DECEMBER IN VICTORIA: TAKE A COZY CHRISTMAS SELF-GUIDED FOOD TOUR

The tour begins at the CPR Steamship Terminal Building, located across the street from the BC Parliament Buildings pictured here. ©SueFrausePhoto

What better way to see the sights and taste the delights of Victoria BC than on a culinary walking tour in December? Off the Eaten Track (love the name!) is offering a Cozy Christmas Self-Guided Food Tour this holiday season.  

Included in the $45 passport are seven foodie stops along the 1.5 km downtown route plus a downloadable audio tour. Walking time is approximately two hours, but there's no time limit. Spend the day in BC's capital city while leisurely doing your tasting tour.

The tour begins at the CPR Steamship Terminal Building on Victoria's Inner Harbour, where you'll pick up your passport, GPS-triggered APP (they'll help you get started) and some savory Nuts & Bolts party mix. From there you'll walk along the Inner Harbour and up Government Street to Rogers' Chocolates for peppermint cream. The company was founded in Victoria in 1885.

The Festival of Trees at The Bay Centre features 70 decorated trees.

Then it's on to Bon Macaron Patisserie for holiday-flavored macarons, followed by a stop at nearby Artisan Wine for a festive glass of wine or soda. Pop inside The Bay Centre to take in the colorful Festival of Trees, followed by the Dutch Bakery & Diner for some traditional spiced shortbread. The last two stops include cheese from L'Apero Wine and Cheese Bistro, followed by the final stop at Chocolat & Co. for truffles.

Off the Eaten Track's Cozy Christmas Self-Guided Food Tour

• Offered thru Dec 31, 2022 (closed Dec 23-26)
• Available Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30AM to 5PM
• App works on both Apple and Android phones

Holiday music returns to Victoria BC with Daniel Lapp's HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Fiddler and trumpet player Daniel Lapp brings back his HOME FOR CHRISTMAS concert to Victoria, now in its 15th year.  Presented by the Victoria Conservatory of Music, the toe-tapping and joy-filled holiday concert returns to Alix Goolden Performance Hall for three performances on December 21 and 22, 2018.

Cara Luft | Photo courtesy Martin Woodhead

Special guest is Canadian musician Cara Luft, a founding member of The Wailin' Jennys who now performs with The Small Glories. Soley Lapp, Daniel's 12-year-old daughter, will also be sharing her vocal talents during the trio of concerts. 

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS performers also include members of The Shiny H'ornaments, The Swingin' Shepherds, Strings of Lights and Daniel's students in the Joy of Life Choir, Folkestra and BC Fiddle Orchestra. The dozens of musicians will fill the stage for the concert finale, I'll be Home for Christmas. 

Photo courtesy Victoria Conservatory of Music

The three holiday concerts are at VCM's Alix Goolden Performance Hall, an elegant 800-seat venue at 907 Pandora Avenue, which performer Emmylou Harris referred to as "a jewel box of a building."

DANIEL LAPP'S HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Victoria, BC  

• Friday, December 21 | 7:30PM
• Saturday, December 22 | 2PM
• Saturday, December 22 | 7:30PM

Tickets range from $12-$20 and may be ordered online at Ticketfly or by phone at 250.386.5311. The shows are suitable for all ages.

Vancouver Christmas Market features German-inspired sights, sounds & flavors for the holidays

The Vancouver Christmas Market returns to Vancouver's Jack Poole Plaza at the Olympic Cauldron for the holidays -- opening Wednesday, November 21 and running through Christmas Eve, December 24. This year's ninth edition of the German-inspired festivities has extended hours from 11:30AM to 9:30PM daily. 

The traditional German-style Christmas Market feature  80 huts stuffed with authentic sweets, treats and treasures. There is also a line-up of family-friendly activities plus live entertainment. 

Among this year's expanded highlights is the heated Alpine Lounge, a place to relax and enjoy hot beverages and food in a cozy environment. Also new is the Winterdeck, located next to the Alpine Lounge. The space features a festive entrance arch, giant lit-up picture frame and views across Burrard Inlet to the North Shore. 

There is even a Lovers' Lane -- an Instagram-worthy tunnel festooned with 10,000 twinkling lights and mistletoe. Tying in with the love theme is a Love Lock Installation near the tunnel to which can be attached Vancouver Christmas Market Love Locks (available for $3 or bring your own). 

For the wee ones, Santa will be floating underneath the Olympic Cauldron in a 12-ft. sleigh. And this year marks the return of Canada's first-ever Walk-In Christmas Tree, adorned with 36,000 twinkling lights. 

