Author Archives: Kieran Phagura

Free Vancouver Canuck watch parties

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North Delta is hosting our door viewing parties for everyone who is cheering on the Canucks this postseason. 

Now there isn’t much better than witnessing what Rogers Arena could look and sound like during a playoff game, but part of the enjoyment of being in the arena is being surrounded by the thousands of other Canucks fans.

Thanks to Social Heart Plaza for hosting, Canuck fans all over the Lower Mainland have the opportunity to go out and watch with tons of other fans just like them. And the best part? It’s completely free! Now don’t get me wrong, $15 to go watch the away games in Rogers Arena is a pretty cool time. But, something about bringing entire communities together to watch outside is such an awesome concept. Unfortunately, due to those pesky riots back in 2011, the Canucks were not able to host any outdoor viewing parties around the arena this year. The Mayor of Delta, George V. Harvie stated in a release that the city should at least do something of these sorts, since the last time the Canucks were in the playoffs we weren’t allowed to celebrate together. 

“It’s been nine years since our community has had the opportunity to come together in-person and cheer on the Canucks in the playoffs” George V. Harvie, Mayor, City of Delta.

I think it’s safe to assume that the only events happening around the arena on game days are just the pre-game parties, as the Canucks have yet to release a “playoff plan”. Because of this, Vancouver is the only Canadian city that does not have a viewing party outside the arena, with the likes of Edmonton having the Ice Distract Plaza and Fan park, Winnipeg having Whiteout street parties outside the arena, and Toronto having Maple Leaf Square. 

Just because there isn’t something right outside Rogers Arena doesn’t mean fans shouldn’t get together and watch the game as a group. Social Heart Plaza and the city of Delta invite you, your family, your friends, and anyone who just enjoys a good time. Bring a chair, a blanket, or whatever you need to make yourself comfortable and sit back to enjoy the atmosphere that many dedicated fans will be bringing to these parties.

Be sure to head to Social Heart Plaza, at 11415 84th Ave for the game three puck drop at 4:30 p.m. on Friday April 26th and and the game four puck drop at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday April 28th Get there early to try and grab the best spot possible!

Digital Indigenous Sport Gallery

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The next generation of Indigenous athletes have had new doors opened for them this past weekend, as the world’s first immersive Indigenous sport gallery recently opened its doors on April 19th 2024. The gallery offers a unique virtual reality experience at the BC Sports Hall of Fame. The purpose of the Digital Indigenous Sport Gallery (DISG) is to spotlight the accomplishments and contributions of Indigenous athletes and coaches throughout sports history and culture.

The BC Sports Hall of Fame established the DISG to create the most comprehensive digitization project globally. The gallery is fully accessible, allowing visitors to experience stories from across the province and around the world come to life. The gallery has many unique features that make it as amazing as it is. When visiting, you’ll notice the key feature being a 360-degree virtual tour of the gallery, offering exclusive content not available in the physical space that includes video profiles of 14 featured athletes and honoured members, along with 3D interactive artifacts. Along with this, the gallery has won two awards in its time, the 2019 Canadian Museums Association Award of Outstanding Achievement in the Exhibition category, and the 2019 Best New Exhibit in the world by the International Sports Heritage Association. 

The Indigenous Sport Gallery expands on the Hall’s earlier exhibits showcasing Indigenous contributions to BC sport heritage, including the First Peoples Gallery (1992) and Aboriginal Sport Gallery (2008). With support from their founding partners, including the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council (I-SPARC), the City of Vancouver, the Province of British Columbia, and their donors, the Digital Indigenous Sport Gallery has been realized to enhance youth access to the inspiring stories within the Indigenous Sport Gallery. In a release, CEO of the BC Sports Hall of Fame Michelle Kitchen made it known that she could not be more thankful to everyone who helped make this possible. 

“We are tremendously grateful to the Government of Canada and the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Province of British Columbia, BC Arts Council and individuals who donated through the 100 Ravens program to bring this remarkable initiative to life,” Michelle Kitchen, CEO, BC Sports Hall of Fame.

The DISG is an amazing piece of technology, and is great for anyone looking to expand their knowledge on Indigenous sports and culture. You can check out this gallery at the BC Sports Hall of Fame, located at BC Place (gate a) 777 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver. The gallery is available to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Tuesday. Tickets are $12-$20, and children under four get in for free with a parents admission.

