Destinations

First aboriginal conference a success in Osoyoos

Canada's first national Aboriginal Tourism Conference recently wrapped up in Osoyoos, BC, with 180 participants from across the country having taken part. They shared details on their growing industry and considered ways to develop new Aboriginal tourism destinations. The three-day conference was hosted by the Aboriginal Tourism Association of British Columbia (AtBC), the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA) and the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB). The principal message delivered was that the growth of Aboriginal cultural tourism will be driven by more partnerships, a more strategic...

Vancouver gets first RBCM exhibit outside Victoria

For the first time in its 125-year history, the Royal BC Museum - based in Victoria - will open a satellite museum gallery in Vancouver. The Royal BC Museum at Wing Sang, located in Vancouver's Chinatown, will run June 14 to Sept. 3 with four concurrent summer installations. One of these is "Intimate Glimpses,"based on the evolution of artist Emily Carr and her depictions of First Nations culture and the forests/landscapes of BC. The exhibit will highlight Carr's life before becoming an acclaimed artist, and will feature more than 30 paintings, early sketches and books....

Art Deco fashion comes to Museum of Vancouver

Whether you're a fashionista or history buff, the Museum of Vancouver's Art Deco Chic exhibit - running now through Sept. 23 - is a must-see. From dazzling evening dresses and fur-trimmed velvet jackets to cloche hats and leather clutches, the exhibit features more than 70 women's garments from the 1920s and '30s. The exhibit showcases original examples of art deco fashions, both from local designers and celebrated international labels. Items on display include pieces by significant designers like Gabrielle Coco Chanel and Madelaine Vonnet....

All the park’s a stage: Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

Beginning May 31, Vancouver's celebrated Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival launches its 24th season. Running through to Sept. 22, the festival will once again be held under the iconic red and white tents at Kitsilano's Vanier Park. In 2011, festival organizers made two notable changes: the unveiling of a new main stage tent and a switch to reserved seating - both of which will be returning for 2012. Just announced, this year's festival productions are The Taming of the Shrew, Macbeth, The Merry Wives of Windsor and King John. Bard performances are staged in open-ended tents set against a...

Celebration of Light festival kicks off July 28

One of the largest off-shore fireworks competition in the world, Vancouver's Celebration of Light, will take place this summer on July 28, Aug. 1 and 4 (shows begin at 10 p.m.). Lighting up the sky over English Bay and the city's downtown core, the pyrotechnic show is choreographed to music and showcased free to the public, drawing crowds of more than 1.5 million people annually to the city's beaches, waterfront parks and restaurants....