Archive | July, 2018

What’s On East Van: July 13th Edition

13 Jul

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Our weekly feature What’s On East Van sets out some cool events for the upcoming week.   Beyond the week, we invite you to check out our Event Listing which is updated daily and features events for the month and beyond.

Greek SummerFest – Boundary & 29th Ave. Until July 15th

Great food, live entertainment and dancing continues this weekend and then it’s done for another year.  The Greek Summerfest is happening at Boundary and 29th Avenue. Lots of great talent taking the stage this weekend including Greek sensation Yanni Sahamis and Grupo Asi Somos performing Venezuelan Music.  This is an all ages event and admission is free. For more information, visit Greek Summerfest.

Movie In The Park – Collingwood Park – July 13th

Collingwood Community Policing is hosting a free movie in the park event Friday, July 13th. Festivities get underway at 7:00 pm.  Movie name not announced, but we expect it to be family friendly.

Adult Nights – Playland – July 13th

Playland Nights continues this Friday Night for the 4th of 6 evening events for the 19+ crowd.  There will be beverages, alcoholic and non, midway games, rides, DJs spinning tunes with a definite party theme. New this year is also a burlesque show and the opportunity to test your lumber Jack/Jill skills with axe-throwing which we understand there’s an extra charge to participate in.   Tickets are $31 in advance or $34 at the gate.

Eastside Culture Crawl’s 3rd Annual Art, Bike, Beer Crawl– July 14th

This is a fundraiser for the Eastside Culture Crawl Society which does a great job of featuring  East Van artists. This event takes you to 4 breweries whether you wish to cycle or walk, your call.  Last stop is Strange Fellows Brewing which will be serving light bite as well.  To get your ticket, visit Eventbrite.

Miqayel Voskanyan & Friends – The Cultch – July 14th 

Miqayel Voskanyan and Friends will be performing at The Cultch this Saturday. This is an ethno-jazz and folk band based in Yerevan, Armenia. They have introduced jazz to the tar (a folk instrument used across the Caucasus and Iran), which we’ve learnt makes them stand out with a fresh, modern sound in world music.  This is a new genre of music that fuses old and new.  Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door and available at The Cultch.

RecycleFest – Trout Lake – July 14th 

You are invited to stop by RecycleFest this Saturday at Trout Lake from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm with your unwanted or broken small appliances and power tools. While there, enjoy free food, music, games and prizes and learn a little about recycling.

Weiner Dog Races – Hastings Racecourse – July 14th & 15th

Hastings Racecourse presents their Dog Days of Summer event, the very popular Weiner Dog Races.  Along with the races, there will be food trucks, craft beer and live music and we hope some shade and cooling mats for the hot dogs. Event happens both Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free. First race each day is at 1:50 pm.

Summer Series At Grandview Park – July 15th

The Commercial Drive Business Society is hosting a free family event at Grandview Park (Commercial Drive at Charles Street). You are invited to stop by between 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm for Zumba on the main stage, face painting, balloon twisting and more.

Live Music, Comedy & Entertainment

Looking for live music? Breaking Boundaries is back at Cafe Deux Soleils on the Drive this Saturday night. If you are looking for comedy, East Van Improv League hangs out at Havana Theatre Sunday nights at 8:00 pm. Three farmer markets are happening this weekend. Saturday it’s Riley Park (10 am – 2 pm) and Trout Lake (9 am – 2 pm) and Sunday, Mount Pleasant Farmers Market is back at Dude Chilling Park from 10:00 am till 2:00 pm.  To see more of what’s on in East Vancouver, check our Event Listing.

