Sun Run, Vaisakhi and 4-20 highlight weekend festivities in Metro Vancouver
Large gatherings are the theme of the weekend in Metro Vancouver, with several big crowds expected to assemble for very different reasons. Here's what's happening.
Surrey Vaisakhi parade
A week after Vancouver's Nagar Kirtan, it's Surrey's turn to celebrate the Sikh festival of Vaisakhi this Saturday.
Organizers of the Surrey parade say it's the largest Vaisakhi celebration in the world, with approximately 500,000 people expected to assemble along the route from Gurdwara Dashmesh Darbar Temple down 124 Street and back.
Stages and food stalls line the route, and people of all backgrounds are welcome.
Vancouver Sun Run
On Sunday, crowds and road closures are coming to downtown Vancouver and False Creek for the 40th Vancouver Sun Run.
Canada's largest road race and the third-largest timed 10K race in North America, the Sun Run course begins at Georgia and Thurlow streets and runs through the West End, across the Burrard Street Bridge and around False Creek to the finish line near Rogers Arena.
Non-participants are welcome to cheer on the runners along the route, and to check out the Sun Run Expo at the Vancouver Convention Centre, which is open from noon to 7 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
4-20 festivities
While the longtime organizers of Vancouver's annual April 20 cannabis protest/celebration were not involved in planning last year's event at Sunset Beach and are sitting out this year's festivities as well, there is still a gathering in the works, according to event listings on Facebook.
A variety of other 4-20 events and parties are also scheduled, including "420 Grassroots" in East Vancouver, New Amsterdam Cafe's annual 4-20 party and "42024" at The Birdhouse in Mount Pleasant.
Other festivals
Several other large events are also taking place this weekend, including Brewhalla North Vancouver on Friday night, the Coast City Country Festival at BC Place and the Commodore Ballroom, and the sold-out BrickCan LEGO exhibition at River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond.
Saturday is also Record Store Day, an annual event that sees musicians issue exclusive vinyl releases and often draws long lineups at participating shops.
Earth Day at Vanier Park
Earth Day is Monday, April 22, but three attractions in Vanier Park are inviting the public to celebrate early.
"The Museum of Vancouver, the Vancouver Maritime Museum and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre join forces as representations of land, sea and sky to honour the Earth on April 20 with kid-friendly activities," the museum says on its website, which also has a schedule of events.
Activities include poetry readings, crafts and a storytime, with admission by donation to the land and sea portions of the event.
Verses Festival of Words
This weekend also marks the start of the Verses Festival of Words, which begins Thursday and runs through April 27.
Now in its 10th year, the event is billed as "Canada’s largest alternative literary festival." It features poetry readings and workshops, as well as the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam, which is a national championship competition.
A schedule of events, lists of participating poets and ticket information can be found on the Verses website.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre unrepentant over calling Trudeau 'wacko' as his MPs say Speaker should resign
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he does not regret calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau 'wacko,' and now his MPs are renewing calls for the House of Commons Speaker to resign, this time over ordering the Official Opposition leader to leave the chamber.
Is it cold, flu or norovirus? Symptoms explained
The highly contagious norovirus is spreading across Canada, with some symptoms overlapping with other viruses. CTVNews.ca spoke with a health expert to find out how you can tell you have norovirus, the most common form of stomach flu, and what to do if you have it.
Freeland leaves capital gains tax change out of coming budget implementation bill, here's why
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Anger can harm your blood vessel function, study shows
Stress and anger can have a negative impact on cardiovascular health, studies have shown. New research points to just how the mechanism may work.
Ontario's police watchdog continues probe of high-speed pursuit involving fatal crash
The investigation continues into a collision that killed two grandparents and their infant grandchild during a high-speed police chase on the wrong way of Highway 401 east of Toronto.
Ontario woman surprised after 20-year-old fines suddenly tank credit score
An Ontario woman says that she was shocked when fines from 20 years ago suddenly tanked her credit score last week, but the situation may not be as unusual as it seems, according to at least one debt expert.
Search continues for 'armed man' in Dartmouth, N.S.
Police say they continue to search for an armed man who allegedly threatened people in Dartmouth, N.S.
Swarm of bees delays Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles game in Arizona. An 'MVP' beekeeper came to the rescue
Major League Baseball fans had an unexpected buzz on Tuesday after a swarm of bees delayed the Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game for around two hours.
Newfoundland fisherman says police broke his leg during protest that delayed budget
Richard Martin is spending this year's fishing season on land after he says a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer broke his left leg in three places during a protest last month that shut down the provincial legislature.