Remembrance Day, November 11th, is a day to remember the courage, service and sacrifice of thousands of men and women, and to honour them by never forgetting them.
Your city will most likely have a service or ceremony on November 11th, around its local cenotaph, and to make things easier I have rounded up a list of events (that have been publicized, as of the date of publishing of this post) that you can attend.
If I am missing an event, please feel free to leave a comment with details and I will be sure to add it to the list.
Remembrance Day Ceremonies Around Vancouver
Event: Vancouver Ceremony at Victory Square
Where: Victory Square Cenotaph at W Hastings St and Cambie St
When: 10:00am
Details: The program at Victory Square begins with a performance by the Vancouver Bach Youth Choir and Sarabande starting at 10:00am. At 10:10am veterans, military marching units, and bands will be led to Victory Square by the Vancouver Flag Party for the cenotaph ceremony starting at 10:30am.
Shortly afterward, there will be a combined performance by Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services and the Regimental Pipes and Drums of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada.
At 11:00am the Last Post will be sounded. There will be Two Minutes of Silence, during which a 21-gun salute by the 15th Field Artillery Regiment will be heard from Portside Park. Lament and Rouse will follow. The Royal Canadian Air Force will conduct a fly-past moments later, weather permitting.
The enduring In Flanders Fields will then be sung by the Bach Youth Choir and Sarabande and wreaths will be placed at the Cenotaph.
The Remembrance Day parade will begin once the ceremony finishes. Participants will march west along Hastings past the reviewing stand between Homer and Richards, turning right at Richards, east on Cordova, then south on Cambie. The veterans’ section of the parade will march Route 1, marching west along Hastings Street past the reviewing stand and disperse. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩
I have some favourite trails around Vancouver, including Merilees or Rawlings in Stanley Park, but now there’s a new one – of a different variety – I must add to my list: The Dumpling Trail in Richmond. Tourism Richmond has created a guide to over 20 places that serve up these soft, crunchy, savoury bundles of deliciousness that have been boiled, pan-fried, and steamed. Don’t forget to try the sweet options as well!
Dumpling Trail in Richmond
Golden Village. Photo credit: Tourism Richmond
Gyoza, Shui Jiao, Xiao Long Bao, Guo Tie, Siu Mai, Jian Dui, Ham Siu Gok and more!
Tourism Richmond’s created the Dumpling Trail a while ago and they have just recently given it a refresh. Hailed as one of the most enticing food and drink trails in North America by CNN Travel, this collection of 20 restaurants serves up some of the most delectable dumplings this side of the Pacific.
“The Dumpling Trail was originally created to help diners figure out where to eat,” said Nancy Small, CEO of Tourism Richmond. “We saw how overwhelming it was for a diner to choose just one restaurant out of the 800 plus the city has to offer. The 20 restaurants on the trail have been hand-selected by the team and they make up a good representation of Richmond’s Asian culinary scene. You’ve got the higher-end sit down restaurants, food court stalls, hidden gems in strip malls and so much more.”
Richmond has been recognized as the culinary destination in North America to experience authentic Asian cuisine. Declared by travel and food writers from The New York Times, Eater.com, Conde Nast Traveler and other publications as having the “best Chinese food in North America,” the Dumpling Trail offers diners the opportunity to experience Richmond’s food scene in bite-sized portions.
Empire Seafood. Photo credit: Tourism Richmond
Tourism Richmond has offered up some Dumpling Trail tips:
- Best enjoyed in a group – Dumplings can be filling if you are visiting multiple restaurants. You may also be enticed to try other menu items as well!
- Plan according to your budget – Stops on the trail range from high-end restaurants to unassuming food court stalls, each offering a different experience.
- Bring cash – Bear in mind that some of the restaurants on our list only accept cash for payment.
Visit the official Dumpling Trail website for a brochure, map, and suggested itineraries. I’ll see you out there!
The 20th edition of the CP Holiday Train is ready to support communities and raise awareness across Canada as it sets out to visit 164 cities and host free events in November and December. There are 16 stops in BC, from Golden to Port Coquitlam, with each featuring an opportunity to view the impressive train-long light displays and enjoy a free concert.
CP Holiday Train 2018
Local Schedule
Sam Roberts Band, Kelly Prescott and Tracey Brown will roll up into the Fraser Valley on December 17th for a show stop in Agassiz, then head over to Haney-Maple Ridge for another, and will end the night in Pitt Meadows. The train will roll on December 18th with the two final stops and performances in Port Moody and Port Coquitlam.
