Don't you love four day work weeks? It's almost the weekend again! The big event this time is the annual EPIC Sustainable Living Festival that is happening at VanDusen Botanical Garden! If you haven't gotten tickets yet, consider entering my contest to win a pair. It's the last day! There are a lot of other cool things happening such as the Indian Summer Festival. Some of their events cost money but there are a lot of free dance lessons on every day! Carnaval del Sol is on downtown Vancouver celebrating all that is Latin America - lots of food stuffs to try out! Oh and the second HWKRS MRKT at East Van Studios will be on this Saturday! Lots of fun things to choose from!

Friday, July 5, 2013

Take-Off Fridays at YVR Airport
9:00 am to 3:00 pm every Friday July 5th to August 30th, 2013
Vancouver International Airport, Domestic, International & USA Terminal, Departures Level 3
Treat your inner tourist this summer with a trip to the Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Stop by any Friday from July 5th to August 30th for the fourth annual Take-Off Fridays and enjoy delicious goodies, free entertainment, and fun for the whole family.   Whether you’re looking for a fun new activity for you and your friends, or in search of entertainment the whole family will enjoy, YVR has something for everyone: visit any Friday this summer from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm for a full day of free samples, great music, and exciting prizes. Enjoy live entertainment and rockin’ beats from the Lower Mainland’s hottest DJs in the Domestic, International, and USA Terminals, and peruse the shelves of YVR’s world class retail shops to take advantage of great deals on food, products and services. There will be lots of kid-friendly activities like face painting, paper airplane making, and YVR mascots to meet. Plus, with the first ever paper airplane competition taking place on July 12th, this year’s Take-Off Fridays is soaring to all new heights.

Bollywood Grooves
7pm
Woodward’s Atrium (opposite London Drugs) • 111 W Hastings St., Vancouver
Part of the Indian Summer Festival. Classes led by the dynamic Shiamak Davar Vancouver Dance Team. Shiamak Davar is an Indian contemporary dance choreographer known for his trendsetting work in Bollywood blockbusters and for changing the the way the world looks at Bollywood dance. Shiamak’s mission is to spread the joy of dance and his schools are now a worldwide phenomenon, across India, the UK, Australia, and the U.A.E., as well as three schools in Canada. Vancouver is Shiamak’s second home, and headquarters of his international operations. As part of Indian Summer, his talented and high-energy dance team will lead free outdoor classes in the Atrium open space.

Indian Summer in the Park
7 - 9pm: Bollywood Dance Class with Shiamak Davar Vancouver Dance Team, Laughing Yoga Class with Nish Thaver + music and food truck deliciousness 
Dusk: Screening of “Little Zizou”
Victory Square Park, Corner of Cambie St. and W Pender St, Vancouver
Part of the Indian Summer Festival. What better way to get your summer weekend groove on than an evening of food, music, dance, film and friends in the park?  Come to historic Victory Square Park in Gastown on Friday July 5th with family and friends. Activities kick off at 7pm with OMNI emcee Pawan Deol. Have a hearty chuckle with Laughing Yoga masters, and limber up with the electric Shiamak Davar Vancouver Dance Team, and grab a bite to eat at Vij’s Railway Express. Then settle down on a blanket/chair (bring your own!) or on the green grass at dusk and watch the hysterically funny outdoor screening of Little Zizou. It doesn’t get any better! 

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Come Out and Play with the Fun of "Despicable Me 2"!
10am - 12pm
Home Depot, 2700 Sweden Way, Richmond, BC
Wait until you see the surprise craft that The Home Depot & "Despicable Me 2" have in store for you!      A great free activity for children ages 4-12     Kids will build a surprise craft and receive a FREE certificate of achievement     Check out "Despicable Me 2", only in theaters, starting July 3, 2013, from Universal Studios

Carnaval del sol 2013
Sat 11:00am - 8:00pm
Sun 11:00am - 6:00pm
Granville Street, between Smithe and Hastings, Vancouver
The 4th Annual Carnaval del Sol, the day we all shine together Vancouver's Latin American Celebration of Art and Culture, present by LatinCouver, the Latin American plaza in Vancouver is a two-day, highly publicized cultural festival attracting more than 50,000 children and adults.

EP!C Sustainable Living Festival - $18.90 online, $21 at gate
Sat & Sun 10:00am - 9:00pm
VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak St, Vancouver, BC
Vancouver's largest sustainable lifestyle event, the annual EP!C Sustainable Living Festival will be on July 6th & 7th! Entering its 7th year, this is the event to learn about organic, sustainable and local products. Live musical performances, Food Truck Alley, Gardening Workshops, Sip & Savour Garden, Sustainable Living Marketplace, Kid Zone.