Image Credit: June Hunter

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International Blues Music Day At The Rio Theatre August 4th

11 Jul

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If you love blues music, The Rio Theatre is the place to be on Saturday, August 4th. Vancouver Blues Around Town is presenting The Wailin’ Walker Band and David “Boxcar” Gates to celebrate International Blues Music Day.  For a bit of background on the talent performing, first up is Al ‘Wailin’ Walker. Al was born and raised in Vancouver and is known for his infectious style of rhythm and blues.  He has been performing electric guitar solos with commanding locals for over 4 decades.  Al has shared the stage with Johnny Winter, George Thorogood and Stevie Ray Vaughan to name just a few. David ‘Boxcar’ Gates also hails from Vancouver and has evolved into one of Canada’s most renowned acoustic guitar players. He was been wowing audiences for over 30 years.   This is a 19+ event. Tickets are available for $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Visit the Rio Theatre.ca for advance tickets. We’re pretty sure this will be a rockin’ good time.

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Beginner Roller Skating Lessons At Grandview Park Sunday, July 29th

10 Jul

RedRollerBladesHave you always wanted to learn how to roller skate?  Did you know that roller skating is a great workout for muscle development? It’s also low impact and fun.  Come out Sunday, July 29th for a fun and informative lesson in which you’ll learn important basics such as falling, turning, stopping and of course skating.   Andrea (Andi) Fraser Winsby a former coach for the Terminal City Rollergirls is offering up her vast experience to teach you. The cost is $15 and you are required to get loaded up with the full safety gear in advance of the lesson otherwise you won’t be able to skate.  Lessons start at 10:30 am sharp and go till Noon. Note: This is a fair weather event.  To reserve your spot or for more information, visit Eventbrite.

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East Van History Walks With James Johnstone Back This Summer

9 Jul

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James Johnstone is back with his popular historical walking tours this August and September. On Saturday, August 18th, James will take you on a tour of one of Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhoods, Strathcona. The tour kicks off at 10:00 am starting from 696 East Hastings Street at Heatley. This historical walking tour is a culmination of years of researching over 250 homes in the East End. Although you will find architecture is a theme on this tour, James will also focus on social history and how waves of immigrants established themselves in this area before moving on to other parts of the city. The tour will also touch on the impact of portside industries like BC Sugar, the prohibition and the proliferation of bootlegging as well as the City of Vancouver’s attempts to wipe out “urban blight”. If you can’t make this date, he will be doing this tour again on Saturday, September 1st and 15th.  James is also offering another tour on September 8th, which focuses on the Working/Wild Side of Vancouver’s East End. This tour has some interesting local history points including the birthplace of Venice Bakery, home of actor John Qualin (Grapes of Wrath), home of maternal grandparents of Michael Buble, home of boxing legend Jimmy McLarnin, birthplace of former Premier Dave Barrett as well as some interesting history on Union Market which was once a Chinese laundry and bottlegging operation. James has much more history for you.  Each tour runs for approximately 2 to 2.5 hours the cost is $20 for each tour. If you would like more information or to reserve your spot, email James directly at historywalks@gmail.com.

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What’s On East Van: July 6th Edition

6 Jul

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Our weekly feature What’s On East Van sets out some cool events for the upcoming week.   Beyond the week, we invite you to check out our Event Listing which is updated daily and features events for the month and beyond.

Vancouver’s Greek Summerfest – Boundary & 29th Ave – July 5-15

Great food, live entertainment and dancing for 11 days at this summer festival. The Greek Summerfest is back at Boundary and 29th Avenue. Jim Byrnes and Gotta Be George Michael will be two of the performers over the course of the festival. This is an all ages event and admission is free. For more information, visit Greek Summerfest.

Plant Club With Wine – Figaro’s Garden – July 6th

The first Friday of the month, Figaro’s Garden Centre on Victoria Drive is hosting Plant Club. Stop by for a glass of wine and as they say ‘geek out on plants together’. To chat about all things plants, get some tips, stop by between 3:30 – 5:30 pm this Friday.

Adult Nights – Playland – July 6th

Playland Nights continues this Friday Night for the 3rd of 6 evening events for the 19+ crowd.  There will be beverages, alcoholic and non, midway games, rides, DJs spinning tunes with a definite party theme. New this year is also a burlesque show and the opportunity to test your lumber Jack/Jill skills with axe-throwing which we understand there’s an extra charge to participate in.   Tickets are $31 in advance or $34 at the gate.

