One of my co-workers joked this week, I hate solstice, its become so commercialized, in a not so subtle dig at Christmas. Today (Dec. 21) marks solstice, which means the days will finally begin to get longer, if only by a few minutes. But anything will be an improvement over the 3:30 p.m. gloom were been suffering through recently.
Dec. 21
Events this Wednesday organized by the Secret Lantern Society begin with a lively lantern procession through the streets of Strathcona and end at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden and Park. Enjoy the beautiful heron and koi lanterns created by artist Joey Mallett, the whimsical tea set lanterns of Carmen Rosen and the ginkgo and red maple tree lanterns hand-crafted by garden volunteers. The procession begins at the Strathcona Community Centre, 601 Keefer St., at 6 p.m. If you werent able to attend any of the earlier lantern making workshops, theres one taking place at the community centre from 4 to 6 p.m. Cost is $5.
The Granville Island solstice event includes three processions that begin together at Leg-in-Boot Square in Southeast False Creek and then splits with participants heading to Granville Island and H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. The processions begin at 6 p.m. In Yaletown the party begins at the Gathering Place, 609 Helmcken, from 1 to 5 p.m. with a procession at 5:30 p.m. to Emery Barnes Park. Lantern processions will then parade to Coopers park and the Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»Aquatic Centre. The Roundhouse Community Centre is also hosting a solstice event at 6 p.m. as part of the Yaletown festivities. The East Side of the city is privy to a very special series including solstice music, a lantern making workshop and storytelling taking place in three homes on Parker Street. Following the house concerts, a procession leaves Parker Street and meanders to the courtyard of the Britannia Centre off Commercial Drive. Last years shows were sold out, so youll want to check the website to see if there are any spaces left. For more information visit secretlantern.org.
Dec. 25
The women who seek out the services of St. James Community Service Societys Powell Place shelter will enjoy a Christmas dinner of turkey with all the trimmings Dec. 25. But it wont be any old turkey and cranberry sauceinstead, the women will be treated to Christmas dinner from the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The dinner will include all the fixings a guest at the Fairmont might enjoy, right down to the pastries and pumpkin pie for dessert. A hotel employee will deliver the dinner on her day off on Christmas Day. The Fairmont has been providing the holiday feast to the shelter for more than a decade. The hotel staff also helps during the year with periodic clothes drives, movie nights and a Mothers Day tea. The Powell Place Emergency Shelter is a 24-hour, safe place for women who shouldnt have to choose between sleeping on the street and the potential threat of violence they might find in a mixed shelter.
Twitter: @sthomas10