Posted on

29th Annual Harmony Arts Festival comes to Ambleside August 2nd

West Vancouver’s Harmony Arts Festival is an annual summer destination for people from all over Metro Vancouver.  Filling the Ambleside Waterfront from Ambleside Pier to John Lawson Park, the festival brings a line-up of entertainment from August 2nd to 11th with scores of music, arts, film and food events, much of it free!

Highlights of the festival events include;

ARTS:

Indigenous Showcase: the indigenous exhibition returns to Harmony Arts for a second year, recognizing the tradition of gathering and celebrates Indigenous artists and communities in a modern context to share in the richness of their arts

ArtSpeaks: Artist talks, art demonstrations, workshops, hands-on classes and more. ArtSpeaks takes place daily and most classes are free!

Art Beat: the Ambleside and Dundarave local shops and restaurants highlight local artists in their storefronts. 

Fresh St. Market Art Market: Argyle Street is filled with a diverse array of one-of-a-kind, gifts, and products including ceramics, glass, jewellery, leather, painting, photography, textiles and wood. Meet artists and artisans who display awe-inspiring works in a row of white tents.

MUSIC:

Harmony Arts Festival

Over the 10 days, Harmony Arts Festival includes 50 live music performances on two stages.

The PARC Retirement Living Garden Stage in Millennium Park, features daytime concerts, dinner concerts at 5:30 p.m. and evening headline concerts at 8:45 p.m. 

The Main Stage in John Lawson Park is home to the popular Sunset Concerts, daily at 7:30 p.m., as well as timeless melodies of the Seniors Series, sponsored by Revera Retirement Living – Hollyburn House on August 4, 5 & 11. 
The 2019 line-up includes: The Paperboys, The Matinée, Dreams: The Ultimate Tribute to Fleetwood Mac, Bobby Bruce’s Nearly Neil and the Solitary Band, R&B Allstars, Desirée Dawson and more. 

FILM:

Outdoor Cinema in the Park takes place each night at 9pm at the John Lawson Park stage. 
This year’s line-up includes award-winning current and classic family-friendly films like Green Book, Crazy Rich Asians, The Incredibles 2, Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid, Black Panther, Top Gun and more. 

FOOD:

Every good festival needs good food, and places to take a break and enjoy the music with your friends. Harmony Arts Festival doesn’t disappoint with a hearty selection of its own free dining spots and ticketed events.

Harmony Arts Festival offers three special ticketed culinary events:

Ambleside Pier

2nd Annual Indigenous Feast: at Ambleside Landing August 6th, 6pm features a traditional indigenous menu paired with Nk’Mip wines

9th Annual Best of the West: on Ambleside Pier August 7th, 7-9pm 12 of the Lower Mainland’s best restaurants paired with 12 wineries for a culinary arts event and competition

4th Annual Night on the Pier: on the Ambleside Pier August 8th, 7:30-9:30pm welcomes some of Metro Vancouver’s top mixologists competing to create the best cocktail as voted by the attendees.

Other dining options around Harmony Arts Festival include;

Artisan Eats, a collection of food trucks at John Lawson Park.

The Park Royal Beachside Patio finds a pop-up version of Feast The Neighbourhood Table to Argyle Street.

The RE/MAX Waterfront Lounge enjoy dining alongside the Parc Retirement Living Garden Stage.

Harmony Arts Festival packs in so much entertainment and activities there’s sure to be something for your whole family to enjoy. 
Visit harmonyarts.ca for a full list of events and times.

Posted on

Picks of the Week – July 24, 2019

The sun has been making regular appearances to help warm up our summer evenings, perfect for the outdoor activities in our picks of the week.

Movie: Downtown Vancouver presents free movies Wednesday nights throughout the summer, tonight family friendly Paddington is on at at šx????n?q Xwtl’e7én? Square (formerly, Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza)

Cinema: Vancouver Civic Theatres are also presenting free outdoor Wednesday evening cinema at šx???ex?n Xwtl’a7shn (formerly QET Plaza) outside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, tonight Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse starts at dusk

North: Can Whitecaps FC advance when they come home for the second leg of the Canadian Championships against Calvary FC, at BC Place tonight.

Lady In Red Ball Host & Fairmont Pride Ambassador Kendal Gender

Lady: Kicking off Pride Week, July 25th, the second Lady in Red Ball in the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver’s Pacific Ballroom, benefiting the Dr Peter AIDS Foundation. 

Stars: The 2019 season of Theatre Under The Stars presents the entertaining musicals Mamma Mia! and Disney’s Newsies on alternating nights until August 17th.

