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10Best Events
Carol Ship Parade of Lights
(Events - Best of the City)
December 2009
Coal Harbour, Vancouver  • 604-438-4960
Distance: ~0 m *
        Description: Sparkling lights dancing off the dark waters illuminate Coal Harbor as the silvery sound of carols carries across the ripples. In a unique holiday tradition that begins the 1st of December and continues until the 23rd, a gathering of decorated boats, sometimes as many as 80, twinkling with an excess of 100,000 lights, parade along various routes in the harbor, passing False Creek, Science World, English Bay, Ambleside and other spots to afford onlookers on the shore an exciting eyeful of the brilliant sight. Reservations can be made to be on a parading boat. Check the website for the presenting cruise sponsor and pricing.
       

Details
 
Festival of Lights at Van Dusen Botanical Gardens
(Events - Best of the City)
December 11 - January 3, 2010
5251 Oak St Van Dusen Botanical Gardens, Vancouver  V6M 4H1
Distance: ~0 m *
        Description: Gingerbread Woods with a cottage and a lollipop garden, a floating bridge, a magic marsh, the Golden Chain Walk, Livingstone Lake are all bedecked and bedazzled with over a million combined lights including state-of-the-art fiber optic, LEDs, and old-fashioned flickering candles. Through the month of December, there is always a brilliant new vista to find in the 15-acre VanDusen garden. Inside, Santa makes nightly appearances to read stories, a magician does tricks, hot cocoa, soups and sandwiches are sold, dancers dance, choristers sing and faces can be painted to add to the collective festive glow of the season.
       

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Polar Bear Swim
(Events - Best of the City)
January 1, 2010
English Bay Beach between Denman and Burrard St, Vancouver  • 604-665-3418
Distance: ~0 m *
        Description: This chilly event takes place each New Year's Day when several hundred brave and hardy souls wade into the freezing waters of English Bay to demonstrate that it is indeed possible to swim outdoors 365 days a year. Spectators often come in costume, and there are vendors for everything from hot chocolate to souvenirs. There's even a trophy for the winners of the Peter Pantages Memorial 100 Yard Race. To join the swim, you must be a member of the Polar Bear Club, but don't let that deter you – registration is free, for two hours prior to the event!
       

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Dine Out Vancouver
(Events - Best of the City)
January 2010
Various venues, Vancouver
Distance: ~0 m *
        Description: Dine Out Vancouver comes along mid-January just in time to take a bite out of that New Year's diet resolution. But it is hard to pass up the three-course dinners available at the skinny prix fixes of just $15, $25 or $35 per person (exclusive of alcohol, tax and tip). Many of the city's finest restaurants will open their kitchens to serve up gourmet delights to brighten the winter doldrums after the whirl of the holidays. Participating restaurants vary from year to year, and be sure to call ahead to reserve tables at this most popular event.
       

Details
 
Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival
(Events - Best of the City)
February 2009, March 2009
Various locations, Vancouver  • 604-873-3311 • FAX: 604-872-6632
Distance: ~0 m *
        Description: The Vancouver Convention Center is transformed into a vast international wine tasting room as just one of the venues hosting this intoxicating event that is literally the toast of the town. Activities include informative demonstrations, seminars, lunches and dinners with appropriate pairings as well as the highlight benefit dinner, Bacchanalia Gala Dinner and Auction (proceeds go to the Vancouver Playhouse productions and outreach programs). Attendees must be 19 years or older to participate. Early bird tickets are available at substantial savings.
       

Details
 
CFCC Lunar New Year Festival
(Events - Best of the City)
February 2010
various locations, Vancouver  • 604-273-1655 • FAX: 604-273-8403
Distance: ~0 m *
        Description: Wildly colorful and festive, the celebration of Chinese New Year galvanizes the large Asian population of Vancouver and the rest of the residents in a several-day long event culminating in a parade through Chinatown complete with fierce dragons, dancing lions and fireworks. Past years have featured a cultural fair at the Pacific Coliseum Building with dance performances, kung fu exhibitions, traditional music, children's theater, even a model search. A variety of traditional holiday foods are available as well.
       

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Baisakhi Day Parade
(Events - Best of the City)
April 2009
City streets, Vancouver
Distance: ~0 m *
        Description: Though properly known as Sikh New Year, a harvest festival and commemoration of the founding of the faith, the Baisakhi Day parade is an inclusive event that embraces all Vancouver residents and visitors and encourages them to join the festivities. Colorful traditional attire includes parade leaders decked out in saffron turbans and tunics, dancers, chanters and Bhangra music. The scent of spices fills the air issuing from food stalls set up along route which passes the Punjabi Market and culminates at the Ross St. Temple.
       

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Vancouver Sun Run
(Events - Best of the City)
April 19, 2009
city streets, Vancouver
Distance: ~0 m *
        Description: Touted as Canada's biggest community running event, the Sun Run has attracted upwards of 50,000 competitors in previous years for all categories including striders, wheelchairs and elite athletes. The 10K run has a course that follows city streets, cuts through Stanley Park and continues along the shore of English Bay to cross over the Burrard Street Bridge. Spectators and participants will enjoy views of the water and the snowcapped mountains in the distance. Bands and performers line the entire route. The finish line and awards ceremony at BC Place Stadium is filled with live entertainment, free refreshments, games and activities in the Kids Zone.
       

Details
 
Vancouver International Marathon
(Events - Best of the City)
May 2, 2010
City streets, Vancouver
Distance: ~0 m *
        Description: Though activities surrounding the marathon take place in the days just before, the main event happens in the 8 hours from early morning until mid-afternoon along a mostly flat, paved, spectator-friendly course starting at Plaza of Nations to the inner harbour of False Creek, through historic Gastown and into Stanley Park. The Burrard Street Bridge gets a double crossing to Kitsilano and back to finish at BC Place Stadium where awards ceremonies await the winners.
       

Details
 
Vancouver International Children's Festival
(Events - Best of the City)
May 11 - May 18, 2009
1100 Chestnut St Vanier Park, Vancouver  V6J 3J9
Distance: ~0 m *
        Description: The scooter set and their loved ones will delight in this cultural fair just for them. For a solid week in May, young audiences are presented with a plethora of performances and opportunities to participate in hands-on activities especially designed to challenge and stimulate, entertain and educate. The schedule includes puppet shows, skits, music, dance and more to watch; faces, hands and paper to paint, clay to pound and sculpt, books to bind, balls to juggle and finger food to snack. Roving entertainers promise a surprise on almost every path.
       

Details
 


* All distances are approximate "straight-line" distances.
  See Directions for actual "travel distances."