BC Adventures – Our To Do Picks for May 15 – 21

Buddy Holly. the world’s most successful rock musical, comes to Vancouver May 13

See the Buddy Holly Story
 – May 13-July 11
Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story has been called “the world’s most successful rock ‘n’ roll musical.” No wonder. Since its 1989 premiere, more than 20 million people in London, on Broadway and beyond have seen this award-winning show about one of rock music’s founding fathers. Now it’s our turn when the musical makes a stop at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage (2750 Granville St., Vancouver) from May 13 
to July 11. Though the bespectacled balladeer died in 1959 at just 22, he left behind a legacy that captures the energy of the era with hits like “Peggy Sue,” “That’ll Be the Day” and “Not Fade Away.” Just don’t be surprised if you’re still humming those tunes the next day. For tickets and further information, 
go to artsclub.com or call 604-687-1644.

Have a Motown Meltdown – May 15

We all know it’s wise to avoid a meltdown. But we’ll gladly make an exception for Motown Meltdown, a foot-stomping fundraiser featuring all the sounds of soul on May 15 at the Commodore Ballroom (868 Granville St., Vancouver). Boasting more than 30 of the biggest local names in the blues biz, it features Jim Byrnes, Dee Daniels, Roy Forbes, Babe Gurr and Jane Mortifee, along with a live performance by The Scorchers. Proceeds raised from the bash, hosted by Terry David Mulligan, benefit the Shooting Stars Foundation in support of direct-service AIDS agencies. Don’t miss your chance to see Vancouver doing its best impression of Motor City by purchasing tickets for $30 by phone at 604-280-4444, with further information at shootingstarsfoundation.org.

Check out the North Shore Artists’ Guild Spring Art Sale 
- May 15
Where can you view more than 300 paintings in styles ranging from abstract expressionism to realism? Okay, maybe lots of places, but one to check out is the North Shore Artists’ Guild Spring Art Sale on May 15. Held at the West Vancouver Community Centre (2121 Marine Drive), it showcases the work of more than 100 artists, from established professionals to dedicated non-professionals, ranging from watercolours and oil paintings to mixed media and collages. Check it out from 10 a.m. to 
5 p.m., or view the artwork in advance by visiting nsartists.ca
.

Come out to Play at the Vancouver International Children’s Festival
 – May 17-24
Remember when your whole world revolved around cartoons, candy and crayons? Return to that age of innocence with the Vancouver International Children’s Festival, delivering a week’s worth of fun tailored just for tots from May 17 to 24 at Vanier Park (1100 Chestnut St.). Let your inner child out to play with storytelling, theatre, music, dance and even stilt-walking lessons. And, along with performances from the likes of Circus Incognitus, Bobs and Lolo, Charlotte Diamond and the National Acrobats of Taiwan, you can also catch renditions of The Princess and the Pea, Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland. About 50,000 fun-seekers flock to this fest each year, so book your tickets early by phone at 604-280-4444 or online at ticketmaster.ca. For more details, visit childrensfestival.ca
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Get Grossed out at Animal Grossology – May 15-Aug 22

Kids are freakily fascinated by all things gross. That’s why they’re guaranteed to love Animal Grossology at Metropolis at Metrotown (Grand Court, 4700 Kingsway, Burnaby), where they’ll learn about some of the “slimiest, stinkiest and downright yuckiest facts” about creatures great and small. This educational exhibit, running from May 15 to August 22, oozes with disgusting science and interactive games that get kids both laughing and learning at the same time. For more information, visit metropolisatmetrotown.com or call 604-438-4715.


Explore Mindscape by the Gallery Gachet
 – May 19
You could say that Gallery Gachet has cachet. Why’s that, you ask? Because the Gastown gallery provides artists who have mental health, trauma or abuse experience with opportunities to exhibit their work. And it’s to this great cause that the Donnelly Pub Group, the peeps behind Republic, Bar None and The Modern, is directing its latest charitable efforts with Mindscape: The Art of the Gallery Gachet Collective on May 19 at the Metropole (320 Abbott St., Vancouver). Running from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., the fundraiser features an art exhibit and auction whose proceeds directly support the gallery. Tickets are $10 and available at clubzone.com or at the door. For more information, visit gachet.org.

