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What’s On East Van: June 14th Edition

14 Jun

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

St. Patrick’s Spring Fair/Night Market-2881 Main Street – June 14th

St. Patrick’s Elementary School is hosting a big fundraiser and by the looks of things a whole lot of fun. They’ve got a bouncy castle, face painters, balloon artists, air brush tattoos and along with activities for the kids, they have a night market for the adults. Event happens 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. You can find them on Instagram @st.patricks_fundraiser for more details.

Italian Market–Italian Cultural Centre – June 14th

The Italian Cultural Centre hosts their outdoor summer market this Friday from 4:30 – 9:30 pm.  You will find a distinct Italian flavor of food at this market and then add in local artisans with handmade items, live music and this year, the opportunity to learn about bees and beehives.  The market is free to attend, the bee hive tours are $15 and require registration.

Eastside Flea–550 Malkin Avenue  – June 14th – June 16th

The Eastside Flea kicks off Friday night at 5:00 pm and continues Saturday and Sunday at 550 Malkin Avenue from 11 am to 5 pm. Lots of great vintage finds along side local makers, food trucks and cocktails will be available for purchase. Admission is $2.00.

The Great Grandview Garage Sale – Grandview Woodlands-  June 15th

The Great Grandview Garage Sale is back this Saturday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. This  is a multi-family garage that takes place all over the Grandview Woodlands area of East Van. To sign up or see a map of the current locations, visit Great Grandview Garage Sale. Remember, the old adage “One person’s junk is another person’s treasure”.  

Family Yoga–Trout Lake Community Centre – June 15th

Trout Lake Community Centre is again hosting Family Yoga this Saturday with live music from 1:00 to 2:00 pm. Cost is $1.

Special Edition Garden Nights -The Garden – June 15th

The Garden in Strathcona, 868 East Hastings Street, is hosting a an evening of live music and an art show featuring work by Dan Hawkins.

Early Summer Gardening–Trout Lake Community Centre – June 15th

Rhiannon Johnson of Village Vancouver leads a workshop this Saturday from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm on how to grow veggies, greens and herbs.  The growing space can be your balcony, outdoor garden or our community garden.  Seeds will also be available. To register, visit Vancouver.ca.

East Van Garden Tour – Figaro’s Garden Centre-June 16th

The East Van Garden Tour happens this Sunday between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. This self-guided tour is a great way to see what creative things people do with their garden spaces. You can purchase tickets through Eventbrite or call Figaro’s Garden Centre, 1896 Victoria Drive (at 3rd Avenue). 

Main Street Car Free Day–Main Street – June 16th

Main Street Car Free Day happens this Sunday, June 16th from Noon to 7:00 pm.  Main Street will be blocked to car traffic from Broadway to 30th Avenue. A street party happens along the stretch with performers, artisans, non-profits, arts, music, activities and more.  This is a free family friendly event.

LIVE MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT & COMEDY

Looking for more live music, did you know The Heatley in Strathcona regularly features live music?  Every Sunday they offer bluegrass music with brunch 11 am – 3 pm.

Also 7 days a week, you will find live music at the Libra Room on The Drive. Tangent Café hosts live jazz Sunday nights  from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. Saturday, Pat’s Pub has live jazz Saturday afternoons from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm, no cover.

Looking to shop local? Be sure to check out one of the farmer markets happening this weekend. Saturday is Riley Park Farmers Market at 30th & Ontario from 10 am – 2 pm and Trout Lake Farmers Market from 9 am – 2 pm at John Hendry Park. Sunday, Mount Pleasant Farmers Market is back in Dude Chilling Park from 10:00 am – 2 pm. To see more of What’s On in East Vancouver,  check our Event Listing.  We also have a separate listing of Free Events for those on a budget and in Vancouver, who isn’t.

Image Credit: June Hunter

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Did You Miss Vancouver Craft Beer Week? Nicole Alivojvodic Runs Down What You Missed

12 Jun

 

Kicking off on the last weekend of May every year, Vancouver Craft Beer Week (VCBW) is a 10-day celebration of craft beer, culminating at the historic PNE fairgrounds for a massive festival. Now celebrating its 10th year, VCBW festival saw thousands of craft beer and cider enthusiasts from all over the Lower Mainland and beyond this past weekend. This is a huge leap from the first festival, which started at a small venue hosting about 100 beer aficionados and 15 breweries. Over the past 9 years, it has evolved from Canada’s first-ever craft beer week into a multi award-winning cultural engine that showcases music, food, art, and craft beer at events across the city.