Click here for the full cross-country schedule »
How The Events Work
When the train arrives it will pull to a safe stop in front of the crowd in attendance. The stage door lowers and the band opens with its first song. After that, a brief presentation takes place with local food bank officials and other dignitaries.
Once complete, the band resumes performing a mix of traditional and modern holiday-themed songs. The whole event lasts about 30 minutes, and once the band plays its farewell show, the boxcar door closes, and the train slips off into the night on its way to the next stop.
The spectacular event is free to attend, but you are encouraged to bring healthy donations for the food bank. Every pound of food and dollar raised at each stop stays with the local food bank to help feed those in need in that community.
The CP Holiday Train program launched in 1999 and has since raised more than C$14.5 million and gathered 4.3 million pounds of food for communities along CP’s routes in Canada and the United States.
Follow the #CPHolidayTrain on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to see its full schedule as the cross-country journey comes to an end out west.
Maple Organics, established as Canada’s first organic pharmaceuticals company, has just won the New Business of the Year award from the Surrey Board of Trade and they would love to share some of the winning spirit with the Miss604 audience!
Maple Organics is a USDA Organic certified and Health Canada approved company selling a variety of organic pharmaceutical and personal hygiene and lifestyle products. They have a vast collection ranging from skin therapy, baby items, essential oils, hair therapy and bug sprays. The company was co-founded by two women who met at Business School. After seeing a gap in the market, they teamed up to create Maple Organics and instead of selling at mass supermarkets, they’ve decided to use a direct sales approach with ‘Wellness Consultants’.
Win a Gift Set
I have the Maple Organics “Love Her Gift Set” to give away (value $135) that includes: Body wash of the winner’s choice, Hydrate Body Lotion, and a Therapy Product. Beautifully set in a wood box, this set comes with a luxurious bath pouf and a hand poured soy candle.
Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Click below to get another entry by posting on Twitter:
[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win a @MapleOrganics gift set (value $135) http://ow.ly/Vzq730mxkKN” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, November 14, 2018. Follow Maple Organics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more info.
Update The winner is Jen!
It’s tough to save money during the holidays while going to gatherings of friends and family, hosting dinners, and exchanging gifts. However, I know of several activities that will get you in the holiday spirit without sliding you into debt. Here is my third annual list of Free Christmas Activities in Metro Vancouver*:
This list will be updated often throughout the season so be sure to bookmark it and check back regularly.
Free Christmas Activities Around Vancouver
- TELUS Santa Claus Parade in Downtown Vancouver on December 2nd.
- Vancouver Christmas Tree Lighting on November 30, 2018 at Robson Square.
- St Paul’s Lights of Hope launch on November 16, 2018 at Burrard at Helmcken Street with the light display staying up all season.
- Winter’s Dance #onRobson December 1 & 2, 2018.
- Thursday, December 6, 2018 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Yule Duel Choir Competition in Gastown, proceeds from donations support May’s Place Hospice.
- Vancouver Menorah Lighting on Thursday, December 6, 2018 at the Vancouver Art Gallery for Chanukah in the City.
- Festival of Trees at Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver & CF Pacific Centre on display from November 21, 2018 to January 1, 2019. The 32nd annual Festival of Trees are on display supporting BC Children’s Hospital.
- CBC Vancouver Open House & Food Bank Day is December 7, 2018. Meet your local CBC hosts, get newsroom tours, support a great cause.
- Skating at Robson Square Ice Rink. Free when you bring your own skates. Open December 1, 2018 to February 2019. Free live music nightly starting mid-December.
- 25th Annual Winter Solstice Lantern Festival on Friday, December 21, 2018 on Granville Island, in Chinatown, Strathcona, and Yaletown.
- Wesbrook Village holiday events November 17 to January 2019. Photos with Santa, light displays, games, and more. Check the event schedule to see what’s happening each weekend.
- Christmas at Canada Place December 7, 2018 to January 1, 2019 with free outdoor displays, lights, the legendary Woodward’s Windows, and more.
- Free family movie afternoons at Wesbrook Village, December 5, 12, and 19.
- Lumiere Light Displays in the West End. Luna the Orca, Luna the Whale, Eugenia the Tree and Stanley the Blue Heron will remain up in Morton Park/English Bay until February 2019.
Free Christmas Activities in Burnaby & New Westminster
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