If you have not listened to the very talented sound of East Van’s What It Is!, then you are truly missing out. If you don’t know this group, it consists of four amazing East Van ladies, being Mebrat “Mimi” Beyene, Cass King, Patti Powell and Carol Wiedemann. Together they are a powerhouse of a cappella soul. Their sound is steeped in the soulful sounds of such greats as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and Etta James. These ladies bring heart to their East Van Soul and this Friday, you are invited to their CD Release Party which takes place at Notional Space, 1523 East Pender Street. Tickets for the event are $15 or $25 if you wish to purchase a copy of their new CD. Tickets are available online through Eventbrite. Doors open at 7:30 pm and show begins at 8:00 pm.
What It Is! CD Release Party November 11th At Notional Space
8 Nov
East Van Short Film Showcase At The Rio Theatre June 5th
2 Jun
You are invited to check out the work of some of Vancouver’s best young independent filmmakers at the Rio Theatre on Sunday, June 5th. The East Van Short Film Showcase now in its second year will be featuring a selection of short films made in and around the Lower Mainland. The list below was narrowed down from over 100 submissions and these 5 local shorts will compete for awards in acting, cinematography and best film. There will be a number of shorts presented which we’ve set out below:
The Showcase Showdown
Call For a Good Time – Linnea Ritland
Disappeared – Jon Silverberg
Do Not Go – Cameron Anderson
Getting There- Brendan Prost
Vehicular Romanticide – Andrew Rowe
The Music Box
Bunny – Miroslav Nicic
Fear- Gebriel Balcha
Where I’m From – Sina Nazarian
The Raincity Revue
These films include an entry from Germany, as well as a dynamic trio of BC films including a 6-time Leo nominee.
Basketball Game – Hart Snider
Singularity – Roman De Guili
Wrestlers Only – James Kingstone
Never Steady, Never Still – Kathleen Hepburn
Come check out some of the creative local talent. The East Van Short Film Showcase takes place at The Rio Theatre Sunday, June 5th from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm. The evening will be hosted by local comedian John Cullen. Tickets are available in advance via Eventbrite for $6.00.
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East Van Garden Tour Sunday June 19th
31 May
Well there will certainly be no lack of things to do in East Van on Sunday, June 19th. There will be Car Free Day on Commercial Drive and Main Street, the Vancouver Farmers Market in Mount Pleasant and a personal favourite the East Van Garden Tour. We have in the past taken in this tour which was through Strathcona and it was amazing to see what people were doing with their gardens. Whether you have a home, patio garden or community garden, the East Van Garden Tour is a great source of inspiration and ideas.
This year, the East Van Garden Tour will focus on the area immediately surrounding Figaro’s Garden Centre which is located at 1896 Victoria Drive (at 3rd Avenue). If you haven’t participated in this event, it’s a great way to see how creative people get with their gardens. You will need to purchase tickets for this event which is best done in advance. Tickets are available via Eventbrite, from 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.
On the day of the event, show up at Figaro’s Garden Centre to check in, pick up your tour map from 10:00 am onwards and then head off to the gardens. 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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Free Events Happening In East Van
26 May
We all know, life is expensive. That got us to thinking about the many free events that regularly take place in and around East Vancouver. Our community centers always have lots of family friendly events open to all ages. There also free movies, art exhibitions and much more. We wanted to share some of the free events that we’ve come across that will be happening in East Van in the coming months. Note, we do update this list regularly.
APRIL 2018
Apr. 1: Golden Egg Hunt – River District 10 am – 1 pm
Apr. 1: Easter Eggstravaganza Swim – Britannia Pool 2:30 – 5:00 pm
Apr. 2: Holiday Free Skate – Britannia Rink 1:00 – 3:30 pm
Apr. 4: Exhibit Opening Reception – Cultch Gallery 6-8 pm
Apr. 4: Drop In Stitch & Craft In The Lounge – Wise Hall 5-10 pm
Apr. 6: Youth Free Swim – Britannia Pool 8 – 10 pm
Apr. 6: Flavours of Puglia – Italian Cultural Centre 7 pm
Apr. 6: Movie ‘Wall-E’ – Renfrew Public Library 3:30 pm
Apr. 11: Drop In Stitch & Craft In The Lounge – Wise Hall 5-10 pm
Apr. 13: Movie ‘Mother’ – Mount Pleasant Branch Library 6 pm
Apr. 15: Bird On Stilts Workshop – Trout Lake Comm. Centre 11:15 am
Apr. 21: Earth Day Parade – Commercial Drive & Broadway 1 pm Start
Apr. 21: Earth Day Festival – Grandview Park 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm
Apr. 21: Earth Day Celebration – Everett Crowley Park 11 am – 3 pm
Apr. 25: Emergency Preparedness Workshop – Sunset Community Centre 7 pm
Apr. 28: Workshop ‘Plastic Free Living‘ – Lupii Cafe
Apr. 29: World Music Festival All Ages Event – Trout Lake Comm. 11:30 – 3:30
MAY 2018
May 2: Emergency Preparedness Workshop – Sunset Community Centre 1 pm
May 2: Emergency Preparedness Workshop – Trout Lake Comm. Centre 7 pm
May 2: Emergency Preparedness Workshop – Renfrew Park Comm. Centre 7 pm
May 5: Mother’s Day Crafternoon – Lupii Café
May 6: Bird On Stilts Workshop – Trout Lake Comm. Centre 11 am
May 12: 23rd Annual Stone Soup Festival – Napier Greenway Noon – 5 pm
May 26: Cedar Cottage Community Garden Spring Fling 11-3
If you know of a free event you think should be added to this list, drop us a line ILiveInEastVan@gmail.com. We’d love to hear about it.
