BC Adventures – Our To Do Picks for April 21-27

Mission Hill Family Estate hosts its annual summertime concert series starting June 24

What to do in BC this week

Brunch Among Blossoms at Minter Gardens – now until mid-October
Care to brunch among the blossoms? Minter Gardens (52892 Bunker Rd, Rosedale) makes your wish a reality each week at a Gourmet Sunday Brunch, available from now until mid-October. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., discerning diners are invited to take a seat in Trillium Restaurant for a five-star feast featuring everything from seafood to salad. To reserve your table, call 604-794-7044.

Catch God of Carnage – April 14 – May 5
Billed as “fast, furious, and very, very funny,” God of Carnage was the last production scheduled by the Vancouver Playhouse before it ceased operations in March. Now, thanks to the help of generous sponsors, the play’s cast members will still get to break a proverbial leg when the Tony Award-winning show takes the stage from April 14 to May 5 at the Vancouver Playhouse (Hamilton at Dunsmuir). Tickets start at $33, and can be reserved by calling 604-665-3470.

Witness a Comedic Roasting – April 19 – 21
Comedy is a risky business. And never more so than at Vancouver TheatreSports, premiering a hot new parody called Dragons’ Improv Tank. A spoof of CBC’s Dragons’ Den, the show rolls out a roster of wannabes who risk getting royally roasted as they pitch their improv ideas to a hard-to-please panel of judges. With so much fast-paced comedic action, the only sure-fire winner is the audience. Tickets start at $10 at the door.

Plant a Tree for Earth Day – April 21
Granted, not everyone wants to get up early on a Saturday morning to go plant trees. But that’s just one of the optional activities in store at Earth Day Vancouver, taking place on April 21 at Everett Crowley Park (Kerr St and E. 64th Ave). You’ll also find full-on festivities in the form of live music, food vendors, ecological exhibits and kids’ activities. Bring your pooch — it is an off-leash dog park, after all! — and check out the fun for free, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Catch Canadian Comic Darrin Rose in Chasing Manhood – April 21
What would you do if you were a scrawny comic-book collector raised by a macho father and burly older brother? If your name is Darrin Rose, you grow up to write and star in the autobiographical one-man show, Chasing Manhood. On stage at Mary Irwin Theatre (421 Cawston Ave, Kelowna) on April 21, the up-and-coming Canadian comic, who currently stars in the CBC hit show Mr. D, proves that the best type of humour always hits close to home. Buy tickets for the 8 p.m. performance by calling 250-717-5304.

Celebrate Mother Earth’s Birthday – April 22
When you’re older than dirt, who wants to celebrate another birthday? But when the birthday girl in question is Mother Earth, the answer is: we do! Around town, you’ll have no shortage of eco-friendly options to ring in Earth Day on April 22. One idea: the Commercial Drive Earth Day Parade, starting at 11 a.m. from Vancouver’s Broadway SkyTrain Station and ending in a party at Grandview Park. Dress up in costume, bring banners or signs and enjoy a wide range of entertainers, booths and aboriginal performances.

Watch, Learn and Talk Dance During National Dance Week – April 22 – 29
It’s said that people should dance like no one is watching. The performers at National Dance Week, running from April 22 to 29, won’t have that option. Masses of dance fans are expected to turn out for the performances, workshops and lectures showcasing B.C.’s diverse dance scene at various Vancouver venues. And on April 29, check out the full day of free performances in honour of International Dance Day at Scotiabank Dance Centre (677 Davie St), from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Bust a Rhyme at the Vancouver International Poetry Festival – April 23 – 28
Words can heal or harm, instruct and inspire. And, with a little imagination, they can be crafted into wicked rhymes, the likes of which you’ll hear at the second annual Vancouver International Poetry Festival, unfolding from April 23 to 28 at various local venues like the Rio Theatre (1660 E. Broadway). From talk-rock poetry to performance art, this writers’ round-up is described as an “unstoppable, no-holds-barred” exploration of the best contemporary spoken word in Canada and beyond.

Listen to Chilean Musicians Merge Latin American Folk with World Music  – April 24
Considered “a veritable institution,” Chilean musicians Inti-Illimani celebrate their 45th anniversary in a rare Canadian engagement on April 24 at the Chan Centre (6265 Crescent Rd, Vancouver). The eight-member ensemble, who’ll be playing more than 30 wind, string and percussion instruments, are famed for merging Latin American folk sound with world music, all peppered with a touch of socio-political commentary. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show start at $39.75.

Taste Narramata Bench Wineries Spring Releases  – April 24  
Be the first to taste the spring release wines from B.C.’s own Naramata Bench Wineries while benefiting our local arts scene. Head to Naramata on the River on April 24 at the River Market at Westminster Quay (810 Quayside Dr, New Westminster) for an evening of fine sips, live music and a silent auction to benefit the BC Cultural Crawl. Tickets are $85 in advance.

See Tattoo Artists in Action at the West Coast Tattoo & Culture Show – April 27 – 29
The West Coast Tattoo & Culture Show is set to leave a mark from April 27 to 29 at Boulevard Casino (2080 United Blvd, Coquitlam), where you’ll find over 100 of the world’s top ink artists in action. But that’s not all: this fourth annual expo also includes a pin-up pageant, model contest, on-site clinics and a guest appearance by Miami Ink’s Chris Nuñez. Admission is $20 at the door.

Catch a Concert at Mission Hill – this summer
Wine lovers need no excuse to visit Mission Hill Family Estate (1730 Mission Hill Rd, Kelowna), an Okanagan oasis whose open-door policy sees droves of day-trippers bellying up to a VQA tasting bar. But the winery’s hillside site will be even busier than usual when it kicks off its annual summertime concert series on June 24 with a performance by Grammy-winning jazz giant Chris Botti. Tickets are sure to sell out, so book yours now by calling 250-762-5050.

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.