Food offerings: Gluhwein (hot-spiced mulled wine), German bratwurst, gulasch, spatzle, schnitzel, strudels, Transylvanian chimney cakes, German beer and wine. Vendors include: 

• Organic Villa Vegan Haus
• Charcuterie Haus
• Bon Macaron Patisserie
• Mr. Hot Cakes 
• JJ's Fresh Roasted Chestnuts 
• Howling Moon Craft Cider 
• Das Waffel Haus
• Wild Goose Winery

Shopping: Do your holiday shopping while perusing the dozens of booths featuring everything from jewelry to polar fleece, German beer steins to holiday ornaments made in Germany. There's even a booth selling Ugly Christmas Sweaters. 

Children's highlights: Christmas Carousel, Kinder Kraft Igloo, Santa Photo Hut and cookie decorating at Gingerbread Haus.

Tickets

(at the gate)

Adults $12

Seniors $11

Youth 7-12 $5

Kids 6 and under Free 

(Discount for online purchases)

Vancouver Christmas Market 

Jack Poole Plaza | Home of the Olympic Cauldron

(Vancouver Convention Centre West)

1055 Canada Place

Vancouver BC V6C 3GE 

Photos by Lindsay Elliott

Victoria's Craigdarroch Castle presents creepy, classic movies during the month of October

Photo by Bruce Davies 

Victoria's Craigdarroch Castle is getting into the Halloween spirit with the launch of Classics at Craigdarroch Movie Series running Thursday and Saturday evenings throughout October. This is the perfect time to see some of the scariest classic movies -- in a castle! Below is the schedule for the six films. Showtime is 6PM (doors open at 5:45 PM) in the Castle's Dance Hall -- located on the fourth floor (87 steps, no elevator).

THURSDAYS

Oct 4    -    Dracula (1931)

Oct 11  -    Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954)

Oct 18  -    House on Haunted Hill (1959)

Oct 25  -    Frankenstein (1931)

SATURDAYS*

Oct 6    -    Frankenstein (1931)

Oct 13  -    Nosferatu (1922) *SOLD OUT*

Oct 20  -    Bride of Frankenstein (1935

Oct 27  -    Dracula (1931)

*Moon Under Water Brewery products will be featured at the cash bar during Saturday night showings. 

Tickets

$11 General Public | $10 Castle Society Members

On sale at the Castle or by calling 250.592.5323

Also available online

Admission includes a pretzel from Bond Bond's Bakery

Vancouver Christmas Market relocates to Jack Poole Plaza at the Olympic Cauldron

2016 Vancouver Christmas Market | Artist's Rendering

The Vancouver Christmas Market is celebrating its seventh year by relocating to a new seaside site at the Jack Poole Plaza at the Olympic Cauldron. Originally staged at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the new space at Coal Harbour will feature more than 70 huts specializing in authentic German gifts and cuisine.

The traditional signature delectables are returning, including Gluhwein, Bratwurst, Gulasch, Spatzle and more. With the expanded vendor space, there will be new additions, such as demonstrations of the Feuerzangenbowle ('Fire Tongs Punch'), a mulled wine and rum concoction that is dramatically prepared by caramelizing a large sugar cone over the concoction. This year's market boasts more than 22 food and drink huts, a dozen that are making their debut in 2016. Click on for a complete list of the 2016 food and gift vendors.

Vancouver Christmas Market Locale

Among this year's additional highlights is Canada's first-ever Christmas Pyramid, a 23-ft. tall structure adorned with angels representing various aspects of European culture. The sculpture rotates via a propeller at its peak and plays music from the various regions of Germany. There's also the enclosed Alpine Haus tent and seating area, which accommodates more than 250 people and offers views of Coal Harbour and the North Shore.

2010 Olympic Cauldron at Jack Poole Plaza | SueFrausePhoto

2016 Vancouver Christmas Market

• Hours: Open daily beginning November 26, from 11 AM to 9PM, through December 31. Closes at 6PM on Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas Day.
• Location: Jack Poole Plaza, 1055 Canada Place.
• Admission: Single admission tickets from $4 (children under 6 free)
• Highlights: Christmas Pyramid | Christmas Carousel | Live Entertainment | Alpine Haus Tent | 2016 Vendors
• Out of Town Guests: Vancouver Waterfront & Coal Harbour Accommodations. The Fairmont Pacific Rim also has a number of holiday packages, and is located just steps away from the Vancouver Christmas Market.
• Tourism Vancouver Website: www.tourismvancouver.com

Photo by Stephanie Bachmann

Brightly lit CP Holiday Trains rock the rails in Canada and the U.S. for a good cause

Canadian Pacific Photo

Now in its 17th year, the CP Holiday Train is bringing food, cash donations and awareness to local food banks and food shelves across North America. Two brightly lit Canadian Pacific trains -- one U.S. and the other Canadian -- kicked off their tours in the Montreal area the last weekend of November. They'll be visiting approximately 150 communities along the way through December 19, 2015. 

