From gallery exhibits and story times to a public art scavenger hunt and tree tour, there’s something for everyone during Culture Days in the Tri-Cities this weekend.
Here’s a sample of what’s going on around town to celebrate the arts movement:
FRIDAY
Kick off Culture Days with a public art scavenger hunt around the City of the Arts. More than 40 public art pieces are around Port Moody, waiting to be found by participants. Register via portmoody.ca and a map and questions will be emailed to you Thursday night. The hunt happens Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Painters with Port Coquitlam’s Art Focus Artist Association will show their skills from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Terry Fox Library (2470 Mary Hill Rd.). Call 604-927-7999.
Celebrate the opening of the Port Moody’s newest art gallery, Silk, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 2419 Clarke St.
Learn about Edwardian medicine during a scavenger hunt through one of Coquitlam’s oldest homes. Mackin House Museum (1116 Brunette Ave., Coquitlam) will have prizes, activities and snacks for participants. All ages are welcome for the hunt on Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. Call 604-516-6151.
Join a book club talk about Ru, the French work by Kim Thuy about a woman who immigrates to Quebec from Vietnam as a child during the Tet Offensive. The discussion — in French — starts at 6:30 p.m. at the office of Société Francophone de Maillardville (942B Brunette Ave., Coquitlam). Call 515-7070.
SATURDAY
Drop into Gallery Bistro (2411 Clarke St., Port Moody) to talk about how to get inspired and motivated to write. A Blank Piece of Paper, Creative People Talking 2016 runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call 604-941-3023.
Learn about 3D printing at the Terry Fox Library (2470 Mary Hill Rd., Port Coquitlam) from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Call 604-927-7999.
Pop into PoCo Heritage (2248 McAllister Ave., Port Coquitlam) between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. for Signed, Sealed, Delivered!, a hands-on activity to learn how people stayed connected before emails and texts. Read old letters and try out a vintage typewriter. Visit pocoheritage.org.
Farsi-speaking parents and their kids — newborns to six — can share songs, rhymes and stories at the City Centre branch of the Coquitlam Public Library (1169 Pinetree Way) from 11:15 to 11:45 a.m. And from 1 to 4 p.m., enjoy Persian entertainment and displays and sample Iranian cuisine. Call 604-554-7334.
Enjoy Indian performances, Rangoli art activities, exhibitions and demonstrations at Leigh Square Community Arts Village (next to Port Coquitlam city hall) as the city partners with Diwali Fest, from noon to 3 p.m. Visit portcoquitlam.ca.
Kids aged 12 and under can get their hands busy at the opening of the Art 4 Life exhibition at the Port Moody Arts Centre (2425 St. Johns St.). The event runs from 1 to 3 p.m. and aims to encourage art appreciation. The show runs until Nov. 1 and includes a family night puppet show on Oct. 13 plus an open house on Oct. 29. Call 604-931-2008.
The Rotary Club of Port Coquitlam Centennial will promote literacy by handing out free copies of the Usborne dictionary to Grade 4 students in PoCo, at Terry Fox Library (2470 Mary Hill Rd., Port Coquitlam) between 1 and 4 p.m. Call 604-910-4406.
Glen Pine Pavilion seniors centre (1200 Glen Pine Crt., Coquitlam) and the city host a multicultural fun day featuring musical performances from 3 to 9 p.m. Call 604-927-6945.
Explore the moment just before the theatre curtain rises and falls in an art exhibit, aptly titled Theatre Theatre, at Evergreen Cultural Centre (1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam), from noon to 5 p.m. Call 604-927-6565.
SUNDAY
Ever wanted to learn how a theatre set is built? Join Coquitlam’s Stage 43 Theatre Society as it prepares for its first show of the season at the Evergreen Cultural Centre (1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam), from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Head over to the Riverview Hospital grounds (2601 Lougheed Hwy., Coquitlam) for a guided tree tour — the last of the season — led by a volunteer arborist or members of the Riverview Horticultural Centre Society, from 1 to 3 p.m. Visit rhcs.org. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shows. Children and dogs on leash welcome.
Find out about the French-speaking region of Maghreb, in North Africa, during a multicultural event at Chez Nous (209 Lebleu St., Coquitlam), from 1 to 4 p.m. Call 604-515-7070.
jwarren@tricitynews.com
@jwarrenTC
