April Events in Metro Vancouver

Comments 4 by Rebecca Bollwitt

March showers lead to April flowers. Check out Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival events, talks and walks, along with two tulip festivals in the Fraser Valley, Easter events, Vaisakhi and more this April in Metro Vancouver.

April Events in Metro Vancouver



Jump to: Saturday, April 1, 2017 to Sunday, April 2, 2017
Jump to: Monday, April 3, 2017 to Sunday, April 9, 2017
Jump to: Monday, April 10, 2017 to Sunday, April 16, 2017
Jump to: Monday, April 17, 2017 to Sunday, April 23, 2017
Jump to: Monday, April 24, 2017 to Sunday, April 30, 2017

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.

Saturday, April 1, 2017
S.E. Hinton Author of The Outsiders in Vancouver
Whitecaps FC vs LA Galaxy
Grouse Mountain 90th Anniversary Celebration
Camilo the Magician: Abracadabra
Capture Photography Festival Launch Party
Vancouver International Burlesque Festival
Opening Reception: SPECTATOR-Photography by Fang Tong
Trivia Night Fundraiser for Hospital Outreach Program
Bloom Handmade Baby Market Fort Langley
Master Class: Colour – Nature As Your Guide w/ Heather Ross
Vancouver International Auto Show
The 2017 Creative Ink Festival
LitFest New West
Vancouver South African Film Festival
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
Theatre UBC Presents: Les Belles-soeurs
Pacific Theatre Presents: Valley Song
Firehall Art Centre Presents: Refuge
Holmes and Watson Save the Empire

Sunday, April 2, 2017
Upcycled Fashion – Panel Discussion
Herring People: An Arts-based Initiative
BC’s Women’s Suffrage Historical Walking Tour
Vancouver Bridal Swap
Sakura Night Gala
Cooking Series: Easy Freezer Meals
Zealous Art – Magnolia Blossoms at West Coast Gardens
The 2017 Creative Ink Festival
LitFest New West
International Film Festival for Youth
Vancouver South African Film Festival
Vancouver International Auto Show
Hardline Productions Presents: Red Patch
Pacific Theatre Presents: Valley Song
Holmes and Watson Save the Empire

Continue reading this post ⟩⟩

Fleurs de Villes at Metrotown

Comments 88 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Fleurs de Villes, Canada’s premiere Floral Mannequin Series, returns to Greater Vancouver from April 5 to April 9, 2017 at Metropolis at Metrotown, the second stop on the event’s inaugural cross-Canada tour.

Fleurs de Villes at Metrotown

For five days, Metropolis at Metrotown will host a spectacular array of stunning fashion focused floral displays – bringing the best in local design to the forefront. Shoppers can peruse the displays, snap photos and vote for their favourite mannequin for a chance to win exclusive prizes.

On Saturday, April 8th, a day-long pop-up market will offer a chance to purchase fresh-cut flowers, bouquets, bedding plants, pots and other gardening supplies inside the shopping centre.

Fleurs de Villes, co-founded by Vancouverites Tina Barkley and Karen Marshall, is the first event of its kind to combine fashion and flowers in Canada. Imagine more than a dozen bespoke, floral-dressed mannequins, each clothed in a one-of-a-kind design made up of hundreds of fresh blooms created by a top Greater Vancouver florist including Pretty Things Florist & Designer Gifts, Our Little Flower Company, and Quince Fine Florals.

Win a Gift Card

I have a $50 gift card to give away for Metropolis at Metrotown so that you can check out Fleurs de Villes and spend some quality time shopping during your visit. 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=”Check out @FleursdeVilles #FDVMetropolis + RT to enter to win $50 for @MetropolisatMet http://owl.li/kz8v30annkF” quote=” Click to enter via Twitter” theme=”style6″]

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Tuesday, April 4, 2017. Follow Fleurs de Villes on Facebook and Instagram.

Update The winner is Christine!

Where to Find Cherry Blossoms in Vancouver

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival runs March 30 to April 23, 2017 and organizers have made it easier than ever to find tens of thousands of blossoms all around Vancouver, and to enjoy themed events.

Cherry Bloom Block Party

Where to Find Cherry Blossoms in Vancouver

A neighbourhood map is available, pin pointing over 2,100 cherry blossom locations in the city along with some of the best photo opportunities. About 50 different cultivars of flowering cherry trees are coming into bloom, lighting up Metro Vancouver and painting neighbourhoods in awash of colour from a blush of pink to pure snow white cherry blossoms. Click here for the full interactive map »

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

Cherry Jam Downtown
Free on Thursday, March 30, 2017 from 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Burrard Skytrain station indoor concourse, 635 Burrard St, Vancouver

Tree Talks Walks
Free, starting March 30, 2017

Sakura Night Gala
Sunday, April 2, 2017 6:30pm: Evolve’s Pink Effervescence Welcome,
7:00 to 9:00pm: Standing Dinner Reception
Stanley Park Pavilion, 610 Pipeline Road, Vancouver

Sakura Days Japan Fair
Saturday, April 8, 2017 11:00am to 7:00pm & Sunday, April 9, 2017 11:00am to 5:00pm
VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak Street at 37th, Vancouver

The Big Picnic
Pending bloom, TBA
Queen Elizabeth Park @ W 33rd Ave and Cambie

You can also participate in the Haiku Invitational, March 30th to June 1st. Follow the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival on Twitter and Facebook for more information.