Canadian Pacific Photo

The Canadian train travels west across Canada, ending in Port Coquitlam, BC. The U.S. Train visits communities in Quebec, New York and Southern Ontario before traveling across the US Northeast and Midwest, returning to Canada for its final "shows" in Saskatchewan and Alberta. 

Bill Watson Photo

Each Holiday Train event features performances by professional musicians performing holiday-themed songs. The shows are complimentary, but patrons are asked to bring cash or a non-perishable food donation. All the money and food donated in a community stays in the community. 

Legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Jim Cuddy will be on the Canadian train, joined by his son Devin.  Also on the Canadian train is the band Chic Gamin, who will play all the shows in Quebec, offering Francophone performances. Country singer Kelly Prescott is also part of the talent line-up. 

The U.S. Train showcases Canadian country music star Kira Isabella, winner of the 2013 Canadian Country Music Association's Female Artist of the Year. She'll be joined by Wes Mack and Doc Walker. 

For a complete schedule of dates and times, and to see a video of the train, click on the CP Holiday Train website. 

If the train doesn't pass through your community, follow its journey via social media: Twitter @CPHolidayTrain and Instagram @CPHoliday Train. Fans are posting images of the trains and entertainment, and are eligible to enter the Capture the Spirit photo contest to win an exclusive ride on next year's train. Details about the contest may be found on the Holiday Train Facebook page.

Victoria's Fairmont Empress features ice skating for the holidays

Victoria, BC is beautiful during the holidays, from its colorfully lit BC Parliament Building overlooking Victoria Harbour to the 12 Days of Christmas displays and lighting at The Butchart Gardens. Another holiday attraction is The Fairmont Empress, glowing both inside and out. And this year they've added an ice skating rink, located on the hotel's expansive front lawn.

The covered rink, measuring approximately 60' X 90', offers public skating weekdays from 5-9 PM and 12-9 PM on weekends through the middle of January. Featured activities include Skate 'n Date Nights, Family Skate Afternoons, Sunday Skates with Santa and Christmas Eve Skating with the Elves (which includes hot cocoa and cider). For groups, there are Office Skates, Holiday Parties on Ice and Break + Skate meeting options.  The cost to skate is $10 per person and $5 for children 10 and under. Skate rentals are available for $5.

Photos courtesy The Fairmont Empress

Scuba Claus returns to the Vancouver Aquarium for daily dives during the holidays

Scuba Claus. Photo courtesy Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre.

Scuba Claus is back! And the newly expanded Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre is welcoming his annual holiday appearance as he does his daily dive in the Georgia Strait. Santa made his diving debut on November 27 and will continue diving through December 24.

The underwater Santa exhibition features colorful marine life found on BC's coastlines, which includes halibut, rockfish, sturgeon, crabs and sea stars. Other holidays highlights include:

• Electric eel-powered holiday tree, with lanterns that light up when an electric eel discharges a pulse
• Jelly swarm exhibit, featuring origami jellies beaming with colorful LED lights
• 4-D theatre film adventure of The Polar Express, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year 
• Peter Clarkson's Marine-Debris Tree art installation, built with debris collected during this year's shoreline cleanup along the West Coast Trail
• Frozen Moments: Images of the Arctic photo exhibit, showcasing the Arctic as captured by five photographers: David McEown, Daisy Gilardini, Mark Robinson, Rob Stimpson, Nansen Weber
• Outdoor maze of decorated living trees
• Stories and crafts with Scuba Claus' elves

Holiday highlights at the Vancouver Aquarium run through January 4, 2015.

Canada's Remembrance Day ceremonies include visit to Ottawa by Princess Anne

Homemade poppy at The Peacekeeping Monument in Ottawa
©SueFrausePhoto

In the United States, November 11 is commonly known as Veterans Day. But in Canada, it's Remembrance Day or Poppy Day. You can read more about the history of Remembrance Day in my previous blog post. 

I was in Canada on Remembrance Day during my Great Big Canadian Train Adventure in 2009. Poppies were everywhere, including the one I photographed above. It was placed on Reconciliation: The Peacekeeping Monument in Ottawa, dedicated to Canadian peacekeepers, both living and dead. 

Remembrance Day will be particularly poignant in Canada's capital city this year. On October 22, 2014 an armed attacker shot and killed a soldier at the National War Memorial in Ottawa. 

Across Canada, there will be special Remembrance Day events, and Ottawa will be graced with the appearance of Her Royal Highness Princess Anne at the National War Memorial. The ceremony begins at 11 AM on Tuesday, November 11, and will be broadcast on CBC.

