Heading to Billy Barker Days in Quesnel? For over 40 years, it’s been BC’s largest FREE family festival and a highlight of summer. With music stages, amusement rides, games, pancake breakfast, parade, laser shows, prizes and more, it’s an entire city enchanted by the festival atmosphere.

To get to know Quesnel a bit better, here are a few things you can do while you’re in town for Billy Barker Days (July 19-22, 2018), and beyond:

A bathtub, in a bank? Read the story I wrote for FestivalSeekers featuring some unique Quesnel history »

Quesnel Museum

Where: 705 Carson Ave (next to Billy Barker Days headquarters & the Visitor Centre on Hwy 97)
Features: Learn about the two Gold Rushes in BC and how Quesnel grew as a settlement supply town. From gold to timber, steamboats to the war effort, there are also some great individual stories like the CD Hoy photography exhibit at the Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

Summer in Vancouver means free outdoor movies, cultural and community festivals, Bard on the Beach, and so much more. This month Miss604 is proud to sponsor Surrey Canada Day, Richmond Canada Day, The Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards, Surrey Fusion Festival and the Richmond Maritime Festival.

July Events in Metro Vancouver

Jump to: Sunday, July 1 to Sunday, July 8, 2018
Jump to: Monday, July 9 to Sunday, July 15, 2018
Jump to: Monday, July 16 to Sunday, July 22, 2018
Jump to: Monday, July 23 to Sunday, July 29, 2018
Jump to: Monday, July 30 to Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Multi-Day Events

Events that run for longer than three days in a row are highlighted in green. This list is updated often so send in your event listing anytime – for free – and check back often to plan your week.

Month-long events: Stanley Park Urban Forest Train, Theatre Under the Stars

Sunday, July 1, 2018
Sponsored by Miss604: Surrey Canada Day
Sponsored by Miss604: Richmond Canada Day
Coquitlam Canada Day
Canada Day on Granville Island
Canada Day on Robson Street
Canada Day at Burnaby Village Museum
Canada Day at Swangard in Burnaby
Canada Day at Canada Place
Canada Day at Fort Langley
Canada Day by the Bay, White Rock
Aaron Pritchett at Dominion Day, Surrey Civic Plaza
North Vancouver ​Canada Day Celebration
Food Truck Festival at Langley Canada Day
Canada Day with Whitecaps FC
Small Stage Summer Series Pop-Up on Canada Day
Wesbrook Canada Day
Vancouver Jazz Festival at David Lam Park
CRAB Park Festival
Lost All Canada Day at The Waldorf
Golden Spike Days Port Moody
Car Free Day Kitsilano
Bard on the Beach: Timon of Athens
Bard on the Beach: As You Like It
Poirier Street Market
Kitsilano Farmers Market
Mount Pleasant Farmers Market
Stanley Park Urban Forest Train Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

I’m in an airport (YVR, ORD, DEN, MSP, LAX…) checked into my flight and through security and I set out on the ever-predictable hunt to find a Hudson News to stock up on flight essentials. A bottle of water, chewing gum, perhaps tissues, and something to eat… something to snack on that won’t make me bloat up at 30,000 ft or leave me feeling gross and groggy the rest of the day.

Just past the potato chips and candy, like a beacon, I can always find the KIND bars. It’s funny because at an event last week with the KIND Snacks team in Vancouver, one of the representatives said that heathy airport snacking was one of the goals for Daniel Lubetzky, founder of KIND.

KIND products are made from nutritionally-dense ingredients like whole nuts, fruits and whole grains – no secret ingredients and no artificial flavors, preservatives or sweeteners. They also taste amazing – hello Dark Chocolate, Sea Salt & Nuts. PRESSED by KIND also takes “fruit leather” to another level with simple and minimal ingredients like Mango, Apple, Chia or Pineapple, Banana, Kale, Spinach.

Now, armed with a box full of KIND Snacks including KIND Healthy Grains, KIND Breakfast, and PRESSED by KIND fruit bars, I’m ready to share the KINDness with you!

A KIND Contest

I have a KIND swag bag to give away that includes a selection of KIND bars, granola, and snacks, as well as a KIND shirt, water bottle, hat, AND 4 Vancouver Canadians ticket vouchers*. Did you know you can grab a KIND bar at Nat Bailey this year? Enjoy a healthy snack on the go, at home, or at the ballpark!

Here’s how you can enter to win my KIND contest:

• 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 @KINDSnacks gift pack with @VanCanadians tickets #SnackKIND http://ow.ly/SBF530kGbxA” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]

Follow KIND Snacks on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for more info.

I will draw one winner at random from all entries on Friday, June 29 at 5:00pm. *Vouchers are for reserved grandstand seating for your choice of upcoming 2018 Vancouver Canadians game and must be exchanged for actual tickets to the game you would like to attend at least 7 days in advance. Space may be limited this season so swap them as soon as you can at the box office or by phone.

Update The winner is Jodie!

I have traveled many places in BC and this year I was fortunate enough to return to Horsefly. Now, when I tell people I went to Horsefly they either ask where that is or, they know – and I know – and we both feel like we know this amazing secret.

This community in the Cariboo Mountain foothills in the heart of the Gold Rush Trail (which begins in New Westminster), great camping, fishing, and an annual event, Arts on the Fly.

Take a musical ride down the Gold Rush Trail with me »

5 Reasons to Visit Arts on the Fly

Where: 5772 Horsefly Rd, Cariboo, BC
When: July 13 & 14, 2018
Ticket Info: $35-$60 for a whole weekend of fun! Tickets available online now

5) Stay in Town: Horsefly is 1 hour north east of Williams Lake but when you come for Arts on the Fly, bring your RV or tent and stay a while. Make it your home base for exploring some new-to-you parts of the historic and ruggedly beautiful Cariboo. Festival camping is available on-site, on the edge of the Horsefly River. Choose from dedicated quiet or non-quiet camping spaces. Camping passes are $15 per tent, or $20 per RV. Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

Discover the stories of an LGBTQ2+ community that fought back! Local walking tour company Forbidden Vancouver has launched a brand new walking tour in partnership with the Vancouver PRIDE Society. The Really Gay History Tour takes guests from downtown to the historic Davie Street Village to discover the stories, landmarks, and icons of Vancouver’s LGBTQ2+ community.

The Really Gay History Tour

• When: Sundays at 2:00pm, July to November
  During Vancouver PRIDE the walking tour runs every day between July 22 and August 4.
• Tickets: Buy online or call (604) 227-7570. Suitable for ages 14+.
• Where: Meet outside the entrance to Vancouver City Centre SkyTrain station on W Georgia. The tour ends at Jim Deva Plaza on Davie Street, near a multitude of bars and restaurants to choose from for a post walking tour cocktail.

2018 marks the 40th Anniversary of Pride in Vancouver