The Drive comes alive in green, white and red as Italian Day returns for its 10th edition on June 9th, celebrating Comunità – community. A vibrant cultural street festival, spanning 14 blocks, the event celebrates Italian culture and heritage with over 130 street participants, comprised of partners, merchants, vendors and community organizations.
Italian Day on The Drive 2019
When: Sunday, June 9, 2019 12:00pm to 8:00pm Where:Commercial Drive (Venables St. to Grandview Cut) Admission: Free!
June is Italian Heritage Month, this year celebrating its official city observance designation, which features Italian Day on The Drive. Italian Heritage Month involves a month long series of events showcasing the rich culture of Italy in the realms of food, music, film, language and other cultural initiatives and celebrations, presented by various partners, including Il Centro Italian Cultural Center, where most of the events will be held, the Italian Day Festival Society, and the Consulate General of Italy in Vancouver.
This year’s theme, Comunità, holds great significance because Italian Day is taking an initiative to address the issue of at-risk youth by helping to raise awareness and funds for youth mentoring programs. The Italian Day Festival Society’s goal is to raise $10,000 via partners and community business contributions in support of The East End Boys and Girls Club – run out of Templeton Secondary and operating on charitable donations.
Festival Highlights
Highlights are delivered in piazza style themed intersections and areas, including three music stages featuring performances by local and international Italian artists, an ‘Authentic Italian Table’ piazza showcasing food and wine samplings, fashion show featuring local designer, 14 extended patios, youth activities and themes, food eating contests, vendors and food trucks, and exotic Italian cars and motorcycles.
Presented by the Italian Chamber of Commerce, the ‘Authentic Italian Table’ – an entire intersection dedicated to food and wine samplings, returns in piazza style highlighting authentic Italian products and premium Italian wines and beverages for a ‘true Italian taste’. Tickets can be purchased on site at the festival.
Delicious Italian street food — including fried pasta, wood-oven panini, meatballs, arancini, pizza, panzerotti, fried Italian donuts, cannoli, gelato, coffee, afogato, granita and more — will have you in the streets of Roma, Venezia and Firenze as you make your way down The Drive. Visitors will also enjoy local Italian-Canadian music performances on the 2nd Avenue and Grandview Park Stages, including those from the crowd-favourite restauranteur and showman, Federico Fuoco, along with international performing artist Carmelina Cupo.
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by Rebecca BollwittDisclosure: Sponsored Post — Published in Partnership with the ZenSeekers #ExplorePortAlberni campaign Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.
Last year was the first time I visited the ancient village site of Kiixin with a guide from the Huu-ay-aht First Nation on Vancouver Island. This year, I went with a group tour and learned even more about this amazing place.
Kiixin Tours offers free guided experiences, with exclusive access to this important historic site, which has the most intact example of First Nations village architecture on the southern coast of BC.
5,000 Years of History on Vancouver Island
Kiixin Tours
In the forest… I love a good nature walk through the rainforest, and I also love hearing about how the local First Nation lived off, and with, what the land provided. On the tour we heard about Culturally Modified Trees, how to spot them, and how the ancient – and modern – culture used them while maintaining their integrity in the forest.
Kiixin Tour Guide Wisqii leading our group through the rainforest
Once you reach the ancient site, you’ll spot trees that have completely re-absorbed longhouse posts, or that have enveloped their nurse logs out of which they originally grew on the forest floor. You won’t just see a forest, you’ll see life. You may even spot a whale bone or two near the remains of the Whaler Chief’s house.
On the beach… I love the diversity of sea life on the beach: Starfish, crabs, GIANT oyster shells. Everything is pink, white, purple, and turquoise, which contrasts the lush green of the forest. On the beach is where your guide will provide a history of the area, along with supporting photographs, maps, and renderings. My favourite part was “story time” as our guide Wisqii said, as he walked up to a rock on the shoreline and took a seat to play his drum and sing a song.
Search #ExplorePortAlberni for more inspiration. Be sure to tag #ExplorePortAlberni while exploring the region as you could be featured on ZenSeekers’ social media channels.
Looking to get the most out of your trip to Kiixin? Check out ZenSeekers’ one-day itinerary.
