Sunny days lead us to a new month, full of festivals, family fun, and many ways to enjoy our region both indoors and outside. Miss604 is proud to sponsor BC Youth Week, the first week of May, and the rest of the month is full of activities including the opening of Playland, Mother’s Day, and the May Long Weekend.
This list is updated every day so be sure to check back often. If you have an event to add, send it in for free using my Contact Form here.
The BC Renaissance Festival presents “Pirate Haven” on May 7th & 8th, where the fairgrounds in Maple Ridge will turn into the year 1676 at Port Royal, Jamaica.
BC Renaissance Festival
Charity and her crew, now set in the 17th Century, have arrived in Port Royal with some… complications. While in port, they find themselves at odds with the British Navy and the Governor. Loyalties are tested, and Charity and Admiral Fairfax square off with an interactive challenge for would-be crew of all ages.
While visiting Port Royal, be sure to explore the marketplace and various establishments for food and drink. Enjoy the entertainment on our stages and sing along with us at the Frog & Fiddle at day’s end.
Where: Albion Fairgrounds (23448-105 Ave, Maple Ridge) When: May 7th & 8th from 9:00am to 7:00pm Tickets:Available online now starting at $10 (plus fee) or at the gate. Sorry, no pets allowed on the grounds.
Activities at the festival include games like the Admiral’s Challenge, live entertainment from fire dancers to belly dancers and mermaid tales, and shop from vendors peddling wares like chain maille, jewelry, leather goods, stones and crystals.
Of course there will also be food at Pirate’s Haven, everything from turkey legs and samosas to ice cream and kettle corn, even a fruit & vegetable stand (to fight off that scurvy).
The BC Renaissance Festival will also host Enchanted Encounters, August 27th & 28th. Follow along on Facebook and Twitter for more information.
One of the most hotly anticipated (and sold out) events in Western Canada, the Half Corked Marathon weaves racers along an 18km route through the beautiful vineyards of the Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country, sampling wines and fine food along the route. Bordered by mountain ranges, rivers, and lakes, the area is majestic by nature – and naturally unique, just like the Half Corked Marathon.
Photo credit: Darren Robinson
Half Corked Marathon
Created by the Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association, and inspired by the legendary Medoc Marathon in Bordeaux, the Half Corked Marathon pays homage to one of Canada’s most decorated wine regions; a celebration of the Golden Mile and Black Sage Road benches connecting the communities of Oliver and Osoyoos.
Taking place on Saturday, May 28, 2016 this is the sixth year of the Half Corked Marathon, which can be walked or jogged. Racers are not timed and fancy dress is encouraged! Visit 10-12 wineries and food stations along the route where you can sample wines and fine cuisine from Oliver-Osoyoos restaurants.
Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country Getaway
Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country wants to invite one lucky Miss604 reader to the region to give them a coveted spot in the Half Corked Marathon (with a guest) along with a suite 2-night stay at Spirit Ridge at Nk’Mip Resort May 27th to May 29th.
A true oasis, Spirit Ridge at NK’MIP Resort places guests in the heart of Canada’s premiere wine making region. Framed by drastic sun-drenched landscapes, miles of vineyards and views to Osoyoos Lake, Spirit Ridge is within reach of desert golf, luxurious spa experiences, a winery and a unique cultural opportunity. Designed to accommodate breathtaking views and al fresco luxury, Spirit Ridge graces guests with gourmet kitchens, spacious bedrooms, as well as balconies and patios perfect for barbecues and moonlit cocktails.
Here’s how you can enter to win:
Leave a comment naming an Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country member (1 entry)
Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
RT to enter to win a Half Corked Marathon @UncorktheSun @SpiritRidgeBC getaway from @Miss604 http://ow.ly/4n81ci
Follow Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country on Facebook and Twitter for more information about this event and the region’s many other attractions.
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Tuesday, May 3, 2016. Prize is valid for an overnight stay May 27, 2016 and May 28, 2016 (checking out May 29th) and cannot be exchanged for cash or different travel dates. Must be 19+ to enter.
Some Assembly Theatre Company presents Missing from Me, a new play with the Roundhouse Youth Theatre Action Group Project that will be on stage at in Vancouver during BC Youth Week.
Missing from Me: Nicholas Roe, Una Spasovski, Christopher Rahim, Parker Phelan
Missing from Me
Where: Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre (181 Roundhouse Mews) Tickets: Admission is Free When: May 4 at 1:30pm; May 5 at 11:00am & 1:30pm; May 6-7 at 7:30pm. Talkback sessions take place after performances.
Missing from Me is a new and original Canadian production that brings together a culturally diverse group of youth including Mongolian, Japanese, French, Squamish Nation, Greek, Kurdish, Chinese, and Serbian.
In an unexpected twist, eleven travellers at a train station must adapt to a sudden change in their plans. Due to this situation that is beyond their control, they are confronted with life altering decisions and end up discovering true inner strength and what family means to them. Issues addressed in the play involve abuse, transphobia, and the importance of support.
Missing from Me is written and performed by Vancouver Youth: Lauren Preissl (Vancouver), Christopher Rahim (East Vancouver), Nicholas Roe (Langley), Brogan Ho (Burnaby), Tuya Mendee (Vancouver), Elodie Doumenc (West Vancouver), Joe Baker (East Vancouver), Madeleine Konst (Vancouver), Parker Phelan (Vancouver), Una Spasovski (Vancouver), and Marina Haga (Vancouver). In collaboration with Some Assembly Theatre artists Valerie Methot, Ken Lawson, Jeremy Baxter, Trena Hollands and Allen Morrison.
