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

Credit: TVW

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Mavis Staples plays the Chan Centre Oct 16

What to do in BC this week

Take a Haunted Vancouver Trolley Tour – October 12-31

Do you dare to be scared? Then why not indulge your hunger for horror on the Haunted Vancouver Trolley Tours, running from October 12 to 31. Thrill-seekers can hop aboard an old-time trolley, frightfully festooned for the season, on a 2.5-hour tour of the city’s spookiest sites, including Mountain View Cemetery and a former autopsy room at the Vancouver Police Museum. Word of caution: not for kids under 13.


Catch a Bloody Good Ballet
 – October 13-15
Let’s face it, a show called Love Lies Bleeding doesn’t sound like the most uplifting of entertainment experiences. But what’s in a name anyway, ’cause this ballet bonanza, inspired by the music of Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin, offers an unforgettable rock ’n’ roll story tracking the pleasures and perils of superstardom, Elton-style, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre only from October 13 to 15.


Don’t Fear Fright Nights – October 14-31

Who’s afraid of the dark? The answer just might be “you” if you’re brave enough to venture to Fright Nights at the PNE from October 14 to 31. This popular freak fest — think of it as Playland’s creepier cousin — features five haunted attractions ranging from murderous manors to insane asylums, each cloaking ghoulish performers whose sneak attacks have been known to make grown men scream like little girls. Check it out nightly from 6 p.m.


Celebrate the Harvest at Kilby Historic Site – October 15-16
You’ll get a taste of a different time in more ways than one at this weekend’s Harvest Festival at Kilby Historic Site (215 Kilby Road, Harrison Mills). Boasting all the charm of a 1920s country fair, this music-filled marketplace sells everything from jam, jellies and jewelry to fresh-picked produce and preserves. Plus, you’ll also find loads of kids’ crafts as well as the handiwork of local crafters and artists. Catch it on October 15 and 16 from11 a.m. to 4 p.m., then visit the Harrison Mills Quilt Show, just up the road at the local community hall.

See Mavis Staples and Allen Toussaint at the Chan Centre – October 16
There’s a good reason why Mavis Staples has been considered an influential force on the music scene for six decades. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, who Rolling Stone listed as one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time, is still going strong, judging by the Grammy-winning success of her 2011 album You Are Not Alone. And she won’t be alone on October 16, either, when she double-bills with New Orleans R&B legend Allen Toussaint in Chan Centre’s 2011-12 season opener at Chan Shun Concert Hall (6265 Crescent Rd., Vancouver).


Plan a Wedding – October 17
Wedding planning can turn even the most mild-mannered missus into a raging Bridezilla. Luckily, that won’t be the case at the Fraser Valley Wedding Festival, taking place October 17 at The Coast Hotel (20393 Fraser Hwy, Langley). That’s because the focus is firmly on fun, thanks to live music, dazzling décor showcases, oodles of experts and a bridal tearoom where you can “indulge till you bulge.”


Get Some Saje Advice – October 18

You don’t need to be an egghead like Einstein to know that our hectic lifestyles strain the body, mind and spirit, leading to potential health problems down the road. Nip all that nastiness in the 
bud at a free wellness seminar called
 “Release Stress and Balance Your Life” on October 18 at Saje’s Metrotown store in Burnaby. This two-hour session, held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., teaches you simple ways to beat stress while offering a 25 per cent discount on all merchandise.



See Comedy on the Edge – October 20

Tired of stale TV sitcoms and canned laughter? For a mere $10 ticket, catch six of Canada’s funniest comedians on stage for Comedy on the Edge at the Edgewater Casino (750 Pacific Blvd., Vancouver) on October 20. Headlined by Simon King, the show starts at 9 p.m. with TVW “Dirty Laundry” columnist Patrick Maliha serving as the evening’s MC.


Get a Taste of Yaletown – October 19-30

So many restaurants, so little time. Food and wine lovers are getting set to take their seats for the annual Taste of Yaletown, featuring delicious deals on meals at over 20 of Vancouver’s top restaurants from October 19 to 30. Pick and choose from over 20 acclaimed eateries, including Elixir, Glowbal Grill and Goldfish Pacific Kitchen, each serving up three-course tasting menus priced at a palatable $25, $35 or $45 per person.


Send Your Bras Across the Bridge for Cancer – October 21
Why are Vancouver women doffing their bras? Sorry, guys, it’s not a nudie convention, it’s just the third annual Bras Across the Bridge, a fundraiser for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. All you have to do is bring an old bra to Capilano Suspension Bridge (3735 Capilano Road, North Vancouver) on October 21 and your old boulder holder will go to support the Breast Cancer Society, courtesy of $1 donations by both Cap Bridge and Virgin Radio 95.3. Just as cool, the bras will also be donated to local women’s shelters.
 


Take Your Gals to the West Coast Women’s Show – October 21-23
Girls just wanna have fun. And that’s exactly what they’ll be doing at the 11th annual West Coast Women’s Show, held October 21 to 23 at Tradex (1190 Cornell Street, Abbotsford). So gather up the gals and check out the 400-plus exhibitors, fitness demos and wellness presentations as you tip back a martini and take in the 2012 “Hall of Flame” Calendar Firefighters Fashion Show and celeb speakers like Home Heist’s Colin & Justin (shown) and soap stars Joshua Morrow and Daniel Goddard.
 
Take Ghost Town Tour – now
Is there any better time than Halloween to visit a ghost town? We think not, which is why we recommend a jaunt to the Mineshaft Pub & Grill in Bralorne, a once-booming town that long ago went bust. Sparse population aside, the local watering hole is still kicking, though— a place where you can warm up by an old-time pellet stove and enjoy heaping helpings of home-style cooking and small-town hospitality. While you’re there, check out the Bralorne Pioneer Museum, too. Call 250-238-0150 or visit them online.

Originally published in TVW. For daily updates, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletter, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.