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Italian Day Sunday June 11, 2017

29 May

ItalianDay2017One of our favourite community events is back, Italian Day which will be held on Sunday, June 11th. This year’s theme is Amore, which means love in Italian. Organizers chose the theme because “love lies at the heart of Italian culture and its lifestyle. It is  a universal language and an exchange evoking many things: affection, romance, passion, respect, creativity, and commitment.  It is life, unity and the pursuit for an emotional connection and is shared in relationships, arts and culture, at the dinner table, in our daily work, in pursued dreams, and in community.” For Italian Day 2017, organizers wish to celebrate Amore in all aspects of life and the magical power it holds to inspire, connect and create infinite possibilities and experiences, both individually and collectively.

For Italian Day, Commercial Drive from Broadway to Grandview will be turned into one long piazza. Many of the restaurants will have outdoor seating areas, food trucks will be dotted along the stretch, live music will take place on several stages and much more. This year, we hear there will be some talent flown in from Italy to celebrate.  Danilo Ciaccia and his band ItalyAMO will be performing. As well 2 DJs from an Italian Radio Station, DJ Osso and Pippo Lorusso will be on hand at the 5th Avenue Stage mixing things up. You can also expect Federico Fuoco to entertain the crowds as will be singers from Vancouver Opera. If you stop by the Napier Greenway at the Britannia Community Centre, East Van artist Paula Luther will be hosting a free workshop ‘Little Hearts Project’. Materials are supplied and everyone is welcome to stop by and participate. This event runs from 12:00 – 3:00 pm. Italian Day kicks off at Noon and the party runs till 8:00 pm. Just a reminder that vehicle traffic on Commercial Drive is blocked off, so it is best to take transit, walk or cycle in. For those cycling to Italian Day, there will be a Bike Valet set up at the Royal Bank of Canada at 1st Avenue & Commercial. We invite you come out and celebrate all things Italian.

Photo Credit: Italian Day

 

 

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East Van Garden Tour Sunday June 18th

26 May

EVGardenTour3There will be lots of great events happening in East Van this summer. One of them is the East Van Garden Tour which takes place on Sunday, June 18th. This is a self-guided tour which you can do at your leisure and see as much or as little as you’d like. It is great opportunity to see other people’s gardens and what’s behind the fence and the creative way in which people use the space they have. Whether you have a home, patio garden or a community garden, The East Van Garden Tour is a great source of inspiration and ideas. If you haven’t participated in this event, previously, you purchase your tickets in advance. On June 18th, you show up at Figaro’s Garden Centre to obtain your map from 10:00 am onwards after which you head off to tour the gardens until 4:00 pm.  If you are interested in purchasing tickets, there are a few ways to do so, including Eventbrite,  Figaro’s Garden Centre, 1896 Victoria Drive or by contacting the Britannia Community Services Centre, 1661 Napier Street, in person or by phone 604-718-5800. Tickets are $15 each.  The tour is popular and has sold out in previous years, so we recommend that you get your tickets in advance.  People who attend the tour will also get a one-time 20% discount at Figaro’s starting on the day of the tour through to July 1st (Canada Day). Note: This is a very walkable tour, but it is not wheelchair accessible and pets are not allowed.

 

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Rodney DeCroo Performs At The Cultch Wednesday, May 31st

24 May

LRodney-DeCroo_Cultch_May-31_WEB.pngocal boy, Rodney DeCroo will be bringing some new music and poetry to The Cultch on Wednesday, May 31st.  Rodney has made East Van his home and will be showcasing songs from his new album Old Tenement Man produced by Tonic Records, now his 8th album.  He will also be featuring work from his third poetry book, Next Door To The Butcher Shop published by Nightwood Editions which explores the permeability of memory and uncovers heart-wrenching beauty from shadowy grit.  The Georgia Straight recently featured their Top 50 albums for each year the paper has been published for their 50th Anniversary. Rodney’s album Campfires On The Moon was featured for the year 2015 in which he’s affectionately referred to as the dark prince of East Van.  It takes courage for artists to showcase their dark side and lay it bare for all to hear. We suspect his performance at The Cultch with some special guests will be a memorable evening. .Along with his new album, Rodney will be featuring a new book of poetry entitled Next Door to the Butcher Shop which we understand offers a rare, sharp, first-hand perspective of life around the edges, with dark comedy dispersed throughout.

An excerpt from Next Door To The Butcher Shop

How quickly age
descends on us. Our memories are maps
to places that don’t exist. I was an emperor
on a green lawn wearing a white sheet
and a paper crown. The birds sang my praises
from the hedges and the trees 

The evening will also feature the talents of Geoff Berner and Fraser Mackenzie who join Rodney on stage.   Tickets are $20 and available in advance at The Cultch OR by phone at Telephone: 604-251-1363, or you can purchase tickets at the door $25.

