Squamish Valley Music Festival
Every summer for the past four years, blue skies and snowcapped mountains have greeted the roughly 19,000 music fans streaming into the Logger Sports Grounds for the Squamish Valley Music Festival. Next year, capacity will increase to 35,000 and the location will move to the larger, and neighbouring, Centennial Fields to accommodate the boom of campers, activities and talent.
Why so popular? The stunning vista, for sure. But really, a consistently amazing lineup. This year: hard-rock heavyweights Queens of the Stone Age, the infectious, well-read indie rock of Vampire Weekend, the feel-good inclusivity of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and the chance to support local up-and-comers like Dear Rouge (pictured), who won the 2012 Peak Performance Project. Yeah. Pretty much all of the Pacific Northwest wants to be there Aug. 8, 9 and 10.
Single day ($109 (limited)/$129 at the gate) and weekend passes ($179/$209 at the gate) are on sale now at SquamishFestival.com or Ticketmaster.ca.
Coming to a sky near you
Are you in fireworks withdrawal? Do you miss sitting on the beach and looking up at the heavens with a sense of awe and wonder? When night falls on August 11, you might want to head outside to discover the ultimate celebration of night-lights the Perseids meteor shower.
Brought to you by the comet Swift-Tuttle, this years heavenly fireworks show began July 17 but the peak will be the night of August 11 and morning of August 12.
According to NASA, since 2008, the Perseids have produced more fireballs than any other annual meteor shower. Up to 60 meteors an hour will blaze across the sky, but Sea and Sky says that the best viewing time is shortly after midnight when the first quarter moon has set, creating an extra-black backdrop.
Its always best if you can find a viewing spot away from city lights. Find out more about celestial events at SeaSky.org or at Vancouvers Hugh MacMillan Space Centre (SpaceCentre.ca).
Artists in the Atrium
Looking to produce a program at the Woodwards Atrium that supports local Aboriginal artists in the DTES, Terry Hunter (executive director Vancouver Moving Theatre, artistic producer DTES Heart of the City Festival) approached artist and arts administrator Lou-ann Ikawega Neel.
Only a few short months later, those discussions developed into Artists in the Atrium a free showcase and art market Thursdays and Fridays (August), Saturdays and Sundays (September) and Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Oct. 11-13) from 11am to 4pm.
Born of African-Canadian/Cherokee heritage, singer Dalannah Gail Bowen (pictured) has been music-making for 40 years in the Canadian blues, rock and soul scene, starting her musical career with the all-female group The Feminine Touch. She takes the stage Aug. 8 from 12:30 to 1:30pm.
The next afternoon, dont miss MGirl a collective of indigenous women with stories and song about water ways, the strength of the four-legged, the winged ones and the gifts received from another land Aug. 9, 11:30am to 12:30pm. Throughout the art market, cedar-bark weavings, drums, carvings, paintings and jewelry will be for sale.
More info at vancouvermovingtheatre.com/aita/.
