YALETOWN
The Vancouver Heritage Foundation is ending a week of Places That Matter events with a visit to the former location of the citys first gas station.
A public event and presentation takes place June 29 from 10 to 11 a.m. with the Yaletown Classic Car Club of Canada. A small parade of classic cars, some more than 100 years old, will be heading over the Cambie Street Bridge starting at 9:30 a.m.
The Places That Matter Plaque Project evolved from the Vancouver 125th Anniversary celebrations in 2011. The foundation asked the public to nominate a place, person or event important to the city but which had yet to receive proper acknowledgement. An independent committee of local historians, artists, students, heritage consultants, writers and educators reviewed the nominations and eventually 125 Vancouver stories were selected to be celebrated with a blue plaque. Each plaque includes a QR code that brings the smartphone user directly to the Places That Matter web page.
Also honoured this week with a plaque was Celebrities Nightclub, located at 1022 Davie St., which has been a popular nightlife destination for more than 100 years. The Thomas Hooper designed-building got its start in 1911 as the Lester Dancing Academy and in the 1940s became the Embassy Ballroom. As Dantes Inferno in the 1960s, the room saw music greats such as The Doors and Jimi Hendrix perform. Led Zeppelin played there during the clubs time as the Retinal Circus. The club was renamed Celebrities Nightclub when the Kerasiotis family took it over and made it an inclusive venue popular with LGBTQ patrons. Other plaque presentations this past week included Science World Expo Legacy and Save on Meats on East Hastings Street.
OAKRIDGE
EPIC Vancouver: The Sustainable Living Festival takes place July 6 and 7 at VanDusen Botanical Garden from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
EPIC promises to kick off the summer festival season with non-stop live entertainment and music including dance, rock, jazz, funk and more. Food Truck Alley will offer some of the best of the citys street food scene, while the Sip & Savour Garden will be the place to sample craft-made beer and wines from across the province. The main attraction of the festival is the Sustainable Living Marketplace, highlighting the link between economy, environment and community. For more information, visit epicexpo.com.
COAL HARBOUR
The Vancouver Convention Centre is inviting people to Hold the world in their hands at an open house event on Canada Day, July 1. The public is invited to tour the West Building and learn about the work done at the centre and its many unconventional features.
Highlights include the Photo Journey Instagram Contest where guests will have an opportunity to take creative pictures at photo stations: Hold the World in Your Hands, Be a Busy Bee, and Be an Olympian for a Day. The 10 best photos posted to Instagram using #VanConventions will be featured on Facebook. Prize packages with wildflower honey harvested from the centres rooftop beehives will be awarded to the winners. Childrens activities include a colouring station and video screening,, and the Olympic cauldron will be lit from noon to 7 p.m.
sthomas@vancourier.com
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