Canucks Autism Network (“CAN”) is turning 10 and they’re celebrating with the first-ever CAN Birthday Festival, presented by Coast Capital Savings, happening July 7th at Surrey Civic Plaza.
Hosted by the City of Surrey, the CAN Birthday Festival will feature traditional birthday activities as well as carnival inflatables, food trucks, vendors, a dunk tank, and a host of live entertainment for the whole family, including performances by Bobs & Lolo and the Famous Players Band.
Canucks Autism Network Birthday Festival
Where: Surrey Civic Plaza (Surrey City Hall, 13450 104 Ave)
Steps away from Surrey Central Expo Line SkyTrain station. Parking is also available underground parkade via 104 Avenue and University Drive.
When: Saturday, July 7, 2018 from 12:00am to 6:00pm with
sensory-friendly hours 10:00am to 12:00pm
Admission: FREE and open to the public.
“The CAN Birthday Festival will be an unprecedented celebration of the incredible successes that our thousands of members have accomplished throughout CAN’s 10-year history,” Katy Harandi, President and CEO
Founded by Vancouver Canucks Co-owners Paolo and Clara Aquilini in 2008, CAN provides year-round sports and recreation programs for individuals and families living with autism, while increasing awareness and providing training in communities across British Columbia.
The inspiration behind the event came from the countless stories of children with autism who are excluded from birthday parties. In anticipation of the event, CAN mailed out handcrafted birthday invitations personally inviting more than 1,700 children and youth with autism to attend the celebration; marking the first-ever birthday invite for many of the recipients.
In an effort to make to make the environment welcoming and accessible to individuals with autism and their families, the event will include sensory-friendly hours in the morning. The sensory-friendly hours will boast shorter lineups, smaller crowds, and reduced volume. Noise-cancelling headphones will also be available for rental.
Schedule of Events
10:00am to 12:00pm Sensory-friendly hours
Event Entertainment, presented by YVR- Vancouver International Airport
10:00am to 11:00am Rod Boss, Comedy Magician
10:15am to 10:45am CAN Band, Musical Performance by Young Adults with Autism
11:00am to 11:30am
& 12:00pm to 12:30pm Bobs & Lolo, Duo Musical Performance
12:30pm to 1:15pm Axe Capoeira, Martial Arts & Dance Performance
1:15pm to 2:30pm
& 3:00pm to 4:15pm Famous Players Band, Vancouver’s Best Cover Band
4:30pm to 4:40pm Royal Academy of Bhangra, Dance Performance
Win a Trip Anywhere WestJet Flies
Enter the CAN Birthday Festival Raffle for your chance at WestJet’s “Gift of Flight”! Win a roundtrip flight for two to any worldwide destination that WestJet flies! Tickets are 1 for $20 or 3 for $50.
CAN Fundraising
Want to support CAN? Sign up and fundraise for the CAN Birthday Festival here. With an estimated 1 in 66 individuals diagnosed, there are over 16,000 children and youth living with autism in BC alone. With your support, we can help thousands of children, youth and young adults with autism make friends, gain confidence and realize limitless possibilities.
The CAN Birthday Festival also highlights the deeply rooted impact that the organization has had in the Surrey community. With over 4,000 families within CAN’s province-wide membership, approximately 15% are from the City of Surrey. According to the Ministry of Child and Family Development, Surrey has the highest number of children and youth with autism of any city within BC.
For more information, follow CAN on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and be sure to stop by the CAN Birthday Festival.
You might already know you like folk, bluegrass, Americana or blues music – but have you heard marrabenta music? Or Cajun, Moravian melody, or son jarocho? From the well known and familiar to new and exciting discoveries, there’s a world full of music awaiting you at this year’s Vancouver Folk Music Festival happening July 13-15, 2018 at Jericho Beach Park.
Over the past 4 decades the Vancouver Folk Music Festival (consistently voted “Best Local Music Festival” in the Georgia Straight) has presented a high-quality and diverse roster of performers. This year is no exception! With over 50 acts coming from Europe, Africa, North, Latin and South America and Australia – including from numerous Canadian provinces and territories, and US states – it’s a stunning slice of global music and culture.
Vancouver Folk Music Festival
When: July 13-15, 2018
Where: Jericho Beach Park, Vancouver
Tickets: Available online now or by phone (604) 602-9798. Kids 12 and under are free and can enjoy the the whole festival too, and a Little Folks Village.
The Lineup
Art Bergmann (AB)
Wallis Bird (Ireland)
Mariel Buckley (AB)
Steph Cameron (BC)
Neko Case (VT)
Joachim Cooder (CA)
Ry Cooder featuring The Hamiltones (CA)
Rodney Crowell (TN)
Alex Cuba (BC |Cuba)
DakhaBrakha (Ukraine)
Dálava (BC)
Darlingside (MA)
Guy Davis (NY)
The Dead South (SK)
Las Estrellas de Vancouver (BC | Mexico)
Mick Flannery (Ireland)
Dori Freeman (BC)
Gamelan Bike Bike (BC)
Ilaria Graziano & Francesco Forni (Italy)
Gordon Grdina’s Haram (BC)
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes (MS)
Iskwé (MB)
Kacy & Clayton (SK)
Martin Kerr (AB)
Ezra Kwizera (BC | Rwanda)
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Grant Lawrence & Friends (BC+)
Little Miss Higgins (MB)
John Lowell Band (MT)
A Familia Machado (BC & Brazil)
James McMurtry (TX)
Mike Munson (MN)
Murfitt & Main (BC)
Dawn Pemberton (BC)
Petunia & the Vipers (BC)
Carole Pope (ON)
Les Poules à Colin (QC)
Professor Banjo & Estro Jennies (BC)
Quantum Tangle (NU)
Ranky Tanky (SC)
Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys (LA)
Archie Roach (Australia)
The Small Glories (AB)
Son de Madera (Mexico)
Jayme Stone’s Folklife (ON)
Leonard Sumner (MB)
Three Women and the Truth (TX)
Viper Central (BC)
Skye Wallace (BC)
Wazimbo & Banda Kakana (Mozambique)
Donovan Woods (ON)
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Full roster of artists »
Full weekend schedule »
Music and More
In addition to the great music, there is a wide range of tastes and flavours to enjoy in the Food Area and the the Big Rock Beer Garden, crafts and art shopping in the Artisan Market on-site, as well as the Folk Bazaar along the beach front. The Little Folks Village is full of activities and entertainments for the whole family, and the Community Village, where local non-profit organizations share fascinating info about their mission and work. There is a CD and festival merchandise tent, and other things to see and do at the festival as well.
The festival prides itself on its environmental and sustainability initiatives, and on making the festival accessible – and lots of fun. Around 1,400 volunteers help to make the festival a success. There is ample bike parking on site, and visitors are encouraged to bike, walk, or take transit rather than drive to the festival. No bottled water is sold on site – audience members are asked to bring their own bottles – and water refill stations are located around the site.
I’ve heard there is a magical feeling of friendliness and community between musical adventurers at the Festival, and you can’t beat the sound of great music, by the sea, with a stunning Vancouver summer sunset. It’s an inspiring and entertaining weekend that generations have enjoyed, and once you experience it, you’ll be back!
Follow the Vancouver Folk Music Festival on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram tag #VFMF2018 for more information and get your tickets today.
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 ⟩⟩