Nicholas Roe, a writer, performer, and poster designer for the production has worked with Roundhouse Youth Theatre Action Group Project (“RHYTAG”) for two years, and currently attends RE Mountain Secondary in Langley.
“In 2014, I went to see RHYTAG perform Dream Catchers, one of my friends was in the show and I wanted to support her. After watching it, I found it to be interesting, then I listened to the feedback and thought it would be a cool project to participate in. So I decided to leave my contact information with the theatre group. That summer, I received a call asking if I was still interested in participating, and from there the rest his history. This is my second year on the project and I love it even more than the first.”
After taking improv lessons at The Vancouver Theatre Sports League, and writing over 40 short stories and several poems, Nicholas is taking on the role of Luther in Missing from Me. He explains the process of having over 10 youth from around the region assemble for a collaboration of this calibre:
“Around summer time or early September, Valerie our director begins calling anyone who shared interest in participating in the project at the show or through other means. If the candidate is still interested, they are then emailed a copy of the schedule and asked if they are able to commit fully to it. Once this is established, they are sent a questionnaire to fill out, and then an interview is scheduled with our director and youth worker. After that, we all meet as a group for the first time and the writing workshops begin.”
With many voices, and many topics to address in one single show, there is one thing that ties everyone’s story together. “The main theme though is that the characters feel isolated with what they’re going through. It’s only when they start talking to each other, that they do not feel isolated anymore.”
Nicholas says that each performer comes up with their own character, which they will be portraying. “The characters have their strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, as well as general crap they’re going through. There are a lot of topics with what each character is going through. We do our best, and no big ideas are missed.”
Missing from Me is a free show, and all are welcome to attend the performances that include both matinees and evening performances. Both young and old can benefit from the insight produced by this diverse group with a very important message that includes being kind, supportive and not judging other people.
“There’s a line in the play: ‘No one can ever really know what someone else is going through… what someone is feeling inside’.”
You can call (604) 603-5247 to reserve a spot. Leave a message clearly stating your name, phone number, date, and time of the show you would like to attend. The Roundhouse box office opens one hour before each performance in the Performance Centre lobby.
Follow BC Youth Week
Connect with BC Youth Week is May 1-7, 2016 with events and activities for youth throughout the province. Follow along on Twitter, and Facebook for more information.
Ballet BC has been celebrating its 30th anniversary this season as they focused their programming firmly on the future of dance. Program 3 will usher the season out with a bang, presenting work by two audience favourites and a newcomer who is making waves around the world.
Photo credit: Michael Slobodian
Ballet BC Program 3
Celebrate the spring, the season, and the spirit of dance with these three amazing works:
16+ a room
Choreography: Emily Molnar; Music: Dirk P. Haubrich
Enter 16+ a room. Emily Molnar, Ballet BC’s Artistic Director, has created a dynamic world for 16 dancers set to a driving musical landscape by German composer Dirk Haubrich. Inspired by the writings of Jeannette Winterson and Emily Dickinson, this compelling work displays Molnar’s unique choreographic language through a complex study of time, transition, and stillness, where the space between is as important as the space occupied, where one is left with the feeling of both liberty and disappearance. The Dance Current says, “16+ a room is incredibly seductive… a powerful concentration of artistic vision.”
Bill
Choreography: Sharon Eyal, Gai Behar; Music: Ori Lichtik
Ballet BC is thrilled to work with Tel Aviv-based Sharon Eyal, one of the hottest choreographers today. Former Resident Choreographer of the Batsheva Dance Company and now Artistic Director of her own company, L-E-V, Eyal’s signature style and daring, sensual language requires of dancers an intricate and precise expression of the body. Working with frequent collaborators Gai Behar and Ori Lichtik, in Bill, Eyal combines dance, music, and design into an instantly recognizable whole of raw, unexpected beauty created with equal parts ebb and flow. Premiered by Batsheva Dance Company, Bill showcases Eyal’s trademark shifts from large group to smaller ensemble; which in turn morph into breathtaking solos.
I and I am You
Choreography: Jorma Elo; Music: J.S. Bach, Robert Schumann
Finnish-born choreographer Jorma Elo’s 2011 debut with Ballet BC was met with thunderous applause. So naturally, we invited him back to create this work, first seen in 2013. Featuring Elo’s signature virtuosic vocabulary and lightning-fast musicality interspersed with moments of enormous intimacy and tenderness, I and I am You demonstrates why Elo is one of the most sought-after choreographers today, with commissions by companies the world over. The Georgia Straight described I and I am You as possessing “the warmth and force of some strangely beautiful chinook.”
Program 3 is at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre May 12-May 14, 2016 with performances at 8:00pm. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster at 1-855-985-2787 (855-985-ARTS) or online.
Win Tickets to Ballet BC Program 3
I have a pair of tickets to give away to Ballet BC’s Program 3 on May 13th. 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 tickets to @BalletBC’s #Program3 from @Miss604 http://ow.ly/4n5coL
Charity and her crew, now set in the 17th Century, have arrived in Port Royal with some… complications. While in port, they find themselves at odds with the British Navy and the Governor. Loyalties are tested, and Charity and Admiral Fairfax square off with an interactive challenge for would-be crew of all ages.
Connect with 