June has historically been a pretty big month for the city, hence the proclamation of “Vancouver Day” (June 13th) in 1925.
June 13, 1792: Captain George Vancouver explored Burrard Inlet
June 13, 1859: A seam of coal was discovered at Coal Harbour
June 13, 1886: The Great Fire — the entire city burned to the ground.
June 13, 1933: Major J.S. Matthews declared the Vancouver City Archives officially open
Day after the Great Fire, June 1886. Photo by Louis Denison Taylor. Archives item #CVA 1477-416
Here’s what else happened around Vancouver in the month of June in Vancouver history:
June 1, 1967 The first McDonald’s in Canada opened in Richmond.
June 3, 1955 CP Airlines began the first service (over the North Pole) from Vancouver to Amsterdam.
June 8, 1977 Harbour Centre opened, it was the city’s tallest building at the time.
June 10, 1972 The Girl in a Wetsuit was unveiled, reclining on a rock off the Stanley Park shoreline.
June 12, 1964 The original Port Mann Bridge opened, spanning the Fraser River.
June 13, 1859 Coal was discovered in Burrard Inlet, in the area now known as Coal Harbour.
June 16, 1928 Nat Bailey opened a drive-in barbecue stand on Granville at 67th.
June 19, 1983 Premier Bill Bennett opened BC Place Stadium.
1981-1983: Stills from time-lapse by Yaletown Productions. Archives# MI-250 & MI-251.
June 20, 1983 The first local sports event was played at BC Place between the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Seattle Sounders.
June 28, 1984 Granville Island Brewery opened on Granville Island.
Sources: Vancouver History. Related Posts: January 1st in Vancouver History, February in Vancouver History, March in Vancouver History, May in Vancouver History, July in Vancouver History, August in Vancouver History, September, October in Vancouver History, November in Vancouver History, December in Vancouver History.
The Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration Society (“VIBC”) presents the largest Bhangra Festival in North America, City of Bhangra Festival, in Vancouver from June 11th to June 18th. This massive celebration will include 350+ performers at these events and more:
Opening Party, Crash an Indian Wedding
Saturday, June 11, 2016 from 9:00pm to 2:00am
Club 560, Vancouver (19+)
Indian weddings are lavish affairs ending with epic receptions. VIBC invites you to come out and enjoy this extravagant event; put on your party dress but no gifts please! Featuring local DJ Khanvict, aka Asad Khan, the top South Asian/Fusion wedding DJ on the west coast. He won accolades at the BC Wedding Awards, and the South Asian Wedding Awards.
Where Not to do Bhangra
Sunday, June 12, 2016 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm
Rio Theatre, Vancouver (19+)
Take I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Chicken, throw in some burlesque bhangra, and you’ve got a crazy night of comedy, dance, and pure entertainment. Pushing buttons and pushing boundaries.
Bhangra on Main
Tuesday, June 14, 2016 from 8:00pm to 9:30pm
Fox Cabaret, Vancouver (19+)
Experience the intimate side of bhangra in this all-acoustic evening featuring renowned Punjabi musician and singer Vijay Kumar Yamla. Narration by Vancouver’s Mo Dhaliwal. More Info
Bhangra: SHE – Presented by TD Bank Group
Thursday, June 16, 2016 from 5:00pm to 9:00pm
FREE event at Kwantlen Polytechnic, Surrey
Strong, creative, empowered and empowering: join six fearless young women as they share their stories of struggle and achievement on the way to success. Featuring activists and educators, DJs and producers, actors, rappers, and filmmakers, this one-day event is open to everyone, but especially South Asian youth with an interest in the arts, identity, and the politics of gender. Featuring Horsepowar (Jasleen Powar), Bianca Maieli, Rakhi Mutta, Kiran Rai, Jasmine Sandlas, and Malinder Tooray.
Downtown Bhangra
Friday, June 17, 2016 from 5:00pm to 10:00pm
Saturday, June 18, 2016 from 4:00 to 10:00pm
FREE at the Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza
Don’t miss Vancouver’s BIGGEST backyard party of the year: a two-day open-stage party for the whole family with nonstop bhangra in the heart of the city. With over 325 local, national, and international superstars, VIBC will have you up and dancing!
VIBC Official Afterparty
Saturday, June 18, 2016 at 10:00pm
Club 560, Vancouver (19+)
All of these events and more can be found online along with ticket information. Save money by booking in advance.