Punchbowl Festival 2024

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What’s better than cocktails and tacos?? If you ask me, I’d say not much at all. There is a massive festival of delicious drinks and food coming to the PNE this summer and it is going to be awesome. Click PUNCHBOWL Festival to watch the trailer!

The Punchbowl 2024 festival is taking place on July 27th at the PNE fairgrounds and it is already looking like it’s going to be one of the more successful tasting events of the year. Over the course of the day, guests will be welcomed to enjoy over 250 spirits, beers, cider cocktails, wine, and food. The event is being put together by Feaster, a company that strives to make high quality and enjoyable “liquid-to-lips” events. Dax Droski from Feaster says that they are pumped to bring the event back to Vancouver, and he’s confident that people will not be disappointed by this year’s event. 

“We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring PunchBowl back to Vancouver and create unforgettable memories for everyone… After multiple years of producing this special event, we’re confident that this year’s festival will be the best one yet, and we can’t wait to share the new features and updates with our loyal fans and newcomers alike.” Dax Droski, Founder, Parade Agency.

The event will be split into two different tastings. There will be a day time tasting going from 11:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. that has price ranges from $30 to $55, the cheapest being presale tickets, and the most expensive being the regular priced tickets. The night time tasting goes from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. with the same prices as the day time tasting. Click Sign Up — Punch Bowl Festival to get signed up for presale tickets and get them while they’re at their cheapest!

The festival will have dozens of different vendors and the taco and cocktails creations will be endless. Whether you’re looking for hard shelled and something bitter, or a tortilla with something sweet, this festival will have what you’re looking for. As well as great drinks and food, there will be a variety of different DJ’s, who will be playing a throwback 2000’s setlist all day long. If you’re curious about which taco and drink vendors will be there, or who’s going to be playing music, checkout their website PUNCHBOWL Festival and find out exactly what you’re looking for. If you enjoy what you drink while you’re there, then you’re in luck. Feaster will be having an on-site liquor store, so patrons can take home their favourite beverages from the day and will even have product that is hard to find anywhere else. 

Buy your tickets now! I sure will be!

Vancouver Canadians April 23rd Recap

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The Vancouver Canadians began their six game homestand against the Spokane Indians last night at Nat Bailey Stadium last night, here’s how it went.

Well, to start, Vancouver definitely did not play their best baseball in their four to zero loss. It just didn’t seem to go their way last night, wouldn’t be the only Vancouver team that happened to yesterday… The Canadians couldn’t get much going on the offensive side of the ball, being shut out and only getting six hits on thirty-two at bats, totaling a .188 batting average and striking out eleven times. They also had eight players left on base (LOB) and went zero and five with runners in scoring position (RISP). On the defensive side, there were a few nice plays here and there with one error that occurred, compared to the Spokane’s zero errors.

Spokane scored their first run in the second inning, as a build up from the throwing error from third baseman Ryan McCarty. The Canadians continued going three up three down through the third inning, and the Indians scored two more in the third to make the score three to zero. Vancouver had runners in scoring position in the third, but couldn’t make anything out of it. In the top of the 4th, first baseman Trevor Boone hit a solo home run for Spokane, the only one of the game, and put them up four to zero over Vancouver. That would be the last run of the game. Spokane only had one more hit than the Canadians, and only went one for five in RISP, but the one time was enough to edge past Vancouver. They got another chance to put some runs on the board in the bottom of the seventh inning, however couldn’t get their hits going at the right times. Chris McElvian moves to 0 and 2 on  the season as a starter, with his ERA moving in the wrong direction from 4.50 to 5.25. The Canadians move to 7 and 9 on the season, and look to get back into the win column with a win against the Indians tonight.

The series against Spokane continues on this gloomy Wednesday, tonight at 7:05 p.m. on ‘We Care Wednesday’, click RBC We Care Wednesday | Canadians Baseball for more on that. Check out the Vancouver Canadians social media pages for updates on starter pitchers, starting lineups, and other news regarding the game! Come back to tomorrow for another recap of tonight’s game!

Canucks fall flat in game 2

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Well, last night did not go the way we wanted it to.

