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This week in BC: Take in the spectacular Celebration of Light fireworks, rejuvenate with an experience at Mountain Trek, see Vancouver in a whole new light at the Granville Street Reveal, and more
Just call it a big, fat Bollywood Wedding! And you’re invited to witness the vow-swapping from July 24 to 28 in the Italian Gardens at Vancouver’s Hastings Park. A hit with critics and audiences alike, this interactive show involves the wedding of two young Indians brought together in an arranged marriage and includes a dozen colourful characters, fabulous costumes, occasional melt downs and lots of hilarity. And don’t expect to be a wallflower, ‘cause this interactive hitch-fest concludes with a big communal dance.
The bummer about boat races is that, unless you have a seat onboard, you miss most of the action. Not so for the Nanaimo Marine Festival, where tons of fun happens right on the shore, thanks to a street fair, beer garden, kiddie carnival and Vancouver Island’s biggest summertime fireworks display. And because no marine fest is worth its salt without plenty of wave-plying pursuits, you can also expect a world-championship bathtub race and a sail-past parade, from Nanaimo Harbour to Departure Bay Beach, from July 26 to 28.
The largest offshore fireworks competition in the world, the Honda Celebration of Light is set to illuminate the sky over Vancouver’s English Bay this week when the U.K., Canada and Thailand battle for bragging rights on July 27, 31 and August 3. This free show starts at 10 p.m., but you’d better stake out a spot early ’cause the festivities typically draw crowds of more than 1.5 million to the city’s beaches, waterfront parks and restaurants.
A night featuring a delicious four-course dinner, wine tasting, fabulous silent auction and Vancouver’s best view of the Celebration of Light fireworks? It’s all included with the price of admission to Dine Above The Stars, a July 31 fundraiser in support of A Loving Spoonful. Tickets are $140 per person to this swish soiree, held on the 35th floor of the Coast Plaza Hotel & Suites, and it’s worth every penny, considering you’ll also go home with an $80 tax receipt. Book online or by phone at 604-682-6325.
It’s called the Squamish Day Loggers Festival, but you don’t need to be a lumberjack to join in the festivities taking place from August 1 to 5. This 56th annual community carnival offers a weekend full of fun for the whole family, including a street parade, pancake breakfast, bed races, chair-carving contest, 10K run, live music and two world-class sports shows featuring competitors from around the globe. Check it out at various venues, including the Al McIntosh Loggers Sports Grounds.
Set amongst the stately trees and gardens of the Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park in Comox, the annual Filberg Festival unfolds for the 31st time from August 2 to 5. Celebrating excellence in Canadian arts, crafts and music, it boasts 120 juried artisan booths showcasing everything from pottery and paintings to textiles and toys, as well as musical entertainment on two stages featuring the likes of The Sojourners and Jim Byrnes. Tickets are available online for $13 or $15 at the gate, opening daily at 10 a.m.
The Harmony Arts Festival means different things to different people. For some, it’s a chance to stroll the seawall and browse the outdoor art market. For others it’s the lineup of great music that features 150 performers, including Spirit of the West and Barney Bentall. Still others prefer the mouth-watering eats that range from al-fresco dining to wine tastings to restaurant cook-offs. Whatever your reason, check out this 23rd annual event from August 2 to 11 at West Vancouver’s Ambleside Landing, John Lawson Park and other seaside venues.
Pull back the curtains on Vancouver’s historic Granville Street, considered one of North America’s greatest entertainment districts for more than 100 years. Led by a passionate history buff, this entertaining walking tour regales tourists and hometowners alike with tales of the whisky-soaked speakeasies that lined the strip during the Prohibition era, as well as the once-raging vaudeville scene, the neon-lit Theatre Row and the notorious adults-only hotspots. The Granville Street Reveal takes place Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 11 a.m. for $22, plus tax.
There’s an art to taking the perfect picture, and the process will be demystified for amateur shutterbugs at Vancouver Photowalks, taking place weekly at various regions around town, including Stanley Park, Chinatown, Granville Island and Kitsilano. This two-hour roving photography course, geared for both beginners and intermediates, focuses on subjects ranging from scenery to portraits, as well as basic skills like exposure, composition, aperture and shutter speed. Book online starting at $99, plus tax.
For a wellness retreat where weight loss is virtually guaranteed, look no further than Mountain Trek, perched in the craggy peaks above Kootenay Lake. The only hiking spa in North America, this alpine resort offers invigorating exercise, organic cuisine, detoxing saunas and massages — as well as classes in nutrition, stress management and sleep hygiene — leading guests to lose between four to 10 pounds a week, with management declaring, “We want people to walk out having fallen back in love with their body.”
Originally published in TVW. For daily programming updates and on-screen Entertainment news, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.