There’s plenty of free * family-friendly entertainment for kids around Vancouver this Spring Break. Spend time in a museum learning about local history, or outside surrounded by trees and other plants as you take in the splendour of the spring season.
Free Spring Break Activities Around Vancouver
Vancouver Public Library | Various VPL Locations March 16 to 30, 2024 at varying times Kids and teens can take part in a variety of free programs and activities at various Vancouver Public Library locations. Program and events include Coding for Kids, Teen Book Swap, Family Movie days, Lego Building, and so much more.
Steveston Tram | 4111 Moncton Street, Richmond March 15 to 31, 2024 from 10:00am to 4:00pm Young visitors can pick up a scavenger hunt to explore the 112 year old Tram Car at the Steveston Tram. Look for an additional mystery item that will move positions around the building daily. Submit your suggestion for the name for the most popular tram passenger in the “Name our Passenger Pig” Contest. The winning submission will be selected and revealed in April.
Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site | 5180 Westwater Drive, Richmond March 15 to March 31, 2024 from 10:00am to 4:00pm Tuesdays to Sundays Discover the fascinating world of boat building and innovation as you navigate through the Seine Net Loft building with a new scavenger hunt at Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site.
Burnaby Village Museum Photo Submitted
Burnaby Village Museum | 6501 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby March 18 to March 28, 2024 open daily from 11:00am to 4:30pm Explore how homes and businesses used to look in the 10-acre open-air site of Burnaby Village Museum. See how different cultures help shape our communities and learn from Indigenous Educators. Special activities feature a Coast Salish seed ball workshop and steam demos while daily events include a scavenger hunt, coffee grinding, and more.
Museum of Surrey | 17710 56A Avenue, Surrey March 19, 2024 from 10:00am to 1:00pm Build whatever you can imagine at the Museum with building blocks, bricks and more! Tour the “Everything is Awesome” exhibit, make a craft and complete a themed scavenger hunt at the Museum of Surrey.
Surrey Public Library | Various Surrey Public Library locations March 18 to 30, 2024 at varying times Register for any free program or activity at the Surrey Public Library for kids and teens. Events include presentations from the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, Family Movie days, an Easter Special, Family Crafting, Murder Mystery afternoon for teens, and more at participating library locations.
Sea to Sky Gondola |36800 BC-99, Squamish (Deal) March 11 to 28, 2024 from 9:00am to 5:00pm (last ride down) daily Kids age 12 and under ride free during Spring Break with the purchase of an adult or senior day ticket. Explore the summit, cross the suspension bridge, and look out at various viewing points at the Sea to Sky Gondola.
*These activities may have added costs or add-on activities available for a fee. Prices reflect the public admission rates online as of March 11, 2024. While we stay up the date with the latest news from these wonderful local attractions and post the most accurate information available, visitors should always adhere to the admission prices posted on-site and online for these venues.
Hop on by for Easter at Maan Farms during their Spring at the Farmcelebration. The egg-stravaganza includes meeting baby farm animals, an adult boozy egg hunt, and a berry pancake breakfast with the Easter Bunny.
Easter at Maan Farms – BAE Days
Date: March 29 to 31, 2024
Location: Maan Farms at 790 McKenzie Rd (Abbotsford)
Tickets: Available for purchase online as general admission, BAE Days VIP, or BAE Days Treat Pass
Spring at Maan Farms brings Baby Animal Easter Days (BAE Days) back, bringing bunnies, ducklings, chicks, calves, goats, lambs, and pigs to the farm. This event features an education activity booklet to complete alongside egg-collecting activities. Guests are invited to try their luck at searching for the golden egg as there are prizes to be won and redeemed. Everyone is invited to explore the Barnyard Adventureland including the zipline, pedal go karts, tractor field, jumping pillows, slides, and playground. And of course, the Easter Bunny will be available for photos.
Back by popular demand, the Egg-Cellent Ice Cream – handmade milk chocolate egg filled with soft serve and topped with caramel, crushed mini eggs, and a wafer straw – will be avalible for purchase in addition to egg nests, lemon mini donuts, and the new Egg-Stravagent Hot Chocolate.
VIP passes are available for purchase and include animal feed, mini donuts, a glass of Maan Farms Estate Winery’s berry wine or lemonade, chocolate, and a comback pass.
Access to BAE Days activities require its own admission ticket purchase
Every morning during BAE Days, guests are able to have some exclusive time with the Easter Bunny during Breakfast with the Easter Bunny from 9:00am to 10:30am. The menu consists of strawberry and whip cream topped pancakes, sausages, and a hot or cold beverage. After breakfast, the Easter Bunny will head over to the Barnyard for BAE Days.
Ticket includes appetizers, dinner, 1 glass of wine or beer
The retro Bunnies & Booze egg hunt returns on March 30. This 2000’s themed event will have guests using their flashlights to find hidden eggs in the early evening will the challenge of uncovering the golden egg to win the grande prize. The remainder of the evening includes an appearance from the Easter Bunny, lots of fun games, and some of Mama Maan’s signature dishes. The evening will begin with drinks and food during Hoppy Hour including local beer and Maan Farms Estate Winery award-winning berry wine, as well as a speciality Easter cocktail available for purchase. Dinner consists of your choice of Butter Chicken Naan Tacos, Chickpea Curry, and Butter Chicken or Chickpea Curry Poutine.
The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Food Festival invites you on a self-guided culinary tour through the city. From March 29 to April 28, 2024, explore over 10 Metro Vancouver restaurants and cafes, showcasing limited-time cherry blossom-inspired flavours.