Victoria's Hotel Grand Pacific Offers 'Man Tea' in Cupcake-Free Zone

Traditional tea service won't be part of the 'Man Tea' in Victoria.
Photo by Sue Frause.

Here's a fun, fresh idea. Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria, BC is offering a Man Tea in The Pacific Restaurant. Putting a manly spin on Father's Day, you won't find any cupcakes, quiche or pinky-pointing cups of Earl Grey tea. 

The afternoon tea service includes such manly bites as house made pork pies, hanger steak sandwiches, mini venison burgers and tourtieres (French Canadian meat pies). And instead of a cup of tea, enjoy a classic Lagavulin whiskey cocktail or a tea-infused cocktail. I want what they're having!

Tea room activities include conversation, reading newspapers and men's magazines, or playing chess or backgammon. There's also table shuffleboard in the lounge or head outside to the patio putting green.

The Man Tea will be offered at The Pacific Restaurant June 13-22 inclusive, from 2-4:30 PM. Price is $42 per person, plus tax + gratuity. Book online or call the restaurant at 250.380.4458.

Hotel Grand Pacific looms high above Victoria's Inner Harbour.
Photo by Sue Frause.

Gung Hay Fat Choy! Celebrate Chinese New Year in Richmond, BC

The celebrations aren't over! Chinese New Year, which is January 31 this year, is a second chance to say farewell to bad habits and bring in some good ones. Also called the Lunar New Year or Spring Festival, Chinese New Year is the largest celebration of the year for many cultures throughout Asia. Chinese New Year 2014 is the Year of the Horse, supposedly a lucky year.

One of North America's most authentic and elaborate Chinese New Year celebrations is in Richmond, BC. With a Chinese population of more than 44% (Canada's largest per capita percentage of Chinese descendants), Richmond is celebrating for two weeks, from January 24-February 8. Events include traditional lion and dragon dances, live music, art displays flower markets, gift fairs and food. 

Lunch at one of Richmond's many Asian restaurants. Photo by Sue Frause.

During Chinese New Year, many of Richmond's 400 Asian restaurants will be offering 10-12 course New Year's Eve feasts on January 30. Also known as the reunion dinner, it's the most important meal of the year, a time for bonding and giving thanks. Plus it's a time for eating purposefully and symbolically. Noodles represent long life; dumplings shaped like ancient Chinese money are for wealth and prosperity; lettuce wraps play on the Chinese word for fortune, which is also the word for lettuce; and the head and tail of a fish served whole symbolize a good start and end to the year. Among the many restaurants featuring reunion dinners are Fisherman's Terrace, The Jade Seafood Restaurant, Sea Harbour Seafood, Vivacity and Suhang. Reservations are advised.

Even YVR (Vancouver International Airport in Richmond) is getting into the Lunar New Year. After all, YVR has the highest frequency of flights to China (75 each week) of any North American Airport. On Friday, January 31, airport retailers and restaurants will be offering special deals, with lunch specials for just $8.88 (eight is considered a lucky number in the Chinese culture). 

From 10 AM to 1 PM on January 31, gather 'round Bill Reid's The Spirit of Haida Gwaii: The Jade Canoe sculpture. There will be live music, Chinese ink brush calligraphy demonstrations, fortune telling and a traditional lion dance. Visitors will be able to park for $5 between 9-2; pick up vouchers at the customer care desk in the International Terminal, departures level. Or take the Canada Line to YVR.

A complete list of Chinese New Year events may be found at Tourism Richmond's website

WestJet's Holiday Video, The WestJet Christmas Miracle, Goes Viral

If you haven't seen WestJet's holiday video, The WestJet Christmas Miracle, you need to tune in. It's all about how WestJet and Santa teamed up to delight unsuspecting travelers with a real-time holiday surprise.

So how'd they do it? West Jet's Digital Command Centre and a team of 150+ merry WestJetters were transformed into Santa's helpers, delivering personalized gifts to travelers arriving at Calgary International Airport. 

But it all started at Toronto and Hamilton International Airports in Ontario, where 19 hidden cameras captured travelers revealing their Christmas wishes with a virtual Santa Claus as they awaited to board their flights to Calgary. Upon arrival in Alberta, the travelers were totally surprised when a festively decorated baggage carousel sprang to life, bearing the gifts that had asked for just hours before. 

Once the video reached 200,000 views (which was fairly immediate!), WestJetCares for Kids donated flights through Ronald McDonald House Charities, one of WestJet's six partner charities. By December 11, the video views topped 7 million. 

