What to do on the weekend?

It’s already time for the weekend and there are many things to do in Vancouver. This weekend there are some really nice festivals. So, what does Vancouver offer this weekend?

 

Dragon Boat Festival

This weekend it is time for Vancouver’s Dragon Boat Festival around Falls Creek on Friday and Saturday. Beginning on Friday afternoon with the blessing ceremony at 5 pm, the start of the first race is on Saturday morning at 8 am. Besides the races you can also enjoy entertainment on the World Beat Stage, fabulous food, art installations, the Urban Tea Lounge and shopping. And the best – it’s for free!  (More infos)

 

Vancouver International Jazz Festival

The Vancouver International Jazz Festival is one of the largest festivals in British Columbia. It’s starts on Friday night at 12 pm on Granville Island and will be until July 1. If you like jazz music, you really should not miss that festival! Various concerts and jam sessions will be held across Downtown and a lot of them are for free! (More infos)

 

Scandinavian Midsummer Festival

This year it is the 19^th Scandinavian Midsummer Festival in Vancouver. Thousands of people celebrate the traditions and festivities of Scandinavian Midsummer at the Scandinavian Community Centre in Burnaby.  One of the highlights is definitely the Viking Village, where most of the activities will be.  Another highlight of the festival will be the Midsummer Festival Lottery with amazing prizes, the Paavo Nurmi Run and the Midsummer Night Bash with electronic dance music. The daily pass fee is $10. (More infos)

 

Soccer World Cup 2014

Of course there are still soccer world cup matches on this weekend. In most of the pubs you can see the matches on big screens. So there are many places in Vancouver where you can cheer for your team or just see some exciting matches with friends.  Please note, that you have to pay an entrance fee while the world cup matches at some pubs.

Don’t forget! We will meet us on Saturday at 11 am at The Pint to watch the soccer match Ghana against Germany. We will also have some brunch and drinks.  We hope to see you there!

We wish you all a nice and enjoyable weekend and and hope to see you on Saturday at The Pint!

 

INTERNeX International Exchange
International Village,
Suite 2077, 2079 – 88 West Pender Street
Vancouver, Canada -V6B 6N9-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Email: pr@internexcanada.com

 

INTERNeX Canada: How was your weekend?

Another Monday, another week. But this past weekend was awesome because yesterday, we went down to Chinatown and watched the Chinese New Year parade!

I can’t describe to you how cold, squished, and hungry I was while standing to watch the parade. But it was still a lot of fun being out there with hundreds of people! We saw people dressed up in traditional Chinese clothing, people with masks, dressed up as dragons, snakes, and tons more! We all found it really funny how there was so much corporate advertisement in the parade! For example, both CTV and CBC were involved with the parade and were giving out red envelopes with candy inside it… but the envelopes had their logos!

After we watched the entire parade, we made our way up to the Classical Chinese Garden and walked around. But the most difficult part of the day was trying to find a good Chinese restaurant which wasn’t insanely busy (definitely wasn’t going to happen). Which is why we made out way out of Chinatown and after much searching, we finally found a decent place for a late lunch! 

For many of us, including myself, the parade was a new experience! Personally, I thought it was so awesome how, not only Asians, but people from every ethnic background were involved in the Chinese New Year parade as well as there to watch it. It’s always a good thing to be able to open up to new cultures and experiences…and Canada is a perfect place for that!

After our lunch, we all decided to go to the Vancouver Public Library for a little sightseeing (since it was way too cold to be outside). And then to end the day, we went to Blenz for some hot drinks and to chat. For more pictures from our trip to the Chinese New Year parade, check it out at our Flicker page here!

What fun stuff did you do last weekend?

Cheers,

Flora

INTERNeX International Exchange
Suite 200 – 211 Columbia Street
Vancouver BC -V6A 2R5-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Phone: +1 (604) 662 8149
Email: pr@internexcanada.com

125 Years of Banff National Park!

This year Banff celebrates the 125th birthday of the Banff National Park, a part of the Rocky Mountains. Banff National Park is one of the 42 national park in Canada, a very well protected network of treasured natural and historic places. It is also the birthplace of the word’s first national park services! Until November 2010, special programs and events will celebrate this significant 125th anniversary. Discover unforgettable experiences to add to your time in Canada.

Enjoy hikes, family camping, horseback rides, climbs, cultural excursions, festivals, a national historic site visit, or strolls within the unique mountain communities of Banff and Lake Louise.

This Saturday and Sunday August 28-29 you can join other Banff residents on a camping trip and participate in one of the many interactive events on one of Banff’s 1500 camping sites.

Are you more of an indoor person? No worries how about checking out the Dragon Fli Empire! Calgary’s hip hop heroes are gonna make the HooDoo bounce.

For more information about the events, click here!

I really wish I could join in on the camping trip, my 4 day trip in the Rockies wasn’t nearly enough! But I hope that our INTERNeX Candidates working in Banff have the time to attend one of these celebrations.

– Manouk

Toronto Dragon Boat Festival

The Event – Team Spirit At Its Very Best

The 22nd TELUS Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival promises a two-day fun-filled event that brings sports, team spirit and community spirit to Toronto Centre Island on June 19-20, 2010.

The Festival, which started in 1989, entered the international arena in 1993. From the humble beginning of only 27 teams participating in the first festival back in 1989, it has evolved to a much bigger operation over the past two decades.

Organized by the Toronto Chinese Business Association and the Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival, the Festival in 2010 will once again expect 180 to 200 teams with 5,000 athletes. Paddlers of different backgrounds from all over the world will take part in the ancient Chinese tradition and friendly competition.

In 2009, the Festival registered 8 teams of youth with physical and developmental challenges. The Festival was also graced by the cancer survivor terms from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – Ontario Region, fundraising beneficiary of the Festival. After all, it’s not always about winning the cup. The team spirit, the message of hope and inclusiveness prevails throughout the Festival!

Once again this year, the Festival will welcome teams from all provinces across Canada, from the U.S., the Caribbean Islands, Europe and Asia.

In 2010, as the Festival celebrates its 22nd year, it promises to continue to be one of the most exciting summer events in Canada. It will juxtapose culture, water sport, exotic food with multi-cultural performances. In 2009, attendance at the Toronto International Dragon Boat Race Festival reached the 120,000 mark to make it one of the most popular summer festivals in Toronto.

Furthermore, the Festival values social responsibilities and has in the past raised funds for charities such as the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Breast Cancer Foundation and the SickKids Foundation.

Today, dragon boat racing is held globally. It is now an annual event held in over 40 countries. All around the world, far and wide, people have embraced this water sport and formed dragon boat racing clubs in their own countries.

The two most established Dragon Boat Race Festivals in Canada – Toronto and Vancouver – spearheaded the Dragon Boat Council of Canada, the national dragon boat organizing body in Canada. The mission of the Council is to work together to develop criteria and processes to select national dragon boat champions to represent Canada in International and World Championships.

Hope everyone in Toronto has a  great weekend!

– Laura & Manouk

Upcoming events:

Bike Ride through Stanley Park

Pub Night at Metropole June 23

Rip’ Roarin’ Rockies Adventure!