Grey Cup Festival – Vancouver

The BC Lions are playing the Winnipeg Blue Bombers this Sunday in the 99th Grey Cup, and it’s happening right here in Vancouver at the newly-renovated BC Place! Even if you don’t have tickets, you can still get swept up in the excitement this weekend with the Grey Cup Festival. Happening from Thursday, November 24 until Sunday, Nocember 27, the festival events range from Calgary Stampede Pancake Breakfast on Friday/Saturday (11am-1pm at Robson/Beatty) to the Grey Cup Parade on Saturday morning at 10am. Families will also want to check out the Nissan Family Zone which includes live entertainment throughout the weekend. For full details, visit the official Grey Cup Festival website at 2011greycupfestival.ca.

Light the Hall – Coquitlam

If you’re seeking free whimsical fun for the whole family, visit the Coquitlam City Hall this Saturday, November 26 for Light the Hall – a celebration of the arrival of winter and the lighting of City Hall. From 3pm until 7pm, there will be live music, food, fire juggling, ice carving, arts activities with Evergreen Culture Centre and Place des Arts, Maillardville Puppets, the Snow King and Queen, and more. There will be even a special Bobs n Lolo performance at 3:30pm. For more details, visit the Light the Hall website at www.culturecoquitlam.ca/festival/Light+the+Hall+2011

Two Christmas Crawls in Chilliwack

If you want to do some Christmas shopping this weekend and support local artisans, head out to Chilliwack on Saturday and Sunday for the 9th annual Chilliwack Christmas Craft Crawl. From pottery, paintings and soap to natural honey and fabrics, the Chilliwack Christmas Craft Crawl offers visitors the chance to experience seven unique artisans and shops that call Chilliwack home. And while you’re in Chilliwack, you’ll also want to experience the 4th annual Yarrow Christmas Crawl happening at the same time. Yarrow, a small community just southwest of downtown Chilliwack, has 11 diverse shops and artisans participating in this year’s crawl, from old fashioned sweets and organic farms, to a variety of pottery, it’s a great way to get to know this Fraser Valley community.

Christmas in the Country – Agassiz & Harrison Mills

Come explore the Fraser Valley countryside this weekend. The communities of Agassiz and Harrison Mills will be hosting Christmas in the Country on Saturday and Sunday from 11am until 4am. Make Christmas ornaments and get your photo taken with Father Christmas at the Kilby Historic Site. Explore the Christmas Craft Fair taking place at the Harrison Mills Community Hall. Admire art at the Woodside Gallery and buy some tasty treats at Canadian Hazelnut, Farmhouse Natural Cheeses, and the Back Porch Cafe. If you’ve never explored the Agassiz/Harrison Mills region of the Fraser Valley before, this weekend is the perfect excuse. For full details, visit the Circle Farm Tour Agassiz-Harrison Mills website at circlefarmtour.com or look for the poster on the Kilby Historic Site’s website at www.kilby.ca.

Christmas on the Peninsula – White Rock

Celebrate the Christmas spirit in White Rock this Saturday for the  Christmas on the Peninsula. This full day Christmas festival offers a plethora of activities and events for the whole family. Walk about the Town Centre for Christmas carolers, crafts, nativity scenes, live music, Christmas trees, gingerbread decorating and more. Drop by the White Rock Community Centre for the Christmas Market, and enjoy the Christmas Fair at the Miramar Plaza. For a full schedule of events, visit the Christmas on the Peninsula website at christmasonthepeninsula.com.

On Tuesday, October 18, my sister Erin and I embarked on an autumn adventure out to the Fraser Valley.

We had been kindly invited by the Coast Hotel Chilliwack to spend the night at their hotel and then go sturgeon fishing with Great River Fishing Adventures the next day. We were thrilled! Neither of us had ever gone sturgeon fishing before, despite the fact that we had both grown up in a fishing village at the mouth of the Fraser River. Although Erin had gone fishing once before, this was my first time. Needless to say, a fishing adventure was long overdue and we were ecstatic about what was yet to come!

We left Vancouver around 2:30 in the afternoon – early enough to bypass the rush hour traffic. The weather was absolutely beautiful for October: sunny and warm at 18 degrees Celsius. Traffic was a breeze, the driving was easy, and by 3:30 we were already in Abbotsford.

First stop? Maan Farms.

Photo: The pumpkin patch at Maan Farms. Photo by Robyn Hanson.

Maan Farms

On our way to Chilliwack, I wanted to make quick detour off the highway to visit a pumpkin patch. Coincidentally, Erin had brought along a Circle Farm Tour map for Abbotsford which gave us a few additional ideas on what to see along the way. Maan Farms was on that list. I figured that it would make the perfect pit stop for us.

Situated in the beautiful rolling countryside of Abbotsford, Maan Farms is just 7 minutes off the highway. Their market is located in a big red barn, and it’s surrounded by their pumpkin patches, corn fields, and berry patches. With the golden autumn light and pumpkins galore, it was postcard perfect picturesque.

Unlike other pumpkin patches that I’ve visited in the past, Maan Farms grows over 25 varieties of pumpkins! There were pumpkins of all shapes, sizes and colours – some were deep orange, some were speckled or patterened, others pure white and light yellow, and some were even a light blue-green! Erin eventually picked up a beautiful geometrically-patterned miniature pumpkin while I kept to the more traditionally-shaped.

While we quickly eyed the petting zoo (goats!) and admired the fruits and veggies in the market, we also noticed Papa Jo’s Corn Maze. Apparently Maan Farms has Abbotsford’s only corn maze, and we had found its entrance. We could hear the giggles of children and their parents from within the maze, but we didn’t venture in this time around; we had to continue on our journey to our next stop: Birchwood Dairy.