I've only flown WestJet once, from Prince George to Vancouver, and I recall the crew and flight attendants being both helpful and friendly (plus one of them told some particularly funny jokes). The Canadian airline was founded in 1996 by a group of Calgary entrepreneurs, headed up by Clive Beddoe. Back then, it was a small western Canada regional carrier with just three aircraft flying to five cities. Today, it's Canada's leading high-value, low-fare airline with service to 76 destinations in Canada, the US, Mexico and the Caribbean. Its fleet includes 98 Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft.

Holiday Classics 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' and 'A Christmas Carol' have Canadian connections

Two of my favorite holiday shows, A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) and A Christmas Story (1983), have Canadian connections. I recently watched a report on CBC's The National, and learned that Halifax drummer Jerry Granelli is the lone surviving musician of the Vince Guaraldi Trio. The popular trio provided the soundtrack for A Charlie Brown Christmas (Guaraldi died in 1976).

Granelli, a San Francisco-born drummer who moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia in the early '90s, hadn't played the music since its debut nearly 50 years ago. But this past weekend, the 72-year-old musician took to the stage once again to play the familiar tunes, this time in Halifax. Read the complete story (with video) about the reunion of the drummer and the Peanuts gang on the cbc.ca website.

Also aging nicely is A Christmas Story, which turns 30 this year. Although Cleveland, Ohio gets all the glory for being the setting of the film, the classic holiday movie has Canadian roots. Here's an excerpt from the Canadian magazine Maclean's:

"Very little of the film -- two shooting weeks of nine, in fact -- were filmed in the city. In what may come as a blasphemous shock to American fans, the rest of the movie was filmed on a sound stage in Toronto and on location in St. Catharines, Ont." 

Read the full story here: A Christmas Story has surprising Canadian roots. No matter where it was filmed, it's a family favorite, and we'll be watching it this weekend. 

If your travels take you to The Buckeye State, A Christmas Story House is open year-round in Cleveland for public tours. Now "restored to its movie splendor," Ralphie's house is located just across the street from A Christmas Story Museum -- which contains props, costumes and memorabilia from the movie (including Randy's snowsuit). And yes, you can even buy one of those famous leg lamps or deluxe bunny suit pajamas from Aunt Clara in the museum's gift shop. (Photo courtesy A Christmas Story House)

Win a Two-Night Christmas Getaway in Victoria Aboard Black Ball Ferry Lines' M/V Coho

The MV Coho arrives in Victoria, BC. Photo by Sue Frause

Share you favorite Christmas tradition, and you could win a trip to Victoria, BC on the Black Ball Ferry Line. The Victoria Christmas Traditions Contest has a wonderful Grand Prize that includes:

• Round-trip for vehicle/driver + 1 adult + 2 children aboard the MV Coho between Port Angeles, WA and Victoria, BC
• Two-night stay in a one-bedroom suite at the Royal Scot Hotel & Suites
• Family pass to The Butchart Gardens Magic of Christmas display (ice skating included)
• Family pass to Craigdarroch Castle, decorated in traditional Christmas style (includes gift basket with castle mugs, tea and DVD)
• Family pass to the Royal BC Museum to view the festive exhibits

Go to the entry form on Black Ball's website and share your favorite Christmas tradition (you don't need a Facebook or Twitter account to enter). The contest runs through December 4, 2013.

Celebrate BC Day on Vancouver Island in the Capital City of Victoria

BC Parliament Buildings overlook Victoria's Inner Harbour. Photo by Sue Frause.

Oh, those Canadians know how to have a good time! Monday, August 5, is a civic holiday* across most of Canada. Also known as August Long Weekend, in British Columbia it's called BC Day, and Celebrate BC Day will be held at St. Ann's Academy in Victoria. The nine-hour festival, from 12-9 PM, is family friendly and features plenty of activities for all ages. Admission is free.

Sounds of BC | Main Stage Artists

• 1-2 PM | The Iskew Singers
• 2-3 PM | Bob & Lolo

  

  St. Ann's Academy. Photo by Sue Frause.

• 3-4 PM | The Racket
• 4-5 PM | Nuuka
• 5-6 PM | Shred Kelly
• 6-7 PM | The Archers
• 7-8 PM | We Are The City
• 8-9 PM | Dehli 2 Dublin

BC Eats Stage | Chef Demos

• 1:00-1:45 PM | Bradford Boisvert | Amuse on the Vineyard
• 2:00-2:45 PM | Marisa Goodwin | Organic Fair
• 3:00-3:45 PM | Daniela Cubelic | Silk Road Tea
• 4:00-4:45 PM | Dan Hudson | Hudson's on First

