Plenty of stuff to do this weekend starting off with a Japadog Eating Contest today at the YVR airport. I might go check out BrazilFest after volunteering at the Color Me Rad run at UBC. Unfortunately, because I'm volunteering, I won't be able to take photos at the 3rd Farmers Market Kitchen at Trout Lake! =( On Sunday, I'm most interested in the Garlic Festival at the Sharing Farm! Besides these events, the Fair at the PNE is back! It opens on Saturday, August 18th and features nightly concerts. For those of you who don't have to work on Mondays...Free gate admission is on Monday, August 20 from 9am-noon. There's also the weekend long Anime Revolution Convention at the Vancouver Convention Centre so watch out for cosplayers around downtown Vancouver!.

Friday, August 17, 2012

Japadog Eating Contest at YVR
12:30pm - 1:00pm
Vancouver International Airport, 3211 Grant McConachie Way, Richmond
Forget the Olympics, we have the competition of the summer right here at YVR! Japadog, located here at the airport, is hosting a hotdog-eating contest to see who can eat the most Japadogs in 10 minutes.  On Friday, August 17 from 12:30 – 1:00 p.m., six competitors will line up at the Haida Gwaii, The Spirit of the Jade Canoe in the International Terminal, Level 3 to compete for hotdog glory, $250 YVR bucks and a $50 Japadog gift certificate.

Vancouver Sawan Mela + Bollywood Under the Stars
6:30pm - 11:30pm
Plaza of Nations, 750 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver
This year, our Vancouver Sawan Mela begins on Friday August 17 at 6:30 for our "Sangeet" night starring some of Vancouver's finest vocalists: Raju Johal, Luv Randhawa, Gagan Sharma and Manraj Hassan as well as DJ A-Slam, En Karma and TAZ- StereoNation. You might know him as the former Johnny Zee. He will be putting on a 75 minute show for everyone!  Bollywood Under the Stars featuring "Qurbani" and Sawan Mela: the Festival will occur on Saturday August 18 with Satvik Veena creator Pt. Salil Bhatt from India with tabla master Cassius Khan.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

BrazilFest Vancouver
9:00am - 8:00pm
Granville Street between Robson and Dunsmuir, Vancouver
BrazilFest is a festival of Brazilian arts and culture being held in downtown Vancouver on Granville St, between Robson and Dunsmuir, where an expected 17,000 to 20,000 people will attend. The festival will showcase the best Brazil has to offer in music, dance, food and film.  The festival will showcase the best Brazil has to offer in music, dance, food and film. It includes a feast of rhythms and music in downtown Vancouver and screenings of one of Brazilian movies (provided by VLAFF). 

Apple Store Coquitlam Centre Grand Opening
9:30am
Coquitlam Centre, 2829 Barnet Highway, Coquitlam
The Apple Store, Coquitlam Centre, will be open soon so you can shop, test-drive our products, ask questions, attend free workshops and much more. Come in and check out the iPad, iPhone, Mac and iPod. Get the most out of your new Mac with One to One. Or meet with our Business Team. And if you’re one of our first 1000 customers, you’ll take home a commemorative T-shirt while supplies last. (I suggest you line up early if you want one).

Bus Stop Hop (Registration required)
10:30am - 6:00pm
Granville Island Picnic Pavillion, Granville Island, Vancouver
The Bus Stop Hop is SCI BC’s signature Peer event in Metro Vancouver showcasing accessible transportation. Inspired by the Amazing Race, the BSH is a one-day, team-based event that has participants racing across the city, using accessible transportation, completing fun activities and collecting points. Register by calling Kelly at 604-326-1221 or emailing kwittig@sci-bc.ca.

Portobello West Open Air Granville St Market
11:00am - 7:00pm
800 block of Granville Street (between Robson and Smithe), Vancouver
As part of the City of Vancouver’s VIVA program, this summer Portobello West will transform Granville Street (between Robson and Smithe) into a dynamic pedestrian only open-air Market space! The Market will take place on Saturday + Sunday, August 18 + 19 and run the entire block. Shop from creative artisans and designers.

