Were you at Sunset Beach on Friday, riding the carousel or the Ferris Wheel overlooking the bay? Variety Week on Global BC raised $682,239 and this family carnival was just the icing on the cake! Variety Week introduced the province to some of the kids and families that Variety helps throughout the year, and you responded by being so incredibly generous so that Variety can continue to do the awesome work that it does. Thank you, BC!
Variety Week on Global BC Raises $682,239
“With our average individual grant for a child being $2500, this means we’ve raised enough money to help 273 kids and their families. Absolutely phenomenal,” said Cally Wesson, Variety BC CEO.
“We are truly grateful to our listeners and viewers for their incredible generosity this past week,” said Kenton Boston, VP National & Network News, Global News. “It’s because of their amazing compassion and dedication that we’ll be able to continue making a difference in the lives of children with special needs.”
Throughout the week’s newscasts, Global BC viewers were introduced to children and families supported by Variety and saw firsthand how their lives have changed as a result. The week-long campaign culminated with the Variety Week Wrap Party Presented by Accent Inns at Sunset Beach which was open to the public and featured carnival attractions including a 60-foot tall Ferris Wheel, a carousel and games.
Global BC’s Global News Hour at 6 and 980 CKNW’s The Lynda Steele Show were both broadcasting live on-location and featured interviews with Variety families. CFOX and Rock 101 were on-site as well offering interactive activities as was The Gaming Stadium. Partygoers were also treated to live musical entertainment from the Collage Vocal Ensemble, Lions Gate Chorus and UBC’s The Undeclared Majors.
Additionally, the week included Variety’s official launch of “Club Heartly”, a new fundraising initiative centered around kids helping kids and the announcement of their “Families Helping Families” campaign which will be aimed at raising much-needed funding to support even more families. “Families Helping Families” will begin with a focus on helping children with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) by providing Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs), a device that is both life-changing and lifesaving for kids living with T1D.
Those who missed out on making a donation during the week can still do so online at variety.bc.ca or by texting “KIDS” to 45678 to make an automatic $20 contribution. For more information about Variety follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Miss604 is a proud media sponsor of Variety Week and Rebecca Bollwitt is Secretary of the Board of Directors, Chair of the Marketing Committee, and Chair of the Membership Committee at Variety.
V2V Vacations, the catamaran cruise experience that sails daily between Vancouver and Victoria has announced details of its new Salish Pass entitling locals to sizeable savings on tickets for the remainder of its 2019 season, ending October 31st.
V2V Vacations Adds Deal for Locals This Season
BC residents can bookfour one-way trips for $299 on the premium service, representing a 33% savings, and gain an additional 50% off all further adult bookings in Royal and Premium Class for the remainder of the year. Recipients will also have the first offer of a Season Pass for 2020.
The move adds to the strategic vision, which has primarily marketed its service as a tourist product and now ensures our local market is provided with an affordable product, connecting the 2 cities.
“We received a large amount of feedback through our guests from British Columbia, that our premium service is the convenient and comfortable connection between Vancouver and Victoria that they have been wishing for, however they want a cost effective way to take advantage of the trip on a regular basis,” says General Manager of V2V Vacations, Julian Wright. “It inspired us to develop the Salish Pass, exclusively for BC residents to benefit from our daily service.
V2V is the only cruise boat that connects the centre of Vancouver and Victoria’s historic Inner Harbour. A travel time of less than three hours and thirty minutes aboard the 242-seat V2V Empress, makes it a time-efficient and comfortable alternative .
“For breakfast it was three courses: A warm raspberry scone with butter; a choice of frittata, quiche, or croissant sandwich as a main; followed by a fruit parfait with sweet mascarpone. Bottomless coffee complimented the meal service, which lasted from Prospect Point to the Haro Strait, and warmed my hands whenever I came back in from taking photos on the deck.”
Aboard the V2V Empress, complimentary services include Wi-Fi, leather seating, one carry-on and one luggage, and access to the sundeck perfect for wildlife watching. An impressive on-board menu features fresh local foods, BC wines and local craft beers.
For 2019 high-season, V2V announced a new selection of Victoria day tours and experience options, to accompany its later 4:30pm departure time from Victoria to Vancouver until 30 September. Guests can enjoy sunset as they cruise through the Active Pass and Strait of Georgia and capture the perfect Vancouver skyline.
About the Salish Pass
The Salish Pass is named after the Salish Sea, a combination of three bodies of water, the Strait of Georgia, the Juan de Fuca Strait and Puget Sound. It honours and recognizes that this area is the unceded territory of the Coast Salish nations. By purchasing the Salish Pass, BC residents will receive:
4 Premium Tickets / 4x individual sailings
50% off adult bookings for Royal Class and Premium Class made for the remainder of the year.
