Please confirm dates, locations, and other particulars by calling the phone number listed.
 

Does your organization, club, or business have a family friendly event planned?  For your free listing, send particulars to Kelmar.

May 1, 2005
6th Annual Wood Duck and Wilderness Festival. This year’s focus is the brand new Iris Griffith Interpretive Centre. Guided bird hike begins at 8:30 am with tours of the Interpretive Centre throughout the day. Come and enjoy the artisans, children’s activities, musicians, guest speakers, al fresco lunch and exhibits by conservation groups.  Come Join the Fun at the Ruby Lake Resort! (Sunshine Coast).  https://www.lagoonsociety.com/wood-duck-festival-2005.php

May 1, 2005
Adidas Vancouver International Marathon. 2005 Adidas Vancouver International Marathon (34th Annual) Expected Attendance: 16,000 runners.  604-872-2928, www.adidasvanmarathon.ca

May 1, 2005
Silver Branch: A Puppet Play. Original fairy tale about two brothers searching through a magical forest to find the treasured silver branch by Sanja Garic; with puppets created by Diana Jeffries and music by Kiril Bolshakov.  Flexible Theatre, 604-669-2253.

May 1, 2005
Children’s Spring Swap Meet.  Join Coquitlam Leisure and Parks Services and take advantage of all the great deals as they once again host an 80 vendor Kidstuff Swap Meet at the Poirier Community Centre, 630 Poirier Street; 604-933-6048.

May 1, 2005
HSBC Stars on Ice.  Skaters, including 2002 Olympic Champions Jamie Salé & David Pelletier, World Champion Todd Eldredge, and four-time World Champion Kurt Browning will take audiences on a magical journey in this year’s show IMAGINATION. General Motors Place, 604-280-4444.

May 1, 2005
Kits Classics+Worlds Beyond: Kalahari Landscapes.  Combines indigenous African instruments with western classical instruments.  St. James Hall, 604-732-3990.

May 1, 2005
Langley Walk.  Enjoy an afternoon with family and friends as you walk, run, bike or roll your way through our 5 km or 10 km routes.  Relax afterwards with live entertainment, clowns, bouncy castle, refreshments (paid concession) and trophy presentations. Trophy categories are: Most Walkers from an Elementary School, Most Walkers from a Secondary School, Oldest Walker to complete 10km, Family with the Most Walkers, Most Creatively Dressed, and Organization with the Most Walkers. First 1000 finishers receive a commemorative crest!  Noel Booth Park, 604-533-6086, https://www.tol.bc.ca

May 1, 2005
Rhodo Fest 2005 - 17th Annual Burnaby Rhododendron Festival.  This unique festival produced by the City of Burnaby and the Burnaby Rhododendron and Gardens Society features a blend of horticulture and art activities in the heart of Deer Lake Park on Sunday May 1. The day features free horticultural workshops, specialty products for the avid gardener and many interactive art activities and entertainment for the whole family. While visitors stroll through the park & gardens, salsa music with the Marlin Ramazzini Band and the Mountain Bluebirds bluegrass will fill the air. Children of all ages are welcome to fly their hand-made kites high in the sky or paint mini terra cotta pots to take home where a new marigold seedling will be carefully nurtured. Parsley, Burnabys first eco-sculpture will be back for all to enjoy. Parsley was unveiled during the opening ceremonies last year and has since made appearances at many community festivals and events around the Lower Mainland. Parsley is an eco-sculpture designed after one of the Burnaby Village Museum's carousel horses. The eco-sculpture pilot program hopes to promote environmentally friendly, safe and exciting new horticultural techniques and practices in the Lower Mainland. Parsley will soon be joined by three unique salmon experiences. In keeping with Burnabys commitment to education, tourism and a green future, the new displays will be matched with an interpretative program for schoolchildren and the public that highlights the vital importance of preserving salmon habitat. Other festival highlights: Garden and heritage building tours including a tour of the Eagles Estate Heritage.  www.city.burnaby.bc.ca

May 1, 2005
Salmon Send-off.  Join the Serpentine Enhancement Society and the GVRD for some fishy fun. Release salmon fry, enjoy hatchery tours, children’s activities and a fish habitat walk. Drop by anytime but allow at least one hour to complete all activities. Meet at the hatchery located at the 96th Avenue entrance between 160th and 168th Streets in Surrey.  Tynehead Regional Park.  Sponsored by the GVRD, 604-432-6359.

May 1, 2005
Vancouver Public Library presents Asian Canadian History Fair.  The explorASIAN Vancouver Asian Heritage Month Society and Vancouver Public Library launch Asian Heritage Month at Library Square with an Asian Canadian History Fair, which will offer a sampling of the various kinds of research on Pan Asian Canadian History currently being done in this province. Subjects will include genealogies, family histories, artifacts, etc. Come visit the many displays from community organizations, educational institutions, historical societies, and individuals and get a glimpse of hte past from a different perspective.  12:00 pm, Central Branch.

May 1 - 31, 2005
Mayfair. Mayfair is the 20th Annual Exhibition and Family Fair that brings three days of fun and entertainment to the South Surrey peninsula. Activities held during the fair include exhibits, talent contests, dog shows, midway, pancake breakfasts, a petting zoo, pony rides, Vancouver Aquarium display and a slo-pitch softball charity championship. Fun for everyone!  There will be different events during the whole month. For more information call 604-536-6844.  Held at Softball City, 2001 - 148th Street, South Surrey.

May 1 to September 30, 2005
Heritage West End of Vancouver Walking Tour. Explore and discover local people, architecture and history. Tours meet daily at the Wall Centre Hotel Fountain, 2pm.  Rain/shine Thursdays -Tuesday.  No tour Wednesday. $5 per person, $10 per family.  Tour is approximately 2 hours.  Simply show up-look for the man in the bowler hat.  For more information email jcgray@sfu.ca or visitwww.sfu.ca/~jcgray 

May 2 - 8, 2005
New Play Festival:  CMHC Granville Island is proud to present the Vancouver New Play Festival. The festival celebrates 30 years of showcasing both accomplished and emerging Canadian playwrights in workshop productions, playwrights, cabarets, and public forums.  604-666-5784, www.granvilleisland.com

May 2, 2005
 Vancouver Public Library presents:Open Mic for Teens. Anything goes, from stories to poetry to songs. It can be your own material or someone else's. It doesn't matter who wrote it, we wanna hear it; 604-331-3691.

