The Nanaimo Summertime Blues Festival is coming up August 26th to 28th at Maffeo Sutton Park on the waterfront, with special performances at The Queens downtown. I met Gerold Haukenfrers, president of the Nanaimo Blues Society, and musician Lazy Mike on my last trip to Vancouver Island’s blues capital.
I made Lazy Mike work pretty hard when he gave me a crash course in playing the harmonica. I met up with him at The Queens, a legendary Vancouver Island venue with a hardwood dance floor and walls, that if they could talk, would sing the blues.
I was there for a mouth harp lesson, and to learn about the Nanaimo Summertime Blues Festival.
“It’s the highlight of my year,” Lazy Mike told me between note bends. He’s been playing the festival for years and will be there again this year. “You try to get into as many festivals as you can but this is definitely a highlight.”
The Nanaimo Summertime Blues Festival is the ultimate mash-up, with the moody, soulful ambiance of The Queens to the spectacular open-air, seaside venue at Maffeo Sutton Park on Nanaimo’s waterfront… Read my full article on FestivalSeekers.com »
From Port Alberni to the Bayou, the mix of talent that comes to Nanaimo for that one weekend of music is staggering. Follow Tourism Nanaimo for the latest visitor info, along with the Nanaimo Blues Festival for the full schedule of events.
Planning a trip to Nanaimo? I have a handy guide for what you can eat, see, and do while you’re in town.
World famous SuperChefs are on their way to Surrey! The New York show will be at Central City on Friday and Saturday offering an unforgettable experience for local children. The SuperChefs and Central City are partnering to offer kids an unforgettable opportunity to discover how much fun they can have in the kitchen while learning about food preparation and safety and developing life-long kitchen skills.
SuperChefs at Central City
Where: Central City (10153 King George Blvd, Surrey) When: Friday, July 29 & Saturday, July 30, 2016 from 11:00am to 5:00pm Participation: There are no tickets required, however space is limited and participation will be on a first come first served basis. Recommended ages for participants are between 8 and 12 years old. RSVP to the Facebook event here.
Under the direction of world-class professional chefs and educators, students learn in an enriched setting focused upon the joy of cooking while engaging in a program featuring team-building, athletic and artistic pursuits.
The SuperChefs will teach children how to prepare crepes, dim sum and New York City chef approved Italian noodles. Each mini-chef participant will leave with a bamboo steamer, so they can bring their newfound Asian cuisine cooking skills into their own homes.
Participants will also have the opportunity to enter into a social media contest for a chance to win a trip to New York City to experience SuperChefs in the Big Apple. Central City will be donating $1 from every entry that uses #CentralCitySuperChefs to SuperChefs (up to $2,000).
Win a $100 Gift Card
Thanks to Central City and SuperChefs, I have a $100 shopping gift card for Central City to give away. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win a $100 @CentralCity gift card from @Miss604 + See @Super_chefs this weekend http://bit.ly/2ar6bt0
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Monday, August 1, 2016. Follow the SuperChefs on Twitter and Facebook for more information.
The BC Sports Hall of Fame has a special deal for those who play Pokemon Go this BC Day. They’ll be open on during the holiday, 10:00am to 5:00pm with lures, tours, and much more for players and non-players alike.
BC Day at the BC Sports Hall of Fame
Enter the BC Sports Hall of Fame through Gate A at BC Place on Monday, August 1st. If you play Pokemon Go, show your Pokedex for 50% off (regular price $15) admission. Lures will be activated throughout the day and guests will also have the chance to win iTunes gift cards to buy Pokecoins.
Check out the BC Sports Hall of Fame’s museum and exhibits, and everyone is invited on a tour of BC Place at 11:00am, 1:00pm and 3:00pm. If you are a Pokemon Go player, take a special tour that includes PokeStops at 10:00am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm, and 4:00pm on BC Day.
Follow the BC Sports Hall of Fame on Facebook and Twitter to find out more about this special BC Day promotion, their exhibitions, tours, and events.
Watch the Perseids meteor shower, the annual show of shooting stars that is one of the most popular celestial events in the world, with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada on August 13th in Aldergrove. You can bring the family to this viewing event, enjoy activities and refreshments, and even camp out for the night!