Through the BC Lens | Film Showcase at St. Ann's Auditorium

• 12:30-1:15 PM | BC Artists Who Love BC
• 1:15-2:00 PM | Eyes in the Forest
• 2:00-3:00 PM | A Hand to Stand (w/filmmaker Q&A)
• 3:00-4:00 PM | Reflections (w/filmmaker Q&A)
• 4:00-4:30 PM | Cultivating community
• 4:30-5:00 PM | BC Artists Who Love BC
• 5:00 PM-5:45 PM | Eyes in the Forest
• 5:45 PM-6:30 PM | A Hand to Stand
• 6:30 PM-7:00 PM | Cultivating Community

Capture BC is a photography exhibit by photographers from across the province and will be on display throughout the day. Free Activities include games, crafts and giveaways from the sponsoring partners: Coast Capital Savings, Organized Khaos, Crafty Victoria and thenumber Creative.

St. Ann's Academy is located just blocks from Victoria's Inner Harbour at 835 Humboldt Street. Read more about the history of the academy and an exhibition at the Victoria Art Gallery in one of my previous blog posts.

*Elsewhere in Canada, the first Monday of August is known as Heritage Day in Alberta; Civic Holiday in Manitoba; Saskatchewan Day in Saskatchewan; Simcoe Day in Ontario; Natal Day in both Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island; New Brunswick Day in New Brunswick; and Civic Holiday in the Northwest Territories. Quebec, Newfoundland and Nunavut don't have an August loon weekend, so it's business as usual! 

Canada Day: Vancouver Hosts Canada's Largest Birthday Party Outside Ottawa

Jack Poole Plaza, with the Olympic Cauldron, will host the Main Stage
Photo by Sue Frause

Monday, July 1, is Canada Day. Across the country, Canadians will be celebrating their 146th birthday, with the largest party in the nation's capital of Ottawa. But on the west coast, Vancouver's 26th annual Canada Day at Canada Place is the second largest celebration in the country. The all-day waterfront party includes 13 hours of free family fun, topped off by a parade and fireworks show in the evening.

More than 250,000 people are expected at the city's largest waterfront party that features 25 music and dance performances; a Citizenship Ceremony; the Canadian Armed Forces; and the Port Metro Vancouver Zone (new this year). Also making their debuts this year are the Extreme Canada Zone (extreme sports displays) and the Great Canadian Invention Zone. 

Canada Place. Photo by Sue Frause.

Coast Capital Savings Main Stage

(Jack Poole Plaza | 10 AM - 7 PM)

• 10:00 | Blessing by Chief Ian Campbell | First Nations
• 10:15 | Beverley and the Billionaires | Children
• 11:00 | Kelly Brock | Country
• 12:00 | ShowStoppers | Glee Choir
• 1:00 | Wild Moccasins | Aboriginal Cellist & Fancy Dance
• 2:00 | The Cancons | Rock Covers
• 3:00 | Washboard Union | Folk Rock
• 4:00 | Santa Lucia | Latin Funk Rock
• 5:00 | The Boom Booms | Pop Rock
• 6:00 | BIF Naked | Pop Rock

The daytime activities are followed by the Canada Day Parade at 7PM. The fifth annual parade starts at the corner of Georgia and Broughton Streets and features more than 60 entries, including the Vancouver Canucks "Fin" and the BC Lions. 

Two barges in Burrard Inlet will feature a simultaneous pyrotechnic show
Photo by Sue Frause

The Canada Day Burrard Inlet Fireworks Show at 10:30 PM is Vancouver's only two-barge (Coal Harbour & Dundarave) simultaneous pyrotechnic show. The 30-minute show will be simulcast to music broadcast by Classic Rock 101 and the Port Metro Vancouver app. Shaw TV will also do  a live broadcast. Best viewing locations for the fireworks include Dundarave, Ambleside, Crab Creek, Harbour Green Park, Coal Harbour, Stanley Park and North Vancouver. There will be ticketed viewing at Canada Place.

Vancouver Aquarium's Scuba Claus goes diving in December to swim amidst the sealife

Santa goes diving among the sea stars. Photo courtesy Vancouver Aquarium.

If you've never seen Santa Claus underwater, he's making regular appearances at the Vancouver Aquarium this December. Each weekend through Christmas, Scuba Claus joins the halibut, rockfish, sturgeon and sea stars of the Georgia Strait at 12:30 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. Between December 21-24, he'll be diving daily at 12:30 PM.

The aquarium's special winter feature is Luminescence: A Celebration of Aquatic Light, which runs through January 22, 2013. Through special exhibits and shows, you'll find out more about the world of fluorescent and bioluminescent light in the ocean. Jelly Swarm is a special light installation designed by Tangible Intervention with origami artist Joseph Wu. It features nearly a hundred jellies all aglow with LED lights. Visitors may control the lighting using a touch screen, creating patterns of light through the swarm of jellies on high. Glowing in the Deep includes Eel-lectric Lights where visitors can experience "eel energy" in action.