May  2 - 7, 2005
Presentation House Theatre and Theatre BC present North Shore Zone Festival of Plays.  Theatre BC's annual presentation of the best of the North Shore's community theatre.  Presentation House Theatre, 333 Chesterfield Ave., North Vancouver.  www.phtheatre.org

May 3, 2005
Candlelight Tribute: Honour those who served in wartime. Place a candle, hear the John Robson Children's Choir and join in singing O Canada and God Save the Queen. New Westminster Cenotaph (in front of City Hall), 7:30 pm, 604-517-6277

May 3, 2005
Della Reese, Unique Lives & Experiences.  Chart topping singer, respected actor, author, and ordained minister was the first female guest host of the Tonight Show and was the first black female to host her own talk show.  Orpheum Theatre, https://www.uniquelives.com/

May 4 - 13, 2005
Gateway Theatre presents Rice Rockets/Yacht People.  Two one-act plays related to each other. Rice Rockets is about a young Asian man's quest for speed and the consequences of one exciting night. Yacht People is about his parents, a rich urbane couple who, bored with the slow pace of life in Canada, have decided to return to the Far East. Their plans are interrupted when one of their employees holds them hostage.  Gateway Theatre, 6500 Gilbert Road, Richmond, 604-270-6500

May 4 - 14, 2005
Edam Dance presents The Underside.  THE UNDERSIDE, the final of three EDAM studio theatre presentations this season, will feature two new dance creations: SLIP, choreographed by EDAM's Artistic Director Peter Bingham, and One + One, choreographed by guest artist Wen Wei Wang.  EDAM Studio, 303 East 8th Ave., Vancouver, 604-876-9559, www.edamdance.org

May 5, 2005
Mike Harcourt, B.C. ex-premier and now Chair of the Prime Minister's External Advisory Committee on Cities and Communities, reads from his book Plan B: One Man's Journey from Tragedy to Triumph.  Chapters Bookstore on Robson, 7 pm, 604-682-4066.

May 5, 2005
We Are Here, to Remember.  Special evening of music, dance and readings commemorating the Holocaust. Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 604-264-0499.

May 5 - 14, 2005
Gateway Theatre presents Tiger Of Malaya.  The ultimate irony exposed in a clash of cultures! In 1945, General Tomoyuki Yamashita faces trial for war crimes. Admitting guilt as the defeated party, he requests the military privilege of death by firing squad. Two reluctant Americans assigned to his defence insist they can and must prove the charges unconstitutional.  Gateway Theatre, 6500 Gilbert Road, Richmond, 604-270-6500, www.gatewaytheatre.com

May 5 - 21, 2005
First Impressions Theatre presents: Barefoot in the Park.  Newlyweds Corie and Paul Bratter move into her dream apartment. Located up six flights of stairs, not large enough to swing a cat, it boasts an unfortunate paint job, no furniture and an unexpected shared entrance. There is an out-of-shape mother-in-law, a gourmet bachelor and various trades-people coming and going. The story revolves around the newlyweds Corie, sweet, and madly in love with her husband Paul, the upcoming young lawyer on the verge of his first big case. He finds his whole home situation a bit much and things spiral out of control at the suggestion they walk barefoot in the park in the snow.  Deep Cove Shaw Theatre, 4360 Gallant Avenue, North Vancouver, 604-929-9456, https://www.firstimpressionstheatre.com/

May 5 - 26, 2005
Gardeners Truck Market.  Look for the return of the trucks starting May 5. Stock up on beautiful spring bedding plants, hanging baskets and bulbs at the Gardener's Truck Market. Set up outside the Public Market, stop in for delightful flowers to add to your garden and liven up your backyard or patio.  Granville Island, 604-666-5784, www.granvilleisland.com

May 6, 2005
EK Shaandar Shaam Dinner & Dance.  Indian cultural celebration, benefiting the BC Children's Hospital Cancer Program.  Fraserview Church, 604-818-9892.

May 6 - 7, 2005
Holland Days, Lynden, Washington; 360-354-5995, https://www.lynden.org

May 6 - 7, 2005
Richmond Regional Heritage Fair Richmond Museum, 10am-5pm.  Local students share community history through this regional showcase of heritage projects; 604 231-6460.

May 6 - 7, 2005
The Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and MovEnt present: Riff.   Riff is a full-length dance work based on the elements of song. Unearthing the complexities of relationship in a choreography of passionate physicality and virtuosic dancing, Day Helesic, Amber Funk, Chengxin Wei and Karissa Barry discover the emotions of love and friendship in all their complications. Original music by Erin, Gordon Cobb and Kris Boyd.  Studio Theatre, 4th Floor N, Douglas College, 700 Royal Ave., New Westminster, 604-291-6864, https://www.city.burnaby.bc.ca/cityhall/departments_parks/prksrc_fclts_shdblt.html

May 6 - 8, 2005
Dixieland Jazz Festival.  Dixieland Jazz at its best; a very popular and fun event.  Held at The Old Fair Ground, Chilliwack; 604-795-3600, https://www.chwkjazz.com/

May 7 - 8, 2005
Blue's Clues Live - Blue's Birthday Party.  Blue's Birthday Party is a live theatrical experience that invites preschoolers and their parents to think, imagine and be an active part of the show. It follows Blue and her friends, Magenta, Periwinkle, Tickety Tock, Slippery Soap, Mr. Salt, Mrs. Pepper and, of course, Joe, as they search for clues to discover what Blue wants for her birthday. The theatrical presentation transforms the television show into three dimensions, stimulating kids' imagination and senses while celebrating the wonder of learning. The show features an unprecedented level of interactivity from the moment the audience enters the theatre to the time it leaves. Each child will receive a free handy dandy notebook to follow as Joe finds Blue's clues!  Centre for Performing Arts in Vancouver, 777 Homer ST, Vancouver, 604-602-0616, www.centreinvancouver.com