Birchwood Dairy

On our drive to the pumpkin patch we had passed the Bakerview EcoDairy, and we had intended to visit it on our drive back to the main highway. However, as we left Maan Farms we noticed a sign pointing ahead to Birchwood Dairy. Both dairies were on the Circle Farm Tour map and we figured we’d check out Birchwood this time around and visit Bakerview on the way back home.

Photo: Birchwood Dairy. Photo by Robyn Hanson.

Driving east through the scenic Abbotsford farmland, we arrived at Birchwood Dairy only 10 minutes later. Family owned and operated, Birchwood Dairy is perhaps best known for their ice cream, of which they sell by the cone or by the bucket in their farm market. In addition to a wide variety of dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.) they sell a unique mix of specialty products, from imported Dutch licorice to organic, locally-grown and milled flours.

We didn’t waste any time. We went straight for the ice cream.

Photo: Chocolate raspberry truffle & pumpkin (left), black raspberry cheesecake & S’mores (right).

We took our ice cream out to the picnic tables and simply relaxed in the autumn sunshine. Here we were in October without our jackets on, eating ice cream outside, admiring the pastoral landscape. A tractor was harvesting corn across the street while people of all types came by for an ice cream break: Abbotsford Policemen, Baby Boomers on Harley Davidsons, young families with kids, and couples in love. And us, the two sisters.

Photo: The scenery across the street from Birchwood Dairy. Photo by Robyn Hanson.

While eating our ice cream we noticed that you could stroll into the different buildings to watch the dairy in action. We saw the cows being milked in one building, and the calves being tended to in another. But it was much too nice to stay inside, so we ventured back outside and made friends with farm animals before making our way to our next stop: the Coast Chilliwack Hotel.

Photo: Erin makes friends with the cows at Birchwood Dairy. Photo by Robyn Hanson.

Photo: Birchwood Dairy. Photo by Robyn Hanson.

Continued: Our Fraser River Adventure Part 2: Chilliwack

With Halloween only weeks away, a trip out to a local pumpkin patch is definitely in order! We’ve highlighted 8 pumpkin patches in the Vancouver Coast & Mountains region worth exploring this October.

We should also mention that we realize that this is only a sampling of the multitude of pumpkin patches in our region, so if we’ve left your favourite pumpkin patch out, please feel free to add it below by leaving us a comment. We’re always open to suggestions!

Rondriso Farms – Surrey

Head out to Rondriso Farms in Surrey and experience a hay wagon ride down to the pumpkin patch! If you don’t want to pick your own, they have a full assortment of already picked pumpkins, mini-pumpkins, gourds, cornstalks and hay bales available for sale at their farm stand.

The Apple Barn & Pumpkin Farm – Abbotsford

Visit Abbotsford’s Apple Barn & Pumpkin Farm for their pumpkin patch, but stay for their huge variety of family-friendly activities! Say hello to the animals in the petting barn, jump around in the bouncy barn, go on a hay ride, wander the corn maze, or press your own apple cider. Local mommy blogger Adventures in Monkeyland visited with her family on Thanksgiving weekend and writes, “I have to say that visiting this farm was well worth it and you can’t beat the price!” The Apple Barn is a part of the seasonal Abbotsford Circle Farm Tour.

Laity Pumpkin Patch – Maple Ridge

Maple Ridge’s Laity Pumpkin Patch is a magical place! This 18 acre farm makes a perfect fall outing for people of every age. Explore the corn maze, meet the farm animals, learn about fall gardening in the vegetable garden, visit the Frontier Town, go on a tractor wagon ride, pan for gold, walk along the Fairy Tale Trails, and keep your eyes out for creatures in the Mushroom Forest. Apparently there are even dinosaurs!

Chilliwack Corn Maze – Chilliwack

The Chilliwack Corn Maze is the mecca for all things corn in the Fraser Valley… but they’ve also got a pumpkin patch with over 10 varieties of pumpkin and gourds! On October 22nd, 23rd, 29th, and 30th they’ll be offering free Hayrides and hot chocolate between 1-5pm.

Petey’s Pumpkin Patch – Chilliwack

Also in Chilliwack is Petey’s Pumpkin Patch. There’s all kinds of family fun such as train or wagon rides out to the pumpkin patch,  farm animals, the fun maze and the fun zone which includes bounce rides!

North Arm Farm – Pemberton

Enjoy a horse-drawn hay ride out to the pumpkin patch at Pemberton’s North Arm Farm – a 60 acre organic farm. On October 29 they’ll be hosting their 4th annual Pumpkin Weigh Off! According to their website, “last year’s winner Chad Gilmore will be defending his multi year title of 890 lbs against all comers!”

Richmond Country Farms – Richmond

It’s here at Richmond Country Farms where you can enjoy a sing-a-long hay ride out to the pumpkin patch. Explore the corn maze, enjoy the music from the live band, and be sure to say hello to the farm animals!

Aldor Acres – Langley

Just east of Fort Langley is Aldor Acres. Drop by for a hay ride and choose your own pumpkin. See baby animals in their natural environment and visit their famous hands-on farm animal display. Be sure to say hello to their white oxen, Zorro and Zeldo!

1. Lillooet Beer & Wine Festival:

If you love beer and wine and you’re looking for a spontaneous road trip, we’ve found the perfect itinerary! Drive up the Fraser Canyon (Hwy 1) to Lillooet for the 2nd Annual Lillooet Beer & Wine Festival.

According to Fort Berens Winery , “the event will be opened by Chief Kevin Whitney of the T’ít’q'et First Nation at noon. Local vendors will display their art, artisan cheese, fresh produce and other local products.” There will be vineyard tours, wine and beer tastings, and for the IPA fans, a tour of the Bitterbine Hops farm!

Beer and wine is just part of the experience as the festival will also feature live music, horse & buggy rides, a cooking contest, and a BBQ prepared by Whistler’s RimRock Cafe and Lillooet’s Texas Creek Ranch.