Pride: Vancouver Pride Season is in swing as Pride Premiere gets the fun rolling, a 7 hour party encircling the Vancouver Art Gallery begins at 5pm until late featuring two stages and Silent Disco, outdoor licensed area, drag and dance performances, food trucks, activities, and more

Fireworks: The 2019 Honda Celebration of Light kicks off Saturday July 27, with plenty of entertainment to enjoy before India brings a dazzling display to the skies.

Playland: Playland Nights returns Friday evening bringing dedicated, 19+ activities and entertainment line-up from 7pm to midnight every Friday in July

Folk: The 32nd annual Mission Folk Music Festival brings music to the Fraser River Heritage Park in Mission July 26 -28.

Roar: The BC Place will be filled as BC Lions play host to Saskatchewan Roughriders on Saturday

Stand-up: Comedian Ali Wong brings laughter to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre with 4 shows of her The Milk & Money Tour on July 24, 25, 26.

Backstreet Boys

Pop: The always popular Backstreet Boys return to Rogers Arena on Saturday night with their DNA World Tour

Repertory: The third play, Superior Donuts, in the Ensemble Theatre Company’s 7th Annual Repertory Festival opens this week, with the trio of plays in repertoire at the Jericho Art Centre until August 16th.

Fest: head up the Sea-to-Sky and take in all the music and fun at Squamish Constellation Festival July 26-28

Puppets: Museum of Anthropology’s Shadows, Strings and Other Things features a broad array of puppets, old and new, from 15 countries across Asia, Europe, and the Americas until October 14

Jazz: Singer/Songwriter Norah Jones brings her sounds to the Orpheum Theatre on Sunday evening

Art:  The Vancouver Art Gallery dives into its permanent collection to present Robert Rauschenberg 1965–1980, an exhibition of important but rarely seen works by the prolific twentieth-century American artist, until October

Bard: The 30th season of Bard on the Beach is underway at Vanier Park with Taming of the Shrew and Shakespeare in Love playing in repertoire through the summer on the Mainstage, and All’s Well That Ends Well on now at the Howard Family Stage.

Pitch: The Vancouver Canadians wrap up a home stand against Everett with a fireworks extravaganza following tonights game, and a nooner at the Nat on Thursday.

Posted on

2019 Polaris Music Prize Short List Revealed.

The Polaris Music Prize, presented by CBC Music, recently revealed the 10 albums Short List-nominated albums live on air on CBC Music’s Drive with special host Raina Douris. One nominated album was revealed every half-hour, with each album receiving expert analysis from CBC guests and Polaris jurors.

“This year’s Short List offers a mix of returning Polaris nominees and new voices in a terrific range of genres. As always, thanks to the jury for the care they take to come up with a Short List that represents what’s currently exciting in Canadian music. No matter what your taste, I think you’ll find something to love here,” said Polaris jury foreperson Katherine Duncan.”

The 2019 Polaris Music Prize Short List is:

  • Marie Davidson – Working Class Woman
  • Elisapie – The Ballad of the Runaway Girl
  • FET.NAT – Le Mal
  • Dominique Fils-Aimé – Stay Tuned!
  • Les Louanges – La nuit est une panthère
  • Haviah Mighty – 13th Floor
  • PUP – Morbid Stuff
  • Jessie Reyez – Being Human In Public
  • Shad – A Short Story About A War
  • Snotty Nose Rez Kids – Trapline

The 2019 winner will be determined at the Polaris Music Prize Gala. The event, which will be held at The Carlu in Toronto on September 16, will be hosted by Douris and live-streamed globally at cbcmusic.ca/polaris.

The Polaris Music Prize awards $50,000 to the artist who creates the Canadian Album of the Year, judged solely on artistic merit, without consideration for genre or record sales. Additionally, the nine other nominated acts whose albums made the 2019 Short List will receive $3,000 each courtesy of Slaight Music.

Albums eligible for 2019 Polaris Music Prize consideration must be released between May 1, 2018 and May 31, 2019. An independent jury of music journalists, broadcasters and bloggers from across Canada determine the Long List and Short List. Eleven people from the larger jury pool are then chosen to serve on the Grand Jury. This Grand Jury convene on the night of the Gala to select the Polaris Music Prize winner.

The 2019 winner of the Polaris Music Prize will join past winners: Jeremy Dutcher (2018), Lido Pimienta (2017), Kaytranada (2016), Buffy Sainte-Marie (2015), Tanya Tagaq (2014), Godspeed You! Black Emperor (2013), Feist (2012), Arcade Fire (2011), Karkwa (2010), Fucked Up (2009), Caribou (2008), Patrick Watson (2007) and Final Fantasy / Owen Pallett (2006).

