BC Adventures – Our To Do Picks for May 14-20

He sold out Carnegie Hall, now Denis Matsuev plays UBC’s Chan Centre

What to do in BC this week

See the Circus – May 12-15

Compared to other cities of the world, Vancouver is just a baby at age 125. So CircusWest has come up with an appropriately unstuffy way to celebrate the city’s birthday: the high-flying troupe is presenting Journey to Lost Lagoon: a Stanley Park Circus Adventure from May 12 to 15 at the PNE Garden Auditorium (2901 E. Hastings St., Vancouver). Led by the park’s namesake Lord Stanley, it’s a magic-infused love letter to our own urban Eden that takes guests on a virtual journey through the park’s 125-year history. And it is a circus after all, so expect a full complement of acrobatics, aerial routines, human pyramids, contortionists and trapeze artists, too. Tickets, priced from $8 to $18, are available online.

Get spring fever at the Kamloops Live MADness Street Festival – May 12-14
Spring fever is set to strike in, um, epidemic proportions this week in Kamloops, where a three-day Live MADness! street festival will roll out everything from live music, art and dance to a parade, artisan showcase and roving performers. Taking place from May 12 to 14, this kickin’ community party celebrates spring in the centre of the city with all the action centered along the 200 to 400 block of Victoria Street. Join in the fun or sit back and enjoy the show from a sidewalk café in this pretty desert city where, unlike Vancouver, rain is a relative rarity. Check it out daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with further info online at kcbia.com or by phone at 250-372-3242.

Hear Classical Pianist Denis Matsuev – May 14
What aspiring classical musician hasn’t dreamed of selling out Carnegie Hall? For world-class pianist Denis Matsuev, that’s one thing he can cross off his bucket list. So before he can do the same at Chan Shun Concert Hall (6265 Crescent Road, Vancouver) where he’s set to tickle the ivories on May 14, 
you might want to grab your ticket as soon as possible if you hope to see this master musician in person. And given that Matsuev took first place in Moscow’s International Tchaikovsky Competition and is currently artistic director of the Sergei Rachmaninoff Foundation, we’re guessing the night’s program will include music by these two late Russian greats. Tickets are $49.50 to $81.50 online at Ticketmaster and by phone at 
604-280-3311.

Marvel at MacHomer – May 14-15 

If Jane Austen’s novels can be infiltrated with the undead (remember Pride and Prejudice and Zombies?), why can’t there be a little intermingling between Macbeth and The Simpsons? That was playwright Rick Miller’s rationale in penning MacHomer, an internationally acclaimed show that stays 85 per cent true to Shakespeare’s classic while incorporating 50 Simpsons characters into the mix. And because it’s a one-man effort, Miller — this generation’s answer to Rich Little — performs all the voices himself in an unlikely collision of classic and pop art that one critic declared will leave you “exhausted with laughter.” Catch it at the Vancouver Playhouse (Hamilton & Dunsmuir) on May 14 and 15, starting at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are available online or by calling 604-873-3311.

Check out Everyday Eden – May 14 & May 28
Just because Adam and Eve were turfed from the Garden of Eden doesn’t mean you can’t recreate an earthly paradise right in your own backyard. For inspiration, check out Everyday Eden: 100+ Fun, Green Garden Projects for the Whole Family to Enjoy, a gorgeous new book from Harbour Publishing penned by TV Week columnist Christina Symons and landscape pro John Gillespie. Better yet, meet the local authors in person on May 14 at Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks (1740 W. 2nd Ave, Vancouver), where they’ll be conducting book signings and leading food-related demos from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Or, if you’re in Victoria, you can catch the dynamic duo on May 28 at Dig This in Broadmead Village Shopping Centre, starting at 1 p.m.