Entitlement to first offer of season pass for 2020
For more information, visit V2V Vacations or follow the regional travel tips and adventures of V2V on social media: Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
The Chutzpah Festival returns in a new season, October 24 to November 24, 2019 with performances happening all across Vancouver.
Chutzpah Festival
Where: Norman Rothstein Theatre, Vogue Theatre, Rickshaw Theatre, and The WISE Hall.
When: October 24 to November 24, 2019
Tickets: $24 to $60 (plus applicable fees and service charges) online or by phone at (604) 257-5145.
Now in its 19th year of celebrating culturally rich works in comedy, music, theatre and dance, the Chutzpah! Festival has established a reputation for presenting Vancouver audiences with new and exciting, critically acclaimed artists from all over the world. This year’s Festival will also showcase live music with film, and shines a light on artists from the U.K., Israel, Italy, U.S.A., and Canada.
Festival Highlights
Iris Bahr – Norman Rothstein Theatre, Nov 12 & 13
Daniel Cainer – Norman Rothstein Theatre, Oct 24
Gary Lucas – Norman Rothstein Theatre, Oct 30
AvevA – Rickshaw Theatre, Nov 14
Yemen Blues: Hallel – Rickshaw Theatre, Nov 9
Guy Mintus Trio – Norman Rothstein Theatre, Oct 29
Rami Kleinstein – Norman Rothstein Theatre, Oct 27
The Rescue: A Live Film-Concerto – Norman Rothstein Theatre, Nov 23
The Diary of Anne Frank LatinX – Norman Rothstein Theatre, Nov 6-9
Holocaust Brunch – Wosk Auditorium at the Jewish Community Centre, Oct 27-28
ProArteDanza – Norman Rothstein Theatre, Oct 26-27
MM Contemporary Dance – Norman Rothstein Theatre, Nov 1-4
UNA Productions – Norman Rothstein Theatre, Nov 15-17
Chutzpah! Dance & Comedy Inclusion Performance & Project – Norman Rothstein Theatre, Nov 24
Sandra Bernhard at the Chutzpah Festival
“Quick Sand” at the Vogue Theatre on October 31st at 8:00pm Tickets available online now » She’s always three steps ahead of the crowd. She has to be. She’s “Quick Sand”. In these fast-paced times, a lady can’t stop moving. You never know what you might encounter next in this fun house world we’re living in. So, Sandra takes control, bringing a mélange of musings, music, and whimsy – “never boring, j’adoring” is her motto, covering the waterfront of the outrageous, quotidian, and glamorous! Performing with a three-piece band, this iconic performer will make for a fun and memorable Halloween night.
Chutzpah! Festival will also pay tribute to the Jewish Community Centre and celebrate the 25th anniversary of its long-standing and renowned musical theatre summer camp created by Perry Ehrlich – Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance!; present a Shticks & Giggles comedy night with local comedians Ivan Decker, John Cullen, Lisa Person, Yisrael Shurack, and more; and host multiple workshops as well as creation residencies for artists in dance and theatre in urban and rural BC settings.
I have a pair of tickets to give away to see Sandra Bernhard at the Vogue on Halloween night, here’s how you can enter to win:
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I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Tuesday, October 15, 2019.
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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Review — This experience was courtesy of Tofino Resort & Marina. Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
“You covered a lot of ground!” our guide Liam exclaimed when we floated our stand up paddleboards up to the boat and rolled in like seals. My group was out for over 2 hours in the waters of Clayoquot Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island, slipping across underwater kelp forests, surrounded by mountains — covered in old growth giants — that dipped right down into the sea.
Stand Up Paddleboarding in Clayoquot Sound
Earlier that morning I walked over to Coal Harbour in Downtown Vancouver and got on a floatplane to Tofino. The plane pulled right up to the dock at Tofino Resort & Marina, our group checked into our rooms and got our wetsuits from the Adventure Centre on site, and we were back down at the water within an hour for our first expedition.
We hopped on a boat with Liam, who had secured 4 rental paddleboards for our journey, and ran us up Clayoquot Sound. Another tour offered by Tofino Resort & Marina is a boat-based bear tour. The perfect preview of that happened as we rounded Warne Bay and Liam spotted a black bear on the beach.
“This is the bread and butter of bear watching,” he turned off the engine and we floated in the water while the bear strolled along the bear, snout down, looking for something to eat. “They look pretty small from back here but they’re probably a good 400lbs, it’s just that they’re standing in front of old growth trees.”
We continued on our journey, up another arm of the sound and Liam stopped the boat and pulled off the boards in a cove surrounded by old shipwrecks. It was quite the scene. After a quick refresher lesson, he set us free to roam and roam we did.
