BC Adventures – Our To Do Picks for September 1-7

Enjoy an old-fashioned Labour Day at the Burnaby Village Museum

What to do in BC this week

Head to the Kilby Kids Festival – September 1
Parents are all too aware that the last weekend of summer morphs most kids into monsters. One way to help turn those frowns upside down? By taking them to the Kilby Kids Festival on September 1 at Harrison Mills, a five-acre heritage site featuring everything from music, dance and crafts to face painting, clowns and friendly farm animals. Catch it from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Kilby Historic Site, and don’t forget to check out the old-time general store museum, post office and Manchester House Hotel, too.

Wag Your Tail at the 10th Annual Dog Days of Summer – September 1
Crazy about canines? Then head to the 10th annual Dog Days of Summer at See Ya Later Ranch (2575 Green Lake Rd, Okanagan Falls), near Penticton. Pooch-loving peeps will enjoy live music, wine tastings and an art market, along with a doggie fashion show, pet photography and chance to meet therapy dogs from St. Johns Ambulance. Catch it from noon to 4 p.m., with by-donation admission fees benefiting the BC SPCA.

Groove at the Sunshine Music Festival – September 1-2
Summer notwithstanding, rain-soaked West Coasters are always game to soak up some extra sunshine. So cue the 31st annual Sunshine Music Festival, taking place September 1 and 2 at Palm Beach Park in Powell River. When you’re not grooving to performances by more than a dozen international and homegrown acts, you can browse the craft market and enjoy world eats at the on-site food fair. Buy tickets at the gate for $30, with $5 discounts for seniors and students.

Gorge at TaiwanFest – September 1-3
If the thought of barbecued squid, pork dumplings or grilled sausages on sticky-rice buns makes your mouth water, you’re in luck. You’ll find all these ethnic eats and more at the Telus TaiwanFest, taking place September 1 to 3 on the grounds of the Vancouver Art Gallery (801 W. Georgia St). Modelled after Taiwan’s famous night market, this sidewalk shindig features music, dance, games and the ever-popular Tainan Street Banquet, from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Play at the 145th Annual Saanich Fair – September 1-3
Victoria’s answer to the PNE? The 145th annual Saanich Fair, Western Canada’s oldest agricultural exhibition. Held from September 1 to 3, this end-of-summer shindig features everything from whirling rides and midway games to live music, clowns and even a cupcake-eating contest. Check it out at Saanich Fairground (1528 Stellys Cross Rd, Saanichton) from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday. Tickets are available at the gate for $9, with $3 discounts for seniors and youth.

Visit the Burnaby Village Museum  – September 3
Were things really simpler back in so-called simpler times? You be the judge at Burnaby Village Museum, a replica 1920s-era town hosting an old-fashioned Labour Day Fall Fair on September 3. Curious kids and nostalgic seniors alike can check out the pre-iPad forms of fun enjoyed by our predecessors, including corn-shucking contests, games of skill and chance and even a parade. Admission is free (and so are the carousel rides!), from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Attend the Vancouver International Fringe Festival – September 6-16
What makes the Vancouver International Fringe Festival B.C.’s best-loved theatre arts extravaganza? It could be because this often-edgy, always-eclectic fest is oriented toward the offbeat. Or, it could be because this 10-day international showcase offers something for everyone, thanks to over 600 performances by more than 90 artists. See it from September 6 to 16 on indoor and outdoor stages at Granville Island and other Vancouver venues.

See Tom Stoppard’s Heroes at PAL Theatre – September 6-30
A man like Tom Stoppard may need no introduction, but for the less culturally inclined, here’s one anyway: the acclaimed British playwright boasts a canon of award-winning works such as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and The Real Thing. Equally wow-worthy is Heroes, his razor-sharp comedy about three doddering old war vets plotting an escape from a military hospital. Catch it from September 6 to 30 at PAL Theatre (581 Cardero, Vancouver), with tickets starting at $25.

Book a Fall Cleanse at Paradise Found Yoga – September 6-10
Enjoyed one too many margaritas this summer? You can’t undo the past, but you can atone for it by booking a Fall Cleanse at Paradise Found Yoga on Salt Spring Island. From September 6 to 10, guests will detox and de-stress through a combination of healing meals, yoga, meditation and massage, all designed to flush away summer’s excesses. After all, we wash our clothes, our cars and our hair, but when was the last to time you cleaned your kidneys, liver or colon? Exactly.

Appreciate BC at the West Fine Art Show – September 7-9
From rugged mountains, to deep valleys and century-old forests, Western Canada’s untamed beauty is a natural inspiration for artists. And you can see how some of them have interpreted the topic at The West Fine Art Show from September 7 to 9 at Indian Springs Land and Cattle Ranch in South Surrey, home of B.C. senator Gerry St. Germain. Drop by for a free opening-night reception from 7 p.m. to meet the show’s 18 featured artists, including veteran Vancouver DJ Red Robinson.

Ogle Supercars at the Annual Luxury Supercar Weekend – September 8-9
Maserati or Mercedes? Bentley or BMW? Lamborghini or Lotus? What supercar gets your motor running? You’ll have a chance to find out when the third annual Luxury Supercar Weekend rolls into Vancouver’s VanDusen Botanical Gardens on September 8 and 9, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Expect to see an assembly of automotive excellence, along with concept cars of the future, vintage collectibles, customized vehicles from private collectors, plus a swanky designer fashion show. Buy tickets online, starting at $50.

Go on a Foodie Tour at Granville Island – every Friday
Whether it’s your first or 500th trip to Granville Island, you’re guaranteed to see it in a whole new light during the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts’ Plugged-in Market Tour. Held every Friday until October 26, this 1.5-hour, chef-led walking tour invites you to sample the wares of the bustling market’s globally influenced artisans, farmers and food purveyors as you pick up recipe tips along the way. Tickets are $40, but for $20 extra you can enjoy a West Coast-style buffet at Bistro 101, PICA’s student-run gourmet eatery.

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.