To complete the weekend, drive back on Sunday along the Sea to Sky (Hwy 99), stopping off at Pemberton Distillery (home of Schramm Vodka) and Howe Sound Brewing in Squamish before making your way back home. Fun times!

When: Saturday, September 17 from 10am to 7pm.
Website: http://www.fortberens.ca/LBWF2011.html

2. Pender Harbour Jazz Festival – Pender Harbour:

Jazz lovers from all over BC, Canada, and the US will be making their way to the Sunshine Coast this weekend for the 15th Annual Pender Harbour Jazz Festival. If you love live jazz in intimate settings, this will definitely be the right festival to attend.

Some of the musical styles to expect are 40′s swing, Gypsy, fusion, straight up, Dixieland, Afro Cuban in addition to others. There will be open jam sessions, free concerts, and ticketed events in tiny venues throughout various Pender Harbour communities.

Spend the weekend there or go for the day – Pender Harbour’s only 2 hours away from Vancouver by ferry and car. If you’re considering flying, Harbour Air is currently offering a 20% discount for people who are attending the Jazz Fest. Full details here.

When: Friday, September 16 to Sunday, September 18:
Website: http://www.penderharbourmusic.ca/jazz/

3. Agassiz Fall Fair & Corn Festival:

Embrace the arrival of fall this weekend in the Fraser Valley! The long-running Agassiz Fall Fair & Corn Festival is taking place Friday and Saturday. It’s the 107th year for the Fair and 63rd year for the Corn Fest, so you know it must be good!

Located 15 minutes south of Harrison Hot Springs (2 hours east of Vancouver), the festivities kick off on Friday afternoon at 4pm when the Midway and Agricultural Hall opens. The beer garden gets going at 5pm, followed with bingo and live music at 6.

The festivities continue on Saturday morning with a continental breakfast at 7:30am until 9:30am. The parade gets going at 10am, followed with a full day’s worth of activities such as 4-H shows, the crowning of the Corn Queen and King, an antique tractor pull, corn husking competitions, live entertainment, beer gardens, and more.

When: Friday, September 16 from 4pm until 9pm, and Saturday, September 17 from 7:30am until 9pm.
Website: http://www.agassizfallfair.ca/

4. Bloom Market – Langley:

If you love artisan markets that feature local artists, you’ll want to make your way to the Fort Langley Heritage Hall this Sunday for Bloom Market.

This one-day, indoor market will feature one-of-a-kind clothing, jewelry, accessories, paintings, photography, ceramics, leather goods, bath products, baby items, and more. All of the items for sale are made by 40+ independent artists and designers from around BC.

Bloom Market will also feature an outdoor wine garden this Sunday complete with live music and prepared foods. The wine garden is a faunrsier for the SOS Children’s Village BC, and it’s weather permitting.

When: Sunday, September 18 from 11am until 5pm.
Website: http://www.bloommarket.ca

5. Mackin House Museum – Coquitlam:

If fancy yourself a history buff, you’ll want to be Coquitlam this weekend to celebrate the 102nd birthday of Mackin House. Mackin House is a 1909 Edwardian heritage house and a landmark within Coquitlam’s historic neighbourhood of Maillardville. It’s their 3rd annual open house this Saturday.

This year they’re celebrating the past and present multiculturalism that has shaped the community of Maillardville. Although the community’s famous for being one of the largest francophone communities west of Manitoba, many other cultural presences will be represented, including Chinese, Greek, Iranian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, and South Asian.

Some of the activities you can expect this Saturday include origami, music, dance, baking, and calligraphy.

When: Saturday September 17 from 12 noon until 4pm.
Website: http://www.coquitlamheritage.ca/?page_id=9

6. EAT! Fraser Valley – Abbotsford:

If you want to meet local celebrity chef Rob Feenie this weekend, you’ll want to be in Abbotsford! He as well as hundreds of other food lovers will be at TRADEX this weekend for EAT! Fraser Valley – the largest consumer food, beverage and cooking festival in suburban Vancouver.

One of my favourite things to do at EAT! is to visit the Bite of the Valley Pavilion to try all the tasty morsels from the region’s various restaurants. Some of this year’s participating restaurants include Port Moody’s A Taste of Ukraine, Chilliwack’s Ric’s Grill, Abbotsford’s The Baron Bar & Grill, Mission’s Mr. Mike’s Steakhouse & Bar, and White Rock’s Washington Avenue Grill. Each restaurant will offer appetizer-sized samples ranging from $1 to $4. You can buy a sheet of 10 tickets for $5 or a sheet of sheet of 20 for $10.

Not only will there be food and restaurant samplings, but there will be kitchen goods exhibitors, wineries, breweries, cooking demonstrations, wine and cheese seminars, and cookbook authors. This is definitely a must if you’re passionate about food.

When: Friday, September 16 until Sunday, September 18.
Website: http://www.eat-fraservalley.com/

7. Pemberton Stock Car Racing – Pemberton:

The Pemberton Valley may be famous for its potatoes, but did you know that its also home to a speedway? This weekend the Pemberton Speedway is hosting stock car races on both Saturday and Sunday.

As explained on the Pemberton Valley Lodge‘s website, “The track is located about 10km south of Pemberton, just off Highway 99.  It is a 1/3 mile clay oval and is situated in a great position in the mountains of the Soo Valley. This is going to be a great weekend and lots of fun for family and friends!  Feel the exhilaration of this race, watch the dirt fly around as the rip-roaring sounds fill the air.  There will be races for hobby stock, bomber and hornet-class at the track.”

When: Saturday, September 17 at 2pm and on Sunday, September 18 at 11am.
Website: http://www.tourismpembertonbc.com/

8. BBQ on the Bypass – Langley:

If you love ribs, brisket or just meaty carnivorous goodness in general, you’ll be a happy camper this Sunday at thee 6th Annual BBQ on the Bypass in Langley.

