Kids get in Free at VanDusen Garden and Bloedel Conservatory this spring break! From March 14th to March 24th, take advantage of up to two free child admissions* with the purchase of a regular price adult, senior or youth admission at VanDusen Garden and/or Bloedel Conservatory.

Find your way through a hedge maze, spot local wildlife, discover over 7,000 different plants from around the world and enjoy a family picnic at VanDusen Garden. Enjoy garden features, plant collections, art in the gardens, and wildlife.

Then head to the tropical Bloedel Conservatory and discover exotic birds and plants inside the lush dome located at the top of Queen Elizabeth Park. Inside the dome there are three separate climatic zones: Tropical, Subtropical and Desert. Browse the plant collections and try to spot one of the 100 residents free-flying birds.

Follow VanDusen on Facebook for more information about hours, location, and special events. *Offers are exclusive to each facility and cannot be combined with other promotions or discounts.

The traditions of the Emerald Isle and the Scottish Highlands come to Vancouver for St Patrick’s Day at Keltic Landing. Imperial Vancouver will be home to a two-night celebration of history, folklore and mythology that’s been centuries in the making.

Enter the bounty of The Emerald Shores to provision your journey with a banquet of fanciful fare by Savoury Chef. Be whisked away to the enchanted forests of The Grove where mystical harps strum; druids conjure libations such as ales, ciders, and traditional Irish stouts; Pictish warriors paint faces with symbols of power and frolicking fairy folk adorn travellers with flower crowns.

Proceed proudly through The Lowlands, where fiddles and bagpipes encircle the great hall and the clans are encouraged to make merry by the Master of the Revels. And, finally, venture into The Highlands Tasting Den for a rugged hero’s dram of Irish Whiskey, a snort of Scots Whisky, or perhaps a skosh of each.

• Where: Imperial Vancouver (319 Main St, Vancouver)
• When: Thursday, March 17 & Friday, March 18, 2016 from 6:00pm to 1:00am
• Tickets: Tickets are $35 per night or $55 for both nights and admission includes two Keltic Coins ($4 value) for use in the Whiskey/Whisky Tasting Den. Group rates (Keltic Kanon and Korporate Kanon) are also available.

Win Tickets to Keltic Landing

I have a pair of tickets to give away to Keltic Landing on St Patrick’s Day, March 17th. The tickets include two Keltic Coins that can be used in the Whiskey/Whisky Tasting Den. 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, March 15, 2016. Must be 19+. Please enjoy responsibly. Follow Keltic Landing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more information.
Update The winner is @chauchi09 Yutaka!

Discover the past and enjoy unique family-friendly activities at some of our local National Historic Sites near Vancouver this Spring Break.

Britannia Mine Museum, Britannia Beach

What: Spring Break at the Britannia Mine Museum
When: March 19th to 27th, 2016
Spring Break Programming: Daily hands-on activities and events featuring historical photo talks, preview demos behind the upcoming Science of Water exhibit, interactive mineral workshops, various arts and crafts and even lessons on building tetrahedron kites.

• Daily historical photo talks at 12:00pm
• Daily preview demos of the Science of Water exhibit at 2:00pm
• Monday and Friday get up close with minerals and a real dinosaur footprint, and leave with your very own fossil imprint
• Tuesday and Thursday see how crafty you can be and build your own Britannia timeline at the crafts table
• Wednesday build your own tetrahedron kite in various geometrical shapes

Dig Day is March 19th. Spring Break culminates with the annual Easter Dino Egg Hunt on Sunday, March 27th with fan-favourite Britanniasaurus Rex hiding gem-filled dinosaur eggs throughout the Museum at 11:00am and 1:00pm. Kids will be able to identify the minerals and learn how, where and under what conditions minerals form.

Fort Langley

What: Spring Break at Fort Langley
When: March 12th to March 26th, 2016
Spring Break Programming: Join an introductory tour at 10:30am daily, learn about the Farm & Garden at 11:00am and watch a coopering demonstration at 12:30pm. At 2:00pm, hear the bang of the musket fire echo through the fort and then fire an airsoft musket from 2:30pm to 3:30pm for only $3.90, plus take home your souvenir target. Watch a blacksmith demonstration at 3:00pm and sing down the flag at 4:30pm.

Throughout the day visit the blacksmith shop, see the farm animals, pan for gold and complete your Xplorers activity book for a certificate and prize. On March 27th, join the Easter Scavenger Hunt and Egg Scramble (ages 5 & under) at 11:00am, 1:00pm, and 3:00pm.

Gulf of Georgia Cannery, Steveston

What: Spring Break at the Cannery
When: March 12th to March 24, 2016
Spring Break Programming: Drop-in any time between 10:00am to 5:00pm to join the Spring Break scavenger hunt. Pick up an activity booklet with fun games and clues, and look for stamp stations with hands-on activities to complete, including net-making and boat-spotting. All activities take place inside the spacious 55,000 square foot historic cannery.

Fishy-themed crafts, games and dress-up inside the Cannery Kids’ Corner, available throughout the day. See the canning lines come to life during the machine demos, when we turn on the equipment to show you how they work.