Watch the Perseids Meteor Shower
Where:Aldergrove Regional Park When: Saturday, August 13, 2016 from 8:00pm to 11:00pm Admission: All ages. Drop-in, $2 per person.
Join astronomers with telescopes as they search the night sky for the Perseids meteor shower. Enjoy lantern-lit trails, blacklight skits, games, crafts, storytelling and other entertainment. Camp overnight to extend your star gazing experience. Aldergrove Elks Lodge #66 concession available for hot drinks, food and Sunday morning breakfast, CASH ONLY. Meet at Aldergrove Bowl entrance at 501 Lefeuvre Rd, Abbotsford.
Camping setup is from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. Full camping details are available online.
“The Perseids meteor shower happens every August. The Earth plows into debris left behind from Comet Swift-Tuttle, which last passed close to Earth in 1992… While the comet poses no threat to the planet for the foreseeable future, it is a very large object. Its nucleus of 6 miles (9.7 kilometers) in diameter is about the same size as the one that crashed into Earth about 66 million years ago and killed the dinosaurs.” [Space]
The Vancouver Queer Film Festival (“VQFF”) has released its complete festival lineup for the 11-day festival, curated by Artistic Director Shana Myara. More than 68 films will be showcased at the VQFF, along with 25 directors in attendance, 30 performing artists, and 3 free workshops, in addition to parties and talk back sessions.
Vancouver Queer Film Festival
When: August 11-21, 2016 Tickets:For sale online Where: Vancouver Playhouse, International Village, SFU’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, The Rio Theatre, VIFF Vancity Theatre, and more.
The festival will kick off with an outdoor sunset party at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza on Thursday, August 11th at 10:00pm, following the opening film Summertime. This lush, poetic film that confronts the question: is love really all you need?
The fest will then roll on to include groundbreaking, genre-bending films such as North Mountain, by Canadian Métis director Bretten Hannam, and Waiting for B, which follows hardcore Brazilian Beyoncé fans who camp for two months prior to the pop star’s 2013 São Paulo concert.
“The biggest event in the queer calendar, the Vancouver Queer Film Festival, has now been set,” says Executive Director, Stephanie Goodwin. “Through the power of film, Out On Screen expands what we can imagine to be possible for queer, trans* and two-spirit lives, histories, and futures. And it’s a ton of fun packed into eleven days.”
Real Boy
The Youth Gala features Real Boy, a coming-of-age story of Bennett Wallace, a transgender teenager in California on a journey to find his voice as a musician, a friend, a son, and a man.
The festival’s Closing Gala showcases Kiki, a wonderland tour of the underground vogue/ballroom Kiki scene. Kiki offers a portrait of hope, strength, resilience and the myriad possibilities that come with queer and trans* youth owning their futures.
VQFF is thrilled to be hosting nationally acclaimed artist Richard Fung (Re:Orientations), who received the 2015 Kessler Award for significant contributions to LGBTQ studies; internationally acclaimed artists Kerem Sanga (First Girl I Loved), whose previous work premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival and won an Audience Award; Ingrid Jungermann, whose debut feature Women Who Kill, premiered at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival and won Best Screenplay, and who is known for her work creating the beloved web series The Slope and F to 7th.
Festival guides are now available at festival venues as well as Little Sister’s Book & Art Emporium and Black Dog Video. The complete festival lineup can also be viewed online. Follow the Vancouver Queer Film Festival on Facebook and Twitter for more information.
The VQFF is presented by Out On Screen, a charitable organization that illuminates, celebrates and advances queer lives through film, education and dialogue.
Win Tickets
I have 3 pairs of tickets to give away to a lucky Miss604 reader so that they can enjoy the festival. Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win @queerfilmfest tickets from @Miss604 http://owl.li/5zlV302DiCF
The tickets are good for any film (including gala films), but are subject to availability. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Sunday, July 31, 2016.
From Port Alberni to the Bayou, the mix of talent that comes to Nanaimo for that one weekend of music is staggering. Follow Tourism Nanaimo for the latest visitor info, along with the Nanaimo Blues Festival for the full schedule of events. 