Bakery Pop Up – les amis du fromage – July 7th

Les amis du fromage is hosting another Bakery Pop Up Shop this Saturday, July 7th. Ritchie’s Bakery will be on site at their East Van location at 843 East Hastings Street from Noon – 5:00 pm this Saturday or until they sell out. Ritchie’s Bakery specializes in artisanal breads and pastries.

Compost Workshop – Riley Park Community Garden – July 7th

You are invited to stop by and learn about composting by Master Composter Angela Hoy this Saturday at Riley Park Community Garden.  They will be building new compost bins for the season.  Workshop happens from 1:00 – 2:00 pm in Riley Park Community Garden at 30th & Ontario Street.

Sweet Peanut Sample Sale – Little Mountain Shop – July 7th & 8th 

Local kids clothing company, Sweet Peanut, is hosting a warehouse sale at Little Mountain Pop Shop at 4386 Main Street this weekend. All pieces $10. Sizes are newborn to 12.  Open 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Saturday & Saturday.

Mini Car Free Day – Commercial Street Village – July 8th

The local businesses that comprise the 3400 – 3500 block Commercial Street are hosting a Mini Car Free Day this Sunday from Noon to 4:30 pm. There will be chainsaw carving,  live music, kids t-shirt giveaway, giant Genga game, street art, rummage sale, chocolate tasting, bike repair as well as an electric bike demo and a whole lot more.

Car Free Day – Commercial Drive – July 8th

Vancouver’s original Car Free Day kicks off at Noon this Sunday and will run for 15 blocks along Commercial Drive.  There will be live entertainment, local artisans and  activities for all ages and of course great food.  If you are travelling by bike and wish to store it while you wander, BEST Bike Valet will be on hand. Event runs till 7:00 pm.

Pre-Launch Narcoleap – Rio Theatre – July 9th

You are invited to an exclusive pre-launch screening of NarcoLeap at the Rio Theatre Monday, July 9th.  They will be screening all 8 episodes of this Sci-Fi Thriller Web Series. Doors open at 6:00 pm as does the bar. Screening gets under way at 7:00 pm. It’s free, but of course the bar Is not.  Q & A follows the screening.

Street Photography Exhibit – Meet Me At The Lamp(p)ost  Until July 10th

Massy Books located at 229 East Georgia Street in Chinatown has a sweet gallery upstairs. It’s currently hosting two self-taught lens based artists. They are Irish-born, Canadian residents Laura Noonan and Tara Mary Paget, through place-specific street photography, Meet me at the Lamp(p)ost. The exhibit promotes contentment in self and place. Laura and Tara founded Meet me at the Lamp(p)ost in 2016. You can view their exhibit until July 10, 2018 during regular hours, being 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday to Wednesday and 10:00 am to 8:00 pm Thursday to Sunday.

Live Music, Comedy & Entertainment

If you are looking for comedy, East Van Improv League hangs out at Havana Theatre Sunday nights at 8:00 pm.  If you need a laugh once your week gets started, Graham Clark hangs out at Havana Theatre Monday nights with his Laugh Gallery which kicks off at 9:00 pm. Three farmer markets are happening this weekend. Saturday it’s Riley Park (10 am – 2 pm) and Trout Lake (9 am – 2 pm) and Sunday, Mount Pleasant Farmers Market is back at Dude Chilling Park from 10:00 am till 2:00 pm.  To see more of what’s on in East Vancouver, check our Event Listing.

Image Credit: June Hunter

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New In Town: Nada Grocery Vancouver’s First Zero Waste Grocery Store Is Now Open

4 Jul

IMG_2596 (2)We recently stopped in to check out the new Nada Grocery located at 675 East Broadway at Fraser Street. This is a bright open space that’s still getting stocked up, but they are up and running and although a new store, the creators have been running pop up stores around town for some time garnering support and testing their vision.

