF presents one film from an African country other than South Africa. This year they’re extremely pleased to present Pili, from Tanzania.
Life is Wonderful – Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 4:00pm Ten people including Nelson Mandela were convicted at the Rivonia trial (named after the location of the farm where most of them were arrested) and went to jail for decades. Life is Wonderful features the three surviving Rivonia defendants at the time of filming: Dennis Goldberg, Andrew Mlangeni and Ahmed Kathrada.
Picture Perfect Heist – Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 7:00pm Three hopeless hoodlums arrive at a gallery to steal a valuable painting. It only takes 8 minutes for this tragi-comic story to unfold and for audiences to be convulsed with laughter. Small-time crime in the “New South Africa” means role reversals, confusion and some real-life lessons.
Back of the Moon – Saturday, March 28, 2020 at 7:00pm Back Of The Moon plays out in a single night in 1958. It’s a tale of gangsters fighting for every advantage – for every drop of power and dignity in the midst of squalor – while not quite hidden in the background the vicious policies of the apartheid state draw ever closer.
Soft Vengeance – Sunday, March 29, 2020 at 11:00am In all the years VSAFF has been focussing on South Africa no film has had the impact of Soft Vengeance. Many who missed the 2014 screening begged VSAFF to bring it back. Many more who saw it the first time asked that they show it again. So it’s no surprise that Soft Vengeance is the retrospective documentary for this 10th Annual Festival.
Soft Landings – Sunday, March 29, 2020 at 1:30pm A seeming chance encounter between an airplane-obsessed young boy and an aging retired golfer reveals the depths of love, respect and feeling as a family deals with life’s complex journey. In just seven minutes a drama unfolds that tugs at our hearts and inspires our dreams.
Flatland – Sunday, March 29, 2020 at 7:00pm Every year VSAFF ends with an Afrikaans language film. This year Flatland takes us on an edgy and unconventional journey through the emotional, psychological and physical wasteland of the Karoo. Flatland presents this forbidding interior region of South Africa emphasizing its dusty roads, distant mountains and endless sky. It’s a contemporary quasi-western with a feminist twist.
Izulu Lami (My Secret Sky) – Sunday, March 29, 2020 at 1:30pm Ten-year-old Thembi and her eight-year-old brother, Khwezi, are left alone in their rural homestead in KwaZulu-Natal after their mother dies. All they have to remember her by is a grass mat she wove, which she planned to enter in a craft competition in the city.
Good Hope – Sunday, March 29, 2020 at 4:00pm VSAFF is honoured to present the World Premiere of the remarkable documentary Good Hope. Despite the avalanche of optimism that liberation and democracy brought in 1994, there persists a negative narrative about South Africa that is difficult to shake. Good Hope tells an alternative story, about the astonishing efforts of a new generation set to tackle the country’s challenges.
Follow the VSAFF on Twitter and Facebook for more information.
Win Festival Passes
I have a pair of festival passes to give away, here’s how you can enter to win:
[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win passes to the Vancouver South African Film Festival @VSAFFest March 27-29, 2020 #VSAFF http://ow.ly/bTw130qmrYb” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Monday, March 9, 2020. Prize includes weekend festival passes, does not include opening night gala tickets. UPDATE the winner is Catherine!
VSAFF is a non-profit event organized entirely by volunteers. All proceeds from the festival go to go to support Education without Borders to provide educational opportunities for disadvantaged and at-risk children through initiatives in South Africa and Canada.
Miss604 is a proud media partner of VSAFF
UPDATE: Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the festival has been cancelled. Here is a message from organizers:
If you have already purchased tickets for the Festival you can choose one of the following by emailing us at [email protected]:
1. Cancel your tickets and we’ll refund the full cost. 2. Keep your tickets and use them when the Festival is rescheduled. 3. Make the cost of your tickets a donation to Education without Borders – where all proceeds of VSAFF are directed each year. We’ll send you a tax receipt if your ticket cost was over $20.
The Arts Club California Wine Fair fundraiser is the largest California wine-tasting event in Canada! It’s an all-inclusive, walk-around tasting event where wine lovers can sample more than 350 premium wines from the Golden State.
This event has been postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Arts Club California Wine Fair
When: Tuesday, March 31, 2020 from 7:00pm to 9:30pm Where: Arts Club Theatre Company Tickets:Available online now »
The fundraiser will include a silent auction, featuring wines only available in California. Attendees will also have the opportunity to bid on more than 30 exclusive packages, including weekend getaways and more.
The California Wine Fair Fundraiser is the Arts Club’s all-inclusive, social tasting event where wine lovers have a unique opportunity to sample exquisite selections from the Golden State. This year’s event boasts a selection of over 400 wines from 150 of California’s top wineries. It’s an exclusive opportunity to savour the Napa Valley, Humboldt County, Santa Clara Valley, and more, all without leaving the city. With California producing over 90% of U.S. wine, this is a great way to sample the best from our neighbours in the south.
For more than 50 years, the Arts Club has played a strong role in sustaining live theatre in the community, thanks in part to events like the California Wine Fair. All proceeds from the event will support Arts Club productions, youth and education initiatives, and new play development programs.
The California Wine Fair is hosted in partnership with California Wines in Canada. You must be 19+ to attend.