Posted on

The Lady In Red Ball Returns to Fairmont Hotel Vancouver

While the ghostly Lady In Red haunts the upper levels of the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, patrons will be celebrating the second Lady in Red Ball in the Pacific Ballroom. Kicking off Pride Week, July 25th, the Lady In Red Ball benefits Dr Peter AIDS Foundation. 

Lady In Red Ball Host & Fairmont Pride Ambassador Kendal Gender

Vancouver’s Next Drag Superstar winner and Fairmont Pride Ambassador, Kendall Gender, hosts the evening’s events, including a show-stopping drag performance with Vancouver’s premiere girl-gang, The Brat Pack.

The evening will also feature a live musical performance by singer/songwriter Stephen Scaccia, DJ-ing by Man About Town Entertainment, will keep the dance floor filled, watch for pop-up performances by stilt-walkers and acrobats, as guests peruse and bid on silent auction prizes, sip cocktails and nibble canapes.

Partial proceeds from The Lady In Red Ball support the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation. The Dr. Peter Aids Foundation is a non-profit organization that raises funds to support innovative health care at the Dr. Peter Centre, British Columbia’s only HIV day health program and 24-hour nursing residence. The only program of its kind in Canada, the Dr. Peter Centre is a leader in HIV care, particularly for individuals with multiple medical conditions and social barriers.

After a successful debut year, The Lady In Red Ball looks forward to building on that momentum to fill the Pacific Ballroom and be able to grow its support of the Dr. Peter AIDS Foundation. 

The Lady In Red Ball takes place, Thursday, July 25 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Pacific Ballroom from 7pm – 10pm.  Tickets are on sale now $89 per person, + GST (must be 19+ years to attend). To purchase tickets online, visit notch8-dining.com/store/event/lady-in-red-pride-ball/

Posted on

Picks of the Week – July 17, 2019

Mid-July finds the summer entertainment season heating up, so don’t let showers dampen your spirits, get out and enjoy these picks of the week.

Movie: Downtown Vancouver presents free movies Wednesday nights throughout the summer, tonight Zoolander is on at at šx????n?q Xwtl’e7én? Square (formerly, Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza)

Donna & The Dynamos Front Row L-R: Lori Ashton Zondag as “Tanya,” Caitriona Murphy as “Donna Sheridan,” Sheryl Anne Wheaton as “Rosie.” photo: Lindsay Elliott

Stars: The 2019 season of Theatre Under The Stars presents the entertaining musicals Mamma Mia! and Disney’s Newsies on alternating nights until August 17th.

Kicks: In the midst of a heavy schedule, Whitecaps FC hope to earn some points, and respect, at BC Place when they host

Moms: It’s your last chance to enjoy Mom’s The Word 3 – Nest Half Empty, at The Arts Club Granville Island Stage, before it closes July 20th

Playland: Playland Nights returns Friday evening bringing dedicated, 19+ activities and entertainment line-up from 7pm to midnight every Friday in July

SUPERIOR DONUTS Back: Franco Wicks (Chris Francisque) (c) Emily Cooper Photography

Repertory: The third play, Superior Donuts, in the Ensemble Theatre Company’s 7th Annual Repertory Festival opens this week, with the trio of plays in repertoire at the Jericho Art Centre until August 16th.

Puppets: Museum of Anthropologie’s Shadows, Strings and Other Things features a broad array of puppets, old and new, from 15 countries across Asia, Europe, and the Americas until October 14

Folk: The Vancouver Folk Music Festival takes over Jericho Beach Park, July 19 – 21, 2019 featuring Basia Bulat, Corb Lund, Sam Roberts Band, and more

Art:  The Vancouver Art Gallery dives into its permanent collection to present Robert Rauschenberg 1965–1980, an exhibition of important but rarely seen works by the prolific twentieth-century American artist, until October

Shakespeare in Love Charlie Gallant & Ghazal Azarbad Image: Emily Cooper

Bard: The 30th season of Bard on the Beach is underway at Vanier Park with Taming of the Shrew and Shakespeare in Love playing in repertoire through the summer on the Mainstage, and All’s Well That Ends Well on now at the Howard Family Stage.

Pitch: The Vancouver Canadians kick off a 6 game home stand on Saturday against Tri-City followed by a fireworks extravaganza

Posted on

Vancouver Bach Festival Brings Back Bach

The Vancouver Bach Festival, presented by Early Music Vancouver (EMV) returns to Christ Church Cathedral and the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, July 30 – August 9, 2019. 

J.S. Bach (1685 – 1750) is regarded as one of the greatest composers in Western musical history. His legacy includes some of the most beautiful and well-crafted music ever written. Almost three centuries after Bach’s passing, his vast catalogue of works is still revered, studied, and reinterpreted by music lovers across the globe.

