Tony Dekker of the Great Lakes Swimmers performs with the rest of the band at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto April 25, 2009.
Mother's Day
First, tell mom that you love her – then show her how much you care with brunch at any number of lovely locales, including Grouse Mountain, Bacchus at the Wedgewood, Diva at the Met, the Granville Island Hotel, the Empress Hotel and more. Then treat her to a fundraising high tea at the Museum of Vancouver (Sunday, museumofvancouver.ca), the Victoria Conservatory of Music's Garden Tour (Saturday and Sunday, vcm.bc.ca), the Mother's Day Paint-In and Craft Fair at Royal Roads (Sunday, hatleypark.ca), or head for the Surrey Nature Centre, where you can sip nature-inspired tea from the forest (Sunday, surrey.ca).
A Growing Affair
Give your green thumb a serious workout at A Growing Affair, UBC Botanical Garden's 22nd annual plant sale, where you can find lovely specimens from hibiscus to hydrangeas, and from Soloman's Seal to sword ferns – and pick up great gardening tips from the pros (Saturday, botanicalgarden.ubc.ca). Still have a tiny bit of space left in that backyard plot? Hit the annual Spring Bazaar and Plant Sale at Nikkei Place (Saturday, nikkeiplace.org).
EPIC Expo
Speaking of green, learn about smart homes and green transportation, check out the latest in eco-minded fashion, sample gourmet organic foods and hear from green gurus at EPIC: The Sustainable Living Expo (at the Vancouver Convention Centre, epicexpo.com).For a less supersized event, hit the 17th annual Stone Soup Festival, a celebration of sustainable food and the environment that features a farmer's market, live music, workshops, kids stuff and free soup (at Britannia Community Centre Saturday, britanniacentre.org).
Visions of Enlightenment
Illuminate your weekend with myriad incarnations of Buddhist art, including sculptures, paintings, ceramics, textiles and more at Visions of Enlightenment, a new Museum of Anthropology exhibit that also looks at why the devotional works are made and how they're used (through Sept. 30, moa.ubc.ca).
Bliss
Watch bliss in motion as renowned choreographer José Navas reprises his acclaimed 2010 ballet The bliss that from their limbs all movement takes, and adds two new sections – one set to Mozart and the other to Henryk Gorecki's Symphony of Sorrowful Song (at Queen Elizabeth Theatre Saturday, ticketmaster.ca). For an altogether different song and dance, catch High Society – a musical based on the classic Sinatra, Grace Kelly and Bing Crosby film, and featuring the swellegant music of Cole Porter (at the Stanley through June 24, artsclub.com).
BC Buds
Catch top musicians, dancers, theatre artists and more as the Firehall Arts Centre throws open its doors for the BC Buds Spring Arts Fair – a free all-terrain celebration that takes over the heritage building's hallways, dressing rooms, courtyard and more (through Sunday, firehallartscentre.ca). And don't miss Storyweaving, an aboriginal tale that's directed by North of 60's Renae Morriseau and features ancestral dances, stories and songs (at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre through Sunday, also May 18-20, vancouvermovingtheatre.com)For a high-flying adventure, catch young circus artists in Blue Sky Circus (at the PNE Auditorium, circuswestshow.com).
World Migratory Bird Day
Pay homage to our globetrotting avian friends at World Migratory Bird Day celebrations, including an official proclamation by Park Board Chair Constance Barnes, guided walks in picturesque parks around the city, and a talk by bird biologist Russell Cannings, who holds a B.C. record for sighting 373 different species in a single year (vancouver.ca/parks).
Vancouver International Tequila Expo
Leave your hand-licking, salt-shaking ways in the past and taste high-end Mexican elixirs at the Vancouver Tequila Expo, where you can also learn about the geography and culture of agave growing as well as the spirit's ancient origins, which predate Spanish contact (at the Vancouver Convention Centre Saturday, vancouvertequilaexpo.com).
Great Lake Swimmers
Be charmed by the lovely and lyrical music of favourite Ontarian indie act the Great Lake Swimmers as they perform with Cold Specks in Victoria (at Alix Goolden Hall Saturday, ticketmaster.ca). On the mainland, catch Californian singer-songwriter Kina Grannis at the Rio Saturday (northerntickets.com).
Science Rendezvous
Need a little kid-friendly fun? Explore the physics of energy consumption, go on a fossil excavation, be a DNA detective and make sound waves at the free, family-friendly outdoor Science Rendezvous, a nationwide celebration of the power of science (at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, beatymuseum.ubc.ca).
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