Plan Your Spring and Summer in Oliver & Osoyoos Wine Country

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt Monday, March 7th, 2016 — 6:10pm PST

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The last time I was in the South Okanagan was during the harvest in October. Winemakers with hands stained purple, the scent of late season flowers in the air, and the hum of de-stemming equipment as the bounty of the year was pumped into tanks and poured into bottles. Now that buds are returning to the vines, the sun is shining brighter and longer, and the whole process begins once more, you can begin to plan your spring and summer in Oliver & Osoyoos wine country.

Between your tours of the 39 wineries and tasting rooms in the region, make one of these special events the focus of your getaway this coming season:

Pig Out: On Saturday, April 30th between 1:00 and 4:00pm, chefs from eight local restaurants will be showcasing their hog roasting skills in the beautiful vineyards of Covert Farm in Oliver. This year’s Pig Out theme is ‘If Pigs Could Moo‘, a cornucopia of dishes featuring BC beef will be offered alongside the wineries of the Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association’s new releases and fan favourites. Entertainment from local musicians, souvenir wine glass and lots of great food and wine are to be expected at this fun-filled summer kick-off event. Tickets are available for $55 online here.

Half Corked Marathon: The Half Corked Marathon weaves racers through the beautiful vineyards of the Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country sampling wines and fine food on route. For those not partaking in the race this year there are still many fun events to participate in.

The night before the Half Corked Marathon (May 27th) invites racers and non-participants to join the Primavera Dinner to indulge in delicious pastas, salads and wines from the Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country. On May 28th between 11:00am and 3:00pm, head to the party at the finish line for a relaxing afternoon of entertainment, food, wine, friends and family. General admission of the finish line party is free but if attendees wish to participate in wine tasting and a finish line lunch tickets will be available for purchase.

Tinhorn Creek Summer Concert Series: Follow up an afternoon of fun at the Half Corked Marathon finish line party by heading to the kick-off of the Canadian concert series on the evening of May 28th (Pernell Reichert will be performing). The concert series continues once a month throughout the summer and the final show takes place on September 10th. Concert-goers can also enjoy delicious BBQ food options from the talented team of Miradoro Restaurant while sipping on award-winning Tinhorn Creek Vineyards wines.

Market on Main: This charming farmer’s market celebrates all things local and home-grown in the Oliver Osoyoos region. Every Saturday through the summer on Main Street in Osoyoos you can pick up fresh local fruits and vegetables, artisan crafts, and regional wine, beer & spirits.

Covert Farms U-Pick: In season Covert Farms encourages wine customers to visit the Seacrest Organics at Covert Farms to try hand-picking their own produce from the 40 different kinds of crops offered on property. Freshly-harvested produce is also available in their farm store and some crops are available from late spring until the first frost.

New Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association Members: OOWA is pleased to welcome the three newest members of the association, Bordertown Vineyards & Estate Winery, Blue Sky (opening soon) and Lariana Cellars. These three wineries bring OOWA’s count up to 39 wineries and will be a great addition to the Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association. Find out more by following the OOWA on Twitter and Facebook.

Win a 3 Month Pass to Seacity Fitness

Comments 44 by Rebecca Bollwitt Monday, March 7th, 2016 — 2:29pm PST

Disclosure: Sponsored Post — This post is sponsored by Seacity Fitness Please review the Policy & Disclosure section for further information.

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Seacity Fitness is Vancouver’s new integrated fitness centre. Located at 1500 Howe Street, Seacity is unique in offering a diverse range of fitness classes in a hybrid style that promotes overall wellness.

Classes available include Heavy Bag Boxing, Kettlebell Strength & Suspension Training, Fitness Fused Pilates, High Intensity Interval Training (using air bikes), Resistance Based Yoga, Restorative Rehab and the new-to-Vancouver, Mini Trampoline Class. Seacity also offers group and individual support around nutrition and lifestyle.

Seacity Fitness

There are several elements that set Seacity apart — like Vancouver’s first-ever mini trampoline class where you can bounce your way to a better fitness level! Seacity also has supportive Workshops and programs each month, bringing in experts on everything from meditation to nutrition to rehabilitation to support your goals for health, fitness and wellbeing.