Win Tickets to the Opening Party
I have a pair of tickets to give away to the Opening Party, Crash an Indian Wedding on June 11th. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Tuesday, June 7, 2016. Must be 19+. Please enjoy responsibly. Follow the Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration Society on Twitter and Facebook for more information.
Update The winner is Patricia!
Outdoor activities, family fun, and creative culinary creations await in Prince George. Whether you want to mountain bike, hike or paddle, or sit back to enjoy live music and local berry wine, this hub in Northern BC has something for everyone. I had the pleasure of visiting the city twice this spring and have put together my list of 5 Things to do in Prince George This Summer:
Northern Hardware Canoe Race
Participate in the Northern Hardware Prince George Canoe Race, the ultimate 35km paddle challenge in Northern BC on July 10th. Want to stay on dry land? Head to the festival on the sunny banks of the Fraser River at Lheidi T’enneh Memorial Park to welcome participants and enjoy the day’s festivities.
Dine Around Downtown
Indulge with some delicious dining experiences in Prince George, from pulled pork and craft beer at Nancy O’s, to tapas at Twisted Cork, and decadent desserts at Ohh Chocolat.
Hike the Ancient Forest
Explore BC’s newest provincial park! The Ancient Forest is the only known inland temperate rainforest in the world, and is home to a grouping of 800-2,000 year old cedars. Over 11,190 hectares have been preserved and there is a new 4,500 meter long plank pathway serving as the Ancient Forest Interpretive Trail.
Beer Tour / Wine Tour
Among its many list of firsts, Pacific Western Brewing Company was BC brewery to offer canned beer back in 1965. It’s also Canada’s longest running, British Columbian-owned brewery established in 1957. You can book a Friday afternoon tour and trip to their tasting room to learn more.
In Prince George you’ll also find BC’s northernmost winery, Northern Lights Estate Winery, producing fruit wines including everything from locally-grown rhubarb and strawberries to honey berries, jostaberries, and even goji berries.
Summerfest in July
Summerfest takes place Sunday, July 17 from 11:00am to 5:00pm, where thousands of fun-seekers will gather at 6th Avenue and George Street in front of Prince George City Hall. Celebrate the season with fun, food, activities and entertainment.
Also check out ZombieFest and Kidz Art Dayz while you’re in the area.
Follow Tourism Prince George on Facebook and Twitter for more info about how you can #TakeOnPG.
Three Vancouver food trucks will dish out a free lunch on Tuesday, June 7th. Le Tigre, Super Thai Food and Meet2Eat are all participating in a recipe challenge with Uncle Ben’s Rice & Grains products and you’re encouraged to stop by the competition to vote for your favourite creation.
Vancouver Food Truck Challenge
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza at the corner of W Georgia and Hamilton
When: Tuesday, June 7, 2016 from 11:00am to 2:00pm
This is a part of a nation-wide #BeginWithBen competition, featuring the ancient grains like bulgur and quinoa, and winning dishes from each participating city (Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto) will be served across the country this summer on the Official UNCLE BEN’S® Rice & Grains Food Truck.
Vancouver’s Entries For You to Try
Le Tigre:
Meet2Eat:
Super Thai:
Visitors at each event will get to try each dish and vote for their favourite, helping to select the winners, and they will also go home with copies of the recipes so they can try them at home.
Heritage Vancouver Society will be holding this year’s Garden Tour on June 11th and 12th. This will be the event’s 5th Anniversary and will feature a self-guided tour of 13 enchanting private Vancouver Gardens — a fundraiser for Heritage Vancouver Society.
Whether you are a plant person, someone just wanting ideas for outdoor spaces, or someone wanting an enjoyable day out visiting charming Vancouver neighbourhoods and gardens, there is something for everyone.
Heritage Vancouver Garden Tour
Where: Various locations (plan your own route when map is released to ticket holders)
When: June 11 & 12, 2016 from 10:00am to 4:00pm
Tickets: Available at local retailers (listed here) or online in advance. Two-day passports are $35. Online-only ticket purchases end June 5 to ensure mail delivery. A Garden Tour location map download link is supplied with your ticket/passport purchase. Advance purchase recommended. Numbers are limited.
Highlights include grand estates with spectacular views and lush plantings, intimate courtyards showing how to be creative with a small space and achieve a private sanctuary, a plant lover’s paradise, an all native plant garden, winning ways with vegetable and fruits, and a delightful cottage garden created and tended by the renter of a 100+ year old home in a historic neighbourhood.
Follow Heritage Vancouver on Facebook for the latest news.
