Spring break is coming to an end but the string of spring festivals and events are just beginning! Cherry blossom festivals will make way for tulip festivals but in the meantime, for this last weekend in March, you can enjoy the tail end of Spring Break festivities, the Grand Finale of ski season, and much more:
A summer staple for the last 5 years, Red Truck Beer hosts their annual Truck Stop Concert Series that takes tailgating to a whole other level on June 15th and July 20th.
The June 15th show will be headlined by Victoria indie rock heroes Current Swell and include a line-up of bands playing all the sounds of summer from surf rock to funk and R&B. Confirmed bands include Calgary/Montreal funksters Freak Motif, progressive soul and R&B duo Dirty Radio, soulful singer Dino DiNicolo, indie blues-rockers Wooden Horsemen, and openers Old Soul Rebel who wowed the judges on The Launch with their powerhouse blend of rock and soul.
It wouldn’t be a Red Truck summer without a little country hoedown and July 20th will see the return of the legendary country party in the parking lot at the Truck Stop. US recording artist Devin Dawson will be the star attraction, touring his debut album “Dark Horse” which hit #5 on the US country charts. He’ll be supported by Vancouver-based CCMA nominee JoJo Mason, local roots rock favourites The Matinée, brother act The Abrams, Juno Award winners and renowned hillbillies Tim & the Glory Boys, and rising next generation country singer-songwriter Becca Hess.
Both shows will feature two stages for non-stop music, free-flowing ice-cold craft beer, food trucks, and a full day of music festival vibes right in the heart of downtown Vancouver.
Ticket sales will open during the first week of April. Follow the Truck Stop Concert Series on Facebookand Instagram for more info.
Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley, known for its delicious cider and farm-to-table cooking is going to ROCK this Canada Day long weekend with the Laketown Shakedown! Announced this morning, Snoop Dogg, Incubus and Sublime with Rome will be headlining the new 3-day festival taking place at Laketown Ranch in the Cowichan Valley on June 28, 29 & 30, 2019.
Camping, Weekend Passes, and Single Day Tickets will go on sale at 10:00am on March 29th on the festival website.
BC locals Jesse Roper and Stickybuds will be kicking off the weekend with performances on Friday, followed by two full days of crowd-pleasing, upbeat music including West Coast rap legend Snoop Dogg, Grammy Award-nominated rock band Incubus, ska punk groupSublime with Rome, “all star” pop band Smash Mouth and more! Additional artists still to be added.
Supported by Creative BC and the Province of British Columbia, Laketown Shakedown 2019 was designed to appeal to music lovers of all ages and features lineup of musical acts from a variety of genres including hip hop, classic rock, dance, and alternative.
Laketown Ranch is a world-class facility, featuring the largest permanent outdoor stage in Canada on a 172-acre site only minutes from Cowichan Lake. The 2019 Laketown Shakedown will host 3 days of live music across 3 stages in a truly spectacular setting, plus a festival village with food and other vendors, multiple full-service bars, a dynamic VIP area, flush toilets, and showers.
Yes, I’m claiming Chilliwack and Abbotsford’s tulip festivals in the name of Vancouver since they are such a bright and beautiful staple of springtime in our region. We all flock to the Fraser Valley for $1 U-Picks and selfies among the millions of petals, as snow-capped mountains photobomb us in our flower crowns. Each festival, starting up in April, has a few new features this year and they’re both worth the trek (70km & 80km respectively from the City of Vancouver proper) to enjoy these gorgeous natural attractions.
Hosting their third year at a new location in Chilliwack, and leasing the tulip fields from a farmer in Chilliwack, Onos Greenhouses Ltd will open over 20 acres of tulip fields to the public, making it the largest tulip festival in Western Canada. While on the fields you will also be able to enjoy fresh Dutch Stroopwafels and different food offerings from some local food trucks. Stop by the store to buy your fresh cut greenhouse tulips, potted tulips and photo cards.
Featuring U-Pick Tulip Fields, tulip crown photo ops, tulip bouquet sales, food trucks, photo booths, covered picnic areas, children’s games, school field trips, and discounted locals nights for Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Langley and Mission residents. VIP and locals only events return this year too.
Whichever you get to – I recommend BOTH – enjoy the very best of the Fraser Valley while you’re there and check out some local craft breweries, restaurants, wineries, and more.
The 2019 Vans Hi-Standard Series is excited to announce the final stop of the 2019 tour season, and it’s right here in North Van! From March 29 to March 30 the celebrated snowboarding event series will culminate at Mt. Seymour to determine the official 2019 Hi-Standard Series winners. The finale will close out the series with a live musical performance by a surprise guest, Vans prizes, giveaways and free waffles for all!
Vans Hi-Standard Grand Finale at Mt. Seymour Schedule
March 29, 2019 8:00am to 2:00pm: Hi-Standard Series Final Round – for everybody just need to register, it’s free! 10:00am to 3:00pm: Shoe Customization Workshop, Free Waffles and Boot Preview 12:30pm to 2:00pm: Hit Run – Pros and MVPs join together to combine skills and style to earn cash on a custom hit run March 30, 2019 FINAL for PROS and ALL MVP’S 10:00am to 4:00pm: DJ spinning on the mountain 10:00am to 4:00pm: Free Waffles and Boot Preview 10:00am to 12:00pm: MVP and Pro Expression Session + Cash for Tricks 1:00pm to 4:00pm: Creative Session with rewards for creative lines and tricks + Van Doren Best Trick – Winner Take All!
Following an international eight-stop tour around the world seizing the best mother nature has to offer and honouring the slogan of “Style is Everything”, the Hi-Standard Series grand finale at Mt. Seymour will bring together all the regional men and women MVPs from Canada, South Korea, Russia and the United States to ride alongside the Vans global snow team and local BC talent for their last chance to claim the ultimate 2019 Series MVP title.
The final event will also award the “2019 Hi-Standard Best Creative Obstacle” to the winning park crew for the most creative design execution of a flat box, a mail box and a Sidestripe rail, utilized for the event’s Vans Doren Best Trick. The park crew winners will be outfitted in 2019/20 Vans snowboard boots, and Vans MTE footwear and apparel.
In addition to the snowboard jam, Vans will present a shoe customization workshop hosted by a different featured artist in each city. Spectators and family members can enter their personalized designs to win a pair of their very own customized Vans. Fans and competitors can also expect to see familiar faces from the global Vans Snow team throughout the tour.
Follow Mt. Seymour on Facebook and Twitter and use the hashtag #VansHiStandard for more information.
