Experience sponsored by V2V Vacations

“I’m waving at you,” a text from my sister came through as we watched the V2V Empress pull into its dock. My niece and I were waiting along the promenade in front of the Steamship Terminal in Victoria, chai lattes in hand after a soggy morning playing with the baby goats in Beacon Hill Park.

“We can’t see you,” I texted back. The catamaran’s front windows were tinted, but we waved back anyway. She was joining us for our Victoria Girls Weekend, which we can’t decide is was our 18th or 20th annual getaway despite photo evidence packed away in albums my mom carted along with her in her suitcase.

Vancouver’s only Marathon, the BMO Vancouver Marathon is one of the world’s top destination marathons, annually welcoming runners from 65+ countries! It’s coming up on Sunday, May 5, 2019, winding its way through the city on a spectacularly scenic course.

BMO Vancouver Marathon

When: Sunday, May 5, 2019 8:30am
Where: Start Line: Queen Elizabeth Park Midlothian Avenue
Finish Line: West Pender St. between Bute St. & Thurlow St.

The BMO Vancouver Marathon is also home to the BC Marathon Championships in conjunction with BC Athletics. This world-class event annually sells out. There is also a Half Marathon, 8KM, and Kids Course. Don’t miss the finish line street festival from 8:30am to 3:30pm with entertainment, food, and more.

Route Map

Road Closures & Detours

Road closures will be in effect on Sunday, May 5, 2019 between 7:00am and 11:00am for the Half Marathon, 8:30am to 3:30pm for the Marathon, and 9:30am to 11:00am for the 8KM.

Race routes will impact traffic on Saturday, May 4, 2019, in Vancouver’s Riley Park, Coal Harbour and Downtown, and on Sunday, May 5, 2019 in Riley Park, South Cambie, Oakridge, Fairview, Kerrisdale, Dunbar, UBC, Point Grey, Kitsilano, West End, Coal Harbour, Chinatown, Yaletown, Cambie, False Creek and Downtown neighbourhoods. Please see the reverse side for detailed information.

Click here for a detailed PDF with road closure info for each neighbourhood »

Follow the BMO Vancouver Marathon on Facebook and Twitter for information about the expo, festival, and all of the runs and walks.

Playland is opening this season on Saturday, May 4th with your favourite rides and attractions including The Beast, the Wooden Roller Coaster and many more, plus those delicious mini-donuts. Gates open to the public at 11:00 am for the 2019 season, so mark your calendars for the unofficial start of summer!

Playland Opening Spring 2019

Spring Hours: Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays 11:00am to 6:00pm

Thrill seekers can choose from over 35 rides and attractions, including Playland’s most historic and beloved attraction, the Wooden Roller Coaster (rated #1 wooden coaster in Canada) and Canada’s most extreme pendulum ride, The Beast. Or take a wild spin on Crazy Beach Party and strap yourself in on the Hellevator, with its fantastic 200-foot free fall! 

Family attractions such as the Climbing Wall will keep aspiring alpinists busy or win some prizes at BC’s largest midway, which is open all summer long as well! Buen Gusto Tacos and Totchos, Cheese Please, and Triple O’s returns to provide scrumptious snacks to foodies, while Fundunkers Donut Shop, the Candy Shoppe, S’Luscious and BeaverTails will satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. 

Get ready for a whole summer of fun by purchasing a one-day admission or season pass online where you’ll save up to $4 – compared to buying at the gate. Admission includes unlimited access to over 35 rides and attractions*, including the three newest family rides and the top wooden roller coaster in Canada!

*Revelation, Drop Zone, and Haunted Mansion are not included with admission/passes and have individual add-on fees.

Win Passes

I have a family 4-pack of passes to give away so you can enjoy Playland this spring. Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Follow PNE/Playland and Miss604 on Instagram 1 entry)
• Click below to post an entry on Twitter

Follow PNE/Playland on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more info. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, May 1, 2019.

UPDATE The winner is @carmentsemakeup!

Live Nation Canada will host their 5th annual National Concert Week May 1 to May 7, 2019, giving fans the exclusive opportunity to purchase tickets for just $20 (all-in including fees).

Kicking off an epic summer concert season, the offer will include tickets to hundreds of in-demand shows across Canada from Live Nation’s roster of summer tours. The tickets will cross multiple genres for every type of live event fan, including Country, Hip-Hop, Metal, Rock, Pop, and Comedy.

Select shows from the following artists will be part of this offer (be sure to check when the full schedule goes live May 1st to see which apply to the Vancouver area).

For one week only, fans can get their hands on these $20 all-in tickets beginning Wednesday, May 1 at 9:00am through Tuesday, May 7 at 11:59pm. Follow Live Nation West on Twitter and Facebook for more info.

The Vancouver Opera Festival season is kicking off on a high note with the inaugural VOX vocal competition. The next generation of Canadian opera stars will compete at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on April 26th, ahead of the festival program which runs April 27 to May 5, 2019.

VOX Vocal Competition

Following a national audition, eight gifted opera singers from across the country have been pre-selected to perform during this evening fundraiser in support of young artists and Vancouver Opera. They’ll compete live in front of six esteemed judges including Judith Forst, Leslie Dala, Jonathan Darlington, Kim Gaynor, Roberto Mauro, and J. Patrick Raftery. The contestants will be vying for cash prizes and the audience will be invited to cast their vote for audience choice.

While the judges deliberate Canada’s leading opera sensation Erin Wall, who is acclaimed for her musicality and versatility, will perform for the VOX audience.

“This new initiative is yet another way Vancouver Opera invests in young artists,” says Kim Gaynor, Vancouver Opera General Director. “This is an exciting opportunity for these young performers to have their opera careers propelled to the next level. The cash prize could provide the winner with the opportunity to fund international auditions.”

VOX is this season’s unmissable event for everyone who is interested in discovering great new voices and experiencing the excitement of a live competition. VOX contestants hail from across Canada with:

• Tenors Lampron-Dandonneau (Quebec), Ryan Nauta (Quebec)
• Baritone Zainen Suzuki (Quebec, originally from Burnaby)
• Sopranos Ana Toumine (Quebec), Shantelle Przybylo (Ontario), Elizabeth Harris (BC)
• Mezzos Amanda Perera (Ontario), Sarah Bissonnette (Alberta).

The evening begins with a 5:30pm cocktail reception followed by the live competition at 6:30pm. Tickets for VOX are $65 and available online or by phone (604) 683-0222.

Rossini’s much-loved La Cenerentola (Cinderella) will then open the third annual Vancouver Opera Festival on April 27th at 2:00pm matinee at the Vancouver Playhouse. For more information about VOX and the festival performances, follow the Vancouver Opera #VOfest on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.