Sponsored by Metropolis at Metrotown

A harbinger of springtime in Vancouver, cherry blossoms cover the region in delightfully fragrant pink and white confetti, with a natural celebration of the season. From March 5 to 31, Metropolis at Metrotown’s Grand Court will be the site of Blossom at Metropolis, an awe-inspiring, one-of-a-kind art installation made up of more than 250,000 cherry blossoms.

Blossom at Metropolis

Where: Metropolis at Metrotown Grand Court (4700 Kingsway, Burnaby)
When: March 5 – 31, 2019. Open daily during regular mall hours. Monday to Saturday, 10:00am to 9:00pm; Sunday and holidays, 11:00am to 7:00pm

Created by Vancouver interactive-arts company Hfour, Blossom at Metropolis encourages people to wander, take photos (including in an Instagram-worthy “selfie zone”), and sit in awe of the quarter-million-plus blossoms, which will be reflected in dozens of mirror spheres (with the largest being 4 metres in size) that create the illusion of infinite blooms hanging above them.

As well, there will be a variety of floral art and Japanese cultural workshops every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during the installation’s 27 days, presented in collaboration with MUJI (Workshop Wednesdays) and Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre (Tuesdays and Thursdays). Workshops include origami, brush lettering, traditional Japanese paper and fabric art, flower arranging, traditional Japanese folk dancing, and much more.

Find the complete schedule, registration information, and age restrictions (some workshops are all-ages) on the Metropolis website here »

Visitors to the installation will also have the opportunity to enter for a chance to win a $1000 shopping spree. In addition, by sharing their videos and photos of their visit on Instagram using #METBlossom and @metropolisatmet, they can also enter for a chance to win a weekly Blossom prize package or a $500 Metropolis at Metrotown gift card.

Follow Metropolis at Metrotown on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information about their shops, services, and special events.

When the Whitecaps kicked off their MLS season on Saturday, BC Place launched its new food options for 2019. During Rugby Sevens, BC Lions games and Whitecaps matches you can snack on and savour these latest menu additions:

Food Options at BC Place

Crispy Shrimp Tacos from Steveston’s Fish & Chips: Ocean Wise, light crispy batter, green cabbage slaw, salsa verde, pickled red onion

The Outrageous Burger from Lionsgate Grill: Three house-made beef patties, hot dog, three chicken strips, six strips of bacon, three cheddar cheese slices, fries, house recipe sauce

Beast Fries from The Poutinerie: Caramelized onion, cheddar cheese, Thousand Island dressing

Fiesta Burrito Bowl from Beast on Fire: Gluten Free, Vegan without Sour Cream, Black beans, salsa fresca, sour cream, marinated slaw, served over cilantro-lime rice

All of these will be served up along with Butter Chicken, Lamb Curry, and Chana Masala from Bombay Kitchen, a Buffalo Chicken Tenders Burger from Lionsgate Grill, and Macaroni & Cheese from Boom Kitchen. There’s also a Rainbow Grilled Cheese for the Whitecaps FC Pride Match.

“Centerplate at BC Place is excited to present our new menu, filled with food and beverage options that honour traditional stadium food and highlight British Columbia’s rich culinary history and diversity,” says Paul McArdle, General Manager for Centerplate at BC Place. “With an internationally inspired range of flavours, and ingredients produced and sourced locally where possible, guests at BC Place are in for a treat this year.”

For more information about visiting BC Place for events this season, follow along on Facebook, and Twitter.

The brand new Squamish Constellation Festival is excited to announce the first wave of artists to perform this year on July 26 – 28, 2019. There are a lot of things going for this festival already, including an amazing location, Tamara Stanners (local radio legend) is a co-founder, and the heavy Canadian lineup will fuel your soul!

Constellation Festival Lineup

BAHAMAS • SERENA RYDER • JESSIE REYEZ • SHAD
HALF MOON RUN • A TRIBE CALLED RED • DEAR ROUGE • PEACH PIT
JOCELYN ALICE • FOXWARREN • COSMO SHELDRAKE • FAST ROMANTICS
SCENIC ROUTE TO ALASKA •
FRED PENNER • THE JERRY CANS • ART D’ECCO
THE BOOM BOOMS • SARAH MACDOUGALL • LUCA FOGALE
• daysormay • PARKER BOSSLEY
JESSICKA • THE SUNSET KIDS • HUNTING • BEGONIA
• THE MODELOS • SAM LYNCH
TAYLOR JAMES • THE OOT N’ OOTS • THE KWERKS • CAT MADDEN

Taking place on Hendrickson Field, Squamish, the three-day festival will be a “celebration of music, art, food and so much fun,” said Tamara Stanners, one of four Squamish-based festival directors. “The vision of bringing a music festival back to the Sea to Sky is a real labour of love for us, and is now becoming a dream come true.”