To say that many of the fans and probably the players themselves are disappointed after last night’s performance would be an understatement. But is it time to panic? I really don’t think it is. Sure, you can look at the score and say “wow we got smoked yesterday”, however it isn’t that simple. Don’t get me wrong, having 18 shots on goal in 3 periods of hockey, going 0-4 on the power play (0-6 in the series), and having the starting goalie be out with an injury isn’t a great look for the team. When the team you’re playing against blocks THIRTY shots, there really isn’t much more you can do. The Canucks attempted 84 shots compared to the Predators 36… it all came down to individual mistakes, and Nashville throwing their bodies in front of every single shot.

The game started off terribly, with Nashville scoring 1:14 into the first period, and it kind of just went downhill from there. No matter the amount of time the Canucks had the puck, they couldn’t buy a goal if their life depended on it. Everyone looked scared to shoot, or wanted the perfect shot, and the amount of times they straight up missed the net was appalling. 33 times they missed the net completely, and it seemed about half of those were wide open attempts. Petterson was his biggest critic, saying that the simple errors he made throughout the game can’t continue to happen.

“I put us in a bad spot with my mistake on their third goal. That can’t happen…If I score in the first period, it’s a 1-1 game, and maybe it’s a different outlook…I’m always my biggest critic and I take a lot of blame for this one.” Elias Petterson, Forward, Vancouver Canucks

The game continued the same the whole time, except instead of being 1-0 down, the Canucks fell to 3-0 down after 8 minutes in the second period. There was a glimmer of light after Nikita Zadorov blasted a goal into the top left corner just over 15 minutes into the second, but that’s all the ‘Nucks could muster up for the game. The third period came and the Canucks finally started taking more shots, something the fans had wanted them to be doing more of all game, and completely dominated the possession for the rest of the game. However, this is also where a majority of the blocks and misses came, as they ended the game with only 18 shots on goal.

The Canucks are back in action on Friday at 4:30pm PST in Nashville, where they look to take a 2-1 series lead. Be sure to head to Rogers Arena, where you can join the viewing party hosted there for only $15!

Vancouver Canadians second homestand

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The Vancouver Canadians take on the Spokane Indians in a 6 game series starting tonight at Rogers Field at Nat Bailey Stadium. The series will go until Sunday, with promotions like Friday being the classic “Nooner at the Nat’ and Sunday being “Family Fun Sunday”.

The Canadians are having a rough start to the year, sitting at a 7-8 record in the Northwest League in High-A baseball division. Their last series they played this season was against Eugene Emeralds, where they only won 2 times out of the 6 games. Prior to that they played the Hillsboro Hops, and won 5 of the 6 games. Vancouver played a 3 game series against Spokane to start the season, and were unfortunately swept 3-0. The season has been a roller coaster so far, beating the teams below them in the standings and losing to the ones above them. They currently sit in 3rd in the Northwest League, however there are only 5 other teams to play against and they only play each other throughout the season.

The Canadians find themselves with the 3rd best batting average as a team, 2nd in the league in home runs, while sitting dead last in total hits. This however is due to Vancouver having the least amount of at-bats throughout the season so far. On the pitching end of things, the Canadians seem to be struggling more. Their pitchers have the least amount of total innings pitched, the second lost earned run average (ERA), and last in strikeouts. So it doesn’t seem to be an issue to score the runs, however it’s proving a challenge to stop the other teams from scoring. For Spokane, everything seems to be working for them this season so far, as they sit in 2nd in the league with an 11-4 record, only one game back of the Eugene Emeralds. Spokane has the second best ERA in the league, the most strikeouts, and the second lowest batting average against them. 

The Canadians look to turn the tide on teams above them in the standings tonight. 23-year old Chris McElvain gets the starting pitching job for Vancouver, as he hopes to bring down that 4.50 ERA. Spokane has 25-year old Mason Green starting tonight and he’ll be expected to keep batters off the bases tonight, keeping the batting average against him at a wild .150.

It’s great weather for a Canadians game tonight and it looks to be in store for a great game. Definitely go check out and support the Vancouver Canadians this season, and check back tomorrow for a game recap, as well as a preview for tomorrow night’s game.