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rEvolver Festival Presents All The Way At The Russian Hall May 31- June 3, 2017

22 May

AllTheWayUpInTheAirTheatreThere is a new game show in town as part of the rEolver Festival happening May 24 to June 4, 2017 presented by Up In The Air Theatre. This show is being billed as a “hypnagogic game show straddling the worlds of a haunted house and The Price is Right. This partially-immersive, pop-cult, horror-flick-obsessed puzzle invites audience members to dive into a hero’s journey… to emerge thrilled and victorious. All The Way rewards the competitor, soothes the dreamer, and delights in the deliciously unconventional.”  Personally we love unconventional, so our bet is this will be an interesting show. We hear there are prizes to be won and if you are a fan of Sudoku and have watched a lot of television, especially Buffy, you will do quite well. All The Way runs May 31st to June 3rd at The Russian Hall, 600 Campbell Street in the heart of Strathcona. Tickets are $20 each and available online from The Cultch.  If you are not familiar with the rEvolver Festival, it brings new works by emerging theatre companies and artists to the stage each May. We invite you to check out some of the shows they will be presenting this May during the rEvolver Festival.

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The East Van Bazaar At The Hall Saturday May 27, 2017

19 May

EastVanBazaarMay2017The East Van Bazaar is back on Saturday, May 27th at The Hall which is located at 1739 Venables Street (at the corner of Commercial Drive). The organizers have put together another great mix of local makers, artisans and collectors of vintage. Some of the vendors you can expect to see include artisanal wine by Waterside Winery, delish pie and sweet treats from Rose & June’s Bakeshop, beautiful teas by Tea Lani, jewellery by Meraki Escential Love, The One & Only and Rish Jewellery.  If you happen to be looking for vintage items, you may wish to stop by and check out She Wolf Paper & Vintage which will be on hand with retro clothing, books and more. For a full rundown of vendors, visit East Van Bazaar. They are updating their site as new vendors are added. The event kicks off at 11:00 am and runs till 5:00 pm. Admission is a suggested $2 donation. We invite you to pop down and check out all the local talent which of course is a hop skip and jump from some great spots on The Drive. Although, we do recommend stopping in at Uprising Breads just one block down the street.  We are rather addicted to their Ginger Cookies.

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East Van Extravaganza Saturday May 20, 2017 At The Rio Theatre

17 May

AffordableConcertSeriesIf you are looking for a fun night out, maybe listen to some live music and dance, you may wish to check out this East Van Extravaganza happening Saturday at the Rio Theatre. They are hosting the Affordable Concert Series which consists of a line up of 4 bands, being Disco Funeral with an energetic and electric vibe, then there’s Hard Rock Miners with Hillbilly Party Punk, next up is Rio Samaya with their South American Latin fusion and The Walkins which we hear will get you grinding and grooving.  As this is East Van, this event is come as you are whether it’s your Daytons, Blundstones, Berkinstocks or anything in between, you are invited to come down and get into the groove.  Tickets are a very reasonable $20 in advance or $25 at the door.  If you are organized and plan to go with a group of friends, you can purchase a group pack of 10 tickets for $150.  Note, this event has bar service thus not suitable for minors. Must be 19+. Come get your groove on. To get your tickets in advance, visit Rio Theatre.

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Great Grandview Garage Sale Returns June 17, 2017

15 May

GreatGrandviewGarageSaleLogoFor all you bargain and vintage hunters, it is time to once again mark your calendars for the Great Grandview Garage Sale which is back on Saturday, June 17th from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. This  multi-family garage sale now in its 4th year draws a crowd even in the rain which we hear put a bit of a damper on things last year. This event takes place 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. Note though, for organizers there is some effort to put it all together and get signs printed. This year you will see a ‘Donate’ button on their main page. Organizers are asking for a small donation of $2-5 to cover the cots of signs and for a $10 donation they will thrown in a sign for you. Having done a fair bit of organizing in our day, we think this is more than fair.  Whether you live in a home, walk up apartment building, co-operative housing, no matter, everyone is welcome to participate. If you are the one looking for those bargains or vintage finds, think of it as one big treasure hunt. Who knows what you might come across in your travels. The Great Grandview Garage Sale will go ahead rain or shine.  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”.  And for the wee ones or teens, there will be many thirsty shoppers in the area, so a lemonade stand or something similar, certainly wouldn’t be out of place.   If you have a budding entrepreneur in your home, time to get them organized.