May 6 - 29, 2005
Gallery Gachet presents To Be a Part of Our Story.  Gallery Gachet is celebrating Asian Heritage Month as part of the explorASIAN Festival with an To Be a Part of Our Story, an exhibit by two Korean artists living in Vancouver: sculptor Youngsin Lee and painter Julian Hahn.  Gallery Gachet, 88 East Cordova St., Vancouver, www.gachet.org

May 7, 2005
10th Annual BC Ukrainian Cultural Festival.  Highlight - Canada's largest "Pysanky Exhibit".  Dance & Music competitions, Displays & workshops of Ukrainian Easter Egg & Wheat Weaving Display of Arts & Crafts - books, cookbooks, CD's, tapes pottery, Traditional Ukrainian food & Music.  8:30 am - 6:30 pm, Clarke Theatre, 33700 Prentis Avenue, Mission; 604-576-7970 or www.vcn.bc.ca/bcucf

May 7, 2005
Antique Swap Meet / Tractor Pull.  Antique gas engines, steam engines, tractor parts, farm machinery, hand tools, cars, trucks, motorcycles, household antiques and much, much more. Food booth & city park nearby, lots of free parking; Lynden, Washington 360-354-4625.

May 7, 2005
Art of the Carver, Central Fraser Valley Woodcarvers.  The Central Fraser Valley Woodcarvers present "Art of the Carver" a woodcarving and wood sculpture show and competition.  Columbia Place, Columbia Bible College, 2940 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford.

May 7, 2005
Evergreen Cultural Centre presents Nine Sinatra Songs.  New York-based dance legend Twyla Tharp created Nine Sinatra Songs after researching turn-of-the-century ballroom dancing styles for the feature film Ragtime. With songs sung by Frank Sinatra, this enormously successful work spotlights intricate footwork and dance artistry with fabulous, original costume design by Oscar de la Renta. A confection of a ballet!  Evergreen Cultural Centre, 1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam, 604-927-6555, www.evergreenculturalcentre.ca  

May 7, 2005
Flea Market: Here's your chance to clean out your cupboards or find yourself a bargain! More than 50 tables of pre-loved items are on display to comb through. Note to vendors: Please register in person (maximum of one table per person plus one table for a friend). Table rental: $15.00 each (no refunds after May 4). Free admission for buyers. Saturday, 9:30am-2:00pm, May 7. Confederation Community Centre, 4585 Albert Street Burnaby. Phone 604-296-7010 or 604-294-1936

May 7, 2005
Little Hummers.  Look for hummingbirds hovering over spring blossoms and listen for their buzzing hum as they zip by. You and your preschooler will enjoy learning about these tiny birds as you walk along nature trails, do outdoor activities and play hummingbird games.  Burnaby Lake Regional Park.  Sponsored by the GVRD, 604-432-6359.

May 7, 2005
Maple Ridge Mountain Festival.  Taking place in Maple Ridge, BC, the annual Maple Ridge Mountain Festival includes a parade, the Home Show, hospital bed races, golf tournament scramble, the Lion's Pancake Breakfast, a Senior’s tea, the Family Arts Fair and a variety of children's and youth activities.  For more information call Ingrid at 604.467.7347 (ikraus@mapleridge.org) or the Community Festival Office at 604-467-7325.

May 7, 2005
Salmon Send-off.  Celebrate the return of the salmon by helping to release salmon fry into Stoney Creek!  Stoney Creek School, Burnaby, 604-664-8849.

May 7, 2005
Surrey Art Gallery presents Workshop for Teens: Interior Landscapes.  First Nations Elder Oldhands will discuss and tell stories relating to the Aboriginal concept of the seven sacred directions, which signifies an aspect of our life journey that represents a circle or wheel. Participants will then create their own Wheel or Circle of Life.  Surrey Art Gallery, 13750 88th Avenue, Surrey; 604-501-5566.

May 7, 2005
The Egyptian Canadian Cultural Society presents Egyptian Night.  Come join us on Saturday, May 7th 2005 for a cultural exploration of Egypt, including Egyptian history, architecture, live Egyptian folk musicand a dinner buffet of delicious Egyptian food!  Renaissance Hotel Ballroom, 1133 West Hastings, Vancouver, 604-669-2813.

May 7, 2005
The Wild at Art Festival Artists, artisans and community groups are invited to participate in this great community event. Performers to keep people dancing all day long. At least a dozen singers, musicians and dancers, including three world-class acts, will entertain audiences. Performances will take place in the Chieftain Shopping Centre, Squamish. Six hours of continuous music. Including: Squamish First Nations Dancers, Ache Brasil, Gary Comeau and the Voodoo Allstars and Mojo Zydeco;

May 8, 2005
Global Arts Concert presents Canadian Brass Magic Horn Tour.  The five virtuosi of the world's most popular brass group, Canadian Brass, bring their glorious music and sense of humour and elan, to Vancouver's Chan Centre for a very special Mother's Day matinee.  Chan Centre for the Arts, 6265 Crescent Road, UBC, 604-280-3311, www.canbrass.com

May 8, 2005
Mother's Day Tea on the Train. Tea & treats on a 1921 railcar.  Port Moody Station Museum, 604-939-1648, https://vcn.bc.ca/pmmuseum

May 9 to July 10, 2005
Arts Club Theatre presents MISS SAIGON.  War, Love, Sacrifice and Hope This hugely popular show is the second musical by Boubil and Schnberg - the same team that created Les Misrables. An American soldier named Chris has a brief and passionate affair with an innocent Vietnamese girl named Kim, only to be tragically separated in the turmoil of the U.S. exodus. What follows is Kim's harrowing and desperate odyssey to leave her war-torn homeland and reunite with the man she loves - and the father of her son. In a society torn apart by the aftermath of war, Kim's journey is a staggering example of the ultimate sacrifice a mother will make for her child.  Stanley Theatre, 2780 Granville Street, Vancouver, 604-687-1644, www.artsclub.com

May 10, 2005
Vancouver Public Library presents Myra Paperny.  The VPL and HarperCollins Publishers peresnt Myra Paperny, reading from her book, The Greenies, which is based on the true story of Jewish orphans who came to Canada post-WWII. The Canadian Jewish Congress was responsible for bringing over roughly 1200 young teenagers, oprhans of the concentration camps, who came to live in cities across Canada. Post-war Canada, with its clean streets and abundance of food, was a far cry from war-ravaged Europe. The orphans, many of them young teenagers who had lost their entire families, had been living in horrific situations for years. Coming to Canada and dealing with their Canadian teen counterparts at high school was a culture shock, to say the least.

