Powell Street Festival

The 36th annual Powell Street Festival will be held on August 4th and 5th, 2012 at Oppenheimer Park with venues surrounding the park. 
The Powell Street Festival is a Japanese Canadian celebration of art, culture and heritage. Come and see and experience the dance, music, visual arts, martial arts demos, amateur sumo tournament, craft vendors, traditional displays, and of course, tons of scrumptious Japanese food.

August 4, 5
Powell Street Festival

THE STANLEY PARK TENNIS OPEN

You've heard of the famous Wimbledon Tennis Open, well Vancouver is host to another well-known tennis open. The Stanley Park Open, is one of the biggest amateur tennis tournaments in North America. You won't see the famous world known pros playing here, but you'll see some of the best tennis anywhere. These players are "hungry" for the coveted prize.

Come and enjoy the 81st Stanley Park Open.

Schedules are:
Seniors: July 7-15
Open: July 7-22
Juniors: July 7-14

Vancouver: Did You Know?

This blog on "Vancouver: Did You Know" lists a multitude of interesting facts about Vancouver. Many of these facts are not widely known even among those born here.  MyVancouver4u will continually update this blog with new facts as we come across them. Check back often and if you know some facts please pass them on to us.

• Vancouver was acknowledged by Economist Intelligence Unit as the first city to rank among the top-ten of the world's most liveable cities for five straight years.
• Vancouver is very rich with parks having close to 200 parks including well known Stanley Park.
• Vancouver is the third largest city in Canada.
• The city population was listed as 603,000 in 2011.  The Metro Vancouver area has 2.3 million.
• Vancouver's Chinatown is the second largest in North America.
• Vancouver has the highest proportion (per capita) of Asians of any North American city.
• Vancouver has the highest real estate prices in Canada. 
• The Vancouver Aquarium ranks in the top 5 around the world.
• Approximately 35% of Vancouver’s population are foreign born, the most of any city in the world.
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•  More Facts To Come . . .

Vancouver Greek Days

Vancouver Greek Days are here. The excitement happens between Blenheim and MacDonald along W. 4th. Festivities start at 11am. Look forward to great food, art, wine and dancing.

June 24th

Celebration of Light Fireworks Competition

The Celebration of Light Fireworks competition is the largest off shore fireworks in the World. Come and see 3 nations battle to see who will win the prize. Best viewing places are from Sunset beach and English bay. come early with a blanket to view these fireworks.

July 28, August 1, August 4th are the showtimes.
Celebration of Light Fireworks

The Pacific National Exhibition

The Pacific National Exhibition is a Vancouver favourite since 1910.. The PNE Ampitheatre plays host to many major concerts. The livestock barns bring Vancouverites a taste of farm life. The rib festival competition brings the best tasting ribs to town. there is something for everyone to do at the PNE, plus don't forget to buy a ticket to win a house!

August 18 - September 3rd
Pacific National Exhibition

Vancouver Folk Music Festival

This is the 35th Vancouver Folk Music Festival. The Vancouver Folk Music Festival was named as one of the top ten outdoor music festivals in North America by USA Today. Come to Jerisho beach and enjoy the the music and festivities.

July 13 - 15th
Vancouver Folk Music Festival

Vancouver International Jazz Festival

The annual Vancouver International Jazz Festival was started in 1986.  A long time tradition in Vancouver this festival has grown to be the largest of its kind in British Columbia. There are over 300 concerts and some are for free! 

June 22 - July 1st.
Vancouver International Jazz Festival

Vancouver's Hot Summer Stuff

Well, summer has finally arrived, at least on the calendar. Our Vancouver spring was very cool and wet one. Vancouverites who are ever hopeful are looking towards sunny and warm days. Vancouver is not only a beautiful city it is also a city with Hot Summer Stuff for everyone to do.

Every summer there are good old standby events: the annual Fireworks in English Bay; Playland Amusement Park is open to all who seek thrilling rides; the annual Pacific National Exhibition is an exciting two weeks of carnival events with concerts featuring famous artists and singers.

Metro Vancouver is host to three Night Markets. Take time to walk through these exciting and culturally unique markets, each one has it's own flair. Night Markets.

Canada Day celebrations on July 1st are not to be missed. Canada Place hosts downtown Vancouver's biggest Canada Day celebration. There will be a parade, concerts and fireworks that night as well. For a cozy atmosphere Granville Island will also have Canada Day celebrations.

The Vancouver International Jazz Festival happens every year in late-June through early-July. This festival was named the “best jazz festival in the world” by The Seattle Times. The festival attracts over 400,000 visitors annually.

The Vancouver Folk Music Festival was named as one of the top ten outdoor music festivals in North America by USA Today. It runs from July 13 - 15 at Jericho Park.

These are just a sampling of the Hot Summer events happening in Vancouver. Check back often as Vancouver's Hot Summer Stuff is updated with things that will appeal to your sense of fun.