In addition to fantastic music, the Squamish Constellation Festival will feature visual, live performance and interactive art all weekend long.

Plus, the best local beverages and brews being crafted in Squamish and a huge assortment of fantastic food trucks.

Partners are offering early bird general admission weekend passes at $165 plus service charges and fees, on Wednesday March 6 and Thursday March 7 with pre-sale codes found on the festival’s social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).

General admission full weekend passes will be on sale Friday, March 8 at 10:00am at constellationfest.ca for $199 and $425 for VIP, plus service charges and fees. (Limit of eight general admission weekend passes for early bird and general admission sales.)

The Squamish Constellation Festival is produced by Aquila Constellation Festival Productions Inc; a Squamish-based event production company dedicated to creating mind-blowing, heart-opening festival experiences of music, art, and community.

The SnowSeekers team took on the #SkiNorthBC expedition again this year and savoured the conditions near Quesnel, Fort St James, Prince George, and Smithers. During Spring Break, the snow sparkles in the sunshine and it’s easier than ever to get to these pristine locations. Here are 4 spots you’ll want to explore:

Hudson Bay – Smithers

“Old school cool is in. Shredding at Hudson Bay Mountain, towering over the community of Smithers, is a real treat. Sure, it has great groomers, a variety of terrain and incredible snow, but it is the front-side fall-line that goes on forever. There’s also the most amazing array of uber-cool abodes in the cabin colony and the mountain people who will have you wanting to return even before you leave. Don’t forget to ski into town. Yep, there is a groomed run that is so much fun; point ‘em downhill – the valley floor is calling.” – Nancy Shields for SnowSeekers

Powder King – Prince George

“Powder King really is a Shangri-La. Many have heard of it, but only the lucky ones have skied it,” says Powder King (PK) owner, Jim Salisbury. With over 5,000 acres to PK’s tenure, 10 kilometres of that highway frontage, and with a sewer and water system that can accommodate service for 1,500 people – Powder King is not only open for business, but Salisbury and crew are building a true powder-filled destination.

Murray Ridge Ski Area – Fort St James

For SnowSeekers founder Doc Pow, Murray Ridge is “a place that takes you back to the essence of what skiing and snowboarding destinations are supposed to be, community first and a place to connect.” Fort St. James or the area of Fort St. James has been home to people for many millennia. First by the Dakelh First Nations people and when explorer, Simon Fraser showed up around 1803 and built the first fort as settlers and explorers moved into the area. The fort was re-built in the 1890s and is available for tours through the Fort St James National Historic Site.

Troll Ski Resort – Quesnel

Ever since I have been exploring the Cariboo I’ve been asked: “Have you been to Wells yet?” I did get there this summer but not the follow up question I hear routinely is “but have you been to Wells in the winter?” SnowSeekers has! “End of the road communities are home to people who make magic happen on a regular basis. Wells, a character community nestled within the Cariboo Region of BC, is a place where you’ll experience that magic every day,” writes Doc Pow.

“A diehard sledder with Nordic ski interests, Eric Andersen and his pal, Caleb McMillian took us into history, along the Wagon Road trail up to Groundhog Lake. It’s a pretty straight forward hour sled ride from the colourful community and up into an epic alpine heaven.”

Make Quesnel your home base for your Troll adventure, with fly in/out options direct from YVR too!

Spring Break in the Snow in Northern BC

Explore communities rich in Indigenous history and with a connection to the land that goes back millennia. SnowSeekers’ stellar roster of digital storytelling rock stars have produced stories for:

• Smithers home to Hudson Bay Mountain Resort and Skeena Heli/Cat Skiing
• Powder King Mountain Resort
• Murray Ridge Ski Area
• Quesnel & Wells, home to Troll Ski Resort
• and more »

Fly with your choice of airlines from Vancouver, landing direct into Smithers.  Or, make a road trip landing into #SkiNorthBC country with about a 4 1/2-hour drive north of Kamloops.

Make sure to use #SkiNorthBC on social media and share your stoke with the world.

From art and cooking, to CSI crime solving and bike riding, there are some really fun Spring Break Day Camps around Metro Vancouver. If you have some time off with the kids this month, here are some fun activities the whole family can enjoy together:

Spring Break Activities for Families

Family Fuse at Vancouver Art Gallery
When: March 25-29, 2019 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery (750 Hornby St, Vancouver)
Admission: Free for kids 12 and under, and for members.
Otherwise regular admission rates apply.
Details: This Spring Break, families will have the opportunity to connect with interdisciplinary artistic practices through a variety of art-making activities, inspired by the materials, processes and ideas at work in the Gallery’s current exhibitions. The Gallery becomes a space of exploration and active collaboration, where visitors can explore their questions, ideas and responses to the artworks on display through Artist Workshops, led by local artists and art educators; engaging in-gallery activities with the Gallery team of experienced Art Agents; and art-making activities in The Making Place.
More info »