May 10 - 14, 2005
Md Vancouver: Md Vancouver is a competitive festival of Scottish Gaelic music, language and culture which is held every second year, over a period of five days, to an enthusiastic audience who come from different parts of Canada, the U.S.A. and Scotland. Md Vancouver features competitions in music, oral and written Gaelic, and workshops in Gaelic language, song, literature, music, drama, and dancing. In addition nightly concerts are held featuring Md Gold Medal winners from Scotland, local musicians, and Md Vancouver competition winners.  Scottish Cultural Centre, 8886 Hudson Street, Vancouver, 604-572-4068, www.modvancouver.com

May 10 - 14, 2005
The Vancouver East Cultural Centre presents: Peepshow.  You have been outside the room for a long, long time. One day, you notice that a hole pierced in one of the walls gives you access to secrets: secret desires and forbidden territories. As you look through it, you realize that there is someone in there, sharing those secrets with you. Suddenly you don't feel so alone anymore. But then, something makes you suspect you might not be the only one looking; that there might be other holes and other people sharing those same secrets. You have been fooled. And you understand that there must be a bigger mystery out there. And that there might be someone, somewhere, looking at you. Marie Brassard is best known as a close collaborator of Quebecois director Robert Lepage, with whom she co-authored and performed in Le Polygraphe, The Dragon's Trilogy, The Seven Streams of the River Ota and Geometry of Miracles, among other productions. She created her first solo play, Jimmy, for the Festival de Theatre des Ameriques in 2001. In 2003, she created a new play entitled La Noirceur, which premiered in Montreal and was shown in Ottawa, Berlin, Vancouver, Vienna and Sweden.  Vancouver East Cultural Centre, 1895 Venables Street, Vancouver, 604-251-1363, www.vecc.bc.ca

May 11, 2005
Vancouver Public Library presents Erna Paris. The VPL presents Erna Paris, reading from Long Shadows: Truth, Lies and History, a searing, personal eamination into the shifting terrain of war and memory that seeks to understand how nations come to terms with their most painful history. How do countries reinvent themselves after cataclysmic events? Why is it that many countries can't lay the past to rest? And how do the men and women who are being asked to forget - and at times forgive - react to the various measures their countries take? With these questions in mind, Erna Paris takes us on an incredible journey that spans four continents; 604-331-3602.

May 11, 2005
Vancouver Public Library presents Robert Munsch.  The VPL and Scholastic Canada present one of Canada's most popular storytellers, Robert Munsch. He is the best-selling author of over 40 children's books, including the classice Love You Forever and The Paperbag Princess. He creates his characters from the children he meets while doing storytelling. Robert Munsch is the Honorary Chairperson for Family Literacy Day in 2006.  This program will include one hour of storytelling, followed by book signing. Books will be available for sale at the event.  Admission is free BUT advance tickets are required. Tickets WILL NOT be available at the door. A draw for tickets will be held at every branch of the VPL. Draws close April 30, 2005; 604-331-4044.

May 11 - 12, 2005
The Centre presents GREASE.  Grab your favorite Pink Lady and travel back to when beehives were in and coifs were cool. Grease, one of Broadway's longest running musicals, takes a hilarious, tuneful and loving look at what it was like growing up in the super-cool '50's with the funniest gang of high school students you'll ever meet.  The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts, 604-280-4444.

May 12, 2005
Heritage Conservation and the Private Sector.  Robert Fung examines the vital role of private sector investment in heritage buildings and neighbourhoods. Vancouver's Gastown and its heritage buildings will be used as a case study.  SFU Harbour Centre, 604-291-5100.

May 13, 2005
Dharma Talk.   Zen teacher talks talks about aspects of the Dharma (teachings), illustrating the subject with anecdotes taken from personal practice and life experience.  Talk by Eric Nord, Head Dharma Teacher of Dharma Sound Zen Center. Darek Gorzewski, resident Zen teacher from Dharma Sound Zen Center, will answers questions from the audience. The talk is intended to be accessible to a broad audience. It requires no prior familiarity with Zen, Buddhism or meditation practice.  St. Patrick's Parish, 604-222-4411, https://www.zen-group.org

May 13 - 14, 2005
Third Annual Brackendale Bluegrass Festival. Open Jam May 14, 1:00 - 4:00 pm. Main Shows: Friday 8:00 pm - Five on a Strill and The Still Blue. Saturday, 8:00 pm - The Mountain Bluebirds and The Courageous Mountain Rangers. Tix $15 per day or $25 for two days. To Boox Tix call Cam Salay, 605 898 2338 or email: camsalay@hotmail.com

May 13 to June 22, 2005
Senses.  Billed as the song and dance concert that arouses all your senses, this show has an added theme of celebrating the beauty and artistry of Chinese womanhood. Senses, the show, will feature each evening a pair of dancers, two singers (a tenor and a female Chinese folk singer), nine female musicians, and six accompanying dancers. The headlining female lead dancer is Tang Jia Li, famous not only because of her dancing agility but also because of her exquisite beauty and elegance as seen through her well-known and artistic library of nude photography (visit www.tangjiali.com). Through specially orchestrated music that fuses the best of the East with the best of the West, Senses will showcase to the audience a different side of Chinese stage art and culture. Centre for Performing Arts in Vancouver, 604-602-0616, www.centreinvancouver.com

May 14, 2005
Amphibian Adventures.  Amphibian eggs, larva and adults can all be found in spring. Local frogs and salamanders are back in their forest homes while their spawn, tadpoles and young are growing in quiet waterways. Learn about these fascinating animals; discover their watery homes and terrestrial habitats.  Tynehead Regional Park.  Sponsored by the GVRD, 604-432-6359.