Ensemble Les Boréades de Montréal
photo: Hugo B Lefort

Celebrating EMV’s 50th anniversary, this year’s festival features performances by many the most gifted artists from across Europe and North America. For their second annual ensemble-in-residence program, EMV welcomes Montreal’s internationally acclaimed Ensemble Les Boréades, members of the ensemble perform in multiple concerts throughout the festival.

“For our 50th anniversary we have spared no expense in order to bring our audiences a truly world-class offering of some of the finest artists working in period performance today,” says Matthew White, Executive and Artistic Director of EMV. “I think the personal, aesthetic, and intellectual connections one can make during a festival are the happy result of a ‘total immersion’ — multiple events in a shorter window of time provide a perspective and engagement that is otherwise near impossible to achieve. By offering concerts from a wide range of exciting composers like Strozzi, Shostakovich, Purcell, Faure, Poulenc, Chopin, Handel, Mozart, and of course, Bach, the opportunities to explore links and parallels are limitless.”

The 14-concert festival commences with Ensemble Les Boréades, bringing a spectacular two-night performance of J.S. Bach’s Complete Brandenburg Concertos at The Chan Centre. The Vancouver Bach Choir also partners with the festival for the first time to perform a programme featuring Faure’s beloved Requiem with a professional core of twenty of the region’s best professional singers, accompanied by award-winning organist Christina Hutten. This year’s Vancouver Bach Festival also collaborates with Vancouver Chopin Society, the Pacific Baroque Orchestra (PBO), and Pacific MusicWorks.

Vancouver Bach Choir
Photo: Sophie Song

Further highlights include the return of audience favourite soprano Amanda Forsythe with Pacific MusicWorks, in a performance of Handel’s early cantatas, as well as sopranos Suzie LeBlanc and Dorothee Mields’ dramatic interpretations of female composer Barbara Strozzi’s 17th century musings on love and loss. The festival’s popular weekday afternoon concert series also returns, offering diverse and delightful selections of acclaimed musicians and performers.

The festival will come to a conclusion with the presentation of Purcell’s Hail Bright Cecilia at the Chan Centre, featuring six internationally renowned vocal soloists and the PBO led by Alexander Weimann.

To complement the musical lineup, EMV will compliment the festival with an array of thought-provoking film screenings and expert talks, which audiences can enjoy with wine and refreshments in a relaxed atmosphere. 

For tickets and a more details and a complete schedule of all Vancouver Bach Festival events, visit: earlymusic.bc.ca 

Posted on

Honda Celebration Of Light Lines Up Music & More

Honda Celebration of Light is more than just spectacular fireworks from India, Canada & Croatia, organizers have also lined up three nights of entertainment for two stages during the fireworks festival. 

The Z Fest stage, at the Keg Lounge on the Bathhouse Roof at English Bay, presented by Z-95.3, welcomes the internationally renowned Canadian world-music group Delhi 2 Dublin, plus Khanvict, and Vidya Vox on Saturday, July  27th.
Wednesday, July 31st finds Scott Helman, Tyler Shaw, and Famba taking the Z Fest stage.
On the final evening, Saturday August 3rd, Multi Grammy award winning artist Speech, founder of the legendary hip-hop group Arrested Development, joins Canadian hip-hop legend Kardinal Offishall and Maestro Fresh Wes. 

If that isn’t enough entertainment the Park Stage at Second Beach offers free, family-friendly festival site featuring more live music, food trucks, sponsor activations, and a site-wide liquor license.  The Park Stage, features more than a dozen musical acts including Virginia to Vegas, The Funk Hunters, and The Boom Booms.  In partnership with Music BC, Honda Celebration of Light, is pleased to present two new artists, Biawanna and Adrian Chalifour, on the Park Stage at Second Beach.

It’s not all music during the festival, entertainment takes to the air too. The Pete McLeod Airshow Presented by Red Bull returns, by popular demand, with his jaw-dropping aerial show every night at 7:45 pm over the shores of English Bay.

Keep track of all of this entertainment on The official Honda Celebration of Light Mobile App, available for download from both iTunes and Android App Stores. The app includes a complete list of events, maps and other festival details, as well as a music simulcast of the fireworks show.  Rain or shine, the fireworks will begin at 10:00 p.m. from the barges located in English Bay. In addition to the app stream, music simulcast can be also be heard on Z-95.3, and the Breeze 104.3 FM  

If Z Fest and the Park Stage at Second Beach isn’t your scene, Honda Celebration of Light offers plenty of ways to make the most of all that the longest-running offshore fireworks competition in the world has to offer, from the prime viewing & listening at The Keg Lounge on the Bathhouse Roof, the Concord Lounge at the Inukshuk or with guaranteed family friendly seating at the YVR Observation Deck. 

For a complete schedule of events visit hondacelebrationoflight.com/