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Food Fest
Date: March 29, 2024 to April 28, 2024
Location: Various locations throughout Metro Vancouver (Vancouver, Richmond, and Burnaby)
Tickets: Free to attend; Festival items priced individually
Try cherry-blossom inspired foods from over 10 participating Metro Vancouver restaurants on this self-guided tour. Try a new spot, or an old favourite, during a food crawl while supporting local businesses this spring. Plus, you’ll be out and about in blossom-filled neighbourhoods while you’re at it!
Each vendor will offer themed items for the festival. Enjoy a Sakura Cloud Pudding or Sakura Mont Blanc Roll at Ki Cafe. Drink a Pink Matcha with guava at Sunny M Speciality Coffee & Tea or a Hanami Oat Latte at Whisk Matcha Cafe and many more items from any of the participating vendors/locations.
Visit each vendor to collect stickers and be entered into a special festival sweepstakes. Pickup your Passport Activity Sheet at any festival vendor locations to start your journey. Present your passport when purchasing a festival item to receive stickers. Submit your passport online before May 10, 2024 to be entered into tired sweepstakes.
Complete Festival Missions to be entered to win prizes. Choose your mission from the list and share once complete on Instagram or TikTok (make sure to tag @nomsmag, use #VanCherryBlossomFoodFest and mention your completed mission and name in the caption to be entered). Prizes include a $50 Jungle Room gift card, 2 Takenaka Coasters and 1 cap, more prizes to be added.
View the full list of venues online and plan your own guided tour of cherry-blossom inspired flavours across the city and follow Noms Magazine on Instagram to stay updated with information on the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Food Festival.
Vancouver Poetry House presents the 14th annual Verses Festival of Words from April 18 to 27, 2024 at venues across the city. The festival is Canada’s largest spoken word festival and brings together generations of poets. This years theme is “Learning and Remembering”.
Verses Festival of Words 2024 theme is Learning and Remembering. The program highlights education, lineage, and the passing of knowledge, fortifying the bonds between emerging and established poets through workshops, performances, talks, and the annual Canadian Individual Poetry Slam. The 7th poet laureate of Toronto and considered a godmother of spoken word, Lillian Allen, will provide a keynote address on the festival’s closing day. A full lineup of events is available online.
Featured Events
Hullabaloo: Spoken Word Jamboree and Alumni Showcase (Vancouver Film School) April 18 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm A chance for the teams participating in Hullabaloo to meet and greet with one another. Following a showcase from three of Hullabaloo’s outstanding alumni, ll attending teams will perform a short 1-minute piece to introduce themselves.
Hullabaloo: All Star Slam (PerformanceWorks) April 19 from 12:00pm to 2:00pm Hullabaloo: Poetry Slam Round 1 (Vancouver Film School) April 19 from 6:30pm to 10:00pm Hullabaloo: Poetry Slam Round 2 (Vancouver Film School) April 20 from 2:00pm to 5:30pm Hullabaloo: FINALS Featuring Marie Metaphor Specht (Vancouver Film School) April 20 from 8:00pm to 10:00pm
Embodying Spoken Word: Johnny Trinh Workshop (The WISE Hall) April 24 from 1:00pm to 3:00pm Poets who perform or want to perform their works will be invited to experiment with and practice various techniques in embodying their poetry in performance.
Canadian Individual Poetry Slam PRELIMS Bout 1 (The WISE Hall) April 24 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm Poets will be paired up via random draw and compete head-to-head. The first round of poems are 3 minutes long. This will be a double knockout competition. Meaning 24 poets will compete with each other in 12 groups of 2. Bout two will be held on Thursday and Finals on Friday.
Canadian Individual Poetry Slam PRELIMS Bout 2 (The WISE Hall) April 25 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm The poets competing will be the 12 poets who lost in the First Preliminary Night. The top 6 poets who survive the first round, will compete against the 6 poets who were knocked out in the final round of the First Preliminary Night. This will determine the top 6 poets. Both rounds will be 3 minutes long.
Canadian Individual Poetry Slam FINALS (The WISE Hall) April 26 from 6:30pm to 9:00pm Featuring Lillian Allen and followed by a performance by Kimmortal. The top 6 poets from Preliminary Round 1, and the top 6 poets from Second Chance Night will go head to head. The knockout format is as follows: 6 groups of 2, 2 groups of 3 and the final faceoff between two poets and then the last poet standing will be crowned the CIPS winner.
Public Keynote: Lillian Allen (The Nest) April 27 from 3:00pm to 4:00pm Dub Poet, educator, changemaker, Lillian Allen will be offering a talk on spoken word, the movement ahead, and what is needed to continue the evolution of spoken word poets.
Following Verses Festival on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date.
YWCA Metro Vancouver has announced the 106 nominees for the 41st Women of Distinction Awards, presented by Scotiabank. Tickets for the awards gala May 13th are now on sale.
41st Annual Awards Evening
Date: Monday, May 13, 2024
Time: 5:00pm to 9:30pm
Venue: The Westin Bayshore (1601 Bayshore Dr, Vancouver)
Tickets:Available now. Early-bird rates, available until Sunday, March 31st: $295 per person; $2,950 for a table of 10. Starting April 1st, ticket prices will increase to $325 per person and $3,250 for a table of 10.
Get your tickets today and celebrate these women who have had a positive impact in our community.
Vote – Connecting the Community
In addition to the award category in which they are nominated, all individual nominees are eligible to win the Connecting the Community Award – the only award category where the recipient is selected by public vote. Each nominee has chosen a YWCA area that is important to her for a chance to donate $10,000, courtesy of Scotiabank, to the YWCA program of her choice.
Follow the YWCA of Vancouver on Facebook and Twitter for more information.
YWCA Metro Vancouver is dedicated to achieving women’s equality. Their mission is to touch lives and build better futures for women and their families through advocacy and integrated services that foster economic independence, wellness and equal opportunities.
Miss604 is a proud sponsor of the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards, since 2010.