Tanabata Festival - $3
11:30am - 2:30pm
6688 Southoaks Crescent Burnaby, BC
Tanabata is a traditional Japanese holiday based on the legend of the Weaver Princess and the Cowherd Prince.The story says that once a year, on the 7th day of the 7th month, the prince and princess are granted their wish to be reunited from across the Milky Way. At Nikkei Centre’s Tanabata Festival, write YOUR summer wish on a colourful paper streamer, decorate and take home a “sasa” bamboo branch, and enjoy bon odori dancing and taiko drumming. Loads of family-friendly activities and games, including water balloons, fishing, ring toss and more! Enjoy cotton candy, shaved ice, hotdogs, takoyaki and more! Recommended for families with children aged 3-10. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets & information: 604.777.7000 or info(at)nikkeiplace.org *Advance ticket purchase required. Space is limited.

11th Annual Bocce by the Beach - $25 (includes ticket to EP!C Festival)
12pm - 4pm
5251 Oak Street Vancouvcer, V6M 4H1
The 11th Annual Bocce by the Beach is part of this year's Epic Sustainable Living Festival.  For festival details please visit: http://epicfest.ca/. Held the second Saturday of July, the Bocce by the Beach is a long standing tradition of heated ball battles, hearty drinks and loads of fun in the sun. This year's tournament will be limited to 64 teams of two. Teams will be vying for the coveted trohpy as well as cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, best placing all female team AND best dressed. So pack your trash talk and dress for success!  Bocce.ca is looking forward to a wonderful tournament and maybe, just maybe a new venue and tradition?  Please note that the $25 entry into the bocce tournament includes a day pass to the festival.  This represents $19 of value.

The Unprecedented & The Signature Bow Shopping Party
12pm - 4pm
208 east 12th (Main St, Vancouver)
Personal Style Bloggers Randa from The- Unprecedented. and Leonie from the The Signature Bow are throwing a shopping party with Shoppalu and you are invited! The event will take place at Flagship Lifestyle Inc. on Main Street (Vancouver) this Saturday July 6th from 12 - 4 pm!  Shop for some new goodies, get styled by the bloggers and sip on refreshing drinks.

Earth Walk: St George Rainway & Street Walking Tour - by donation
1pm - 3pm
Meet at St. George's and Kingsway at Robson Park by the Storyteller's Cob Bench.  
Greta Borick-Cunningham, part of the Rainway group and Chair of the False Creek Watershed Society, will be leading a walk north from Robson Park along St. George's to describe where the creek went and what the plans are for the daylighting; bringing the creek back to life. At 7th and St. George's she will stop to discuss the new mural!

Hip-Hop Yoga Class
5pm 
Woodward’s Atrium (opposite London Drugs), 111 W Hastings St.
Part of the Indian Summer Festival. This class is a fusion of a jazzy warm-up, standing “Yoga Flows” to music, core work, hip hop technique and some “funky” and fun choreography. *Please wear comfortable shoes, no mats are needed.

HWKRS MRKT at East Van Studios  - $10
7:00 PM - 2:00 AM
East Van Studios, 870 East Cordova Vancouver
Hawkers Market is a montly recurring underground evening food marketplace in Vancouver.  We support local vibrant food entreprenuers and give them a place to conduct pop up food stalls (or hawker stands) to sell thier food or products. They are chefs, artisans and dreamers and they know thier food!  Expect a diverse selection of things to eat at the market and take home to try. The market acts as a dining, shopping and social experience.  Hawkers Market takes place from 7pm until late, along with the food you can expect music from Chapel Sound http://chapelsound.com, lights and mingling with people.

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Yaletown's 5th Annual Dog Day Afternoon
11:00am–2:00pm
Coopers Parkm 1020 Marinaside Crescent Vancouver, BC
The Roundhouse presents a spectacular dog-centric day of fun!  Come and meet other dog owners and check in with local, dog-friendly organizations. Meet us at Cooper’s Park! 1020 Marinaside near the Cambie Bridge  Alpha Dog Training • City Of Vancouver Animal Control • Sparky Snacks • Emergency Management NEPP • Marney-Rose Edge Pet Portraits • Bosley’s Pet Food Stores • Last Chance Animal Rescue • The Urban Puppy Shop • Kiss Photographer • Sparkle Bark

Vancouver Comicon - $4
11am -5pm
Heritage Hall, 3102 Main Street, Vancouver
Admission: $4.00 Kids under 14: Free  Comics for Classrooms: Donate a new or gently-used school-appropriate graphic novel for free admission to this show. Books collected will be donated to Vancouver schools. 