Pre-Sale Code for The Phantom of the Opera in Vancouver

Comments 3 by Rebecca Bollwitt

Broadway Across Canada welcomes Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera in Vancouver this summer. Performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this one of the largest productions on tour in North America.

The Phantom of the Opera in Vancouver

When: July 12th to July 23rd, 2017
Where: Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre (650 Hamilton St, Vancouver)


Derrick Davis and Katie Travis. Photo by Matthew Murphy

Critics are raving that this breathtaking production is bigger and better than ever before. This Phantom features a brilliant new scenic design by Paul Brown, Tony Award-winning original costume design by Maria Björnson, lighting design by Tony Award winner Paule Constable, new choreography by Scott Ambler, and a new staging by director Laurence Connor.

The production, overseen by Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh, boasts many exciting special effects including the show’s legendary chandelier. The beloved story and thrilling score – with songs like Music of the Night, All I Ask Of You, and Masquerade is performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this PHANTOM one of the largest productions now on tour.

General Tickets

Individual tickets go on sale Saturday, April 1st at 10:00am for Vancouver’s premiere engagement of The Phantom of the Opera at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre this July. Ticket prices start at $37.50 (plus applicable service charges). Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by calling 1-800-889-8457.

Pre-Sale Code & Link

This pre-sale link will be ONLY available Friday, March 31, 2017 from 10:00am to 10:00pm. The code to use is MAGICAL. This is a one-day pre-sale only!

Follow Broadway Across Canada on Twitter and Facebook for more information about their shows coming to Vancouver for 2017.

The Age of Electric Anniversary Tour

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt

“It’s night number one of a three week tour — with all of us together, can you believe that?” Todd Kerns addressed the crowd at the Commodore Ballroom on Friday night. The Kerns brothers and Dahle brothers, who make up The Age of Electric, are touring the country this spring to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their album Make a Pest a Pet.

The Age of Electric @ The Commodore Ballroom - March 2017

They kicked things off with I Don’t Mind, a single that any Much Music faithful would recognize from the time when music videos were played on TV and counted down once a week.

The last time I heard all of these songs together I was listening to the CD I purchased at A&B Sound on my discman — and AOE sounded even better live. They sounded better than I remember at any of the all ages festival shows I saw when I was in high school 20 years ago. They sounded better than any CD or mix tape I might still have kicking around next to a yearbook in a box somewhere.

The Age of Electric @ The Commodore Ballroom - March 2017

The Age of Electric @ The Commodore Ballroom - March 2017

The Age of Electric @ The Commodore Ballroom - March 2017

The show reached beyond Make a Pest a Pet and into their self-titled album from 1995, with Ugly, Enya, and an epic rendition of Untitled pleasing the crowd that sang along and filled in the Ugly lyrics. Then it went even further, with covers of Canadian rock classics like Taking Care of Business followed by the entire ballroom singing the national anthem.

The Age of Electric @ The Commodore Ballroom - March 2017

The guys played some new music too, including Keys and Kids Break Bones from The Pretty EP released this year. For the inevitable encore, Todd remarked: “You’ve been to a rock show before, you know how this works,” the audience cheered and clapped, because everyone was genuinely hungry for more even though it was past midnight.

They came back out on stage to play the one tune that was noticeably missing from the set list all night: Remote Control.

While they have all been busy with other projects, it was a delight to witness Todd Kerns, Ryan Dahle, John Kerns, and Kurt Dahle on a stage together once more. They belted and shredded, and made everyone wish we hadn’t been missing this for the last 20 years in Vancouver.

The Age of Electric @ The Commodore Ballroom - March 2017

Tour Dates

Even if you are unfamiliar with their music from 20 years ago, which is still relevant today, you’ll enjoy a rock solid Canadian concert filled with incredible talent. Tickets on sale now for:
March 29, Red Deer, AB @ Int’l Beer Haus & Stage
March 31, Edmonton, AB @ Union Hall (date change from March 30)
April 1, Calgary, AB @ Marquee (early show, doors at 6:00pm)
April 4, Regina, SK @ The Exchange
April 5, Saskatoon, SK @ O’Brians Event Centre
April 6, Winnipeg, MB @ Canad Inns Transcona – Nashville’s
April 7, Thunder Bay, ON @ Crock’s
April 10, St. Catharines, ON @ Warehouse
April 12, Waterloo, ON @ Maxwell’s Music House
April 13, Toronto, ON @ Mod Club
April 14, London, ON @ London Music Hall (all ages show)
April 15, Oshawa, ON @ Oshawa Music Hall
April 16, Arnprior, ON @ The John St. Pub

Follow The Age of Electric on Instagram, Twitter, and at their tour stops this spring.