Approximately 30 teams from around the region will be competing for the Grand Championship and the B.C. BBQ Cup, but there’s plenty to do for spectators. Those who show up will enjoy live music and entertainment, concessions, and free BBQ food samples.

As described on the website, “Highlights of the 2011 event will be The JD Farms Ultimate Burger Challenge, The Great B.C. Bake Off, new concessions, BBQ samples, and the crowning of BBQ champions in various categories.”

When: Sunday, September 18 from 10am until 4pm.
Website: http://www.bbqonthebypass.com/

9. Steveston Grand Prix of Art – Richmond:

If you’re a fan of painting, you’ll want to venture to the historic fishing village of Steveston this weekend for Steveston Art Workshop‘s second-ever Steveston Grand Prix of Art.

The concept is really cool. As explained on the website, “The concept of the Grand Prix of Art is to promote local arts in a fun and interactive manner. Artists from around the province are invited to participate in a day of Plein Air painting in Steveston. Participating Artists will be allocated a location in Steveston where they will have 3 hours to complete a work of art, before returning them to the shipyards for display. The works will be adjudicated, selecting a Runner-up and the Grand prize winner.”

Saturday is when the painting takes place, and then the artwork will be on display at Britannia Heritage Shipyard.

When: Saturday, September 17 and Sunday, September 18 from 10am until 4pm.

Website: http://www.grandprixofart.com

10. Soap Box Derby & Carnival for Kids – Powell River:

In a weekend full of competitive events (stock car races, art competitions, BBQ championships), it kind of feels appropriate to end our Hidden Secrets list with a Soap Box Derby!

The event begins on Saturday morning at Sunset Park in Wildwood with participants setting up and preparing for the trial runs at noon. There will be a concession on site supplied by Kiwanis & Quality Foods and the money raised this year will go to Powell River Kiwanis Club.

On Sunday morning a pancake breakfast will start off the day at 8am. The Carnival for Kids gets under way at 10am and continues until 3pm. The Soap Box Derby official begins with the races starting at noon. Should be a full day of fun for the whole family!

When: Saturday, September 17 from 12pm until 4pm and Sunday, September 18 from 8am until 4pm.
Website: n/a

Weekday Activities is our blog post series when we want to show you that you don’t have to wait around until the weekend to experience cool things to do! Here’s our pick of weekday activities for the week of August 22 to 26:

Hiking the Sunshine Coast Trail:

Just outside of Powell River is the Sunshine Coast Trail – 180 km of coastal rainforest from the Saltery Bay ferry terminal in the south to Sarah Point in Desolation Sound Marine Park in the north. As described on Sunshine Coast Tourism’s website, “Hikers who want the full adventure of spending more than a few days on the trail will find walk-in campsites, picnic tables, outhouses, benches, even swimming wharfs all along the way.” More details.

The Fair at the PNE:

The Pacific National Exhibition has been an August tradition in Vancouver for 101 years now! This summer fair is beloved for its mix of carnival-like atmosphere with rides, games, entertainment, and food – especially the famed mini donuts! It also has an old fashioned agricultural component with events such as the Pacific Spirit Horse Show and the 4-H Festival. Other PNE favourites include the PNE Prize Home Lottery, the Marketplace, Superdogs, and the free (with admission) concerts, including performances this week by Chris Isaak, Serena Ryder, and Air Supply. And if you’ve got kids, bring them along! Admission for children 13 and under is free! More details.

Western Lacrosse Association Playoffs:

Lacrosse, an indigenous North American sport, is one of Canada’s national sports. If you’ve ever wanted to experience a lacrosse game, head to the Langley Events Centre on Tuesday, August 23 or New Westminster’s Queens Park Arena on Thursday, August 25 to watch the New Westminster Salmonbellies play the Langley Thunder in the Mann Cup finals of the Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) Playoffs. More details.

Grand Opening of Golden Ears Cheeseworks:

If you enjoy eating local foods, you’ll want to head out to Maple Ridge this Tuesday, August 23rd for the much-hyped grand opening of Golden Ears Cheeseworks. As written on their Facebook Page, “We’ve got local gelato, local breads, local veggies, local milk, local yogurt, local jams, local sauces, local coffee, local local local!!!” Their grand opening goes from 10am until 7:30pm. More details.

Kiteboarding in Squamish:

The Squamish Spit at the mouth of the Squamish River is famous for its excellent kiteboarding and windsurfing conditions. Get in touch with the Squamish Windsports Society for insider’s tips, or if you’re new to the sport, you can take a class with Skypilot Kiteboarding. But what happens if the wind isn’t up to par when you’re there? Vancouver-based kitesurfing enthusiasts Rodney Payne and Phil Moad suggest hiking the Stawamus Chief or mountain biking and then finish the day off with a pint at Howe Sound Brewing. They don’t call Squamish the Canadian capital of Outdoor Recreation for nothing! More details.

Strolling Through Steveston Walking Tours:

Every day at 2pm, the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site offers guided waking tours of Steveston. The cost is $7.80 for adults, $6.55 for seniors, and $3.90 for youth. As described on their blog, “The intriguing hour-long tours around the historical fishing village will teach you the ins and outs of Steveston over the past century. Learn more about bar brawls, the town fire, the internment, fisherman’s stories, tales of cannery workers, Steveston community mysteries, and more.” The best part? The tour guides are in character as a fisherman or a 1920′s-era canning like worker!  More details.

August is the month when we can expect an abundance of local berries such as blueberries, boysenberries and blackberries. Due to the late summer weather, many farms are starting much later than usual with their u-picks, however right now appears to be the time for blueberries. With so many locals farms offering u-picking right now, we thought this would make for a fun August weekday activity to highlight.

1. North Arm Farm – Pemberton:

The blueberries are finally ripe for picking in the Pemberton Valley. According to North Arm Farm‘s Jordan Sturdy, “The blueberries have coloured up enough to open the patch. I still think the fruit set looks a little light but they have sized up reasonably well.” You can pick berries daily on this 60-acre organic farm from 9am until 6pm.