Carnaval del sol 2013
Sat 11:00am - 8:00pm
Sun 11:00am - 6:00pm
Granville Street, between Smithe and Hastings, Vancouver
The 4th Annual Carnaval del Sol, the day we all shine together Vancouver's Latin American Celebration of Art and Culture, present by LatinCouver, the Latin American plaza in Vancouver is a two-day, highly publicized cultural festival attracting more than 50,000 children and adults.

EP!C Sustainable Living Festival - $18.90 online, $21 at gate
Sat & Sun 10:00am - 9:00pm
VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak St, Vancouver, BC
Vancouver's largest sustainable lifestyle event, the annual EP!C Sustainable Living Festival will be on July 6th & 7th! Entering its 7th year, this is the event to learn about organic, sustainable and local products. Live musical performances, Food Truck Alley, Gardening Workshops, Sip & Savour Garden, Sustainable Living Marketplace, Kid Zone.

Bhangra Moves
5pm
Woodward’s Atrium (opposite London Drugs), 111 W Hastings St.
Part of the Indian Summer Festival. 
Bhangra is a very lively form of folk music and dance that originated in the Punjab region of India. While Bhangra began as a part of harvest festival celebrations, it eventually became a part of such diverse occasions as weddings and New Year celebrations. During the last thirty years, Bhangra has surged in popularity worldwide, both in a traditional form and as a fusion with genres such as hip-hop, house, and reggae.

Reoccurring:

River District Farmers Market
10:00am - 3:00pm every Saturday from May4 - Oct26
Kerr Street Plaza – on Kerr Street, one block South of SE Marine Drive, Vancouver
This one-of-a-kind farmers market is the only riverfront market in Vancouver. Come shop for fruits and veggies, prepared foods, and handmade products produced farmers and artisans. Enjoy the waterfront, playground and pier.


Shop for organic and conventional product, meat, cheese, seafood and plants as well as tasty baked goods, beautiful crafts while being entertained by local musicians. Hot coffee and hot food available on site each week.

Shangri-La Farmers Market
every other Sunday, 11am to 3pm from May 19 - Sept 22
Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver, 1128 W Georgia St Vancouver
Join us in the plaza between the Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver and Urban Fare for the Shangri-La Farmers Market. Sample fresh local produce and products every second Sunday from 11am to 3pm. Live cooking demos at 12 noon by Executive Chef Wayne Harris.

Food Cart Fest - $2
12pm - 5pm from June 23 - Sept 22
215 West 1st - between Olympic Village & Cambie Bridge
Food Cart Fest is a gathering of over 20 of Vancouver’s top Food Carts presented by Arrival and The Streetfood Vancouver Society. Join us every week this summer for food, fun, and sun complemented by community markets, live music and DJs, craft food vendors, kids activities, and more. Food Cart Fest launches on Sunday, June 23 and takes place every Sunday from 12pm-5pm until September 22. Admission is $2. Children 13 and under get in free. Max rate for families is $5. Vancity members get in free.

Chinatown Night Market
6pm - 11pm Fri, Sat, Sun May 17th to Sept 8
Keefer Street between Main & Columbia, Vancouver
This summer, the Chinatown Night Market is bringing a heady mix of time-honoured tradition and new school flavour to the festivities on Keefer Street. Live music, storytelling, and Mahjong; new vendors, more food, and some other stuff that wasn’t here last year like outdoor classic movie screenings and epic ping pong tournaments. See some photos from last year here.

Richmond Night Market - $2
Fri-Sat  7PM - 12AM 
Sun & Stat Holidays  6PM - 11PM 
Sat (Jul & Aug) 7PM - 1AM
8351 River Road, Richmond BC
Lots of food, live entertainment and vendors. $2 fee for regular admission (Subject to changes). FREE admission for children 10 & under and FREE admission for Seniors 60 & up. $10 and $20 Zoom Passes are available for purchase. Check out my photos from last year here.

International Summer Night Market
7pm - 12am Fri, Sat, Sun, May 10 - Sept 8
12631 Vulcan Way, Richmond BC
6th annual Summer Night Market in Richmond starting May 10, 2013! Lots of food, live entertainment and vendors. Check out my photos from this year here.