Not a beer drinker? You might want to consider becoming one. With brews like Fuggles & Warlock’s “The Last Mango Witbier” and the “Wide Mouth Watermelon Wheat Ale” courtesy of Foamers’ Folly (my two personal favourites) you might as well be drinking boozy fruit juice while lounging on the grass listening to live music. Beer connoisseur? Choose from more than 300 brews from 100+ breweries and cideries. With so much choice, you’re sure to find something new. And let’s not forget about the food. There were more than 15 food trucks throughout the festival grounds ready to satisfy any craving, be it mac n’ cheese, Triple O’s, or traditional pierogies. I have to say I was nearly as excited about getting a Bandidas burrito as I was to taste the beers.

If you haven’t yet attended the Vancouver Craft Beer Week Festival, mark you calendars for next year because this is the perfect way to kick off summer in Vancouver.

By Contributing Writer Nicole Alivojvodic

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Great Grandview Garage Sale Returns Saturday June 15th

11 Jun

GreatGrandviewGarageSaleLogoFor all you bargain and vintage hunters, it is time to once again for the Great Grandview Garage Sale which is back this Saturday, June 15th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. This  multi-family garage sale now in its 6th year draws a crowd rain or shine. Good news though, seems sunshine is in the forecast.  The Great Grandview Garage Sale takes place, as the name eludes, throughout the Grandview-Woodlands area of East Vancouver. Specifically from Broadway to the Burrard Inlet and from Clark Drive to Nanaimo Street. If you live in the area, you are invited to participate and it is FREE to sign up.   Whether you live in a home, walk up apartment building, co-operative housing, no matter, everyone is welcome to participate.  This is a great opportunity to look for some bargains and unique finds. To sign up or see a map of the current locations, visit Great Grandview Garage Sale. Remember, the old adage “One person’s junk is another person’s treasure”.  

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Learn To Grow Your Own Veggies This Summer at Trout Lake Community Centre June 15th

10 Jun

 

Would you like to grown your own veggies this season? Or maybe you’d prefer some fresh greens and herbs.  Whatever you wish to grow, there’s a great Early Summer Gardening Workshop happening Saturday, June 15th at Trout Lake Community Centre.  Rhiannon Johnson of Village Vancouver will be leading this 2 hour workshop in which she will show you how to plant veggies whether it’s your apartment balcony, your backyard or a community garden plot.  She will teach you how to plant, grow and harvest peas, beans, beets, greens, root veggies, herbs, tomatoes, carrots and veggies from the onion family.  All things you can start growing right away. The workshop runs from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm and costs $19.05. Register through Trout Lake Community Centre.  Note, a community seed library will be on site, so you can pick up some free seeds for your garden, swap some or donate seeds if you choose.   To register for Early Summer Gardening, visit Vancouver.ca.

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What’s On East Van: June 7th Edition

7 Jun

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

Wine Trivia Night – Everything Wine Vancouver – June 6th

Everything Wine in River District is hosting a Wine Trivia Night this Friday night. Think you know your wines? Come test your knowledge with the host while enjoying some great wine and snacks. Cost is $20. Fun gets under way at 6:30 pm.

Houseplant Cuttings Swap – Templeton Park Pool – June 8th

You are invited to bring your healthy houseplants or plant cuttings to trade this Saturday at the Grassy Field at Templeton Park Pool, 700 Templeton Drive. The swap happens between 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.  If you plant to pick up new cuttings, don’t forget to bring a few pots to place them in.

10th Annual Vancouver Craft Beer Festival – PNE Fairgrounds – June 8th & 9th 

If you love beer, this is the place to be this weekend. The 10th Annual Vancouver Craft Beer Festival happens this Saturday and Sunday at the PNE Fairgrounds.  Featuring over 300 beers and ciders from BC and the US, there will be lots on offer including food trucks.  Tickets are $39 for one day, or you can purchase a weekend pass for $65. Tickets are available through Ticketleader.

Bridal Pop Up – The Garden – June 8th

Are you planning a wedding?  The Garden in Strathcona, 868 East Hastings Street, is hosting a Bridal Pop Up this Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm in their studio space. They will have bridal pieces, floral displays and a wedding planner on hand.  Free to attend.

Italian Day – Commercial Drive – June 9th

This is one of the biggest street parties in the City and a personal favourite, Italian Day happens this Sunday from Noon to 8:00 pm.  Car traffic is blocked from the Grandview Cut to Venables Street for the day. There will be lots of great eats, live music and activities for all ages. Free to attend and wander.