2. Maan Farms – Abbotsford:

Raspberry picking is still available at Abbotsford’s Maan Farms until next weekend (August 15th) and blueberry picking will continue for another 15 days or so. But you don’t even need to limit yourself to berries! We just learned from Devinder Maan that Maan Farms, which has been around since 1977, also offers u-pick for veggies and flowers, including Swiss chard, beets, pickling cucumbers, squash, and corn, to name but a few. Better yet, bring the kids along and make it a family fun day trip as they’ve got a petting zoo, play area, Papa Jo’s corn maze, sunflower labyrinth, rope maze, bird sanctuary, bee centre and a daily wagon ride. Their u-pick goes daily from 10am until 5pm.

3. Emma Lea Farms – Ladner:

Located on Delta’s pastoral Westham Island, Emma Lea Farms will be offering u-pick blueberries for a few more weeks until approximately August 20. They’re open daily from 8am until 7pm. Call them at (604) 946-8216 to confirm.

4. Krause Berry Farms – Langley:

Langley’s Krause Berry Farms opened their u-pick blueberry patches last week and according to Sandee Krause, they’re going strong! She also informed us that blackberry u-pick begins this Friday – their variety is thornless! In addition, sweet Corn is picked daily and their corn roaster makes for a great tasting corn on the cob up at their  restaurant, The Porch. Finally, while their u-pick strawberries are over, they do have their ever-bearing strawberries being picked daily. Sandee says, “They are awesome, beautiful and sweet, great for chocolate dipping!”

5. Forstbauer Family Natural Food Farm – Chilliwack:

The folks at Forstbauer Family Natural Food Farm are considered pioneers in organic biodynamic farming. Come by their Chilliwack farm to pick blueberries during the week as early as 9am. They say, “There are a lot of berries, however, the season may be short because of the late start. So come out and get your berries soon!” We also just got an update from Mary Forstbauer that in addition to berries, they have organic pickling cukes that are ready-picked, if you want to make yourself some homemade pickles. You can pick up their produce at their farm or seek them out at the local farmers markets that they attend.

6. Driediger Farms – Langley:

With their strawberry and raspberry u-picks open as late as August 4th and blueberry picking available as of August 5th, there’s plenty of choice at Langley’s Driediger Farms. And Rhonda Driediger just updated us that they have “raspberries, blueberries, red and white currants at the moment and will be opening for blackberries this weekend. The weather has been perfect for berry ripening and picking so far this month. We do have to close fields from time to time so we ask that people call our Market (604) 888-1665 just before coming out to check that fields are open.” Driediger Farms is open daily from 8am until 8pm.

7. John & John Organic Blueberry Farm – Langley:

If it wasn’t for Stefan Klopp’s blog post from last summer, we probably wouldn’t have heard about John & John Organic Blueberry Farm. Located at 4015 244th Street in Langley, you can pick their certified organic blueberries daily from 9am until 7pm. They don’t have a website but their information’s available on pickyourown.org.

8. Bissett Berry Farm – Ladner:

One of the more diverse berry farms in the region, Ladner’s Bissett Farms (also on Westham Island) has u-pick blueberries and boysenberries for the month of August. They’re open daily from 6am until 8pm. Our suggestion for after? Go for a quick fruit wine tasting at their Westham Island Winery next door!

Note: If you’re looking for u-pick berry farms on the Sunshine Coast, we’ve been told that there aren’t any farms big enough for u-pick. There are, however, lots of local berries being sold at the farmers markets, and wild blackberries grow everywhere. Thanks to Sunshine Coast Tourism for this update!

For every day in summer, Tourism Surrey suggests one activity for you to do. The offerings are really quite diverse, so we’re highlighting some of their upcoming August and September activities below…

Photo: Surrey’s Holland Park hosts Movie Under the Stars on August 20. Source: Tourism Surrey.

Some upcoming summer activities in Surrey include:

• Day 88 (Saturday, August 20) – Enjoy a free movie at Movie Under the Stars at Holland Park. Pack your lawn chairs and picnic blankets and be treated to a quintessential summer movie experience. The movie playing this date will be Disney’s 2010 animation, Tangled – perfect for families!

• Day 87 (Monday, August 22) – Visit the Memory Stones at Crescent Beach at Beecher Street. As you stroll along one of South Surrey’s most scenic beaches, you can read the poetic stories of the community’s memories and dreams from past and present. Should be a really unique experience.

• Day 92 (Saturday, August 27) – Bring the whole family out to the Teddy Bear Picnic at Historic Stewart Farm. Don’t forget to pack your favourite stuffed animal for the Teddy Bear hunt! Pre-registration is required.

• Day 95 (Tuesday, August 30) – Have the time of your life getting lost in the Bose Family Corn Maze. Use your ‘know-how’ to find your way out. After your challenge is complete, reward yourself with roasted marshmallows around a fire pit!

• Day 97 (Thursday, September 1) – Only in Canada can you go ice skating in September! Start your Labour Day weekend festivities early and enjoy the first day of the ice skating season at the Cloverdale Arena.

For even more summer activities, be sure to visit the August and September calendars on 99 Days of Summer: http://www.tourismsurrey.com/99days.

Photo: Crescent Beach in South Surrey hosts Memory Stones on August 22. Source: Tourism Surrey.