The Cascade Room welcomes a cast of cheeky performers, The Ladybirds, in their variety show “Flower Power, Beers and Burlesque” during Vancouver Craft Beer Week. Enjoy a themed cabaret, burlesque and comedy pieces in an intimate setting on June 6th.
Beers and Burlesque at The Cascade Room
When: Thursday, June 6th, 2019 doors at 7:00pm Where: The Cascade Room (2616 Main Street) Tickets:Available online now starting at $25
Performances have two parts: a sit-down ticketed supper club, followed by a no-cover interactive speakeasy party “after dark” set to the music of your favourite British bands. Come watch, drink and play while the Ladybirds tickle your fancy.
Win Tickets
I have a pair of tickets to give away to this super fun night of beers and Burlesque thanks to The Cascade Room! Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
Click below to post an entry on Twitter
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For more information follow The Cascade Room on Instagram and The Lady Birds on Instagram. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 9:00am on Saturday, June 1, 2019, must be 19+.
From June 6-9, 2019, Music Waste will take over Vancouver’s DIY venues with a focus on local bands and artists for it’s 25th year. Music Waste is the city’s art, comedy, and music festival featuring 70 bands and projects, which span everything from hip-hop to punk, and metal to drone.
25 Years of Music Waste
When: Thursday, June 6 to Sunday, June 9, 2019 Where: Various venues Admission: Four day passes are $20, available for purchase at Audiopile, Neptoon, Red Cat (both locations), Zulu, or Bully’s Studio. Passes also available for purchase online.
These days, the most obvious villain is the real estate market, which has made it almost impossible for the venues or jam spaces Music Waste relies on to exist. This year’s “80’s business” theme embraces an alternate reality in which we say “f*ck it” and start worrying about the bottom line.
While all sorts of mega-festivals are burning out annually, Music Waste has stayed the course as a DIY, totally volunteer-run festival. Its modest revenue goes directly to supporting the musicians, artists, comedians, and venues that comprise the festival. The prices are meant to be as accessible as possible too –four-day passes are $20, and individual shows are $7 each.
Music Waste has also recently focused on creating safer spaces for performances and parties. For the past three years, the organizers have worked with Good Night Out to provide harm reduction training for all volunteers. Last year, the collective wrote a statement of organizational values, and they’re sticking to it.
Some new exciting bands such as Akita, Megamall and Debt offer some fresh blood to the lineup. Notable local favourites Apollo Ghosts, Woolworm, Necking, and Devours will draw crowds and raise the profile of some exciting shows with lesser-known bands.
Year 25 of Music Waste includes Art Waste, Comedy Waste, and spoken word shows. 2019 also marks the second year of LGBTQ2SIA+ programming. For more information follow along on Twitter and Facebook.
Fireworks, giveaways, and of course baseball! The Vancouver Canadians Promotional Game Schedule has been released and with the team turning 20 this season and they have a lot to celebrate. Along with great local baseball from these Blue Jays affiliates, games are made even more fun with the A&B Dancing Grounds Crew, the footlong hot dog, sushi races, and of course a bucket of Hey Ya’lls!
Vancouver Canadians Promotional Game Schedule with Fireworks, Giveaways and More
This year, on top of affordable family fun cheering on our team for 38 home games at Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium, fans can enjoy 8 Fireworks Extravaganzas, 7 A&W Family Fun Sundays, 6 Scotiabank ‘Nooner at the Nat days, 4 Superstar Series Appearances and much more!
June 14 Scotiabank ‘Nooner at the Nat
Supporting Boys & Girls Clubs of South Coast BC
June 15 Fireworks Extravaganza/Magnetic Schedule Giveaway
(first 2,500 fans)
June 16 A&W Family Fun Sunday/3/4 Length Baseball Tee Giveaway
(first 500 kids, 12 & under)
June 17 Presented by Scotiabank
June 18 Dog Day of Summer
June 19 Superstar Appearance/Baseball Card Giveaway
(first 2,000 fans)
June 20 Scotiabank ‘Nooner at the Nat
Supporting Easter Seals BC
June 28 Presented by Port of Vancouver
June 29 Fireworks Extravaganza/Hey Y’all! Helmet Giveaway
(first 1,000 fans 19+)
June 30 A&W Family Fun Sunday/Youth Jersey Giveaway
