BC Adventures – Our To Do Picks for May 5 – 11

See the ballet Bliss at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre May 10 to 12

What to do in BC this week

See What the Future Holds at the Shadbolt Centre – now until May 5
Calling all theatre buffs! Time is ticking down if you hope to catch A Last Resort, a “boldly personal” and “deeply humorous” play at Shadbolt Centre (6450 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby) until May 5. Fresh from the Tremors Festival, this intimate multimedia production explores the lengths two immigrant artists will go to find that perfect life just beyond the horizon. Tickets are $32 for adults, and $27 for students and seniors at 604-205-3000.

Watch Tassels Twirl at the Vancouver International Burlesque Festival – May 3 – 6
Tassels will be twirling and feathers will be flying when the seventh annual Vancouver International Burlesque Festival brings the best acts in the biz to the Rio (1660 E. Broadway) and Vogue (918 Granville) from May 3 to 6. Feast your eyes on burlesque queens like Miss Indigo Blue and Judith Stein, along with Miss Nude Universe 1975 and boylesque wonder Jett Adore, known internationally as “the no-pantser romancer.”

Dive into Documentaries at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival – May 4 – 13
You know all those Oscar-nominated documentaries you never manage to see by the time Academy Awards season rolls around? Get the jump on the next set of Oscar candidates at the DOXA Documentary Film Festival, unspooling from May 4 to 13 with 76 screenings of 100 shows at five Vancouver venues, including Pacific Cinematheque and St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church. Buy tickets online or in person at Zulu Records and People’s Co-op Books.

Catch a Family-Friendly Ballet – May 5
Just as surely as kids would seek out a house made of candy, they’re equally guaranteed to gobble up Coastal City Ballet’s Hansel & Gretel, on stage May 5 at The ACT (11944 Haney Pl, Maple Ridge) and May 6 at Centennial Theatre (2300 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver), at 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. respectively. Tickets are $32 for adults, and $20 for students and seniors.

Rave about Rhodos at the Burnaby Rhododendron Festival – May 6
Life’s too short not to smell the flowers. Thankfully, you’ll have ample opportunity to do just that at the Burnaby Rhododendron Festival, an annual petal party showcasing the city’s official flower. Taking place on the grounds of Deer Lake Park (Norland & Deer Lake Ave), this free floral fest also includes watercolour workshops, garden tours, art activities, roving performers and a silent auction. Drop by on May 6, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine.

Witness an Iron Chef Showdown – May 6
Kicking off the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival, Gourmet & Grapes marks the start of patio season, lakefront lounging and wine-country adventures. Just as cool, the May 6 shindig at Cabana Bar & Grille (3799 Lakeshore Rd, Kelowna) also sets the stage for Round 7 of the Iron Chef Showdown, where Cabana’s own celebrity chef Ned Bell will go head-to-head with Top Chef Canada champ Dale MacKay. Tickets are $79, and include wine, food, entertainment and a free shuttle home within Kelowna.

Brunch after Running at Hawksworth Restaurant – May 6
Running the BMO Vancouver Half Marathon on May 6? Then you’ll likely be craving some post-race recovery, which you’ll find in the form of a special Runners’ Brunch at Hawksworth Restaurant (801 W. Georgia St, Vancouver). Created by executive chef David Hawksworth, this marathon-size meal is sure to hit the spot with two poached eggs, fennel sausage, asparagus and hedgehog mushroom hash, all for $20. Book by calling 604-673-7000.

Experience Ballet Bliss at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre – May 10 – 12
“New and improved” isn’t a term often used to describe ballet, but the description applies to Bliss, taking the stage at Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre from May 10 to 12. Based on José Navas’ 2010 ballet the bliss that from their limbs all movement takes — which the Vancouver Sun deemed “a joy to watch from beginning to end” — this expanded version includes two new sections set to the music of Mozart and Henryk Gorecki. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show are $22.50 to $70.

Sail in Style – anytime
After years of diaper duty, every mother deserves a place in the sun. That’s especially true around Mother’s Day, when you can treat your favourite matriarch to a brunch buffet or a sunset dinner cruise aboard the MPV Constitution, Vancouver’s only paddlewheeler. One thing’s for sure: These ocean adventures by Harbour Cruises are a no-brainer way to float any mom’s boat. Call 604-688-7246 to book.

Want to share an upcoming event? At least four weeks before the event date, email us at Top10@canadawide.com.

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.