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Children Of God At The York Theatre May 17 – June 3, 2017

12 May

ChildrenOfGodThe Cultch, in collaboration with Urban Ink Productions, National Arts Centre English Theatre and Raven Theatre is presenting the world premiere of a powerful new musical Children of God. The show features the children of an Oji-Cree family that are sent to a residential school in Northern Ontario. This is a story of redemption for a mother who was never let past the school’s gate, and her kids, who never knew she came. Children of God offers a blend of ancient traditions and contemporary realities. They will be pulling musical inspiration from Indigenous traditions as well as Broadway hits. This musical is a timely piece that tells the heartbreaking story of the residential schools through the eyes of one Oji-Cree family. Children of God celebrates resilience and the power of the Indigenous cultural spirit. Note this performance does contain swearing and sexual content. Due to the content of the performance, Emotional Support Workers will be available to provide support to audience members who may require it.  The performance takes place at The York Theatre, 639 Commercial Drive with previews taking place May 17th and 18th. Opening night is May 19th with the show running until June 3rd. Tickets are available online from The Cultch.

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22nd Annual Stone Soup Festival Saturday May 13th at Britannia Community Centre

10 May

StoneSoupFestivalBritannia Community Centre, 1661 Napier Street, is hosting the 22nd Annual Stone Soup Festival on Saturday, May 13th.  This annual event is a celebration of food, art, environment and community. You can expect to find a food market, local artists, community groups, talks and workshops, live music, tea leaf reading, children’s activities, free soup and much more. The Stone Soup Festival aims to bring awareness to the issues of food security, the benefits of sharing resources and eating ‘local’ and celebrating the diversity of food in our neighbourhood, the environment and its importance to the culture of our community.  Some of the highlights from this year’s festival include:    

 

             Wild Salmon Caravan Art Build with Artist Nadine Pluzak
 Location: West Zone 12:00 – 5:00 pm

Katari Performance
Location West Zone 1:00 pm

V’ni Dansi-Metis Dance & History. Come Learn The Red River Jig
Location: Gym D 2:00 pm

Pasta Jewellery Making Workshop with Paula Luther
Location: Britannia Courtyard 12:00 – 5:00 pm

Britannia Box of Light with Kelty Jean McKerracher & Ronnie Dean Harris
Location: Britannia Site: 12:00 – 5:00 pm

There will be live music on the Commercial Drive Stage starting at Noon with the Carnival Band kicking things off, then at 1:00 pm Backspin takes the stage followed by the Tim Sars Duo at 2:00 pm. After that The Vancouver Fiddle Club keep things moving about 3:00 pm which are followed by Rio Samaya at 4:00 p.m. The Stone Soup Festival kicks off at Noon and runs till 5:00 pm. This is a family friendly event with lots of activities for the kids including face painting, storytelling and a kids activity area.  For more information, contact the Britannia Community Centre at T: 604.718.5800.

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Night of 1,000 Stars – Fundraiser For Jess Nichol and Keating Gudgeon Memorial Awards VCC – May 13, 2017

8 May

JessNicholVancouver Community College Foundation is hosting a fundraiser this Saturday, May 13th at the Broadway Campus. The Foundation is a registered charity whose mandate is to raise funds for VCC student scholarships, bursaries and training materials.  This Saturday, there are raising funds for two memorial awards in honour of Jess Nichol and Keating Gudgeon.  For those that don’t know the names, Jess was a bit of a ‘celebrity” bartender. He worked in Gastown at Boneta at the time of his death. We are told that Jess had long battled mental illness and committed suicide in 2011. Jess had a love for music, so family and friends hosted fundraisers to create an award that helps a musician with preference given to someone from the DTES. The aim is to help a musician who has faced and overcome challenges, stay in school. They will offer a two-year award whereby the recipient receives a total of $3,000 over their 2 year music program at VCC. The second memorial award is in the name of Keating Gudgeon. Keating was Jess’s foster brother. The recipient of this award will be a promising writer. Although VCC doesn’t offer a journalism program, they will be seeking learners with an interest in writing, regardless of their current program. Their preference is a student who identifies as LGBTQ2S.  If you would like to check out last year’s recipient of the Jess Nichol Award, we invite you see this video by VCC on Adam Willey.

There is a stellar line up for the fundraiser including best-selling author Christopher Gudgeon will be launching a new short story collection “Encyclopedia of Lies”. The evening will feature words and music by:

§  Craig Northey from the Odds

§  Singer/songwriter, Nathan Rogers

§  Award-winning author, Yasuko Thanh

§  Singer/songwriter, Dante Hadden

§  Featuring VCC students & faculty

§  Plus: A Very Special Guest (6-time Juno Award Winner)

The event will be held in the Auditorium of VCC’s Broadway Campus this Saturday, May 13th from 6:00 – 9:00 pm. Tickets are $25 and available online through Eventbrite.   We invite you to come out and support this event.

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