I paddled along the coastline and snapped photos of the group out on our adventure. One of my colleagues ducked into a quiet cove and laid back on her board, drifting peacefully toward the forest. It was easy to be at peace, the only sound was the lapping of my paddle in the emerald waters and the occasional hollow reverberation of a bull kelp bulb bumping under my board.
I had heard of Clayoquot Sound as a child, during the War in the Woods protests (1980s-1990s) related to clearcutting. 900 people were arrested in 1993 during the largest act of civil disobedience in Canadian history. In 2000, the entire Sound was designated as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO. The ecological importance and legacy of this stunning and majestic place was not lost on me. I was simply in awe. Not only was I literally balancing on the water, I was balanced between nature, adventure, and living history. I had a lot of time to think out there on that board.
We paddled on for about 5km, Liam in the resort boat spotting us along the way and pulling up to an estuary which would be our exit point from the water.
Back at the resort, Liam took care of our boards and we headed up to our rooms to get ready for dinner. It almost feels like summer camp at Tofino Resort & Marina. You have a clean room and comfortable bed but you barely see it because you’re out enjoying the amenities found right on site.
The Adventure Centre is Your Home Base
At the Adventure Centre you can book sightseeing (bear, whale watching) tours, a paddleboarding tour, and there’s also trips up to the legendary Hot Springs Cove. The Hatch and 1909 Kitchen (home of current Top Chef Canada winner, Chef Paul Moran) are right outside your door at the resort for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You can also rent bikes, which will be the focus of a follow up post.
From the corn field to the streets of Gastown, you can find family-friendly, slightly spooky, or or ultra scary events, tours and attractions around Metro Vancouver this season:
Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tour
Where: Cathedral Square When: Every night October 14-31, 2019 Tickets: Available online for $25-$28 Details: Relive the dark history of Vancouver’s earliest years on the Lost Souls of Gastown. From the tragic story of the “woman in the well” to the gruesome murder of gold prospector John Bray, the Lost Souls of Gastown weaves a tale through back-streets and alleyways to a dramatic finale in historic Maple Tree Square. Designed for adult audiences, the Lost Souls of Gastown is both a walking tour and a theatre piece – led by one of Forbidden Vancouver’s cast of professional actors.
Haunted Vancouver Trolley Tour
Where: Departing from Canada Place When: October 11th-31st (no tours on October 13th and October 14th) Tickets: Available online now for $59 ($40 with promo code Haunt 40 before October 8, 2019) Details: Hop on a Vancouver trolley and your host will tell the historic crime tales that took place in familiar neighbourhoods of Stanley Park, Gastown, Shaughnessy and more. You will drive by eerie locations and hear gruesome stories about Seaforth Armory, Gabriola House and local socialite Janet Smith’s untimely death. The tour stops to visit Prospect Point in Stanley Park and Mountain View Cemetery in East Vancouver where the troubled spirits occupy their time. Your tour walks through the cemetery to visit the graves of some of the souls that have been featured throughout the tour.
Ghostly New Westminster Walking Tour
Where: Start from Hyack Square When: Every Saturday at 8:00pm (Mon, Wed-Fri Halloween week) Tickets: Available online for $23 Details: The original capital of BC, New Westminster has a lot of history, and a lot of dark secrets. Join a spine-tingling 90 minute walk and learn the chilling history of BC’s “hanging judge”, one of BC’s oldest houses, a haunted tattoo parlour and much more. Not recommended for anyone under the age of 12. All minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Haunted Corn Maze at Maan Farms
Where: Maan Farms (790 McKenzie Rd, Abbotsford) When: Thursday through Sunday until November 2, 2019 Tickets: $20-$38 available online Details: Maan Farms Haunted Corn Maze is a heart-pounding adventure featuring nightmare-ish installations, shocking visuals, live actors, chainsaws, and excerpts out of classic horror movies. Participants will not be touched in the corn maze. To amp up your multi-sensory experience, try the 15 minute Pitch Black attraction.
Potters House of Horrors
Where:Potter’s House of Horrors (12530 72 Ave, Surrey) When: October 4 to November 2, 2019 Tickets: Available online now Details: The “scare crew” at Potter’s spends months planning this annual maze of terror — complete with the latest high-tech animatronics and digital sounds. There are two ultra-scary haunted houses to explore (if you dare), including the “Death Valley Motor Inn” (new for 2019) and Li’l Haunters which is a cute, not-too-scary pair of mini-haunted houses.
Haunted Village at Burnaby Village Museum
Where: Burnaby Village Museum When: October 25-28, 2019 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm Tickets: Available online now, free for members Details: Watch out for black cats, huge yellow moons, over-sized pumpkins and all things that could go BOO! Come have a ghost of a time at this local historic site in the heart of Burnaby.
For more events, tours, shows, and fun things to do, check out the October event list for Metro Vancouver here »