The Vancouver Aquarium is all about kids, and the 20-minute holiday film The Polar Express 4-D Experience includes the rumble of the train, falling snow and even the scent of hot chocolate as travelers make their way to the North Pole. The Craft Corner is a spot to make clothespin anglerfish or an anglerfish hat. Family Programs in the Underwater Arctic Gallery will explain how people and aquatic creatures live in darkness.

Whistler Blackcomb named top resort by SKI Magazine, season opens on American Thanksgiving

Whistler Village is ready for winter. Sue Frause photo.

What a way to start the upcoming season -- on top! Whistler Blackcomb was named #1 overall ski resort in North America by the readers of SKI Magazine. The 26th annual readers' poll ranked the top 60 North American skis resorts in the magazine's annual Resort Guide 2013. The survey includes 20,000 SKI readers, and is the longest running and most comprehensive survey of its kind in the sports industry.

Whistler Blackcomb's official opening day for this year's ski season is November 22, 2012 (American Thanksgiving). With last winter's accumulation of snowfall making for a good season (1,389 centimeters or 45.6 feet of snow), and snow falling this year since early October, there are high hopes for a repeat performance. During the past decade, Whistler Blackcomb has received an average of 1,192 centimeters, or 39.1 feet of snow.

Keeping in touch in Whistler Village. Photo by Sue Frause.

No surprise that Americans flock to Whistler Blackcomb for the opening weekend, especially when it's a four-day affair. One of the hotels celebrating the start of the season is Pan Pacific Whistler, which has two hotels in the resort: Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside and Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre. The two properties are offering a Thanksgiving Package that includes:

• 10% savings on all suites at both hotels
• Complimentary valet parking
• $50 gift voucher for Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub
• Homemade pumpkin pie in suite

Both Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside and Whistler Village Centre feature suites with full kitchens, fireplaces and Aveda amenities. They also have pool decks with outdoor heated salt water pool, two hot tubs and a steam room. Complimentary at both properties are WiFi and local calls, valet ski/snowboard storage and in-resort shuttle. Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre also offers a complimentary daily continental breakfast at Pacific Bistro.

Dubh Linn Gate Irish Pub, located in Pan Pacific Whistler Mountainside, is offering Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, November 22. Chef Dave Currie will prepare a special menu beginning at 5 PM that includes slow roasted BC turkey, fresh herb gravy, homemade citrus and herbs stuffing, Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts and rosemary scented roasted vegetables and pumpkin pie with fresh maple cream. Adults $27, children 12 and under $15.

There will be plenty of opening weekend events at Whistler during the long Thanksgiving weekend. They include:

• Peak 2 Peak Gondola opens for winter sightseeing
• Free evening firework displays
• FIBT Bobsleigh & Skeleton World Cup Nov. 23-24 at Whistler Sliding Centre
• Bizarre Bazaar Nov. 24-25 for hand-made arts, crafts, decorations and gifts
• David Myles and Ali Milner performing at Millennium Place Nov. 24.

Tourism Whistler has a full calendar of winter events. Photo by Sue Frause.

Halloween in Vancouver: October a time for family activities, spooky tours and pumpkin donuts

Halloween at Granville Island Public Market. Sue Frause photo.

I recently spent three nights in Vancouver, complete with sun, wind and rain. No matter the weather, autumn is one of my favorite seasons in this coastal city. The summer crowds have disappeared, leaves are changing color and falling to the ground, and the air is fresh after a much needed rainfall. Plus, there's plenty going on in the City of Glass during the Halloween season, scary or not. Here are a few things to do:

Stanley Park Halloween Ghost Train: Hop aboard this seasonal train and go deep into the forest for the Scary Fairy Tales ride. Fun for families with young children, with a balance of both fun and fear. There's also face painting, crafts and a haunted maze -- all included with train admission. The train operates through the month of October. Check online for hours and ticket prices.

The Vancouver Police Museum on a dark and rainy night. Sue Frause photo.

The Vancouver Trolley Company's Haunted Halloween: Take this 2.5 ride with your very own spooky guide in a decorated trolley. You'll visit some of the city's eeriest locations such as Vancouver's morgue and Mountain View Cemetery. Operating in conjunction with the Vancouver Police Museum, the tours run Oct. 19-31, every day at 5:30, 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 PM. There are also 9:30 PM tours on Fridays, Saturdays and Halloween night. All tours depart from Canada Place (arrive 15 minutes prior to departure). For ages 13+ and by reservation only. Call 604.801.5515 to book your spooky tour.

Blood Alley in Gastown has its own gory story. Sue Frause photo.