Experience the South Okanagan Meadowlark Festival – May 20-24
Thirteen an unlucky number? Not for the South Okanagan Meadowlark Festival, a so-called “ecological museum under the sky” from May 20 to 24 at locations throughout the region. Thanks to a packed program of fun and informative events, the festival has been voted the Best Annual Community Event in the South Okanagan for activities ranging from wildflower walks, art exhibits and bird-watching to canoe trips, cultural tours and astronomy talks. And given that the region boasts some of B.C.’s best backdrops, it’s no surprise that visitors from around the world come for the eco-oriented tours, lectures and workshops. For further details, visit meadowlarkfestival.bc.ca or call 250-492-5275.

Go Wild at the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair – May 21-24
Vancouver’s answer to the Calgary Stampede, the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair has been voted the best show in its class across North America for the last seven years. Harkening back to our rustic roots, it rolls out all the wonders of the Wild West, including bucking broncos, bull-riding and barrel-racing, along with scads of family-friendly fun like a parade, Agri Zone, kids’ area and the Fraser Valley’s largest midway. Check it out at Cloverdale Fairgrounds (6050 176 St.) from May 21 to 24, or get into the spirit at a pre-opening concert by Canadian rockers 54-40 at the Longhorn Saloon on May 20. Rodeo tickets start at $15, or country fair admission only is $10 (free for kids 7 and under), with more information at cloverdalerodeo.com or 604-576-9461. Yee-haw!


Get Well with Whistler Wellness Week – May 28-June 6
With its alpine air, fragrant forests and pristine lakes, Whistler is all about wellness. So it’s the perfect backdrop for Whistler Wellness Week, an exposition of events offering everything you need to relax and rejuvenate – mountain style. From May 28 to June 6, health seekers can inspire body, mind and spirit with wellness seminars, nutritional and fitness workshops, yoga and even a clairvoyant demonstration at various venues throughout the village, including the Westin Whistler, Telus Conference Centre, Fairmont Chateau Hotel and Meadow Park Sport Centre. Want to make a vacation out of it? Check out some great last-minute deals on accommodation by calling 1-800-944-7853. For further details, visit whistler.com/wellness.
 
Get Half-corked in the Okanagan – May 30
Feel like getting half-corked? Okay, but it might not be quite as easy as you think: On May 30, South Okanagan vintners are hosting the first annual Half-Corked Marathon, where runners can eat, drink and be merry at seven winery stops along a 17.1 km course that wends over the rolling hills of the Golden Mile and across the vineyard-studded valley to Black Sage Bench. Show up in your most outlandish costume, and you just might win a prize at the post-race party, which features a buffet lunch and, of course, barrels of precious plonk. Tickets are $55 per entrant when you register online at www.sowasite.com. And, PS: Watermark Beach Resort is rolling out special room rates of $109 per night from May 28 to 30. To book, call 1-888-755-3480.

Place Your Bets at the Hastings Racecourse – May-Oct weekends and holidays
Hold your horses! Before you sink another cent into stocks or load up on lotto tickets, why not gamble the good old-fashioned way — by heading to the track? Nothing says retro recreation quite like horse racing, which is why Hastings Racecourse (E. Hastings and Renfrew streets, Vancouver) is busier than ever, a century after it opened. On weekends and holidays until October 11, you can place your bets on your favourite thoroughbred as it gallops to the finish line in a thunder of hooves, or try your hand at one of 600 slot machines on the gaming floor. And even if Lady Luck lets you down, it’s a sure bet you’ll satisfy your appetite at the many on-site restaurants, concessions and lounges. To take a virtual tour or place a bet online, visit hastingsracecourse.com
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Make Time for Tea at the Fairmont – May
Unless you have a prestigious pedigree, Jimmy Pattison-sized pocketbook or Pamela Anderson proportions, you’ve probably never been given the royal treatment. That’s about to change with The Princess and the Tea promotion at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (900 W. Georgia St.), where $36 buys you an enchanting afternoon full of sandwiches and pastries, along with special brews like Versailles Lavender Earl Grey, Lemon Rooibos and a limited-edition 1907 Centennial blend. A kid-friendly version is available, too, which includes bubblegum tea and all the fixins’ for $16 per child, with a 10 per cent discount if they arrive outfitted in royal attire. Reserve a seat by calling 604-662-1900 or visiting fairmont.com/hotelvancouver.

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