Friday, May 3
FIRST CRAFT FAIR
The parent advisory council at Central community elementary school (2260 Central Ave., Port Coquitlam) hosts its inaugural craft festival featuring more than 25 vendors; activities and live music from Riverside secondary students will also be available, from 3 to 8 p.m. Admission by donation. Call 604-328-0352.
IN THE GALLERIES
Place des Arts (1120 Brunette Ave., Coquitlam) opens three new exhibits with a reception at 7 p.m.: Blending Tradition and Innovation (Fraser Valley chapter of the Federation of Canadian Artists); My Mother’s Home (Rita Hernandez and Jennifer Sarkar); and Connections (Mary Kate Woodward). Call 604-664-1636.
SUPERCALLI.....
Moving Mirror Productions presents Mary Poppins Jr. at 7 p.m. in the Inlet Theatre (100 Newport Dr., Port Moody), and Saturday at 2 and 7 p.m., with direction by Ryan Phelps and choreography by Jessie Au. Visit movingmirrorproductions.com.
SCHOOL MUSICALS
Jade Lim plays Ella to Marcus Jung’s Topher in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical of Cinderella, running tonight and Saturday at Heritage Woods secondary (1300 David Ave., Port Moody). Call 604-461-8679 for tickets. At Port Moody secondary, students under Jesse Meredith and Shelby Simmons perform The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at 7 p.m. Call 604-939-6656. And, at Dr. Charles Best secondary (2525 Como Lake Ave., Coquitlam), teacher Brad Case and students present Little Shop of Horrors, tonight and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Call 604-461-5581.
ART RECEPTION
Meet the artists behind the paintings and mixed media pieces in the Art Focus Artists Association spring show. The reception is from 7 to 9 p.m. in The Outlet at Leigh Square Community Arts Village (behind PoCo city hall); the exhibit runs Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit myartclub.com/art.focus.
MAY DAY OPENING
Port Coquitlam marks the start of the 96th annual May Days festival, May 3 to 11, with a ceremony in the PoCo recreation complex (2150 Wilson Ave.) at 7:30 p.m. that includes the installation of the royal party, May Pole dancing and other entertainment. Visit portcoquitlam.ca/maydays.
DOWN THE TUBE
Taylor Stutchbury and Linda MacLean play Doreen and Brenda during the Blitz, in Frank Watts’ play Down the Tube, at the Gallery Bistro (2411 Clarke St., Port Moody) at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3:30 p.m. For tickets to the Expect Exceptional Theatre show, call 604-937-0998 or visit gallerybistroportmoody.com.
GOING CUCKOO
Stage 43 Theatrical Society ends its As Seen on Screen season with One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, at the Evergreen Cultural Centre (1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam), with shows tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. The play is the Coquitlam company’s entry in the Fraser Valley zone festival, which takes place at Evergreen in May. Call 604-927-6555 or visit evergreencultrualcentre.ca.
Saturday, May 4
SENIORS PANCAKES
The Port Moody Youth Focus Committee serves up a pancake breakfast for seniors in the Kyle Centre (125 Kyle St., Port Moody) from 9 to 11 a.m. The cost is $6 a plate. Call 604-469-4556.
FOR THE GARDEN
Members of the Dogwood Garden Club offer their perennials, annuals, tomatoes and herbs at their annual plant sale from 9 a.m. to noon in the Centennial Room of the Dogwood Pavilion (624 Poirier St., Coquitlam). Admission — and gardening tips — are free. Visit dogwoodgardenclub.weebly.com.
BOOM! KAPOW!
Pop into the Coquitlam Public Library (Poirier and City Centre branches) between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. for the Free Comic Book Day. Visit coqlibrary.ca.
RELEASE THE FISH
The 27th annual Fingerling Festival at the Port Moody recreation complex (300 Ioco Rd.) and next door at the Noons Creek hatchery runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., courtesy of the Port Moody Ecological Society. Help to release 40,000 salmon into Noons Creek, check out the environmental displays — including from Mike the Reptile Guy — and hear songs from children entertainers Bobs and Lolo (at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.). Call 604-469-9106 or visit noonscreek.org.