The store is well laid out and you won’t find plastic, unless you bring it to re-use which is encouraged. So you can bring your own containers or bags to use or re-use, but if you forget and want to pop in, they have a chest full of free containers such as empty yogurt tubs available for you to use.  As well, you can find new jars available for purchase as well as cloth bags, all which of course you can re-use on future visits and just refill which of course is the aim of the store.

There are, as you might expect lots of items available to buy bulk including teas, spices, herbs, crackers, candies, rice, legumes to name a few items.  There is also lots of fresh produce and bread on hand as well as eggs. Everything is well marked, but staff are always around to assist and answer any questions. They have some favourite local producers already on the shelf including Avalon Dairy and Earnest Ice Cream. The deli section is in the process of getting set up, so more additions are coming. There are of course personal hygiene items such as soaps, bulk cleaning liquids for the home. If you are on the hunt for stainless steel straws, they have a stash on hand as well as the cleaners for them. Nada Grocery has a great tap and weigh and tap and pay systems set up for returning customers. Ask in store for them to give you the rundown, or visit How It Works on their website.

As one that recently cut back on the use of soft plastics and diligently recycled what packaging collected over the course of one month, you’d be surprised how much you can accumulate. We certainly were. That’s one household, so if take even 100 people doing the same thing, it’s a big impact on our local environment.  So we are 100% behind this concept store and encourage everyone to stop by and check it out and support this space.

 

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Car Free Day On Commercial Drive & Commercial Street Village Sunday, July 8th

3 Jul

CarFreeDay2018Two Car Free Days are happening this Sunday, July 8th. First up is:

Car Free Day On Commercial Drive: Noon – 7:00 pm

The street festival which stretches 15 blocks along Commercial Drive will have at least 3 stages set up for entertainment.  Local artisans will be on hand, there will be activities for all ages and of course great food.  If you hadn’t heard, Car Free started on The Drive, so they have this event nailed down and will be continuing to promote car free spaces and green living within the community. Note, buses will be rerouted for the day along Commercial Drive, but there will be lots of easy access to the event by bus and Skytrain.  If you are travelling by bike and wish to store it while you wander, BEST Bike Valet will be on hand.  Event kicks off at Noon and goes till 7:00 pm.

Car Free Day On Commercial Street Village: Noon – 4:30 pm 

The local businesses that comprise the 3400 – 3500 block Commercial Street are hosting a Mini Car Free Day this Sunday alongside the event on Commercial Drive. They have lots of fun stuff lined up including chainsaw carving by Jesse Toso of Toso Wood Gallery, live music, kids t-shirt giveaway, giant Genga game, street art, rummage sale, chocolate tasting, bike repair as well as an electric bike demo and a whole lot more.  They are asking those that attend to help make this a zero waste event.  This is a first time event for this group, so they are running a shorter event from Noon – 4:30 pm. Stop by and support some great local businesses tucked away on Commercial Street.

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Meet Me At The Lamp(p)ost: Exhibit of East Vancouver Street Photography At Massy Books

2 Jul

 

Massy Books 100% Indigenous owned and operated business that recently moved to 229 East Georgia Street in Chinatown. They have a great selection of rare and off beat books alongside best sellers.  We recently learnt they also have a great gallery upstairs.  It is currently featuring a collaborative collection of street photography that celebrates the artistry and grit of East Vancouver while capturing stillness in a world full of transient moments.

The exhibit is presented by Irish-born, Canadian residents Laura Noonan and Tara Mary Paget, through place-specific street photography, Meet me at the Lamp(p)ost revolves around the present and promotes contentment in self and place. Laura and Tara founded Meet me at the Lamp(p)ost in 2016, they are self-taught lens-based artists, focused predominately on exploring the landscape, people and architecture that make up East Vancouver. They chose Massy Books as a place to display their work for its quirky and artsy nature and its community space that enables people to connect. Meet Me At The Lamp(p)post is on now until July 10, 2018 during regular hours, being 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Monday to Wednesday and 10:00 am to 8:00 pm Thursday to Sunday. Stop by and check out how they see East Vancouver.

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