Hastings Park comes alive with Light, Water, Drums… and an open house

From the Light Water Drums Festival in 2007

Light Water Drums

Interested in a little rain-proofing fun on Saturday afternoon and evening? Make haste to Hastings Park for the Light Water Drums festival, a lantern procession that celebrates the dark and wet of Vancouver winters and the joy of Hastings Park’s restored natural beauty.

According to the organizers, the festival combines themes of Light (“fire, lanterns, candles and glowing things in the dark”), Water (“the rain, the pools and ponds, the underground stream running through the park”) and Drums (“the joyful noise of celebration”)

Gather at 5:30pm at the NW side of Garden Auditorium (the first large building inside the PNE gates at Renfrew and Hastings). The parade starts at 6:00pm and lasts for about an hour. Entertainment and other fun to follow, including fire spinners and fire throwers, music, circus performers, Coast Salish and African drumming.

For more information check out the Festival webpage.

And speaking of Hastings Park…

The grand greenspace and exhibition ground has been undergoing some substantial redesign work over the past few years. On February 22, there will be an open house where the latest concept designs will be showcased, focusing on several spaces within the larger 154 hectare park, including:

• Empire Field
• Connection to New Brighton Park (greenways fro walking, jogging and cycling)
• Creekway Park and the daylighted stream
• Plateau Park sports field

The open house will be running from 1:00pm to 9:00pm (Pacific Coliseum, 100 North Renfrew Street, main entrance). Drop by and have your say on this important greenspace. And if you can’t make it, take a few moments check out the City’s webpage for other ways to provide input.