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This week in BC: Bling out on beads, pick a pumpkin, dress up your dog, and more
The Carnegie Jazz Band performs at the Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival
See Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad – October 20 – November 20 Forget Marc Cherry, Margaret Atwood deserves props for creating the original desperate housewife. Her play The Penelopiad, a witty retelling of The Odyssey from the point of view of Odysseus’s long-suffering wife, takes the stage at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage (2750 Granville St., Vancouver) from October 20 to November 20. But don’t expect it to be butt-numbingly boring because director Vanessa Porteous promises, “Atwood isn’t attempting to rewrite The Odyssey, but to add to it . . . I think Homer would have a good time at the show.”
Bling Out at the Fraser Valley Bead Show – October 21-23 Bangles and baubles and beads, oh my! The Fraser Valley Bead Show is getting set to bring on the bling at Cascades Casino and Convention Centre (20393 Fraser Hwy, Langley) from October 21 to 23. The largest event of its kind in Western Canada, this accessories extravaganza features nearly 50 artists and vendors, 22 jewellery-making classes and even free lampworking demos. Admission is $7 and free for kids under 12.
Take Your Dog Trick or Treating – October 22 You know all those bylaws banning pets from public places? Chuck all those rules right out the window ’cause Three Dog Bakery and neighbouring vendors in Vancouver and Port Moody are throwing open their doors to dogs for Pooch Spooks. For a $5 minimum donation, costumed canines can enjoy tricks for treats from noon to 2 p.m. at Suter Brook Village (#11-201 Morrissey Rd, Port Moody) on October 22, and at Point Grey Village (4548 W. 10th Ave., Vancouver) on October 29.
Remember David Y.H. Lui – October 23 If the name David Y.H. Lui has you asking, “Who’s that?”, no offense, but it’s probably safe to skip the grand goodbye to Vancouver’s recently deceased dance impresario. Everyone else, though, is welcome to attend David Y.H. Lui — A Celebration on October 23 at 2 p.m. at the Vancouver Playhouse, where local and national artists and speakers will perform and remember the man who helped put B.C.’s arts community on the map.
Don’t Miss the Heart of the City Festival – October 26 – November 6 Don’t discount Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Yes, it may be Canada’s poorest community, but it’s definitely rich in culture, as you’ll discover at the eighth annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival. With more than 80 events unfolding at over 20 locations from October 26 to November 6, this profile-raising community party includes everything from gallery exhibits and musical showcases to art talks and history walks.
Spend Some Adult Time at Science World – October 28 Who says science can’t be fun? Certainly not the folks at Science World (1455 Quebec St., Vancouver), who are getting set to prove the popular tourist attraction isn’t just for kids by hosting an adults-only evening on October 28. But don’t think X-rated entertainment — Science World After Dark is all about kicking back with a glass of wine, exploring the exhibits and enjoying age-appropriate science shows, minus the usual hordes of hyperactive hellions.
Catch Tosca Cafe at the Vancouver Playhouse – until October 29 “Genuine magic” is how the San Francisco Chronicle described Tosca Café, a multimedia spectacle set in the Bay Area’s best-known watering hole. Until October 29, armchair travellers can take a seat at the Vancouver Playhouse to catch this tour de force show that chronicles nearly a century of San Francisco history, all ear-catchingly choreographed to a score spanning from Puccini to Hendrix. Tickets start at $33 per person.
Hit up a Haunted Village – October 28-30 Better carry a few cloves of garlic, or at least a crucifix or two, if you plan to swing by Burnaby Village Museum (6501 Deer Lake Ave.) from October 28 to 30. That’s because legions of bloodsuckers will be swarming the cobblestone streets of the Roaring Twenties town for some pre-Halloween hoopla, including a Vampire Ball, a circus sideshow and even a Voodoo Café, where you can nibble on severed toes and other tasty treats. Catch Haunted Village — Halloween Hysteria! nightly from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Pick out a Pumpkin – until October 31 Sure, you could always pick out a pumpkin from your local grocery store bin, but where’s the fun in that? If you really want to score points with the kids, and enjoy some old-fashioned fall fun while you’re at it, check out Richmond Country Farms (12900 Steveston Hwy, Richmond), voted “Best Pumpkin Patch” in the Georgia Straight’s 2011 Readers’ Choice Awards. And if you go from now until October 31, you can also hunker down on a hayride, navigate a corn maze and catch live bluegrass music in the bandstand.
Go Flying – anytime Time was, only astronauts-in-training got to experience the fun of free-floating in an anti-gravity chamber. Not anymore — thanks to Flyzone Bodyflight (7150 Tilbury Road, Delta), you too can bid goodbye to gravity and see what it’s like to literally float on air with the aid of a high-powered vertical wind tunnel. Sound like fun? Book your solo flight, birthday bash, Halloween party or corporate event by contacting the indoor skydiving centre Wednesdays through Sundays.
Celebrate Oktoberfest in Penticton – October 22 Did you know that beer is thought to be the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage? Anything with that kind of staying power has got to be good, right? Judge for yourself at Penticton’s second annual Oktoberfest on October 22. Held from 5:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., this big-time bash refashions the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre for one night only into the vibrant beer halls of Bavaria, complete with authentic eats, drinks and live OomPah music. Tickets are $25, and include a free 15-ounce beer mug. Take a Ghostly Walk in Victoria – October 21-31 Are you afraid of the dark? Better get over it quick if you want to join hallowed historian John Adams on a Ghostly Walks Tour, running nightly in Victoria from October 21 to 31. Brave souls are invited to gather at the Bedford Regency Hotel (1140 Government St.) to wander cobblestone alleyways, historic courtyards and other spooky spots that were once the scene of murder, mayhem and other dark deeds.
Originally published in TVW. For daily updates, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletter, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.