Free, outdoor activities are all the rage in Vancouver during the summer months and nothing gets locals and visitors moving like dance. After two years in development, Dance in Transit is set to liven up Downtown Vancouver with free, public dance events for all skill levels, May 20 – September 1.

Dance in Transit

Free Outdoor Dancing Events in Vancouver This Summer

The idea is to engage Vancouver in healthy, safe, fun activity that will include all cultures and occupations, dancers and people who have never danced before. This project is all about building community, expanding social networks, and easing people away from their digital devices and back to face-to- face connection.

Sam’s Dance, Rose Royce Group, and CiTR Radio are partnering to host Dance in Transit. Each event will focus on specific dance styles with mini-lessons, demonstrations, performances, social dancing, snacks and drinks.

Venues

• Robson Square: Below street level on Robson between Howe & Hornby
• Jim Deva Plaza: Davie Street at Bute by the rainbow crosswalk
• Queen Elizabeth Plaza: Hamilton at Georgia, in front of the theatre
• Plaza of Nations: Pacific Blvd by the Edgewater Casino

Schedule

Dance in Transit is looking for partners, sponsors, and volunteers. Full details can be found on the website.

Preeminent percussionist Sal Ferreras presents the 31st annual Drum Heat, a concert uniting BC’s top jazz and world music talent to benefit Arts Umbrella students. Performing in styles and fusions from the Carribean, Latin America, and Asia, this year’s stellar lineup will ignite the stage with sizzling hot rhythms and harmonies.

Drum Heat

Where: Vogue Theatre (918 Granville St, Vancouver)
When: Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 8:00pm (doors at 7:00pm)
Tickets: Available online now

Leading this heart-pumping evening, Sal Ferreras will perform percussion, vibes, and vocals. An elite musician, Ferreras has been called to play on a series of JUNO and GRAMMY-Award winning recordings. With a PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of British Columbia, Ferreras is a highly sought-after expert in drumming, and world music. His love for connecting musical minds has brought him as far as Australia, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Portugal, Taiwan, and all over North America. With his many staggering achievements, Ferreras was inducted in the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2002, and was honoured in 2010 with the City of Vancouver Mayor’s Award for Music.

As part of his work to benefit the community through the arts, Ferreras contributes net proceeds of Drum Heat to directly support Arts Umbrella programs. Three out of five Arts Umbrella students need financial assistance to access arts education. Through the generous support of audiences who attend Drum Heat, the funding from the concert reaches more than 12,000 young people each year.

Win a Drum Heat Date Night

I have a pair of tickets for Drum Heat to give away along with a $100 gift card for dinner at Nuba in Kitsilano.

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 Drum Heat date night w $100 for @nubatown & supporting @ArtsUmbrella http://owl.li/tLKJ30aZRU1″ quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]

Art can change the lives of children in incredible ways, which is why Arts Umbrella helps young artists cultivate creativity and grow self-confidence through dance, theatre and visual arts. Since 1979, the not-for-profit has opened the doors for all kids ages 2 to 19 to find and explore their artistic voices. More than 20,000 students discover the magic each year – with more than half participating at little to no cost to their families.

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Sunday, April 23, 2017.

Update The winner is Barb!

BC’s largest Earth Day celebration, Party for the Planet, returns to the Surrey City Hall Plaza on April 22nd. This year’s festival headliner is JUNO nominated artist Shawn Hook.

Surrey Party for the Planet

Where: The Plaza at City Hall (13450 104th Avenue, Surrey)
When: Saturday, April 22, 2017 from 10:00am to 7:00pm
Admission This is a free event. No tickets are required!

5 Things You Can’t Miss

1. Canada 150 Zone:
Be a part of all the fun in the Canada 150 zone at Party for the Planet! We will be celebrating Canada’s birthday this year with a wide variety of “Canadian” themed activities and crafts, as well as amazing performances on our Canada 150 stage. Pick up a #SurreyCanada150 passport for your chance to win prizes, decorate and enjoy Canadian flag cookies, and much more.

2. Enviro-Fun:
Stop by the tree and plant sale, enjoy some nature play, and mix up a smoothie using bicycle power! Learn all about the City of Surrey’s Environmental Extravaganza happening around the city until June 11th, and explore an Eco Dome.

3. Sports:
Visit with the BC Lions, play some 3-on-3 road hockey, and try your skills at the rock climbing wall to get the best view of the Party for the Planet grounds.