The Lost Souls of Gastown: This special guided walking tour by Forbidden Vancouver takes people through the city's oldest and most gruesome streets and alleyways. Tours are Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights at 6:30 PM during the month of October and also on Halloween, Oct. 31. Tours depart from Cathedral Square at Dunsmuir and Richards. 

Murders, Mysteries & Mayhem: This 90-minute evening walking tour reveals stories about Vancouver's unsolved murders, riots, gangsters and "the nefarious side of our city's history the other tours won't talk about." On Friday-Saturday-Sunday (plus Halloween night). Tours start at the Centennial Fountain in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery and leave at 6 and 8 PM. You'll end up in Gastown near Blood Alley.

Parade of Lost Souls' Festival: This annual celebration (Oct. 17-27, 2012) features seven specialty workshops and culminates with a Secret Soul's Walk on Saturday, Oct. 27 from 5-9 PM. Honoring the dearly departed and waking the still living, skeleton brides and witches dance under streetlights. Meanwhile, a torch-lit procession wends its way past homes, streets and alleys of Commercial Drive. The public is invited to be a part of the passing parade, with the journey ending in a grand finale featuring torch choreography and fireworks. Following the Secret Soul's Walk is the Parade of Lost Souls Dance Party at The Rickshaw Theatre.

Sampling donuts on the Granville Island Market Tour. Sue Frause photo.

Pumpkin Donuts on Granville Island: Every October, Lee's Donuts brings out its autumn specialty, a pumpkin donut. As many times as I've been to the Granville Island Public Market, I've never stopped at Lee's, which has been a mainstay since 1985. This time, while on a two-hour walking/sampling tour with Edible Canada, I didn't have a chance to bypass it. Our tour guide Viviana took our group to the shop, and we sampled both the traditional yeast honey dip donuts (which I call glazed donuts), and one of the seasonal cake-style pumpkin donuts. Yum on both! The pumpkin donuts are only available during the month of October, made with fresh pumpkin and "secret" spices.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Long Weekend

Autumn dahlias in James Bay, Victoria, BC. Photo by Sue Frause.

Yes, it's time again for Canadian Thanksgiving, that long weekend in October when our friends north of the border celebrate the harvest holiday before we do! I write something about it every year, and have even celebrated Canadian Thanksgiving in various locales: BC's Sunshine Coast, Vancouver and Vancouver's North Shore.

Thanksgiving is not as big a holiday in Canada as it is in the states. Whereas we celebrate four four days (big dinner on Thursday followed by three days of leftovers), the Canadians only make a three-day weekend of it. They simply call it Thanksgiving Long Weekend, and when you sit down to the big dinner is a personal choice. Most people I know have it on the weekend itself, not on the actual day, which this year is Monday the 8th of October. Sunday seems to be a popular choice.

Here are some of my past posts that have a tie-in to the autumnal holiday in both Canada and the US. And here's to my friends who live on the other side of the 49th Parallel. Happy Thanksgiving!

• Strombo's The List: Reasons We Are Thankful for the USA
• Granville Island's Turkey Trot
• Window on Vancouver: Thanksgiving 2004
• An American in Canada for Canadian Thanksgiving, eh?
• Crappy Canadian Thanksgiving with Ellen Page, Justin Long (VIDEO)

A pumpkin in Farmer Bob's garden. Photo by Sue Frause.

Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend Events in BC

North Vancouver: The Pinnacle Hotel at the Pier has a Thanksgiving Package that includes a three-course Thanksgiving dinner for two in the Lobby Restaurant and overnight accommodations. Rates from $209 / double occupancy, valid Oct. 6-8, 2012. Book online using promo code THANKS or call 604.986.7437.

Vancouver: The Wedgewood Hotel has a Thanksgiving Weekend package that includes one night's accommodation; European continental breakfast for two; Thanksgiving dinner for two on Sunday or Monday (both meals in Bacchus Restaurant); and complimentary valet parking. Rates start at $259 per night / double occupancy. Valid through Oct. 8, 2012.

Vancouver: The annual Turkey Trot is Monday, Oct. 8 starting on Granville Island. The family-friendly event is a 10K and suitable for racers, walkers, kids and families. Proceeds go to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank via cash and food donations. 

Restaurants: Many restaurants offer special Thanksgiving dinners. Hastings House on Salt Spring Island has a three course holiday dinner on Sunday, Oct. 7 at 7 PM for $70. Edible Canada on Vancouver's Granville Island is showcasing an October Fall Feast menu during the month of October. The price is $30 and includes a four-course seasonal dinner. Parking is free on the island after 7 PM.

BC Ferries: They've added extra sailings for Thanksgiving Long Weekend.