Hot summer days are here and the kids are out of school. It just made sense to feature 10 of the best places in the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region for ice cream, gelato, and frozen yogurt. We’ve been brainstorming and researching over the past few days and thanks to your suggestions, we’ve found 10 destinations to try this summer:

1. Bella Gelateria – Vancouver:

There’s been tons o’ buzz about Bella Gelateria – and for good reason. They’re dedicated to preserving the true artisanship of old-world handcrafted gelato and are known amongst local foodies as the place for gelato in Vancouver. Each batch is made in full view (so you can watch the gelato chefs in action) and they use an old world artisan style process (as noted on their website here) to ensure the highest quality per batch. It has definitely paid off because as soon as we asked on Twitter for a gelato recommendation, about half a dozen people right off the bat recommended Bella. @Colene told us, “[it's] the only place I will go to for my gelato & sorbetto needs. James [the owner] is the best!”. It’s also a must for @trifunster who simple described Bella Gelateria as “AWESOMENESS”. And when we asked if any one flavour stands out, @Astra_PT told us, “Loads! He changes it with what ingredients he has – my faves are blood orange, pineapple, apple+caramel, oh and an ‘orchard’ one! I think James has coconut today!” Needless to say, the next time you find yourself at the northern foot of Burrard Street, you know where to venture.

Website: http://www.bellagelateria.com

2. Marina’s Gelato – Fort Langley & Maple Ridge:

A double endorsement for Marina’s Gelato by both Tourism Langley and Tourism Maple Ridge. The former wrote, “Marina’s Gelato in Fort Langley! Soooo many flavours! Sometimes they have a Speculaas flavoured gelato! (Speculaas are the most delicious dutch cookies, for those who don’t know.)” while the latter wrote, “Marina’s Gelato in Maple Ridge uses only top Italian ingredients and makes all of their ice cream fresh on the premises, Marina’s Gelato offers over 40 delicious flavours of gelato and sorbetto (some say it may be the best gelato in B.C!).” We learned on Marina’s Gelato’s website that they originally opened by Paul and Marina in Maple Ridge in June 2002, and then opened a secondary location in Fort Langley. The location in Fort Langley is no longer owned by Paul and Marina, but they still have the same wonderful tasting gelato. We also learned after publishing this blog post that that Marina’s in Fort Langley is now called Maria’s (although they don’t appear to have a website yet). In any case, because these are “sister” gelato shops to speak, we’re keeping them both at #2.

Website: http://www.marinasgelato.com

3. Birchwood Dairy – Abbotsford:

There’s something special about eating ice cream on a farm at the very dairy the cows were milked. Located on 210 acres of land, Abbotsford’s Birchwood Dairy milks approximately 180 happy cows. Why are they happy? Well, these cows are fed hay and silage that’s grown on the farm, but they’re also free to roam. And Birchwood Dairy is much more than just a dairy – they’re also home to a Country Store. It’s here where you can buy their fresh milk, cream, yogurt and cheeses or even have a light lunch, buy fresh baking, or treat yourself to local produce. But the reason we have Birchwood Dairy on the list is of course, their gourmet ice cream and frozen yogurt. To tempt yourself, just look at their full menu of over 50 flavours here. Flavours that piqued this blogger’s interest includes Chai Tea, S’mores, and Tin Roof Sundae.

Website: http://www.birchwooddairy.com

4. Mike’s Gelato – Gibsons:

Sunshine Coast Tourism enthusiastically vouches for Mike’s Gelato. They told us, “Mike’s Gelato in Gibsons makes it fresh in-house and serves multiple outlets in Roberts Creek, Sechelt & Powell River. Can’t walk through Gibsons Landing without your Mike’s Gelato. So many flavours to choose from!” So we took a look at Mike’s Gelato Facebook Page and saw their fans endorsing flavours such as blood orange, Reeces pieces (a personal favourite of yours truly), and even pumpkin pie! We then discovered Gibsons blog, Cottager’s Wife who ranks Mike’s Gelato as one of The 10 Best Things About Gibsons. In her blog post she writes, “We consider ourselves gelato experts, having each eaten an average of two cones a day while travelling in Italy a few years back. Mike’s gelato definitely measures up.”

Website: http://www.mikesgelato.com

5. Matteo’s Gelato – Port Coquitlam:

Matteo’s is an Italian-style bistro where gelato’s the main course. Yelp reviewers consider Matteo’s “a definite gem in downtown Port Coquitlam”. Becca Stephen wrote to us on Facebook claiming, “Matteo’s has a great atmosphere, awesome staff, has the best gelato around and is totally community oriented. One year for May Day we brought Matt a case of girl guide cookies and he made girl guide cookie gelato!!!” Being devout Girl Guide Cookie eaters ourselves, we know this must be good stuff.

Website: http://www.matteosgelato.com

6. Timothy’s Frozen Yogurt – Steveston:

Timothy’s Frozen Yogurt is a Steveston institution. So says former Timothy’s employee @Erin_Hanson. She tweeted to us, “I may be biased, but it’s an institution. When I tell people I’m from Steveston, they say ‘Mmm, Timothy’s!’” When they first opened back in the late 80′s, the line-ups for Tim’s were legendary. They’d spill out the door and clog up Steveston Landing. While ice cream, Mario’s Gelato, and coffee are also on the menu, locals know that the frozen yogurt’s why you make the effort to visit. Choose from the fresh fruit available (strawberries, peaches, boysenberries, cranberries, cherries, bananas, etc.) and they’ll take a scoop of it, blend it into the frozen yogurt and serve it into a made to order still-warm-from-the-iron waffle cone. It’s simple yet divine. Next time you’re in Steveston, head up to Steveston Landing and follow that seductive vanilla smell of the waffle cones wafting through the air. Or just look for the line-ups.

Website: n/a

7. Dolce Gelato – White Rock:

There’s something sublime about eating gelato along the seaside, so Dolce Gelato in White Rock makes perfect sense. Owned by an Italian couple, this gelato shop is considered one of the best in the Lower Mainland. With 8 5-star reviews on Yelp to date, you know they must be doing something right. They also captured the attention of foodies south of the border. Nicholas Feris – a Seattle-based rum afficionado who authors the blog, The Rum Collective made a special trip to White Rock just to taste Dolce Gelato’s luxurious Cassata gelato. “Finely chopped pistachio nuts, quick melting tiny chocolate pieces and chewy candied orange peel compliment a refreshingly cool, silky gelato with notes of Puerto Rican rum mixed throughout. Sensational! One more please!!” Read the rest of his experience at Dolce Gelato on his blog here.