4. Food Trucks:
What’s a festival without food? From mini donuts to vegan fare, the Party for the Planet food trucks will keep you satisfied. Try a scoop of Rocking Point Ice Cream or a gooey sandwich from Melt Town Grilled Cheese.

5. Performances:
From Will Stroet and the Purple Pirate, to Yo-Yo master Harrison Lee and the energizing Blink Acro, there will be plenty of free performances and shows all across the event site on Saturday. On the Main Stage look for Kutapira, Willa, Virginia To Vegas, and Shawn Hook closing out the program at 6:00pm. View the full schedule here »

Check out this curated list of activities specifically for artsy kids, and active kids at Party for the Planet. Follow the Surrey Events team on Facebook and Twitter for more information.

Last week, Metro Vancouver announced the creation of a new 75-hectare (185-acre) regional park on the slopes of Grouse Mountain that includes the popular Grouse Grind, BC Mountaineering Club (BCMC) and a portion of the Baden-Powell trails within its boundary.

A New Park in Metro Vancouver

Effective May 1, 2017, the new park will become the 24th regional park in Metro Vancouver’s portfolio. In addition to hosting popular hiking trails, this area of the North Shore contains mature forests and mountain streams that are home to a variety of wildlife including black bears, cougars, barred owls, black-tailed deer and northern red-legged frogs.

North Vancouver District Mayor Richard Walton is pleased to see the area becoming an official park, and remarked, “This section of Grouse Mountain is very well used by the hiking community, and its inclusion within a new park will ensure that additional resources are allocated to make it a safe and enjoyable space for the public.” [Source]

The southern slope of Grouse Mountain, where the park will be located, was logged in the 1900s and trails were developed by hikers and climbers to access mountain peaks, notably the BCMC and Larsen trails. The Grouse Grind, a steep 2.9-kilometre trail up the face of Grouse Mountain, was added in the early 1980s as a climbers’ conditioning trail and it has gained worldwide popularity over the years as a challenging and scenic hike, with several hundred thousand hikers tackling its steep ascent each year.

In order to establish this new regional park, Metro Vancouver Regional District entered into a long-term licence agreement with the Greater Vancouver Water District, which has owned the land for over 85 years. Metro Vancouver also worked closely with Grouse Mountain Resorts on elements of the park near the base of the mountain. The park will be adjacent to the privately owned Grouse Mountain Resorts.

Hikers are reminded that the Grouse Grind remains under a seasonal closure and will be opened to the public when annual spring maintenance works are complete and conditions are safe.

Metro Vancouver’s Regional Parks receive more than 11 million visits per year. Residents are encouraged to celebrate this milestone by discovering a new trail, learning about wildlife or attending one of the many outdoor events taking place.

The Uncorked Wine Festival is Harrison Hot Springs’ three-day destination food and wine event, showcasing the talents of some of BC’s most renowned wineries and local culinary personalities.

Harrison Uncorked Wine Festival

Combine crafted wines from local wine regions, and pair them with farm-fresh meats, cheeses, and produce right from Harrison’s doorstep. Add a little vintage flair and you have Uncorked! It’s two days of tastings and one day of wine-makers’ dinners at local restaurants.

Where: Harrison Memorial Hall
(270 Esplanade Ave, Harrison Hot Springs)
When: April 22 & 23, 2017
1:00pm to 4:30pm
Tickets: Tickets are $45 per person, per day. Buy online. (Saturday is SOLD OUT)

Muddy Waters Cafe returns to the afternoon tastings to provide you will mouth-watering bites. This year Old Settler Liquor store will be the onsite liquor store, allowing you to purchase bottles from the attending wineries to take home to enjoy some more. FarmHouse Natural Cheeses and Hopcott Meats will also be serving up pairing goodies.

Enjoy an afternoon of sipping, sampling and supporting with $5 from each ticket sale going to support the Harrison Festival Society ‘World Music and Art, Small Town Roots’. Plus there will be a silent auction table with proceeds going to the Festival.

Win Tickets

I have a pair of tickets to give away to Sunday’s event. Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Click below to post an entry on Twitter

[clickToTweet tweet=”RT to enter to win tickets to #HarrisonUncorked http://owl.li/SzsU30aXSnv @HarrisonTourism #JustUpTheRoad” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 3:00pm on Thursday, April 20, 2017. Must be 19+. Please enjoy responsibly and plan a safe way home. Follow Tourism Harrison on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Update The winner is Bradley!