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The Whip Hosts 9th Annual Show & Shine May 29th
23 May
The Whip Restaurant, 209 E. 6th Avenue, is hosting the East Van Vintage Car and Bike Show on Sunday, May 29th. The event now in its 9th year will show case pre 1989 cars, trucks and bikes. If you wish to register, stop by with your vehicle from 9:30 am onwards. For the event, The Whip will be putting on a BBQ plus there will be live music by the Hells Gate Blues Band. So good food, good tunes, some car history, we are sure it will draw a good crowd. The event kicks off at 11:00 am and runs till 4:00 pm.
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TEDxEastVan Is Looking For Speakers & Volunteers for April 2016
4 Jan
In case you haven’t heard, TEDxEastVan is coming to the York Theatre on Saturday, April 23rd. For those unfamiliar with TED Talks, they are a day long event that brings together creators, catalysts, designers and thinkers to share their ideas. TEDx is a local self-organized event that brings people together for deep discussion and connection within a small group. Talks from TED conferences are shared with the world for free as TED Talks videos on TV, radio, Netflix and many websites and are now available in more than 90 languages.
The TEDxEastVan team is searching for people with interesting ideas to speak at this year’s conference. They are on the hunt for scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, inventors, writers or Joe/Jane Average down the street. What gets you on the stage is your great idea. So first up, you need to apply. Once/if accepted, they will help you through the process with coaches to help you fine tune your talk. If you think you or someone you know has a great idea worth spreading, then you are encouraged to apply at TEDxEastVan 2016. The deadline for application is January 16th. If you have questions, you can email them directly at speakers@tedxeastvan.com.
Now on the other hand, if you prefer to be part of this amazing day, but not as a speaker but instead as a volunteer, there are many opportunities available. We invite you to check out the full listing at Volunteer Opportunities. If you have experience with graphic design, communications/marketing, project management, speaker development, volunteer management, camera operations, video production or video editing, TEDxEastVan would like to hear from you.
If you want to be inspired and share ideas, this will be the place to be on April 23, 2016. This is certainly where we will be. Hope to see you there.
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Gifting An East Van Experience This Holiday Season
17 Dec
We here at ILiveInEastVan.com are big fans of gifting experiences. There is so much to see and do close to home and sometimes we just get busy and don’t get organized to put it together. So why not gift someone a fun East Van experience this holiday season? We have set out below a few of our favourites which include brewery and foodie tours, cooking classes, theatre as well as dinner and dancing. We have included links which take you directly to each site to make that gift giving easier.
Vancouver Brewery Tour – East Van Brewery Tour
Vancouver Brewery Tours does great brewery tours in and around East Vancouver. A $75 gift certificate gets you onto one of their regularly scheduled brewery tours which run approximately 3 hours. Another option is purchasing tickets for their Beer and Food Pairing Tours which happen in January 2016 for Dine Out.
Off The Eaten Track – Culinary Tours
Off The Eaten Track offers a number of culinary tours including Vancouver’s Best Brunch Tour which takes you through the Hastings Sunrise area for $65. There is also the Railtown Urban Eats Tour runs you $55 and starts in the historic ‘Japantown’ and takes you to a number of stops including Railtown Café and the Settlement Building. Also on offer are the Main Street Hidden Gems Culinary Tour for $65. Then a personal favourite, the Vancouver Distillery Tour which stops at a number of local distilleries and provides tours, tastings and bites for $75. Tours all begin at the Waterfront Station and times vary but approximately 2 ½ hours for each.
Federico’s Supper Club – Dinner & Dancing
What about a gift certificate for an evening of dinner and dancing. Federico’s Supper Club offers amazing Italian food, wine and impeccable service. You will regularly find owner, Federico Fuoco, belting out tunes but they regularly bring in lots of local talent to mix things up.
Les Amis Du Fromage – Wine & Cheese Tasting
If you know someone that loves cheese, you may wish to consider purchasing a ticket(s) to one of Les Amis Du Fromage’s upcoming wine & cheese tasting classes. They have some delicious classes lined up for the New Year including Viva Le France on January 27th and March 9th for $65 and a Wine & Cheese Tasting Class on February 23 for $60.