Retro Design & Antiques Fair – Croatian Cultural Centre – June 9th

This Sunday you can find some 185 tables with vintage, collectables and antiques at the Croatian Cultural Centre. The event goes from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm .

Main Street Mixed Bag – Ellis Building – June 9th

Main Street Mixed Bag happens this Sunday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Ellis Building at 1024 Main Street.  Great opportunity to check out awesome local talent and who knows what you might find. Admission is free. Kids and dogs welcome.

Cabaret Cirque – Rio Theatre – June 9th

A new production featuring a sexy circus cabaret comes to the Rio Theatre Sunday night. Cabaret Cirque features a sultry evening of entertainment with dancers, contortionists and a whole lot more. Show gets under way at 7:30 pm. Advance tickets are $25 and tickets at the door $30.

LIVE MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT & COMEDY

Looking for more live music, did you know The Heatley in Strathcona regularly features live music?  Every Sunday they offer bluegrass music with brunch 11 am – 3 pm.

Also 7 days a week, you will find live music at the Libra Room on The Drive. Tangent Café hosts live jazz Sunday nights  from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. Saturday, Pat’s Pub has live jazz Saturday afternoons from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm, no cover.

Looking to shop local? Be sure to check out one of the farmer markets happening this weekend. Saturday is Riley Park Farmers Market at 30th & Ontario from 10 am – 2 pm and Trout Lake Farmers Market from 9 am – 2 pm at John Hendry Park. Sunday, Mount Pleasant Farmers Market is back in Dude Chilling Park from 10:00 am – 2 pm. To see more of What’s On in East Vancouver,  check our Event Listing.  We also have a separate listing of Free Events for those on a budget and in Vancouver, who isn’t.

Image Credit: June Hunter

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10th Annual Vancouver Craft Beer Week Festival June 8 & 9, 2019

5 Jun

BeerLove craft beer? If the answer is yes, you might want to make your way to the 10th Annual Vancouver Craft Beer Festival happening this Saturday and Sunday at the PNE Fairgrounds.  This event which started in 2010 hosting just 100 beer lovers and 15 craft breweries has grown exponentially. This weekend you can expect over 300 beers and ciders for tasting. In case you missed that, if you are not a beer lover, there will also be 10 cideries on hand to mix things up. There will be local offerings of craft beer and cider as well as a number from across the border as well as 10 independent craft berries from the BC Ale Trail. If you get hungry, there will be a good selection of food trucks on hand for the festival.  The Craft Beer Week Festival runs this Saturday, June 8th from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm and Sunday, June 9th from 12:00 to 5:00 pm. Tickets are $39 for one day, or you can purchase a weekend pass for $65. Tickets are available through Ticketleader.  Note: You must be 19+ to attend the Vancouver Craft Beer Week Festival and 2 pieces of ID are required for entry.

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Italian Market At The Italian Cultural Centre Friday June 14th

4 Jun

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The Italian Cultural Centre invites you to their outdoor Italian Market happening for one evening only this summer Friday, June 14th from 4:30 to 9:30 pm. This market as you might expect has a very distinct Italian feel with Italian food products available offering  olive oil, balsamic vinegars, pasta, tomato sauces and more. There will over 30 vendors on hand including local artisan with handmade items. Their will also be live music and we suspect some food trucks in case you get hungry.

Also on site will be Hives For Humanity with a Hive Tours. This is a hands-on workshop which is an introduction to urban beekeeping. The 30-minute tour is open to all ages veils and equipment will be provided, but wearing light colour long sleeves and pants with closed toed shoes are required. Cost is $15 and there are 2 time slots available at 5:30 pm and 6:15 pm. A jar of locally made honey is included. To purchase your ticket for the Hives Tour, visit Hive Tour.

Lots of free parking will be available at the Italian Cultural Centre and the site is close to the Renfrew Skytrain Station for those coming by transit. If you are interested in being a vendor, contact Benedetta at benedetta@iccvancouver.ca.

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East Van Garden Tour June 16th

3 Jun

 

If you love gardening, or want to learn more, or maybe just get some great ideas for yours, you will want to grab your ticket(s) for the upcoming East Van Garden Tour. This is a self-guided tour that happens Sunday, June 16th between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.  It’s a great opportunity to see what creative projects people have undertaken in their gardens. Many of the owners are available to chat as well and answer questions. Whether you have a home, patio garden or a community garden, The East Van Garden Tour is a great source of inspiration and ideas.  To participate, purchase your tickets in advance.  Show up on June 16th at Figaro’s Garden Centre the morning of the event and obtain your map. After that you head off to tour the gardens map in hand until 4:00 pm. Stop for coffee before, during or after and go at your own pace. It’s a great way to spend a few hours.

