Pacific Immigrant Resources Society along with many other sponsors will be hosting Literacy In The Park this Thursday, July 31st. The event will take place in Robson Park, 2910 Saint George, between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend. This is a family friendly event featuring puppets, face painting, a jumping castle, arts and crafts, free books, performances and much more.
Il Centro Italian Cultural Centre invites you to their Italian Night Market starting Friday, August 15th at the Italian Cultural Centre located at 3075 Slocan Street (at Grandview Highway) in East Vancouver. The Night Market will run every 3rd Friday of the month from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm until Friday, November 21st. Specifically: August 15th, September 19th, October 17 and Friday, November 21st.
The first of it’s kind in Vancouver, the market aims to bring together the tastes of Italy with produce grown locally. You can expect to find fresh fruit, vegetables, handmade products by local artisans as well as food prepared by Il Centro’s Chef. Also on hand, will be live Italian music featuring mandolin and accordion as well as activities for the kids.
Have you always wanted to learn a bit of Italian? If so, the first 50 shoppers on Friday, August 15th will receive a coupon for a 10% discount on Italian Language Classes offered at Il Centro.
You are invited to a Special Summer Series hosted by Vancouver Urban Spaces Initiative this Sunday, July 27th from 1 – 9 pm. The event will be held at New Brighton Park located at 3201 New Brighton Road (at North Windermere Street). The aim of organizers is make this a special event which brings together sunshine, the outdoors and music. On hand you will find a Beer Garden, but wine will be available as well. Music on hand for Sunday’s show includes:
Bendy & Hristo (Victoria)
Mr. Moe (Victoria)
Todd-Rod Skimmins aka Noble Nobel
A Family Affair + more to be announced
Entrance fee for Special Summer Series is $15. If you arrive before 4:00 pm, it’s $10 and those under 12 free. For this willing to volunteer at the event, they are happy to offer free admission. Contact the organizers directly for further details.
You’re invited to the 7th Annual Macdonald Park Block Party in the South Hill area. This is a free, fun, family event which will feature a community potluck, bike parade and bike decorating, hula hoops galore, kids’ obstacle course, street hockey, face painting, and a well-loved drum circle. You are invited to bring your friends and food to share. Everyone is welcome. The event takes place this Saturday, July 26th from 11:00am to 3:00 pm at MacDonald Park which is located between Fraser and Main Street along the 45th Avenue Bikeway. The organizers are also looking for help cleaning up after the party. If you’re interested in getting involved, you are asked to email them at southhill.neighbours@gmail.com.
In our next installment of Rescue Me where we feature pets looking for adoption at the Vancouver SPCA, we introduce you to Benny. He is a wonderful 7 year old Labrador Retriever with a beautiful flaxen coat. Benny came to the Vancouver SPCA through a call to the cruelty line as neighbours had noticed he had been tethered on a back deck for weeks. They believe the guardian eventually returned to check on him and bring food and water. When it was apparent he had been abandoned, Vancouver SPCA officers brought Benny to the Vancouver Shelter. His friends at the Vancouver SPCA believe he was kept in the yard often, but not all the time as he is alert and very aware of people. Although initially nervous with staff, he has shown to be a smart and playful boy who loves his balls, toys and sticks. He knows several commands including sit, paw, high-five and sit pretty. His idea of heaven = belly rubs. Benny has shown to be a sweet boy, but will require a quieter adult only home with people that are savvy and experienced with dog behaviour. If you can provide a forever home for Benny, or know someone who can, the Vancouver SPCA would love to hear from you. Feel free to contact them by stopping by the Vancouver SPCA Shelter, 1205 East 7th Avenue, or by Telephone: 604.879.7721 or Email: vancouver@spca.bc.ca. As always, we thank you in advance for sharing this information to help Benny find his forever home.
Artful Sundays return to the Britannia Community Centre this summer. This is an outdoor visual arts market that begins Sunday, August 10th and will run every consecutive Sunday until August 31st. This event features local artists, live music, special events, artist demonstrations, workshops and more. Sara Chandler, the Sidewalk Cellist, will be on hand to provide some live music. The event will be held in the Napier Greenway at Napier Street & Commercial Drive from Noon – 5:00 p.m. Special events lined up for Artful Sundays include:
August 10
Vancouver Cooperative Radio: Books and Records Fundraiser
August 17
Pom Pom Making Workshop with Helen Spaxman
August 24
Stitching With Purpose: Workshop with Laura Bucci
August 31
Mixed Media Woven Baskets: Magpie’s Nest Community Art Space
Come out and support the local artists, musicians and workshops.