May 14, 2005
BF Goodrich Sport Compact Nights Auto Salon at BC Place Stadium; (514) 525-8818 or www.sportcompactnights.ca

May 14, 2005
Children's Festival on Granville Island. CMHC Granville Island presents a free festival preview of the Vancouver International Children's Festival. Come try tap dance workshops or decorate your hair with wild temporary colors. Enjoy the talents of She, Jacky Essombe (storytelling) and the Masabo Culture. See you in the Public Market Courtyard. Free admission.  www.granvilleisland.com

May 14, 2005
Introduction to Zen Workshop.  A one day workshop where participants will be introduced to the basic tenets of the Korean Zen teaching style and practices.  A one day workshop, led by Darek Gorzewski, resident Zen Teacher from Dharma Sound Zen Center, Seattle.  Vancouver Buddhist Centre, 604-222-4411, https://www.zen-group.org

May 14, 2005
Langley Latin Fair.  The Latin Summer Fest Society is has an outreach event on May 14 for Surrey/Langley residents hosted by Pepitas restaurant. The Langley city stage will be on site, information and crafts also. https://www.latinsummerfest.com

May 14, 2005
Spring Trail Walk.  Enjoy a 1.7-kilometre walk through Tynehead’s forests and woodlands. Discover busting buds, spring blossoms and mint new leaves. Learn which plants rely on ants, and which leaves make refreshing teas. Meet at the 96th Avenue entrance parking area. This walk is part of Surrey’s “Environment Extravaganza” event series.  Tynehead Regional Park.  Sponsored by the GVRD, 604-432-6359.

May 14 - 15, 2005
Kerrisdale Antiques Fair.  Over 250 tables and booths of antiques and collectibles.  Kerrisdale Arena, 604-980-3159, https://www.21cpromotions.com

May 14 - 15, 2005
Westcoast Families Expo.  Help for families ranging from keeping kids active to math tutoring to summer camp suggestions. Featuring exhibitors from A-Class Nannies to the YMCA.  Raincoast Books reading tent, diaper derby, cooking stage. Entertainment stage: BC Girls and Boys Choir, the Mulgrave Choir, Fiddlers from Amati Studio, and Music for Children. Seminar stage: parenting seminars including "Parenting Pre-School Children" by Lily Dyson; "Connecting with Teens" with Wendy Lum; "Parenting Options: a Discussion on Adoption;" and "Back to the Future: Make it a Family Affair" with the David Suzuki Foundation. Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre, https://www.westcoastfamiliesexpo.com

May 15, 2005
Car Boot Sale, Steveston Community Centre in Richmond; 604-718-8080.

May 15, 2005
Kidstuff Only Swapmeet.  Our swapmeets are the ideal way to clean out your child's closets and toy boxes. Or pick up the best bargains in town. If you're thinking of selling, please note that we accept only used items for children age 12 and younger as well as maternity clothes. Free admission for buyers, donations to the food bank are gratefully accepted. Sunday, 10:00am-1:00pm, May 15. Willingdon Community Centre, 1491 Carleton Avenue Burnaby. Table registration for sellers takes place 9:00am, April 15. Table rental $14.50. Phone 604-299-1446

May 15, 2005
May Fun Fly. Bring your kite and spend the day flying with us.  Single, dual and quad line flying.  11 am - 4 pm, Garry Point Park, Richmond, info@bcka.bc.ca  

May 15, 2005
Ravi Shankar and Anoushka Shankar.  Legendary sitarist and composer performs with his daugher and master tabla player Tanmoy Bose.  Orpheum Theatre, 604-280-4444.

May 15, 2005
Surrey Art Gallery presents Sea to Sky Family Day. Explore, enjoy and create art together! Drop in for hands-on art activities, landscape painting demonstrations, family-friendly exhibition tours, and more. For all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult.  Surrey Art Gallery, 13750 88th Avenue, Surrey; 604-501-5566.

May 16 - 23, 2005
Vancouver International Children's Festival:  The 28th annual event celebrates the young at "art" May 16 to 23 at Vanier Park, 1100 Chestnut St. With over 83 incredible shows by world-renowned artists, there is an abundance to choose from. Acts include Saigon Water Puppet Theatre, IHS: Ultimate Skatedance ("Stomp on rollerblades"), Every Body, Sonke Sisonke, Leaky Heaven Circus, Holly Arntzen & the Dream Band, storytelling and other fun stuff.  Held at Vanier Park, Vancouver; 604-708-5655, https://www.vancouverchildrensfestival.com

May 16, 2005
Jerry Seinfeld.  A great show worthy of Las Vegas right here in Vancouver! Celebrity dinner show, featuring Legends in Concert and Jerry Seinfeld.  Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre, 877-821-5804.

May 17 - 22, 2005
MusicFest Canada 2005:  Canada's largest and oldest educational music festival returns to the west coast for their 33rd edition. MusicFest Canada 2005 will showcase over 10,000 student performers in 350+ bands from high schools, colleges, and universities from across Canada.  Different locations across Richmond. For more information visit the website at www.musicfest.ca

May 17 - 23, 2005
Vancouver International Children's Festival presents National Acrobats of Taiwan.  Beautiful music, costumes and sets come together with dynamic artistry inthis exciting performance by the renowned Chinese Acrobatic Troupe of the National Taiwan Junior College of Performing Arts. Young women spin plates and dance with hypnotic diablos which fly through the air like birds. The mesmerizing performers defy gravity, balancing in a human pyramid at jaw-dropping heights. You won't have a chance to catch your breath as these nimble artists perform their don't-try-this-at-home feats. Presented in collaboration with the Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Society.  Vanier Park, www.childrensfestival.ca