To purchase tickets, you have 3 options: 1) Online through Eventbrite, 2) Call Figaro’s Garden Centre, 1896 Victoria Drive (at 3rd Avenue) or 3) Call Britannia Community Services Centre, 1661 Napier Street, in person or by phone 604-718-5800. Tickets are $15 each.  Note: People who attend the tour will also get a one-time discount 20% discount at at Figaro’s starting on the day of the tour until July 1st. This is a very walkable tour, but it is not wheelchair accessible and pets are not allowed. 

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What’s On East Van: May 31st Edition

31 May

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

Storytelling With Drag Queens – Café Deux Soleils – May 31st

You are invited for an evening of sexy readings about love this Friday night at Café Deux Soleils when they host Storytelling with Drag Queens.  Entertaining and fun is what we expect this night to be. Fun kicks off at 8:00 pm. Admission is by donation.

Custom Cocktail Class – Everything Wine Vancouver – May 31st

Want to learn how to make some top notch cocktails?  This Friday night, Everything Wine Vancouver in the new River District is hosting a class using Roots & Wings Distillery line up. You will learn how to make an Old Fashioned, Gin Sour, Whiskey Sour, Last Word, Dark Angel, Vodka Martini. Cost is $25. Class gets under way at 6:30 pm.

Ritchie’s Bakery Pop Up Les Amis Du Fromage (East Van) – June 1st

Ritchie’s Bakery celebrates it’s 1st birthday ‘popping up’ at les amis du fromage’s East Van location 843 East Hastings Street from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm or until they sell out.

Container & Small Space Gardening – Trout Lake Community Centre – June 1st

Want to do some gardening but don’t have oodles of space, maybe just your balcony? Trout Lake Community Centre is offering a new program this Saturday ‘Balcony, Container & Small Space Gardening’ from 2:00pm – 4:00 pm.

Historical Walk Cedar Cottage – Trout Lake Community Centre – June 1st 

If you didn’t already know Cedar Cottage is rich with Vancouver history.  This Saturday, local historian Peter Finch, will take you on a Historical Walk and learn about the Lakeview Disaster, Vancouver’s first transit accident, forgotten street names along with local folklore.  Cost is $2. Meeting spot is the Lobby of the Trout Lake Community Centre. Walk runs from Noon to 1:00 pm.

rEvolver Festival – The Cultch – Until June 2nd

It’s the last weekend to catch The rEvolver Festival on at The Cultch, 1895 Venables Street. The festival that brings a wide variety of contemporary theatre from emerging companies and artists wraps up Sunday. To see the full line up and for tickets, visit The Cultch.

The Plant Market – The Garden Strathcona – June 1st & 2nd

If you are looking for plants or plant based items, The Garden in Strathcona has an upstairs studio with a Plant Market happening this Saturday & Sunday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.  Plants will be available along with plant based skin care products, flowers by some local florists, handmade ceramics and woven textiles and fiberglass planters.  The Garden is located at 868 East Hastings St. in Strathcona.

Landscape & Planting Party – Lord Selkirk Elementary School – June 2nd

If you love gardening and/or beautifying the streets of East Van, then you may wish to come out and join the All Ages Landscaping & Planting Party this Sunday, June 2nd.  The location is the roadside garden in front of Lord Selkirk Elementary School, 22nd Avenue and Commercial Street from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.  All experience levels welcome whether you have 10 minutes or a few hours to help. All hands welcome.  If you want more info, email t_scaman@yahoo.com.

Carrot Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches – Earnest Ice Cream (Frances St.)

Love carrot cake?  Love ice cream? If you answered yes to both, we recommend heading down to Earnest Ice Cream’s Frances Street location (1485 Frances Street) for a Caramel Carrot Cake Ice Cream Sandwich.  How amazing does this sound?!  This location is open daily Noon to 10:00 pm.  Get your fix while they are available.

LIVE MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT & COMEDY

Looking for more live music, did you know The Heatley in Strathcona regularly features live music?  Every Sunday they offer bluegrass music with brunch 11 am – 3 pm.