In case you missed it, soccer fever has gripped Vancouver. The number of country flags on passing vehicles around town might give you some insight. Various locations around East Vancouver have been buzzing with fans gathering to watch their favourite teams. Commercial Drive has certainly been a hub for soccer fever with the sheer number of restaurants, bars and coffee shops showing the game. Our favourite tweet on Twitter last week was by David C. Jones who summed up people’s passion for the game “Only on Commercial Drive can you walk into a café and be told ‘you have to wait until after this penalty kick’.”
There are many options to watch the final game in East Vancouver outside of the usual bars and coffee shops, including the Rio Theatre which is a free event and local community centres. The City of Vancouver has announced another great option this Sunday for soccer fans for the final match up. The City is organizing a free outdoor World Cup Soccer event at Trout Lake (John Hendry Park) this Sunday, July 13th . The game will be displayed on a 13 X 23 foot LED screen which will be set up in the park. The day is intended to be a celebration of soccer and samba.
Also scheduled for Sunday morning, members of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC will be running a soccer clinic for children aged 7-12 on July 13 at the Trout Lake Community Centre. The clinic will be led by Vancouver-born Sam Lenarduzzi who played for nine years with Whitecaps FC. Registration will take place at 10:00 am with the hour long clinic beginning at 10:15 am. Word is out about the Whitecaps Soccer Clinic and there is now a wait list. If you wish to add your child’s name, visit the sign up page at Eventbrite.
This day of celebrating soccer and samba will also feature live performances from local South American and Brazilian cultural troupes, a best-dressed fan contest, face painting and a station where kids can design their own soccer jersey. The event is only able to accommodate up to 800 people and although the event was just announced it is already sold out. So soccer fever has struck Vancouver. Wherever you watch the final game this Sunday, do a little samba for the host country Brazil.
The Orpheus Project by Music on Main is coming to The Cultch from July 16th – July 20th. This immersive journey is filled with musical and theatrical intrigue and will absorb you into the life of Orpheus: a poet, musician, and prophet in ancient Greek Mythology who inspired generations of artists such as Jean Cocteau, Tennessee Williams and Albert Camus.
Imagine roaming an entire theatre, discovering rooms filled with mysterious music and surprising interactions. Through creations by Jocelyn Morlock, Veda Hille, Cassandra Miller, James Maxwell, Barry Truax, Alfredo Santa Ana, Colin Browne, George Frideric Handel and others, you’ll explore The Cultch’s Historic Theatre, Culture Lab, as well as the dressing rooms and the backstage and lobby areas. We hear you might even break a sweat as you climb stairs and roam around. You are advised to wear comfortable shoes and prepare to jump into this unique adventure. Tickets range from $19.75 – $38.75 for adults. If you purchase before midnight on July 10th, you will receive a 20% discount if you use the promo code CULTCH.
The Broadway East Art Walk returns Saturday, July 12th to the Broadway corridor. Art work by local artists will be on display July 12th from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. If you are not familiar with the Broadway East Art Walk, the vision of organizers is to transform the stretch of Broadway between Price Edward and Price Albert through community engagement and art. All events are open to the public. The artists and where they will be located are set out below:
425 E Broadway (Andrew Sheret – Outdoors)
490 E Broadway (Teamsters – Outdoors)
452 E Broadway (Large chain-link fence)
2474 Prince Edward (Indoors at St Michael’s Hall and Front Lawn)
While in the neighbourhood, be sure to check out the juried outdoor art exhibition which will be taking place at the same time at the Brewery Creek Garden at Dude Chilling Park, courtesy of the Dude Chilling Art Collective.
Graze Restaurant invites you to join them Thursdays for Date Night where you and your partner-in-crime can enjoy a steal of a deal. You and your guest will receive a 3 course Prix Fixe menu for $50. If you don’t know the restaurant, Graze has a creative plant-based menu that incorporates locally and organically produced ingredients including those grown in their own garden. The interior is lovely and cozy perfect for a ‘date’, but they also have an outdoor patio if you wish to hang on the deck and catch a few rays at the end of the day. To make your reservation, give them a call at T: 604.620.8822. Graze Restaurant is located at 3980 Fraser Street just North of King Edward Avenue.
Photo Credit: Graze Restaurant
ILiveInEastVan.com 