Vancouver Adventures: April 25 to May 1

Party for the Planet – April 25

Celebrate Earth Day in Surrey at the Party for the Planet with artists like Good for Grapes, Charlotte Diamond, Five Alarm Funk and Lovecoast. While these and many other roving performers take to three main stages, attendees are invited to participate in the non-stop eco-fun, including an Enviro Bungee powered by solar energy, Dance Offs with the mascots from Despicable Me, Surrey’s Urban Farm Market, a bike-powered smoothie stop, and much more.

This free event begins at The Plaza at City Hall (13450 104th Avenue, Surrey) at 10 a.m. and runs until 6 p.m.

Rotary Wine, Food & Music Festival – April 25

Hit up the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre (6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby) on Saturday, April 25 for Burnaby’s premier wine event. Presented by the Rotary Club of Burnaby Metrotown, the Wine, Food & Music Festival brings together a wide variety of white and red wines, delicious food created by local chefs, and the musical repertoire of SFU’s Concert Orchestra. Come and sip, listen and mingle amid a festival of sensory sensations destined to elevate your food, wine and musical palettes.

Tickets are $45 each (available online) but if you can muster a group of 10, the price drops to $35 a head.

EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival – April 26 to May 3

Returning for its 13th year, the EAT! Vancouver Food + Cooking Festival at BC Place (777 Pacific Blvd) will host 15 chefs from across Canada and showcase their skills in 35 culinary events. Two hundred and fifty food and beverage exhibitors will be on the scene, along with sponsors such as Edible Canada and the BC Craft Brewers Guild as 17 hands-on workshops, a collaborative chef dinner series, and a hospitality symposium celebrates the best of food, drink and cooking. Guests will also have the chance to visit the Talk & Taste stage to see expert culinary demonstrations, the Craft Beer Alley to sample the best local craft beers, and the Canadian Food Artisan Pavilion to peruse the wares of the Canada’s leading culinary artisans.

Tickets are available online with optional VIP pass.

check out recipes from the chefs at this year’s EAT! Vancouver festival

Blo Academy Hair Workshop – April 26

The very first Blo Academy workshop, hosted by Blo Blow Dry Bar at the Four Seasons Vancouver (791 W Georgia Street), is the perfect opportunity to learn how to create runway-ready hair at home. Chief Style Boss Cara Christenson and Blo Blow Dry Bar Vancouver Franchisee Jenny Randhawa will not only impart their expertise on eager stylists in the making, they will also be offering exclusive deals on top-notch hair care tools and products.

Experience a day in the life of a student at Blo University from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are limited, so sign up soon on the Blo Academy Vancouver EventBrite page.

Vancouver Foodster Food Talks, Vol. 12 – April 27

The twelfth instalment of the Food Talks series addresses the theme of perfectionism in our food community. Vancouver Foodster founder Richard Wolak welcomes panel experts SPUD CEO Peter Van Stolk, Wild Sweets chefs and co-owners Dominique and Cindy Duby, The RawBar chef Takayuki Omi and others to the stage at Momento Coffee House (2766 W 4th Ave). Grab a cup of coffee and perhaps a snack or two, and settle back for an engaging introduction to life behind the scenes of the food industry.

BCBusiness 30 Under 30 – April 28

Meet the brightest young stars in the province at the BCBusiness 30 Under 30 cocktail reception, where 30 young CEOs, entrepreneurs and philanthropists will be honoured for their impressive achievements. Prepare to be inspired by the likes of Farm2Fork founder Nicolas Hipperson, Arbutus Medical Inc. co-founder and director Marianne Black, Cavalier Jewellers Ltd. owner Dane Stevens, and Plenty of Fish director of product Agata Osinska as they tell their stories inside the stately Vancouver Club (915 W Hastings Street). Who knows? Some of that success and innovation might just rub off!

Get your tickets at the BCBusiness 30 Under 30 EventBrite page before they disappear.

Campagnolo’s “Just Like Dinner at Nonna’s” – April 28

Round three of Campagnolo‘s “Just Like Dinner at Nonna’s” features a lineup of unique yet nostalgic dishes created by chef de cuisine Nathan Lowey, focusing on Seared Lois Lake Trout. Alongside this traditional main, a warm potato and endive salad, wild greens pesto, and apricot mostardo will pay a delicious tribute to Nonna. Enjoy this spread of Italian comfort food in Campagnolo’s spacious and renowned 25-seat wine bar (1020 Main Street) with a glass of draught beer paired specially with the meal.

Book seats in advance for $22 each by calling 604-484-6018.

DOXA Documentary Film Festival – April 30 to May 10

Presented by The Documentary Media Society, the DOXA Documentary Film Festival kicks off on April 30 with the film How to Change the World, presented at the Vancouver Playhouse (600 Hamilton Street). The next 10 days are filled with a broad range of documentaries from all over the world, screened at the VIFF Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour Street), The Cinematheque (1131 Howe Street), SFU’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts (149 West Hastings Street), and The Post at 750 (#110-750 Hamilton Street).

Unless otherwise specified, attendees must be members of the Documentary Media Society (membership only costs $3) and at least 18 years of age. Tickets are available online, priced according to age and screening times, for up to two hours prior to the screening. To make the most of the festival, check out options for passes and packs.

Jeans Day for BC Children’s Hospital – April 30

Break free from the school uniform or workplace dress code and wear your favourite pair of jeans on April 30 in support of BC Children’s Hospital. Even better: accessorize those jeans with an iconic Jeans Day button or pin, all proceeds of which go toward The Excellence in Child Health Fund. Your contribution will go towards specialized research into childhood diseases, the purchase of state-of-the-art medical equipment, and education programs for caregivers and families. Learn more and register your organization at the BC Children’s Hospital website.

Commercial Drive Street Party – May 1

If you’re looking for a night to remember, wander down to Grandview Park (1657 Charles Street) on May 1 for the first-ever Commercial Drive Street Party. The good times will be rolling with music, dancing, food, and entertainment, hosted by Vancity Mayday. The fun begins at 6 p.m. with music by The Caretakers, followed by a folk show and free BBQ with vegetarian and vegan options. Once the clock strikes 9, dancing takes over the streets for a party you’ll never forget.

Luxury Home & Design Show – May 1 to May 3

Can you imagine the Vancouver Convention Centre transformed into a 45,000 square-foot mansion? Well, it’s going to happen. The Luxury Home & Design Show, beginning on May 1, will return for its second year with a host of award-winning designers, including Sarah Gallop of Sarah Gallop Design, Joy Chao of John Henshaw Architect, and Frits de Vries, founder of Frits de Vries Architect. Once an exclusive event for industry professionals only, the show will be open to the public, so you can get your fill of Roche Bobois furniture and Peter Gorman chinoiserie. Explore the latest in haute couture for the home and pick up tips from the West Coast’s most distinguished design visionaries over three days at the Vancouver Convention Centre (1055 Canada Place).

Tickets and passes available online.