In the Village on False Creek Walking Tour
2:00pm
Meet between the big birds in the Olympic Village Plaza, Athletes Way, Vancouver
Free walking tour with Margot Long, the person who designed the public landscape including the new shoreline of the Village, and and Bob Kronbauer, Vancouver Is Awesome founder! Margot and Bob will take you on a 1/2 hour tour through The Village on False Creek, sharing insights on the types of plant life introduced as well as stories on the history of the area and hot it got to where it's at now. Meeting between the big birds in the public square in the Village at 2PM.

2012 Vancouver Zombie Walk 
Starts at 4:00pm
Vancouver Art Gallery
The annual infection spreads again, and the undead hordes shamble through Vancouver in search of brains ... and of course give people a bloody good scare! Assemble at the Art Gallery steps (by 3 PM is suggested) ... the Zombiewalk starts at 4 on the dot! Read on for more details, including the route, reviews from last year, tips, guidelines and more! The Horde leaves the Art Gallery and travels up Robson towards Denman. Hangs a left on Denman. Continues on to English Bay and the small park with all the laughing Asian man statues! See photos of last year's Zombie Walk here.

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Garlic Festival at the Sharing Farm
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
The Sharing Farm, Terra Nova Rural Park, 2631 Westminster Hwy, Richmond
The Sharing Farm’s annual garlic festival is the only garlic festival in Metro Vancouver and the place to be for garlic lovers. Admission is free and families are most welcome. This is a great family event so mark your calendar and plan to spend a few hours. Festival highlights include artisan garlic sales, garlic ice cream, cooking demonstrations, live entertainment, fun kids activities, local exhibitors, and food vendors.


Latin Summer Fest 2012
11:00pm - 7:00pm
Trout Lake Park - Victoria at 15th, Vancouver
A fun family friendly event to promote Latin Culture in a one-day outdoor event in Vancouver through its colourful spirit, arts, culture and food.

Chariot Festival of India
11:30am - Parade 
1:00pm - dusk
2nd Beach in Stanley Park, 8001 Stanley Park Drive, Vancouver
The Parade will start on Beach ave. at Howe St. (under the Granville St Bridge) at 11:30 AM and go along Beach Ave. finishing at the Festival Site at 2nd Beach. Enjoy Music & Dance, Live Theatre, Multi-Media for the Soul, get Mendi Hand Tattoos, do Yoga & Meditation, watch Puppet Theatre, get your Face Painted and watch Vegi-Cooking Demos. There will also be Clowns & Balloon Artists, Free Feasting, Kids Fun Tent and Fashions! See photos from last year here.

Commemorative Plaque Presentation at Arbutus Coffee
12:00pm - 6:00pm (4pm presentation)
Arbutus Grocery, now Arbutus Coffee 2200 Arbutus Street, Vancouver
1950s themed afternoon celebration 12-6pm, all are welcome! This is part of a project that began as part of Vancouver's 125th anniversary of incorporation in 2011, with public nominations that recognized 125 sites where people, places and events shaped Vancouver’s future and continued to tell the stories of Vancouver’s past. 

Yaletown Outdoor Movie Night
4:00pm - 7:00pm - Picnic in the Park
7:00pm - 8:00pm - Dance Lessons 
8:00pm - 11:00pm - Dirty Dancing Movie
David Lam Park, 1300 Pacific Boulevard (at Drake Street), Vancouver
Yaletown’s Outdoor Movie Night presented by James Schouw & Associates will return along with the Roundhouse Picnic in the park on August 19th, 2012. This event requires good weather, & has a rain out date on August 26. Check out this outdoor event in David Lam Park, as a classic movie is played on a huge outdoor screen on Sunday evening. The sun will set around 8:00pm, and the family-friendly film Dirty Dancing will be projected onto a huge 40 foot by 20 foot screen in the park! Pre-show events include Picnic in the Park with features free music, entertainment, & games and a fundraising BBQ and free guided Dirty Dancing inspired dance lessons from Exhale Studio.