Birthday Live Poster by
Vancouver 125 The City of Vancouver
Vancouver is celebrating its 125th birthday this year — but not only that: it has also been deemed cultural capital of Canada for 2011. Dozens of cultural organizations have prepared a plethora of events throughout the year to commemorate this historical milestone. Every month, we bring you a series of the most interesting events taking place in Vancouver as part of the celebrations. One of the biggest of the many events this year (all of which are sponsored by the governments) is happening on April 6.
Birthday Live
April 6, 2:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M.
Jack Poole Plaza, outdoor plaza at Thurlow & Canada Place
The site of the Olympic Cauldron will thrive on April 6 with entertainment ranging from live music, DJs, food, street art, video art, special performances, and many more attractions. Some official ceremonies will also take place on the site, including Mayor Gregor Robertson and other dignitaries cutting a giant birthday cake for Vancouver and serving it to the attending public! Faculty and culinary students at Vancouver Community College Baking and Pastry Arts Department are responsible for the cake, so it should be worth a try! The Olympic Cauldron won’t be left aside — the officials will light it as a huge birthday candle.
The celebration will start at 2:00 P.M. with street hockey. The event benefits the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, so if you want to attend, bring a donation. From 3:30 P.M., youth teams from various communities will show their talents at an exhibition game. Throughout the celebration, the Public Dream Society will be on the spot to entertain the crowd with numerous street performers.
54 - 40 by
Vancouver 125 The City of Vancouver
The main stage will feature free performances for the public from 4:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. The fun will start with Uzume Taiko, stunning percussionists from Japan, followed by an audience-engaging, multi-media performance called HOP•JUMP•JIVE•125 by the mmHoP dance group. At 5:00 P.M., Leela Gilday will come on stage to sing her soulful, northern-roots songs. After that, all Vancouverites can unite in singing “Happy Birthday” and “O Canada” with the Vancouver Bach Choir. The indie band Bend Sinister will perform next with their energetic show, followed by a video and art installation by artist Phillipp Geist from Berlin. After this large-scale work called Time Drifts, the main stage will feature the headline act of the evening, the Canadian alternative rock band, 54-40 — which will also be celebrating its 30 year anniversary at the show.
Time Drifts by
Vancouver 125 The City of Vancouver
To honour the businesses that have helped the city to become what it is today, the city and the Vancouver Board of Trade have prepared three presentations taking place at the Vancouver Convention Centre from 11:45 A.M. to 2:00 P.M. Girl Guides of Canada, Kearney Funeral Homes, and Pacific National Exhibition will all be introduced to the Business Hall of Fame as organizations which have been contributing to the well-being of Vancouver’s residents and visitors for 100 years.
Don’t forget to stop by the spectacular celebration, it’s a great, free present for all Vancouverites. The Jack Poole Plaza is adjacent to the Vancouver Convention Centre at 1055 Canada Place — you won’t miss it! You’ll get there easily by public transit, or you can ride a bike and park for free at The Bicycle Valet‘s safe, secure, coat-check style parking provided by Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST), or you can go on foot. It’s all happening at the waterfront, just meters from the downtown core.