GIFT MAKING
Sign up the family to make a Mother’s Day gift in Mackin House, one of Coquitlam’s oldest homes (1116 Brunette Ave.), at one of three sessions offered by the Coquitlam Heritage Society: 11 a.m., 12:30 or 2 p.m. Parental supervision is required. Visit coquitlamheritage.ca.
RUBEN SHOES
Bring your unwanted, gently used shoes to 983 Allandale Ave., Port Moody, between noon and 3 p.m. when Calliope Tyliakos will have her annual drop off — and a lemonade stand — to support Rubens Shoes, prior to her birthday. For the past five years, the 12-year-old girl has collected 1,740 shoes for the charity to donate to people in third-world countries. Visit rubenshoes.com.
STOP-MOTION
Indigenous artist Amanda Strong opens Anaamakamig (Under the Ground), a stop-motion animation film that goes behind the scenes to explore the world of Biidaaban (The Dawn Comes). Her exhibition at the Art Gallery at Evergreen (1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) runs until June 30, with its opening reception on May 7 at 6:30 p.m. The gallery hours are Wednesday to Saturday, noon to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Visit evergreenculturalcentre.ca.
MAY THE FOURTH
It’s Star Wars Day at the Terry Fox Library (2470 Mary Hill Rd., Port Coquitlam) as librarians celebrate May the Fourth (Be With You). Dress up in costume, make crafts and enjoy a scavenger hunt, from 1 to 4 p.m. Visit fvrl.ca.
POLYNESIAN LUAU
Tuck into a roasted pig and Palusami for a Polynesian luau at the Port Moody rec complex (300 Ioco Rd.) from 6 p.m. to midnight, a fundraiser hosted by the Low Entropy in aid of youth-at-risk programs. Tickets at $60 include the buffet meal, entertainment and dancing. Call 604-469-0226 or visit lowentropy.ca.
CINCO DE MAYO
Celebrate Cinco de Mayo — a day early — with Mexico City native Alberto Gonzalez of the Hot Salsa Dance Zone, for a fun Mexican fiesta in the rehearsal hall of the Evergreen Cultural Centre (1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam). A dance lesson starts at 8 p.m. with the Latin beats from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Be sure to wear green, white or red clothes for the night. Cover is $10. Visit hotsalsadancezone.com.
LAST DANCE
Bid farewell to the old Port Coquitlam recreation complex (2150 Wilson Ave.) at a dance organized by the PoCo Events Society, with classic rock bands 24seven and Talk Nerdy to Me from 7 p.m. to midnight. Tickets at $20 are via tickettailor.com.
TREE-O MUSIC
Hear Deanna Knight’s Tree-O, a gypsy-jazz ensemble, at the Gallery Bistro (2411 Clarke St., Port Moody) for a performance at 8 p.m. Call 604-937-0998 or visit gallerybistroportmoody.com.
Sunday, May 5
MARKET OPENS
The 23rd annual Poirier Street Farmers Market starts its new season in the parking lot of Dogwood Pavilion (1655 Winslow Ave., Coquitlam), running from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visit makebakegrow.com.
TAKE TWO HIKES
Support the Crossroads Hospice Society in its 17th annual Tri-City Hike for Hospice in aid of palliative care at the Inlet Centre facility. Sponsored in part by The Tri-City News, the 5-km walk starts at 10 a.m. at the Hyde Creek recreation centre (1379 Laurier Ave., Port Coquitlam). Visit hike4hospice.ca. Meanwhile, the TD Community Plaza in Coquitlam Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way) is the starting point for the annual Walk for Alzheimer’s, a 2- or 5-km trek happening at 3:15 p.m., to benefit the Alzheimer Society of BC. Call 604-941-4697 or visit alzgiving.ca.
JR. LAX
The Coquitlam Jr. Adanacs face the Victoria Shamrocks in a 2 p.m. game at the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex (633 Poirier St., Coquitlam). For tickets and details, visit adanacs.bcjall.com.
