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BC Adventures – Our To Do Picks for June 15-21

This week in BC: Serve up some bacon and drink for Dad at Father's Day Wine & Swine, enjoy the smooth sounds at the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival, watch 180 teams from around the world compete at the Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival

By Anna Dupas /

Credit: Township 7 Vineyards

Father’s Day Wine & Swine — June 16

Dudes and dogs go together like cats and crazy ladies. So if you have a pooch-loving pop, why not treat him to some fun with Fido at Pacific Assistance Dogs Society’s Father’s Day Wine & Swine fundraiser? Held at Township 7 Vineyards (21152 16th Ave, Langley), this alfresco afternoon on June 16 serves up artisan bacon and wine pairings, accompanied by live music, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. And, of course, you’ll also have plenty of time to pet the pups while finding out how they offer disabled people a “new leash on life.”



Credit: Safeway

Safeway Father’s Day Walk/Run — June 16

Moms may be marvellous but when it comes to having your back, no one can outdo dear old dad. Return the favour at the 15th annual Safeway Father’s Day Walk/Run taking place in Burnaby, Victoria, Kamloops, Kelowna and Chilliwack on June 16 to raise funds to fight prostate cancer, a disease afflicting approximately one in six men. The Lower Mainland event, emceed by CTV Morning Live co-host Aamer Haleem, kicks off at Burnaby Lake Rowing Pavilion at 8 a.m., followed by a giant barbecue and hundreds of prize draws and giveaways.



Brewery & The Beast — June 16

Did you veg out for Vancouver’s first official Meatless Monday on June 10? Then you just might be craving something more stick-to-the-ribs than rabbit food. The remedy? Brewery & The Beast, a first annual festival of meat taking place June 16 at Concord Pacific Place. Top local chefs from restaurants like Forage, Hawksworth, Maenam and Wildebeest will be skewering, grilling and carving up creations ranging from classic barbecue and charcuterie to whole-pig roasts and experimental concoctions, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $79, and include a selection of premium beer, wine and soda.



Credit: Flickr/minxlj

Project Empty Bowl — June 21

June 21 is the shortest night of the year, but it’ll go a long way toward providing a better life for local men, women and children fighting HIV/AIDS. As local charity A Loving Spoonful’s signature fundraiser, Project Empty Bowl welcomes do-gooders to Vancouver’s Coast Coal Harbour Hotel for a night of fabulous food, entertainment and auctions, starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $100, and include a special handcrafted bowl for each guest as a reminder of their contribution to a very worthy cause.



Credit: The Columbia

A Stranger on Earth: The Dinah Washington Story — June 21

Before her death in 1963 at age 39, Grammy-winning singer Dinah Washington was dubbed “Queen of the Jukeboxes.” Now the life of the talented but tempestuous chart topper is revisited in A Stranger on Earth — The Dinah Washington Story, held on June 21 at New Westminster’s Columbia Theatre. Canadian crossover artist Jayleen Stonehouse explores Washington’s legacy in a soulful and stirring performance told through music and song, starting at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available online for $25.



Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival — June 21-23

There’s not one single reason to go to the 25th annual Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival. There are actually several reasons, starting with the fact that this seafaring fest is widely recognized as North America’s biggest and best, thanks to more than 180 top dragon-boat teams from around the world competing on the waters of Vancouver’s False Creek from June 21 to 23. And if that’s not enough, this free fest also features live music, a vendor marketplace, international food fair and a beer garden.



Point Grey Fiesta — June 21-23

Point Grey’s claim to fame is that it’s among Vancouver’s most exclusive enclaves. But thankfully that exclusivity doesn’t extend to the annual Point Grey Fiesta, where everyone’s welcome to kick it up at this free, family-friendly fest from June 21 to 23. Swing by to catch everything from a street parade, sidewalk sale and pancake breakfast to carnival rides, midway games and food vendors at Trimble Park and along West 10th Avenue, starting Friday at 3 p.m.



TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival — June 21-July 1

More than 100 years after it originated in America’s Deep South, jazz hasn’t missed a beat when it comes to seducing generations of new fans. Why else would the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival, running from June 21 to July 1 at various local venues, incite thousands of music lovers to tussle for tickets to shows featuring the likes of Macy Gray, Herbie Hancock, Nikki Yanofsky and Dr. John & the Nite Trippers? There are free performances, too, with all the deets on this 28th annual jazz jamboree available online.



Klahowya Village — June 21-September 2

We already know it takes a village to raise a child. But did you also know it takes a village to preserve a culture? That’s the aim of Klahowya Village in Stanley Park, giving Vancouverites an authentic taste of local aboriginal culture through traditional music and dance performances, woodcarving and weaving demos, plus authentic cuisine and rides on a “Spirit Catcher” train, until September 2. Best time to go? Definitely June 21, when a grand-opening celebration salutes National Aboriginal Day.



Credit: Flickr/ambernambrose

Cuchillo Restaurant

Skeptics will always seek to disprove a superlative, so describing a new restaurant as “the sexiest room in town” is one way to get butts in seats. Another is to serve up some of the hottest tapas this side of Havana, which is exactly the mission of Cuchillo Restaurant (261 Powell St, Vancouver), serving up pan-Latin plates with a modern twist coupled by classic cocktail creations. Book your table by calling 604-559-7585.


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.