Website: n/a

8. Tamaringo’s Cafe – Abbotsford:

Located inside of Abbotsford’s Cannor Nursery is the Tamaringo Cafe. Fraser Valley Building Supplies told us on Twitter their gelato is “the absolute BEST and the best kept secret.” When we inquired further, they explained, “Every flavour I’ve tried is divine. Order a yummy snack, specialty coffee or tea then browse their beautiful plants!” Tourism Abbotsford also gave us the nod to this fine local’s secret, and it must truly be a secret because we couldn’t find a whole lot of info online. But the little that we did find, like this blog and this blog, suggest that it’s quality stuff. Go try their gelato and report back to us – we’re curious!

Website: http://www.cannor.com

9. Krause Berry Farms – Langley

It was Tourism Langley who put Krause Berry Farms on our ice cream radar. “They have the BEST berry ice cream, ever!” So we investigated further and discovered this Langley berry farm not only grows an abundance of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and a variety of vegetables (all of which you can pick yourself), but they also run a Country Market. It’s there where you can buy fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh-baked goods (from bread and pies to their famous corn pizza!), homemade fudge, milkshakes, smoothies, and of course… berry ice cream! Ice cream made from the very berries grown on the farm has to be tasty ice cream, indeed.

Website: http://www.krauseberryfarms.com

10. Qoola – Burnaby:

There are a few things I’ve learned about Qoola by reading  reviews on Yelp. First, they’re the only California-style soft serve frozen yogurt bar in Metro Vancouver. Second, their Metrotown location is the only place where you serve it yourself. And it was Justin Garing who wrote on our Facebook Page to recommend Qoola’s Metrotown location. He writes, “[It] has a nice atmosphere, and stands apart from other frozen yogurt places. Qoola has very smooth frozen yogurt and a wide variety of toppings to put on from m&m’s to Captian Crunch to strawberries.” Vancouver girl Shirley Sii blogged about her experience at Qoola Metrotown when she visited last year. Check out her blog here to see the various frozen yogurt combinations she and her friends came up with.

Website: http://www.qoola.com

Honourable Mentions:

We wanted to limit the list to only 10, but we felt every suggestion deserved to be recognized:

Mama’s Gelato – Sechelt – “it’s awesome!”
The Restaurant at Painted Boat – Madeira Park – try the rosewater gelato.
Milsean Shoppe – Aldergrove – try their ice cream made with their famous Demerara Butter Crunch.
Mario’s Gelato – Vancouver – try the white chocolate raspberry.
Cow’s Ice Cream – Whistler – old fashioned ice cream and cow motifs.
La Casa Gelato – Vancouver – famous for having 218 flavours at all times.
Adria Gelato – Burnaby – try the tiramisu & chocolate flavours.
Hell’s Gate Airtram – Boston Bar – try their fudge dipped waffle cone.
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory – Harrison Hot Springs – try the Turkish Coffee flavour.

Did we miss your favourite gelato, ice cream, or frozen yogurt destination in the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region? Let us know what’s missing off our list by leaving us a comment.

1. Strawberry Picking in the Fraser Valley:

It’s finally strawberry season! If you want to take your family berry picking this weekend, you can find dozens of u-pick strawberry patches all over the agricultural belts along the Fraser River. We recommend driving across the rickety old bridge to Ladner’s Westham Island to berry pick at Emma Lea Farms. They’re open from 8am until 7pm, 7 days a week and they even have an ice cream stand (open from 10am until 6pm). For a full list of Fraser Valley strawberry farms, visit the Fraser Valley Strawberry Growers Association website here.

2. Gastown Jazz Weekend at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival – June 25 & 26:

If you’ve never been to Gastown during the first week of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, you’re missing out. They close off Water Street and set up one stage over by the Steam Clock, and an even larger stage over at Maple Tree Square at Water and Carrall. The best part about this? The events are entirely free. Performances start at 1:45pm and continue until at least 7pm and will include Australian band, OKA (one of my favourites from last year’s Jazz Fest – think dancey electro-world beat jazz that incorporates didgeridoo and bamboo flutes), Vancouver long time party favourite, Five Alarm Funk, as well as a variety of other jazz, folk, and world music groups. In between sets you can head over to the Food Market or the Family Zone which are set up between Abbott and Cambie. I highly recommend it for music loving families as it’s a great way experience Vancouver in the summer. For those wondering, next weekend (July 2 & 3) is when the free concerts happen over in Yaletown’s David Lam Park. Check out the full schedule here.

3. Children’s Festival and Duck Pluck Raffle – June 25:

Head to the Sunshine Coast this weekend for the 10th annual Children’s Festival and Duck Pluck Raffle. It’ll be taking place in Gibsons BC this Saturday, June 25th from 11am until 3pm. and will be featuring magic, plays, puppets, as well as a performance by Charlotte Diamond. The fun continues with a bouncy castle, face painting, a petting zoo, clowns, crafts, a marketplace, a BBQ, and great prizes as numbered ducks are plucked from a pond! The proceeds  for the raffle are to benefit the  Sunshine Coast Community Services Society’s Early Childhood Development programs. Full details about the event, including a list of all the raffle prizes can be found here. The Children’s Festival and Duck Pluck Facebook Event page can be found here.