May 20 - 22, 2005
BC BUDS - A Spring Arts Fair.  This new project, hosted by the Firehall Arts Centre, welcomes all to experience dance, theatre, music and visual artists. Artists will perform for a full week, using every nook and cranny of the facility and grounds. The selected offerings will provide an intimate and innovative forum to draw artists and community members closer together in the development of artistic works, but most importantly, offer greater access to the arts for children and families within our city.  Firehall Arts Centre, 604-689-0926, www.firehallartscentre.ca

May 20 - 23, 2005
Cloverdale Rodeo & Exhibition.  There is something for everyone at the fair; parade, pancake breakfast, agricultural events and demonstrations, native arts and cultural events, home improvement ideas, midway, rides and entertainment for the children, and of course exciting rodeo competitions with some of North America's top cowboys. Held at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds, for more information visit www.cloverdalerodeo.com

May 21, 2005
Cloverdale Rodeo Parade, 10 am Cloverdale Town Centre; 604-576-9461.

May 21 - 29, 2005
Hyack Festival.  Opening night fireworks, famous Anvil Battery Salute, Family Days in Queens Park, historic May Day, and the renowned Hyack International parade, BC's largest, with bands, floats and colourful entries from throughout the Pacific Northwest.  Held at various locations in New Westminster, 604-522-6894,  www.hyack.bc.ca/

May 22, 2005
Nature Time at Burnaby Lake.  Celebrate the Nature House season opening. Check out displays and activities inside and wildlife outside. Take a guided nature walk and go on a ‘Nature Scavenger Hunt’. Children can make a craft to take home. Meet and park at the Burnaby Lake Nature House, 4519 Piper Avenue, or park your vehicle at the Avalon Avenue lot and enjoy a half-hour walk to the Nature House.  Sponsored by the GVRD, 604-432-6359.

May 23, 2005
83rd Annual Fort Langley May Day. Everyone is welcome to this fun family event! The 83rd Annual Fort Langley May Day parade and festival takes place Monday May 23rd 2005. The day starts with a pancake breakfast at 8:00 am at the Lions’ Hall, Glover Rd. and 88th Ave. The parade starts at 11:00 am and travels through the Village to the Fort Langley Community Park. Marching bands, floats, RCMP motorcycle ride, vintage cars, drill teams, riders from the 2nd Annual Pony Express Ride and clowns will entertain the whole family. The crowning of the May Queen, the maypole dances, the midway rides, music, food and family fun begins after the parade at the Fort Langley Community Park.  Festival information – Lynne Davidson, Fort Langley BIA at 604-888-8835.

May 23, 2005
Victoria Day

May 23, 2005
Victoria Day at Burnaby Village Museum.  The royal birthday is celebrated with special entertainment all day long. In fact, Queen Victoria herself is scheduled to attend. Admission rates apply. 11:00am-4:30pm daily. Burnaby Village Museum, 6501 Deer Lake Avenue. Phone 604-293-6500. Recorded Info Line 604-293-6501.

May 23 - 24, 2005
May Day Parade - Fort Langley Park, 11 am - 3 pm. The historic village of Fort Langley welcomes you to join them to celebrate Victoria Day in style. Activities include a main street parade presided over by the May Queen and her Court, canoe races, Maypole dancing, children's activities, concessions. Call 604-888-8835 for more information.

May 23 to June 1, 2005
2005 Canadian Gymnastics Championships.  Canada's best will shine once again in Vancouver from May 23rd to June 1st, 2005 as Gymnastics BC, along with Gymnastics Canada, host the 2005 Canadian Gymnastics Championships. This 10 day celebration will feature Women's Artistic Gymnastics, Men's Artistic Gymnastics, Trampoline and Tumbling, and for the first time a Canadian Championships Gymnaestrada. UBC's War Memorial Gym, Student Recreation Centre, and Thunderbird Arena will be the site for this exciting event! Don't miss out!  University of British Columbia, 604-737-3049, www.gymnastics.bc.ca/Events/2005Canadians

May 28, 2005
Bugs, Butterflies and Beetles.  Search for stink bugs, tiger swallowtails and lightning beetles. Discover how to catch and attract different kinds of insects and other invertebrates. Find out why yellow spotted millipedes smell like almonds, why ants lay scent trails and what baby beetles look like.  Burnaby Lake Regional Park.  Sponsored by the GVRD, 604-432-6359.

May 28, 2005
European Festival.  Experience the diverse "flavours" of European countries all under one roof. Food, drink, music, dance, costumes, children entertainment, european market place, and more.  Scandinavian Community Centre, 604-294-2777, https://www.eurofestbc.com

May 28, 2005
Langley's Blues And Jazz Street Party. Talented musicians will line the streets and various merchants will play host to jazz and blues bands. A swing dance performance will complete this daylong event that is sure to please music lovers of all ages. Call 604-562-7839 for more information.

May 28, 2005
WWE Raw Live Event.  The Superstars of RAW are coming to British Columbia for two action packed shows in May when Nintendo and Solo by Bell present WWE WrestleMania Revenge!! See Batista, Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Edge, Trish Stratus and more.  PNE Agridome.

May 28 - 29, 2005
Peony Festival & Exhibition.  The Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden and the Canadian Peony Society present a festival that celebrates the “king of flowers”, the peony or mudan flower through art, music, workshops, and displays of peonies from BC growers. The first of its kind in Western Canada, the Peony Festival makes its debut. Find out what the attraction is to China’s most highly prized flower that is associated with wealth, prosperity, royalty and friendship.  Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, 604-662-3207, https://www.vancouverchinesegarden.com

May 28 - September 5, 2005
Wang Du.  The Vancouver Art Gallery will be the first venue outside Europe to present this exhibition of sculptural works by Wang Du, a Chinese-born (b. 1956) artist living and working in Paris since 1990. Wang Du is recognized as a master of manipulating and deconstructing images related to the mass media. In each work he painstakingly reproduces the original two-dimensional image in three-dimensional form, often utilizing the extreme foreshortening and cropping that are a part of media representation.  Vancouver Art Gallery, 604-662-4719, https://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca

May 28 to September 5, 2005
Franz West: As a leading European artist, Franz West has made an important contribution to sculpture at the turn of the century. West's work emerges out of the history of Viennese Actionism with its emphasis on the human body, the grotesque and subversive humour. Franz West features over 30 works from the past three decades and focuses on West's Passtück (or Adaptive) sculptures; Vancouver Art Gallery, 604-662-4719, https://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca

May 29 to June 16, 2005
2005 Shadbolt Celebrates.  This year, Shadbolt Centre for the Arts celebrates 10 years. The centre will be showcasing talents and accomplishments of students and instructors with dance, music and drama recitals as well as visual and ceramic arts exhibitions. Gala show: June 9, time to be announced For more information, contact the box office at 604-205-3000. Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, 6450 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby.