Eat for Divertimento – May 18

Feeling blah? The authentic cuisine at La Piazza Dario Ristorante in the Italian Cultural Centre (3075 Slocan Street, Vancouver) is definitely one way to spice up your life. And, if you swing by on May 18 you can be part of a full-on fundraising feast called Divertimento (translation: a good time) that supports the Vancouver Chamber Choir’s outreach and education programs. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with a reception and silent auction followed by music, dinner and wine starting at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $135 per person, with $75 tax receipts available, online or by calling 604-738-6822. Buon appetito!


Attend a Fashion Fundraiser
 – May 19
What does a girl want? That’s a question that probably has as many answers as there are girls. One thing we can all agree on, though: the importance of eradicating liver disease. That’s the aim of the Canadian Liver Foundation’s annual What a Girl Wants fundraiser on May 19 at the Pan Pacific Hotel (300-999 Canada Place, Vancouver). Guests will enjoy a gala evening celebrating “women, health and handbags” that includes a gourmet three-course dinner, silent and live auctions, entertainment and a fashion show featuring designer handbags and other luxury items. Tickets for the event, running from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., are $150 per person.

Catch David Cassidy in Concert – May 20

Long before the likes of Justin Bieber or Zac Efron, the dreamiest teen on TV was David Cassidy. The former Partridge Family star, last seen in the latest round of Celebrity Apprentice, even boasted a fan club that outnumbered those of The Beatles and Elvis. These days, the Broadway veteran may have lost his long locks, but his pipes will no doubt still be in fine form for his May 20 concert at River Rock Casino Resort (8811 River Road, Richmond), starting at 8 p.m. Our hope? That he resurrects his old classic “I Think I Love You,” the best-selling single of 1970. For tickets, priced at $39.50 and $49.50, visit any Ticketmaster outlet, charge-by-phone 604-280-4444 or order at Ticketmaster.

Get More Bhangra – until October 23

The Vancouver International Bhangra Festival may have come and gone for another year, but if you’re still hungry for more, check out the Museum of Vancouver’s (1100 Chestnut Street) groundbreaking exhibition, Bhangra.me: Vancouver’s Bhangra Story, running until October 23. The exhibit looks at the growth of Bhangra music and dance in Vancouver in a retrospective spanning from the activist era of the ’70s to the DJ culture of the ’90s. But time your visit right, ’cause the museum will also be offering Bhangra workshops, talks and concerts on selected dates throughout the summer.

Check our Your Farmers Market – now
We all know it’s wise to up our intake of fruits and veggies. But admit it: Unless you’re a hardcore vegetarian, the idea doesn’t sound all that appealing. You might change your mind, though, if you take a gander at all the freshly picked produce at the Vancouver Farmers Market, now open for the summer season in two Lower Mainland locations. Where to load up? Trout Lake Farmers Market, open every Saturday from May 14 to October 22 at the north parking lot of Trout Lake Park, and at Kitsilano Farmers Market, open Sundays from May 22 to October 23 at Kitsilano Community Centre. For more details, go to eatlocal.org
.

Go Ziplining – anytime
Gravity has been officially defied. That’s the tagline of Grouse Mountain’s heart-pounding zipline adventure, an unforgettable outdoor experience guaranteed to take your breath away as you zoom 80 kilometres per hour across alpine peaks, valleys and old-growth forests. Tickets for the two-hour tour, departing every 60 minutes from Monday to Sunday, are $105 per person, exclusive of tax, and include a Skyride as well as travel aboard a dual-track, five-line zip circuit. For more details, including information on group bookings and operating hours, call 
604-980-9311.

Get away to Quadra Island – now
Do you know an eco-adventurer who’s itching to escape the city? Give them the scoop on April Point Resort & Spa (900 April Point Road), a remote retreat on Quadra Island that’s offering a selection of vacation packages to suit outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Whether you want to Fish & Golf, Thrill & Chill, Catch & Relax or strap on a camera for a Wildlife Adventure, these two-night getaways start at just $189 per person, based on double occupancy. Better hurry, though, ‘cause package prices are slated to rise for the summer season, baginning June 12 until August 28. For more details, call 1-800-663-7090.

Originally published in TV Week. For daily updates, subscribe to the free TV Week e-newsletter, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.