The Gourmet Warehouse – Cooking Classes
Have a foodie in your life that loves cooking? Or someone that wishes to kick up their cooking skills a notch to impress that special someone? The Gourmet Warehouse offers some delicious and fun cooking classes. In the New Year they are offering Flavours of Morocco on January 23rd for $65, David Robertson of ‘The Dirty Apron’ will be on hand the evening of January 28th showing you how to make some delish dishes for $75, or if you are feeding a crowd for SuperBowl this year, there is Game Day – Feeding A Crowd for $65. Most classes are instructional vs. hands on, but certainly informative. To purchase tickets, call the store at T: 604.253.3022.
The Cultch – Live Theatre
This is a favourite spot of ours. The Cultch has an amazing array of talent that graces their stages whether drama, comedy, musical, historical, they cover all the bases. In the New Year, they have an interesting show we have our eye on called Leftovers. It features Charlie Demers, one of the stars of CBC Radio’s the Debators and best-selling author. This is a political comedy which we hear will cut through decades of BS. Tickets are available online from $10. Note the show itself takes place at the York Theatre between January 26 – 30, 2016.
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East Van Panto: Hansel & Gretel At The York December 2 – January 3
23 Nov
This December, make some time for a bit of fun and check out the East Van Panto: Hansel & Gretel. This production is brought to you by the creative minds at Theatre Replacement and will be playing at The York Theatre from December 2nd to January 3rd, 2015. For those not familiar with the term panto, by definition a Panto (another name for Pantomime) is a tradition of holiday musical comedy theatre. Pantomime takes a familiar fairy tale, in this case Hansel & Gretel, and injects music, contemporary references and (best of all) audience participation to create raucous, noisy entertainment that’s fun for all ages. This year’s show we hear steps way off the beaten path with the weird and wonderful Hansel and Gretel complete with an edible house, a butt-kicking brother and sister team and a cute little cannibal witch. Hansel & Gretel lure you deep into the East Van wilderness to deliver a fantastic holiday treat. As you might expect, there will be a few (or many) East Van references that will be sure to make you laugh. The East Van Panto is open to all ages 5 and up. Tickets start at 20, family packs are available which include 4 tickets for $115. Note, all seats for ages 18 and under are $20. Tickets are available at The Cultch either in person, by phone or online. The show begins December 2nd at 7:00 pm and continues till January 3rd. For those looking for a matinee, there are many 2:00 pm shows. For more information on tickets and performances, visit The Cultch. We’ll be seeing you there!
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East Van Short Film Showcase At The Rio Theatre August 23rd
21 Aug
You are invited to come celebrate the creative culture in East Vancouver this Sunday at the Rio Theatre, 1660 East Broadway. The East Van Short Film Showcase presented by Hammer & Tong Picture Industries and Raindance Vancouver brings together filmmakers and audiences for a night of unique, independent cinema. This event will feature a selection of short films from some of Vancouver’s best young independent filmmakers. You can expect films by James Kingstone, Marshall Axani, Kelvin Redvers, Sean Ronan, Sinziana Corozel, Ross Munro, Kyle Samuels and Edson Castro. Doors open at 6:00 pm for the East Van Short Film Showcase and the event runs till 9:00 pm. Tickets are available in advance through Eventbrite for $5.50 or at the door for $6.00. For those interested in attending the after party, it will take place at Toby’s Pub & Grill, 2733 Commercial Drive.
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What Does East Van Mean To You In Photos? #KlikEastVan
27 Jul
What comes to mind when you think of East Vancouver? For a growing number of people whether you are living in East Van, moving to the area or just visiting, the word ‘community’ is most often the first thing that comes to mind. Recent articles such as that in the Globe & Mail in March sets out why young people are leaving the West side. Yes affordability is one issue, but the other is a sense of community, knowing your neighbours and that feeling of belonging. There are, of course, many things that make East Van a great place in addition to community. There is also the culture, art, community based festivals, shopping, live music, the growing craft beer industry, the amazing selection of restaurants and coffee shops and the list goes on. So what we’d like to know now, is what does East Van mean to you in photos? East Van photographer Kyrani Kanavaros is compiling photographs taken around East Vancouver. Kyrani is a professional photographer living in East Vancouver with her husband and twin 8 year old boys. She has featured many local personalities, musicians as well as movers and shakers. What she loves is East Van and as many have said the sense of community she feels living in this area of Vancouver. So what does East Van mean to you? We’d love to see your photos. Tag your photos on Instagram with #KlikEastVan or tag Kyrani on Instagram @Kyrani and well we won’t mind if you tag us Instagram @ILiveInEastVan. There are no right or wrong photos, this is not a photo contest, this is what means something to you. We look forward to seeing your pics.
Photo Credit: Benee Rubin
ILiveInEastVan.com 