Participate in Easter at the Cannery (ages 2-12) March 26th and March 27th, a fun-filled weekend with games, crafts, activities and of course, the annual Easter Salmon scavenger hunt, all inside the historic Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site.

Regular admission rates apply, unless otherwise stated. See the websites and box offices at each location for price and ticket information.

Vancouver has had a few city hall buildings; the first was a draped tent at the old Granville Townsite (1886) at the foot of Carrall St after the Great Fire. The first real structure was a building on Powell St, followed by a building on Main St just south of the Carnegie Library. The Holden Building at 16 E Hastings was home to city council until 1936. Our current art deco tower, adorned with an iconic neon clock, was first occupied by Mayor George Clark Miller in 1937.

Vancouver City Hall

1886: City Hall and 1st Council. Photograph taken in September, after the City of Vancouver was incorporated on April 6, 1886. Archives# LGN 1045.

1893. City Hall on Powell St. Archives# City P54.

1928. Vancouver City Hall (old market hall) on Main St. Archives# CVA 1376-88.

1910s. City Hall and the Carnegie Library on Main at Hastings. Archives# CVA 677-655. Photographer: Philip T. Timms.

In 1934, Mayor Gerry McGeer appointed a three-man committee to select the location for a new city hall. There were two locations being considered: The former Central School site at Victory Square and Strathcona Park at the corner of Cambie and West 12th. A three-man committee decided on Strathcona Park in 1935, making Vancouver the first Canadian city to locate their city hall outside of its downtown core.

This move proved to be rather strategic, since at the time Vancouver and South Vancouver had just recently become one city. It was just a few years earlier, in 1929, that Point Grey (another stand-alone community) and South Vancouver amalgamated with Vancouver.

1946. Archives# CVA 586-4387.

City Hall was built between 1935 and 1936 for a total cost of $1 million, designed by architect Fred Townley and Matheson, built by Carter, Halls, Aldinger and Company. At its highest point, 12 storeys up, it is 323 feet tall.

1945. Aerial photo of Vancouver City Hall. Archives# City P45.

1970s. Aerial photo of Vancouver City Hall by Gordon Sayle. Archives# CVA 515-19.

The 4 storey east wing was built in 1968, and there’s talk of it being demolished in the near future — staff moved out of the east wing in 2015.

Other Vancouver Icons posts: BC Sugar, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Museum of Anthropology, Fort Langley Community Hall, Christ Church Cathedral, Waterfront Station, Pacific Central Station, Randall Building Mural, East Van Cross, Robert Burns Statue in Stanley Park, Vancouver Maritime Museum, Flack Block, The Drop, Prospect Point Lighthouse, Engagement, Ovaltine Cafe, The English Bay Slide, Freezing Water #7, Cleveland Dam, Heritage Hall, School of Theology Building at UBC, Gate to the Northwest Passage, St Paul’s Hospital, Capilano Lake, Stawamus Chief, Nine O’Clock Gun, Malkin Bowl, Search, Vancouver Rowing Club, Echoes, Point Atkinson Lighthouse, English Bay Inukshuk, Hollow Tree, Hotel Europe, Lions Gate Bridge Lions, LightShed, Granville Bridge, 217.5 Arc x 13′, Canoe Bridge, Vancouver Block, Bloedel Conservatory, Centennial Rocket, Canada Place, Old Courthouse/Vancouver Art Gallery, Dominion Building, Science World, Gastown Steam Clock, SFU Burnaby, Commodore Lanes, Siwash Rock, Kitsilano Pool, White Rock Pier, Main Post Office, Planetarium Building, Lord Stanley Statue, Vancouver Library Central Branch, Victory Square, Digital Orca, The Crab Sculpture, Girl in Wetsuit, The Sun Tower, The Hotel Vancouver, The Gassy Jack Statue, The Marine Building, and The Angel of Victory. Should you have a suggestion for the Vancouver Icons series please feel free to leave a note in the comments. It should be a thing, statue, or place that is very visible and recognizable to the public.

Steam Whistle Brewing wants to send you to the 45th annual Juno Awards! Until March 20th, you can enter here to win a trip to Calgary (April 2-4) including 2 nights accommodation, 2 tickets to JUNOFest and 2 tickets to the Juno Awards broadcast ceremony.

Win a Steam Whistle Unsigned Prize Pack

To promote this Grand Prize, I have a Steam Whistle Unsigned prize pack of my own to give away to a Miss604 reader. Hosted in Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver each edition of Unsigned features three Canadian artists with all of the ticket sales going back to the arts community.

My prize pack includes:

• Wall mounted opener
• 1x Steam Whistle UNSIGNED T-shirt
• Steam Whistle Pilsner
• Guitar Strap and picks
• Steam Whistle Quilted Vest

The approximate value is $200! Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post naming you favourite Juno Award nominee or winner, past or present (1 entry)
• Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

Follow Steam Whistle on Facebook and Twitter for more information and tune into the Juno Awards on Sunday, April 3rd, 2016 on CTV. I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 9:00pm on Monday, March 14, 2016. Must be 19+. Please enjoy responsibly.

Update The winner is Mary Warner!