Monsters of the Abyss at the Vancouver Aquarium

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If you are looking for something fun to do this week, or throughout the summer, look no further than the Monsters of the Abyss exhibit at the Vancouver Aquarium. This exhibit takes a deep look at the creatures that are currently way down the depths as we speak, as well as the prehistoric ones that used to run the animal kingdom down there. Such as the megalodon, the largest shark to ever exist.

The exhibit is completely interactive, with many different activities for people of all ages. You can come face-to-face with supersized sculptures and can really feel the sheer mass of these ancient creatures. “Monsters” doesn’t just refer to these prehistoric beasts; however there are new snakes, monitors and other animals that are a part of this exhibit as well. The exhibit gives you the opportunity to join in on live talks with the aquarium’s animal experts, as they hold tours and give you in depth knowledge on the different areas of the abyss. They even bring out “modern-day dinosaurs” that roam the water and the land. As well as the live tours with the animal experts, you can also spend your time mesmerising over the plethora of fossils that the aquarium has acquired over time. They twist and bend through the whole exhibit and give you a true understanding of how massive these animals were back then. Can you imagine if they were still alive today?!

This exhibit is perfect for the curious people out there. The one-of-a-kind opportunity to see these animals up close is truly a sight to see, and even if this kind of stuff isn’t for you, I guarantee you that this event will open your mind. It will make you really start to wonder about all the mysterious animals that are on this world, the ones that were here long before us and the ones that will be here long after us. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, the animal experts find joy in curing all of our curiosity!

The Vancouver Aquarium is a great place for any sort of outing. Whether it’s with your family, a date, or just hanging out with your friends, you’ll be sure to have a good time with all there is to see there. I mean, come on, they have otters that play with toys in the water. How cool is that?

@vancouveraquarium

Thanks for spending SeaOtterAwareness week with us — and it just wouldn’t be an otter observance without an otter party! Donate to the Marine Mammal Rescue Society to help more animals get a second chance at life — visit vammr.org

♬ original sound – Vancouver Aquarium – Vancouver Aquarium

Be sure to check out the aquarium, and definitely check out the Monsters of the Abyss exhibit to expand your knowledge, and to support the animals that call the Vancouver Aquarium their home.

Inagural Vancouver Lapu Lapu Block Party

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For the first time in Vancouver, a Lapu Lapu block party will be taking place this Friday at John Oliver Secondary in East Vancouver.

Datu Lapu-Lapu was an Indigenous Visayan Chieftain from Mactan Philippines. He is considered to be the first national hero of the Philippines, and his legacy is known by all Filipinos. He isn’t just known for being an individual hero, but also as a united spirit, showing the importance of defending and protecting the land the people you care for. Lapu-Lapu taught Filipinos the strength of a united people, and a shared commitment, can withstand any challenge. Lapu-Lapu day was founded on April 27th, 2023 and it was a historic day for the Filipino community. The proclamation was received by Consul General Arelene T. Magno, surrounded by the many Filipinos that were ecstatic about the day. The declaration does not only honour Lapu-Lapu, but it is used as a symbol of the cultural bliss and mutual respect that is shared in the province of British Columbia.

A year after the day was founded, the Lapu-Lapu block party is happening this weekend on the 27th of April. People attending this event will be welcomed with many different vendors and activities to partake in. There will be a mix of food and craft tents, as well as performances from Jeremy Passion, Gabe Bondoc, Manila Grey and many more. All of this for free makes it out to be an incredible day. As well as performers and vendors, the Lapu-Lapu block party will be hosting the largest basketball showdown in Vancouver. Teams are all finalised but that does not mean you shouldn’t go check it out, the basketball excitement is for all ages and aims to have plenty of on court interactive activities. The winners of the tournament are in for a treat, not only do they get the honour of winning, they get to represent Vancouver in Toronto at the National Filipino Heritage Hoop Fest, thanks to Filipinos in the 6ix, and Ontario Basketball.

Even if basketball isn’t for you, the block party has something for everyone. Definitely worth checking out, and learning more about a day that means so much to such a large community in British Columbia. The event runs all day long on Friday, starting at 11 a.m. and ending at 7 p.m. Plenty of time to check it out at any point during the day! Head to John Oliver Secondary School at East 41st Ave to East 47th Avenue to experience the inaugural Lapu-Lapu Block Party.