May 29, 2005
The Como Lake Fishing Derby takes place on Sunday May 29 from 7am to 12 noon. It is free to participate in and open to all children under the age of sixteen. Hundreds of prizes are awarded each year for all sorts of catches, from the largest fish to the smallest fish or for the strangest catch of the day. The fishing derby attracts hundreds of children each year and as the children are fishing, the parents can enjoy a wonderful pancake breakfast cooked by the Coquitlam Kinsmen Club. The event is co-organized by Coquitlam Festival Society, Kinsmen Club, Port Coquitlam District Hunting and Fishing Club and Coquitlam Leisure and Parks Services. For more information go to www.citysoup.ca search word: Como lake fishing derby or call 604-473-1616.

May 29, 2005
25th Annual Sheep Fair.  Come participate in "Shear Heaven" at Maplewood Farms 25th Annual Sheep Fair.  There will be members of the Greater Vancouver Spinners and Weavers Guild to demonstrate the spinning, carving, and weaving of the wool once it has been sheared from the sheep.  Shearing times are at 11am and 1pm.  Food concession and ponyrides accompany this "sheeply event".  Maplewood Farm, North Vancouver, 604-929-5610 or johnstoa@dnv.org

May 29, 2005
Lions Club Salmon Run Antique Car Show at the Steveston Community Centre in Richmond; 604-718-8080.

June 5, 2005
Helping Kids with Cancer – Childrun.  A fun-filled morning of exercise, healthy food and family entertainment! Childrun is celebrating their 20th year helping kids with Cancer. Come out and show your support for the Pediatric Oncology Department at BC Children’s Hospital. Sign up as an individual or create a team and raise funds.  BC Childrens Hospital, 604-875-8444, www.childrun.com

Ongoing until May 8, 2005
Rodney Graham: A Little Thought.  Vancouver artist Rodney Graham is one of the most celebrated artists in the international contemporary art scene. Artist, writer, musician and actor, Graham is acclaimed for inventing new approaches to landscape, literature and sound. A Little Thought is a mid-career retrospective that focuses on Graham's video and film work.  Vancouver Art Gallery, 604-662-4719, www.vanartgallery.bc.ca

Ongoing until May 14, 2005
Evergreen Cultural Centre presents Survival/Balance.  he Evergreen Cultural Centre has brought together three artists from two different provinces for the exhibition Survival/Balance. The exhibit features the work of established artists Terra Bonnieman, Laura Hargrave and Harry Stanbridge, who use vastly different materials adn techniques to explore issues of cultural, environmental, and species survival.  Evergreen Cultural Centre, 1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam, www.evergreenculturalcentre.ca

Ongoing until May 14, 2005
Jericho Arts Centre presents Weill Women.  Weill Women is a humourous and soulful journey through the landscape of Kurt Weills best-loved songs re-enacted by Alisa Kort, Calla Krause and Karen Shumka, as they illustrate the often contentious relationships that inhabit his material. Together they give a polished and dynamic performance in the celebration of Kurt Weill, choreographed and performed with precision, vocal expertise, pathos and humour.  Jericho Arts Centre, 604-224-8007, www.jerichoartscentre.com

Ongoing until May 20, 2005
 Vancouver Public Library presents Chinese Family Storytime.  Let's expose your kids to the Chinese language and help them acquire a love of books and reading. Reading to children from a young age helps them become better readers once they start school. VPL Multilingual Division is helping kids get a head start by offering free drop-in Chinese storytime sessions at Oakridge Branch. Children of all ages and their parents or caregivers are welcome to attend. Storytimes are held in Mandarin;  VPL - Oakridge Branch.

Ongoing until May 21, 2005
Centre A presents Charlie Don't Surf: Four Vietnamese American Artists.  Thirty years after the Fall of Saigon in Vietnam, and a decade after the flowering and subsequent proclaimed failure of multiculturalism and identity politics in the United States, this exhibition highlights contemporary Vietnamese American visual artists whose work and subjectivity is affected by these socio-political intersections. Through experimental video, abstract painting, and photography, these multi-generational artists' seemingly disparate practices explore memory, failure, sexuality, trauma, and the ambivalent politics of cultural difference.  Centre A, 849 Homer Street, Vancouver, www.centrea.org

Ongoing to May 23, 2005
Historic Downtown Abbotsford Art Walk.  A spring medium that draws people into the Historic Downtown core while providing a notable number of talented artists with an opportunity to introduce their creations or masterpieces. The dozen or more participating merchants indulge their favorite artist in showcasing his/her work, and launch the walk with an Art Walk Artists & Aficionados Reception. Admission is free. For more information see: www.abbotsforddowntownbia.bc.ca (https://www.abbotsforddowntownbia.bc.ca) or phone  604-850-6547.

Ongoing until May 28, 2005
Le Centre Culturel Francophone de Vancouver presents Harmonious Chaos.  Daniel Migneault is a self-taught artist who has been inspired by various influences. His unusual work using a palette of vibrant colours is perfectly in harmony with the Spring that is just on our doorstep. Daniel is a deeply committed artist who does not make compromises in his creative work and who lives and breathes his art as a means of escape from the mundane and also as a way of having fun. As he likes to say, the subject of his paintings is not really important in comparison with the pleasure he derives from it and the enjoyment he hopes to bring to others. Daniel paints to express his gentle eccentricity and to feel free in a world that is far too ordered for his taste.  Le Centre Culturel Francophone de Vancouver, 1551 W. 7th Avenue, Vancouver; 604-736-9806.