4. Greek Day – June 26:

Did you know that Kitsilano’s West Broadway corridor (between Macdonald and Blenheim) is home to a well-established Greek community? Every year in June they close traffic off to West Broadway along this stretch and throw a large family-friendly street festival known as Greek Day. Essentially it’s an excuse to eat Greek food, listen to Greek music and performances, and bask in local Greek culture. I’ve attended in past years and have always had a great time. For full details, visit http://www.greekday.com

5. Critical Mass – June 24:

June is Bike Month, so why not bring the bikes downtown this Friday and participate as a family in Vancouver’s Critical Mass? Critical Mass happens on the laat Friday of every month and is essentially a way for people to ride their bikes in public spaces that are often only reserved for cars.  I know what you’re thinking: “Is Critical Mass a family-friendly event?” Well, North Vancouver’s Find Family Fun seem to think so. In fact, they list Critical Mass as their June Pick out of all other family-friendly activities happening in the Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley region. Read about their participation in last year’s Critical Mass here. For full details on this month’s Critical Mass, visit the Velolove Vancouver website here.

1. National Aboriginal Day at Trout Lake – June 21:

Head to Trout Lake from 9am until 5pm for the the annual National Aboriginal Day celebrations. This free event is held every year to celebrate the diversity of Aboriginal people from across Canada. First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples will be gathering at Trout Lake to share their experiences, stories, songs, traditional games, dances, and spirit. There will be an eclectic mix of music and entertainment, a tee pee village, activities for children, pow wow dancing, drumming, an arts and crafts fair, as well as a BBQ. Full details can be found at www.bcnationalaboriginalday.com.

2. Beach Bonanza at Boundary Bay – June 21 & 23:

What is this Beach Bonanza, you say? Well… according to Metro Vancouver’s website, if you head to Centennial Beach this Tuesday and Thursday between 10am and 3pm, if you keep your eyes out for park interpreters, you’ll be able to uncover the secret lives of underwater creatures. It’s a discovery walk along Centennial Beach, essentially. They’ll also have aquariums as well.  The whole event is weather permitting, however and registration is required, so be sure to call 604-224-5739 and sign up in order to participate. Centennial Beach has fascinating marine life, so if you haven’t been there before, this would be a great excuse to do so! Thanks to Venture Vancouver for putting this on our radar!

3. Midsummer Night Walk/Run & Lantern Celebration – June 21:

Port Moody’s Pioneer Park will be hosting a really special fundraiser on Tuesday night with the Midsummer Night Walk & Run and Lantern Celebration – an event being held to raise money for a local family whose two-year-old daughter is battling leukemia. There will be a 5km walk and run at 7:30pm followed by the lantern festivities in Pioneer Park. You can bring your own lantern or make them on-site. Drumming, dancing, and hooping is welcome, as are midsummer night-inspired costumes. For full details visit their Facebook event page here.

4. Fête de la Musique – June 21:

If you love making music, bring your instruments down to Gastown on June 21st between 5 and 10pm for Vancouver’s first-ever Fête de la Musique. This free event, also known as “Make Music Vancouver” is an all-inclusive outdoor music festival. All the public spaces in Gastown will be turned into impromptu musical stages, dance floors, and social meeting points. There will be hundreds of amateur musicians, in every genre, performing on sidewalks. Everyone is invited to sing and dance along, and enjoy the first day of summer. Very cool, Vancouver, very cool. This is what you’re all about. Full details about this event can be found at http://makemusicvancouver.com.

5. Pemberton Farmers Market – June 22:

This Wednesday from 4 until 7pm head down to the Pemberton Valley Supermarket parking lot for the first Pemberton Farmers Market of 2011! As explained on the Tourism Pemberton website, “the Pemberton Farmers Market brings the highly sought after produce, baked good and other food items grown in the Pemberton Valley.” Expect to find fruit, vegetables, and plants, arts and crafts, bath and beauty products, fresh cut flowers, ethnic foods, organic foods, eggs, milk, cheese, and even pet food! See the Tourism Pemberton website here for full details.

6. Summer Outdoor Market- June 21 & 23:

Powell River hosts the Summer Outdoor Market at Blue Cat Square every Tuesday and Thursday. The market goes all day from 10am until 4pm and will continue every week until September 15, 2011. For full details, call 604-344-0017 or 604-483-5283.

7. Sechelt Night Market – June 23:

No, you don’t have to go to Richmond or Vancouver to experience a night market! The Sunshine Coast community of Sechelt hosts the Sechelt Night Market every Thursday night from 5 until 9pm on Cowrie Street downtown. There are music performances, a wide variety of vendors from local restaurants and businesses, and a ton of things do to for families. For the kids there’s face painting, arts and crafts, and even a bouncy castle. Keep your eye out for the 50/50 draw. Full details about the Sechelt Night Market are available on this PDF or you can visit http://www.secheltdowntown.com.

8. Lillooet Farmers Market – June 24:

The Lillooet Farmers Market happens every Friday from 9am until 1:30pm across from the Post Office on Main Street. Come by and support local businesses, artisans and farmers. There’s an assortment of vendors selling home baking, local fruit and vegetables, clothing, natural cleaning products, jams, jellies, eggs, jewelery, plants, and even yard sale items. For full details visit their Facebook Page here.

9. Agassiz Farm Fresh Market – June 23:

The Fraser Valley’s Agassiz Farm Fresh Market happens every Thursday from 3-6pm until September 1st. Located in the parking lot of Aberdeen Hall, expect to find local vendors selling anything from fresh fruits and veggies, to baked goods, to local artisan projects. As stated on their website, the Agassiz Farm Fresh Market’s objective is to support their local economy and foster a community of sustainability.For full details, visit www.agassizfarmersmarket.com.

10. Denis Leclerc – June 22:

He’s a fiddler, balladeer, and storyteller. He’s a French Canadian Métis and an experienced musician and storyteller. His name is Denis Leclerc and he’ll be playing the Hope Library this Wednesday evening at 7pm. It should be a great show and a fitting event with St Jean Baptiste Day coming up this Friday! HopeBC.ca says, “He has been able to capture people’s imaginations in almost any setting from dim firesides to festival stages. His passion and knowledge of history make his stories come alive.” Call 604-869-2313 for details.