All-you-can-eat Cereal and Cartoon Party

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Perhaps, from what I can only assume, one of the most underrated events took place over the weekend. Yup, you read the headline right, all you can eat cereal AND a cartoon watch party took place on Saturday April 20th this weekend and it looked awesome. People from any age range were welcomed to the Rio Theatre on East Broadway St in Vancouver to enjoy cereal all morning and to watch cartoons starting at 10:30am. Did I mention everyone was encouraged to wear pajamas too? As if it couldn’t get any better.

The Rio Theatre

( Robyn Hanson / Flickr )

The event was created by film producer David Bertrand, and he has brought this creative idea all over Canada. Calgary had their cereal party at the Calgary Underground Film festival and Revue Cinema in Toronto. After the success of those two, and other venues around Canada, Bertrand brought the party to Vancouver back in March. And you guessed, it was so popular here that he hosted a round two on April 20th. For such a fun event, it’s a great cost as well! Main Floor and Balcony both cost $20 for adults, and for kids (13 and under) it’s $14. The doors for the event opened up at 10 a.m. with the shows starting at 10:30 and would be a 3-hour event.

The cereal lineup, and the cartoon lineup was left up to mystery for the patrons to find out when they got there. Let me tell you something, if I showed up and was served raisin bran, I would start a riot. The guests were not told anything about the event and were urged to keep it a mystery until they showed up. Now based on past events, it’s safe to say that at least some of the childhood favourites would be there like Captain Crunch, Trix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Cocoa Pebbles. Me personally would have loved to see how many bowls of Lucky Charms I could eat in the three hours.

The cartoon lineup has not been leaked at all but all we know is that there will be a wide variety of shows ranging from the 30’s to the 90’s. If I was there, and I didn’t see any Scooby-Doo on the big screen, I would again start a riot.

“the cartoon lineup is always a mystery, but expect to see monsters, sci-fi, sleuths, superheroes and all kinds of 2D silliness” David Bertrand, Founder, All-you-can-eat Cereal Cartoon Party

This event is such a great opportunity for parents to bring their kids for a little morning fun to show them a piece of their childhood, as well as relive it themselves. If this event comes to Vancouver again, I will absolutely be buying a ticket, bringing my comfiest pajamas, and sitting back to enjoy some cereal while watching cartoons all morning long. 

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival

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The yearly Cherry Blossom Festival held across Metro Vancouver is coming to a close this week, so don’t miss your chance to witness the beauty these colourful trees have. 

Many people from all over come to Vancouver to see these Cherry Blossoms in full bloom every year. 40 000 trees line the streets of our beautiful city and because of this, the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival offers many different opportunities to witness the dominant pink clouds in many neighbourhoods. Events such as community bike rides, art events, cherry blossom viewing tours, and traditional japanese festivities. 

If your plan is to see as many cherry blossom trees as possible, there is plenty of different options to make your day out a fun one, visit their site Blooming Now – Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival for an update on which trees are blooming, and to be regularly updated about the best viewing spots. You should also definitely check out Queen Elizabeth park to join the “BigPicnic” viewing party, where you can pre-order specially themed boxed lunches that you can enjoy while basking in the sun and being surrounded by a cloud of pink. If you’re looking for a more fast paced viewing party, joining the Bike the Blossoms ride is a great way to do that. The ride is a free tour that starts by Trout Lake and goes in and out of many different Vancouver streets. The route changes each year but has been known to go through Mount Pleasant, Strathcona, and Riley Park.

The Cherry Blossom Festival has been happening once a year in Vancouver since 2006, and in 2007, the festival’s objectives were recognized and qualified for charitable status. Now if you’re telling me that getting a picnic lunch while looking at these beautiful trees is a way to support charity then sign me up, I can’t think of a better, more peaceful way to spend a nice spring day. 

With only a few days left in the event this year as the cherry blossom petals start to fall, here are the best places where you can see them at their best. Check out VanDusen Botanical gardens, where cherry blossoms have been blossoming since 2008, as mentioned before, Queen Elizabeth park to enjoy a picnic, and if you’re feeling artsy, here’s a how-to on how to take pictures of the tree with your phone!

If you unfortunately can’t find the time to go visit any of those places, take a stroll through any number of streets in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, and use Vancouver Cherry Blossoms Finder to find anything near you!