BC Highland Games 2012

The BC Highland Games on again this year! This is a fantastic time to get involved with and or just see the cultural games of the Scottish people. The BC Highland Games are the longest running in BC.

Along with the games there is a Scottish festival. See the brilliant dances and watch world class bands.

Go to the BC Highland Games and visit "Scotland" for a day.
June 23rd
At Percy Perry Stadium in Coquitlam
BC Highland Games

Scotiabank Half Marathon

The annual Scotiabank Half Marathon runs through the streets of Vancouver from UBC to Stanley Park.
This marathon gives each participant the opportunity to fundraise for his/her own charity, or to jump onto other charities already listed. Registration deadline is June 18th.

The Marathon takes place on June 24th.

Contact and Registration info:
Scotiabank Half Marathon

Bard on the Beach in Vancouver

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival was established way back in 1990. This local festival gives Vancouver residents and tourists affordable, accessible Shakespearean productions of the finest quality. The festival is a fully professional, not-for-profit theatre company, Bard on the Beach now engages thirty actors each season as well as a team of exceptional directors, designers, and technicians; it is also supported by more than 200 volunteers.

The plays are staged in Vanier Park on Vancouver's waterfront, in open-ended tents against a spectacular backdrop of mountains, sea and sky. This setting is the envy of theatre goers everywhere.

If you're a Bard enthusiast or a newbie, check out Bard on the Beach, a great Vancouver tradition.

Bard on the Beach runs from June through to September.

Contact info:

Bard on the Beach
604-737-0625

Food Farm Direct

Besides checking out the local Farmer's Markets people in Vancouver can visit local farms to buy food farm direct.

The easiest farms to visit are in Richmond just south of Vancouver. When you drive along Steveston Highway you'll see farms with small roadside stands or markets with their home grown produce for sale.

Across the Port Mann bridge one can drive to farms in the Fraser Valley. A favourite fall activity is to visit the corn mazes. Adults and children alike enjoy getting lost in these massive corn fields.

As a Vancouverite I believe it is important to visit these farms to remind ourselves where our food comes from. Imagine buying a vine ripened tomato from a local grower and buying a tomato grown in Mexico. Just let this concept play through your mind a bit.

The tomato grown locally was allowed to ripen under the sun whereas the tomato from Mexico was probably picked "green" and was shipped thousands of miles.

Eat Fresh and Eat Local is better because you reduce your carbon footprint, plus you know where and how your food was grown.

Vancouver Farmers Markets

Farmer's Markets are a great way to get fresh locally grown food into the consumers hands. Large cities like Vancouver benefit because Farmer's Markets connect growers and consumers first hand.

So often when consumers buy food from a supermarket little thought is given to where the food was grown or how it was grown. At a Farmer's Market people can talk with the grower and  feel confident that the product they are buying is healthy.  Shopping at a Farmer's Market totally endorses the concept of Eat Fresh and Eat Local. You reduce green house gases by reduced shipping of the product and you encourage the local economy. A win win situation.

Local Farmer's Markets include Trout Lake, Steveston, Kitsilano, West End, Main Street Station and Granville Island.
Check out the BC Farmer's Market Association for a listing of local and province wide Farmer's Markets.

Fresh Fish Fresh Fish Fresh Fish

Buying fresh locally sourced seafood is easy when you live in Metro Vancouver. Places like the Steveston Fish Market in Richmond sell fresh and frozen-at-sea salmon, shrimp, prawns, halibut, cod and tuna.

This fish market is open year round seven days a week. Each fisher vessel sells when they have a new catch so keep watch for what fish is seasonally in stock.

Once you've picked up a fresh salmon or cod right from the boat you'll be convinced this is the best way to buy fish. Buying fish right from the dock is healthy eating, it reduces your carbon footprint and employs the local fishermen.  Remember to Eat Fresh and Eat Local. This is a win win situation.

Check out Steveston Fish Market for fresh fish along with it's cafes, restaurants, historic sites, boardwalk and more. You won't be disappointed.

Vancouver Community Gardens Flourish

With the high population density that Vancouver is facing, people are living in homes with no yards or no garden space. Condo living with its limitations is now the "in thing".

To meet the need for people to get back to nature and grow their own food, community gardens play an important role.

Vancouver has 74 community gardens. When you go to the City of Vancouver community gardens website, you'll find the locations and contact information to join.

It's amazing how much food can be grown in a community garden plot. Many gardeners don't just grow food for themselves, they share freely with others. Participants in these gardens are helpful and share green thumb information, seedlings and crops with one another.

Some Vancouver residents also open their yards to interested gardener's to grow food. It seems that if someone is looking for a small plot to grow some food, a space comes available.

Community gardens help city people to Eat Fresh and Eat Local by growing their own food.