It’s this expertise that sets Seacity apart: You would typically need to go to a specialized centre to get the level of instruction you can now find in one place, which offers everything from Kettlebell Training to Yoga. Each class is led by a Master Trainer who specializes in their particular fitness area, so you’ll get the best level of instruction possible. Learn more about the classes and instructors here.

For parents, child minding is available during the 9:30am morning classes. Parents can drop their children off in a bright, welcoming space, where kids will enjoy music and play in an active environment.

Everyone is also invited to try one week of classes at Seacity for free! Sign up online to get started.

Win a 3 Month Pass to Seacity Fitness

I have a 3 month pass to give away (value $510) so that one lucky Miss604 reader can experience Seacity Fitness. Here’s how you can enter to win:

Leave a comment naming a class that Seacity offers (1 entry)
Share, like, or comment on this post on Facebook (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

RT to enter to win a 3 month pass to @seacityfitness from @miss604 http://ow.ly/ZbsRi

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Saturday, March 12, 2016. Follow Seacity Fitness on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for more information.

Update The winner is Pauline!

Cherry Blossom Photo of the Day

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt Monday, March 7th, 2016 — 9:46am PST

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The Cherry Blossom Photo of the Day series contains photos that you have shared with the Miss604 Flickr Pool and/or the #Photos604 tag on Instagram.

Today’s selection is by Clayton Perry Photoworks:

These are actually plum blossoms, and you can read more about the difference in these pink blooms and cherry blossom varieties here.

View more photography posts on Miss604 along with the Vancouver Photos of the Week – and be sure to tag your photos with #Photos604!

Win Tickets to Return to Grace

Comments 40 by Rebecca Bollwitt Monday, March 7th, 2016 — 9:32am PST

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Following its hugely successful 2014 run at Toronto’s majestic Ed Mirvish Theatre, Return to Grace is coming to Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre as part of its 2016 Canadian tour.

ReturnToGrace

A glorious, heartfelt tribute to a music icon featuring over 30 singers, dancers and musicians on stage, Return to Grace flawlessly delivers some the greatest musical moments of a generation with song favourites that include “Heartbreak Hotel“, “Suspicious Minds“, “Love Me Tender“, and more!

From the King’s beginnings in Memphis, to the amazing ’68 Comeback Special, to the historic Aloha from Hawaii concert, audiences experiencing RETURN TO GRACE re-live the music that changed rock and roll forever.

Dates for the Canadian tour of Return to Grace are:
Saskatoon, SK – TCU Place – Sid Buckwold Theatre – March 15-16, 2016
Calgary, AB – Jubilee Auditorium – March 17-20, 2016
Vancouver, BC – Queen Elizabeth Theatre – March 22-27, 2016
Edmonton AB – Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium – March 29 – April 2, 2016
Toronto, ON – Ed Mirvish Theatre – May 31-June 12, 2016
Montreal, PQ – Place de Arts – June 13-19, 2016

Vancouver tickets are available now through Ticketmaster, starting at $35 (plus fee).

Win Tickets to Return to Grace

I have a pair of tickets to give away to opening night of Return to Grace, here’s how you can enter to win:

Leave a comment on this blog post (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)

RT to enter to win tickets to opening night of @RTGConcertTour from @Miss604 http://ow.ly/Zbl7s

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Sunday, March 13, 2016. Follow the show on Facebook for more information.

Update The winner is @hartofmanvan!

Easter Egg Hunts in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley

Add a Comment by Rebecca Bollwitt Sunday, March 6th, 2016 — 2:50pm PST

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There’s plenty of family fun to be had this month, with spring break just around the corner coupled with two weekends of Easter egg hunts and activities, from Squamish to Fort Langley.

Photo credit: jamieanne on Flickr

Specific fees and ticket prices can be found by clicking the link in the title of each event below. In many cases, pre-registration is encouraged to guarantee participation. Some age restrictions may apply as well.