They say if you have a job you love, you’ll never work a day in your life! BC’s dairy farmers love what they do, and they want to share some of that love with you. Working alongside their families, caring for animals, and contributing safe, quality milk to their communities are just a few of the reasons why dairy farmers love their jobs.

This month, the BC Dairy Association is sharing the stories of four farmers across the province, and giving you the opportunity to share why you love what you do for a chance to win one of four $100 VISA gift cards.

#DoWhatYouLoveBC

There are two ways you can share what you do, and why you love it:

1. Visit BC Milk on Facebook and enter through the contest tab here »
2. Snap a photo showcasing why you love what you do, share it on Instagram with #DoWhatYouLoveBC and include a caption to describe your photo. Don’t forget to mention @bcmilk! Accounts must be public to participate.

The contest will be open August 3 to August 30, 2018. One winner, receiving one $100 VISA gift card, will be drawn each week. Draws will happen every Thursday. Entries are limited to one per person.

Want to know more? Follow BC Milk on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – and #DoWhatYouLoveBC!

As a proud, card-carrying member of the Gibsons Public Market I was excited to hear the news that they will be hosting their first ever Gibsons Night Market this week!

Gibsons Night Market

Where: Gibsons Public Market (473 Gower Point Rd, Gibsons)
When: Friday, August 3, 2018 *and* Friday, August 31, 2018
4:00pm to 9:00pm
Admission: Free!

Great food, art, music, entertainment, and shopping. They have over 20 stalls of local vendors, including farmers, bakers, artisans and food vendors, with indoor and outdoor activities as well.

There will be an Outdoor Beer Garden and you can drop the kids off the at supervised Movie Night in the Coastal Room upstairs from 6:00pm to 8:00pm featuring Moana. Free popcorn will be available for the kids and child care will be by donation if you’d like a certified babysitter/volunteer to watch your young ones while you enjoy the rest of the market.

Entertainers include Finn The Magician, Lippy the Clown, DJ Buzy B, and the north side of Emelle’s patio will become a stage for the Hawaiian Hula Dance Group by Dhyana Bartkow.

Emelle’s Market Bistro and The 101 Brewhouse+Distillery will be collaborating to create two special cocktails for that night. One will be gin-based & the other one will be vodka-based. There will also be Persephone beer on tap and many other delicious drinks.

Follow the Gibsons Public Market on Facebook and Twitter for more information and updates.

Who isn’t over the moon that summer concert and festival season is in full swing? Outdoor shows are a must-do during the summer months and Coquitlam doesn’t disappoint. With events happening all summer long, there is still time to take advantage. Jump on the Millennium Line Evergreen Extension to Lafarge Lake-Douglas Station and get in on the summer concert action.

The Music

Summer Concert Series
FREE
Friday, August 3, 2018 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Friday, September 7, 2018 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Coquitlam’s Summer Concert Series has grown from a small neighbourhood event to a must-do summer essential. Hosted at TD Community Plaza, this family-friendly event features popular local artists and performers. There are two nights left, Rock Night (August 3) and Motown Night (September 7). Bring a blanket, pack a picnic and enjoy. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

There’s a new event happening in the Fraser Valley in August, the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival! Starting August 22nd, and in the spirit of other flower festivals – Tulips of the Valley – you can wander 5 acres of sunflowers, in 17 different varieties, visit the sunflower shop, U-Pick, and have plenty of photo ops.

Chilliwack Sunflower Festival

Where: 41310 Yale Road, Chilliwack
When: August 22 to September 16, 2018
Monday to Friday 10:00am to 7:00pm
Saturday to Sunday and Holidays 9:00am to 7:00pm
Admission: Tickets available for purchase online soon

Some of the sunflowers could reach up to 12 feet tall! Witness how this amazing flower follows the sun throughout the day with sunrise openings Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays throughout festival.

Arrive early and see how all the bloom face east and watch the sun rise, sleep in and enjoy lunch at the fields while the flowers look straight up to the sky, or visit in the evening as the flowers face west and say good night as the sun sets.

Refreshments will be on site, including ice cream, play on one of the swing sets, and shop for your spring bulbs. Pick up some fresh cut flowers including a selection of summer flowers from our partner business, Onos Greenhouses.

Follow the Chilliwack Sunflower Festival on Facebook and Instagram for more info.

Last year the Fair at the PNE moved beyond the beloved mini pizzas, scones, fried onions and burgers and served up Oreo churros, butter chicken fries, mini donut ice pops, and deep fried Tequila shot bites. This year, they’re once again cranking the food options up to 11!

Food at the PNE This Summer

All was revealed in this morning’s press release:

Sweets

In addition to all the Fair classics that are set to return this year, keep an eye out for insane items like Cricket Caramel Apples, a twist on a Fair classic, which mixes sustainable eating with an iconic snack! The Caramel Apple is rolled in salty, oven-roasted Entomo Farm crickets to create a sweet and salty delight that will add a bit of crunch for the courageous.

Looking to stay cool this Fair? A modern take on ice cream, Smoking Charcoal Soft Serve will cool you down in the hot summer sun. And don’t forget to taste Black Charcoal Pineapple Ice Cream, a twist on the hottest ice cream trend; black charcoal soft serve ice cream served right out of a fresh pineapple! Or check out S’luscious, with boozy slush drinks in a variety of flavours, including Frosé, Lime, Mango, and Dark & Stormy.

For the chocolate fanatics, Churros Locos introduces Chocolate Dipped Churros, dipped and rolled in your favourite toppings, or Churro Fries, smothered with chocolate and caramel sauce, with marshmallows tossed into the mix, available only at the PNE Marketplace.

Steve O’s Public House is set to return, making one of Canada’s favourite chocolate bars even better, turning the iconic Nestle bar into KitKat Fries. Dipped in a signature batter and deep-fried to a soft, fluffy, and chocolatey perfection while maintaining the famous KitKat crunch, you’ll want to try these again and again and again.

White Chocolate Cheese Cake Mini Donuts make their debut or try a Caramel Fried Pineapple Ring, deep fried and topped with a warm caramel sauce. Wat a Melon, straight off the streets of Tokyo will feature a watermelon flavoured ice cream snack, served between two slices of watermelon. And, by popular request, Deep-Fried Strawberries will debut, dipped in funnel cake batter and served with just a hint of powdered sugar.

Savoury

This year’s lineup of delicious burgers will thrill you to no end. Step back in time to a 1950s diner, courtesy of Gourmet Burgers, to try a Garlic Vanilla Milkshake Burger, or its cousin, the Sweet and Salty Milkshake Burger, covered in rock salts, caramel drizzle and vanilla ice cream.

In the need for more meat? Try the Deep-Fried Burger, or a gigantic 1 lb. Fair Sized Meatball, oozing with mozzarella and Nonna’s tomato sauce.

For the taco fanatic in the family, the PNE’s own brand-new taco stand, Buen Gusto Street Tacos, will be set up outside the Pacific Coliseum, offering Vancouver’s take on the Mexican classic to satisfy your cravings.

Corndog King will offer, for the first time this year, the Big Pizza Corndog, which is stuffed with Mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, herbs and spices, with a side of pizza sauce. And for dessert? The Red Velvet Corndog will be a sweet, delicious twist on the classic, available only this year.

Follow the Fair at the PNE on Facebook and Twitter for more information. Stop by this year from August 18, 2018 to September 3, 2018 excluding Mondays, August 20 and 27.