Ongoing until May 29, 2005
Belkin Art Gallery presents Picturing the Downtown East Side.  Representations of the Downtown East Side are ever-present, weaving constant threads within the oeuvre of numerous Vancouver artists. Picturing the Downtown East Side looks at this neighbourhood as subject, presenting various photographic and video works and alternative community-based projects that address the area's architecture and social landscape. 112 West Hastings St., Vancouver, www.belkin-gallery.ubc.ca

Ongoing until May 29, 2005
Real Pictures: Photographs from the Collection of Claudia Beck and Andrew Gruft.   From canonical figures in the history of photography Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, Andr Kertsz, Nadar, William Henry Fox Talbot and Edward Weston to contemporary Vancouver artists such as Roy Arden, Stephen Waddell, Scott McFarland and Karin Bubas, this exhibition presents more than 300 photographic works from the outstanding collection of Claudia Beck and Andrew Gruft. Assembled over three decades, the Beck/Gruft collection is notable for its emphasis on vintage prints and focuses on the descriptive power of photography. These images are both documents and fictions, evoking an ongoing fascination with photography's compelling position in a realm between truth and artifice. Organized by the Vancouver Art Gallery; 604-662-4719, www.vanartgallery.bc.ca

Ongoing until May 29, 2005
Real Pictures: Photographs from the Collection of Claudia Beck and Andrew Gruft.   From canonical figures in the history of photography Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, Andr Kertsz, Nadar, William Henry Fox Talbot and Edward Weston to contemporary Vancouver artists such as Roy Arden, Stephen Waddell, Scott McFarland and Karin Bubas, this exhibition presents more than 300 photographic works from the outstanding collection of Claudia Beck and Andrew Gruft. Assembled over three decades, the Beck/Gruft collection is notable for its emphasis on vintage prints and focuses on the descriptive power of photography. These images are both documents and fictions, evoking an ongoing fascination with photography's compelling position in a realm between truth and artifice. Organized by the Vancouver Art Gallery; 604-662-4719, www.vanartgallery.bc.ca

Ongoing until May 30, 2005
Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre: Spring Preschool Programs.  Hour-long programs explore nature through outdoor exploration, stories, games and nature crafts.  Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre, 604-981-3103, see https://www.dnv.org/ecology

Ongoing until June 2, 2005
Richmond Art Gallery presents Place/Displace.  Twenty-four Taiwanese artists are selected in this exhibition "Place and Displace: Three Generations of Taiwanese Art." Their artworks give us a chance to review Taiwan's art history. These pieces include calligraphy, ink painting, colour-glue painting (gouache), oil painting, avant-garde installation and video art. The most senior artist is more than ninety years old, while the youngest is only in his twenties. Now, with a more distant perspective, the past and the present converse and contrast in this exhibition. Historically, Taiwan has had a close but often difficult relationship with the Peoples Republic of China, and has maintained close ties to Japan and the United States. Culture in Taiwan is therefore quite global in nature, and artwork is balanced between local and foreign culture. Artists exhibited in Place/Displace combine expressions of individual subjectivity with those focused on national identity, in an effort to reflect upon aspects of Taiwanese culture as they relate to identity. With the advancement of democracy, freedom, and internationalism since the mid 1980s, Taiwanese artists have developed innovative ways to integrate Western, Taiwanese, and Chinese cultures. 604-231-6457.

Ongoing until June 14, 2005
Musical Showcase for Youth.  Features jazz piano, classical pinao, duets and singing by children and young adults aged 4-18 years.  Tuesdays, 6 pm, Rossini's Gastown, 604-408-1300.

Ongoing until June 30, 2005
Practice Your French. Learn, practice and improve your French with the participation of volunteers. Every Thursday.  French Cultural Centre, 604-736-9806.

Ongoing until July 24, 2005
Vancouver Whitecaps Women's Soccer at Swangard Stadium.  Call 604-669-9283 or https://www.whitecapsfc.com/index.html for game schedule.

Ongoing until August 30, 2005
 Vancouver Museum presents Skateboarding in Vancouver: a look at the colourful and controversial history of skateboarding in this city and beyond. See skateboards and equipment from all eras of the sport from the surf-inspired sixties to the electric eighties to the fine-arts inspired nineties. Learn how skateboarding has been shaped by this city and how skateboarding has shaped it. 604-734-7368.

Ongoing until September 11, 2005
Vancouver Whitecaps Men's Soccer at Swangard Stadium.  Call 604-669-9283 or https://www.whitecapsfc.com/index.html for game schedule.

Ongoing until September 30, 2005
UBC Music presents Wednesday Noon Hours, An hour of music presented by various artists. Program changes weekly.  12 pm, UBC Recital Hall, 6361 Memorial Road, UBC, Vancouver;

Ongoing until October 8, 2005
Abbotsford Farm & Country Market.  Held Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm, May 7th to October 8th, in Historic Downtown Abbotsford, this market is a showcase for BC growers, artisans and entertainers in a street fair setting.  Being designed not only as a shopping place but also as a social community venue, the market will feature cooking demonstrations, musicians, and performance artists.  For further information check the website at: www.abbotsfordfarmandcountrymarket.com (https://www.abbotsfordfarmandcountrymarket.com)  

Ongoing
Vancouver TheatreSports League presents The Imprentice. The Imprentice isnt about Money, Money, Money, Money its about Funny, Funny, Funny, Funny when an all-powerful host, with impossibly bad hair, runs a competition where a group of improvisers must employ all their formal training, their street-smarts, their improv-chutzpah in this ultimate boardroom battle. Who will hear those dreaded words Youre fired! and which one will be hired to be the Improv Apprentice. It is a 100% non-scripted show that relies on audience suggestions to move the show to its final conclusion. New Revue Stage,  www.vtsl.com