Also 7 days a week, you will find live music at the Libra Room on The Drive. Tangent Café hosts live jazz Sunday nights  from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. Saturday, Pat’s Pub has live jazz Saturday afternoons from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm, no cover.

Looking to shop local? Be sure to check out one of the farmer markets happening this weekend. Saturday is Riley Park Farmers Market at 30th & Ontario from 10 am – 2 pm and Trout Lake Farmers Market from 9 am – 2 pm at John Hendry Park. Sunday, Mount Pleasant Farmers Market is back in Dude Chilling Park from 10:00 am – 2 pm. To see more of What’s On in East Vancouver,  check our Event Listing.  We also have a separate listing of Free Events for those on a budget and in Vancouver, who isn’t.

Image Credit: June Hunter

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Vancouver City Council Washing Their Hands Of Notre Dame Debacle

30 May

 

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For those that follow us regularly, you will know we are big fans of East Van artist, June Hunter.  We have a mutual love, admiration and respect for urban nature and wildlife that call East Van home.  June and her Notre Dame Neigbours organized a peaceful group last Fall to oppose a large stadium being built at Notre Dame Secondary School in Hastings Sunrise.  If you are not up to speed on the issue, check out our last post What Does Community Really Mean? for some background. A big part of the quest is to save a small piece of urban nature, some poplar trees that line the City street next to Notre Dame Secondary School.  Today, we provide you with an update. It was learnt that an error was made in respect of this development application (admitted as such by City staff), but alas Vancouver City Council appears to have washed their hands of this issue and passed the matter to the Development Permit Board for decision which will be made on June 10th. No consultation has been done with the community, no traffic impact studies, noise implications addressed or environmental concerns, nothing.  So this is a Council that was elected to ‘do things differently’, so they say to get your vote.   But are they really doing things differently?  You be the judge.

We now share Notre Dame Neighbour’s letter to elected members of Vancouver City Council and Mayor Kennedy on this issue:

“While the fate of our neighbourhood is a relatively small municipal matter, the character of a city is made up of these “small” issues and how they are dealt with. The principles that are being ignored in this situation are vital ones. Allowing them to slide says something disturbing about our city.

The permit process has been unfair from the start. Front line Permit staff were not correctly briefed on the content of the original permit (DE410128) and went on to treat the matter, in error, as a minor permit amendment for months. Although they were forced to admit the mistake in late March 2019, the process has still not been amended in any meaningful way. Now there is a rush to get it over the finish line by June 10, only weeks after it was “discovered” to be a new permit application at all.

Because of all this confusion, no independent studies have been done on safety, traffic, parking, noise and environmental problems posed by the stadium. A 2018 one-sided “Tree Risk Assessment” has been allowed to supersede an earlier, far more complete, Arborist report that said the trees on Kaslo could be saved by setting the field back by 5.5 metres.

While this may seem a minor matter,  is top of mind for many of the people living in our neighbourhood. 360 of us signed a petition to that effect, and many people wrote letters to the City of Vancouver on the topic. As Vancouver taxpayers, we stand to have our lives turned upside down by this project. Beneficiaries of the stadium are students, parents, staff, alumni of a private school, many of whom do not live in Vancouver, let alone close enough to the school to be affected.

We accept that our area is becoming denser as more people need housing. Housing people is a necessity and a  moral issue. A recreational facility for people who drive here and leave is not.

 This issue could well come back to haunt Council later. Notre Dame School insists that their stadium will be used very occasionally for school games, drawing negligible traffic. If you look at the cases of St. Patrick’s School in Toronto and Immaculata High School in Ottawa the potential problems are made crystal clear. In each example the sports fields there are rented extensively, causing traffic and noise problems sufficient to destroy local quality of life. Legal action is pending in Toronto, and City officials in both cities are left scrambling to retroactively solve the problem. 

Once a permit is issued, there will, as far as we can tell, be nothing preventing Notre Dame School from emulating the revenue-gathering practices of these Ontario schools, in spite of current  assurances to the contrary. 

Vancouver Council has a chance to get in front of this issue now and take a greater interest in what it really means for our neighbourhood — and for other Vancouver neighbourhoods where similar issues will no doubt be arising soon.

This council was recently elected on the promise to do business differently than the previous Vision Council, with more listening to, and consulting with, citizens.

I have asked them look at this matter again. Live up to the promise: halt the rubber stamping Development Permit Board meeting, and subject this project to proper scrutiny.” 

So is it the same old same old at City Hall?  The talk of being more open and transparent and having community consultations seems a line only intended for the election news cycle.

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