It’s time for the sixth annual Light Up The Quay, a fun and friendly competition put on by the Quayside Community Board that helps increase donations to the winter food drive and encourages neighbours to duke it out for awards.

Never heard of energy resiliency or energy transition planning?  Neither had I until a few weeks ago, however will become a growing topic of importance in New Westminster over the coming years.
New Westminster Environmental Partners (NWEP) would like to invite the public to learn more at a forum on Energy Resiliency and Energy Transition Planning on Monday December 5th. This forum will be preceded by the NWEP’s Annual General Meeting and election of directors for 2012. The AGM will start at 6:00 with the public forum presentations starting after 6:30pm. …

New Westminster author and nominee for the Governor General’s Literary Award JJ Lee will talk about his new book The Measure of a Man at the New Westminster Public Library on Thursday, December 1 at 7 pm.

In an homage to ‘silly season’ shenanigans, we’re co-sponsoring an upcoming New Westminster all-candidates’ event that will feature a comic along with the candidates. We’ve teamed up again with NEXT New West and New Westminster Environmental Partners to co-host Fun & Politics, an non-traditional, informal all-candidates’ mixer aimed at encouraging younger voters to become more engaged in city politics.

Halloween is just around the corner, so here’s a handy dandy list of events for everyone (and we do mean everyone) in the family. The pets in your life will be snout over tail for the Petrifying Pooch Parade, the horror fan will scream with joy for the Haunted Hall and you can even get a chance to PUMP yourself up with a Halloween workout!

If you and your pet are into dressing up, this event is for you!

I was lucky to win a couple of tickets to this years incarnation of Freelance Camp, an ‘unconference’ hosted by The Network Hub. It’s certainly a nice change to see an event promoting freelancing, networking, and technology come to little New Westminster.

In just a few weeks the Royal City Gogos, a group of almost 50 New Westminster grandmothers and “grandothers” formed to help the Stephen Lewis Foundation are hosting a Scrabble event entitled “Good Words for Africa.”

On Sunday, September 25, the Carter Foreshore Park and the South Dyke Road from Gifford Street to Boundary Road in Queensborough were targeted for cleanup by 28 people who participated in the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. Even though downpours occurred just before and after, the event was rain free. Collecting approximately 95 kg of litter was a bittersweet moment for participants.

If I had an HGTV producer’s blank cheque to go redecorate my living room, my first stop would be Red Brick. On October 5 from 5:30-7:30pm, the store will host the fall kickoff event for NEXT New West, a monthly casual social group for young professionals.

On October 21 and 22, New Westminster will be the place to be for documentary film, with the launch of the first annual New West Doc Fest at Douglas College. A fundraiser to help with the cost of running this festival is coming up on September 28th at Heritage Grill.

When I was young and living in Alberta in the 1980’s, I belonged to the Dairy 4-H Club. One of our big projects every year was Highway Clean-up. We picked up garbage on the side of the Highway for probably about 4 hours on a Saturday afternoon. It was amazing to see the amount of garbage that littered the side of the road. Fast forward to 2011. Have we as humans learned our lesson about littering? It seems that we as a collective whole have not. That is why The Vancouver Aquarium partnered with TD Canada Trust and started the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up, happening this weekend in New Westminster and beyond.

Saturday, September 24th The Royal City Humane Society is celebrating with their 6th annual Variety Show featuring great live entertainment and of course their fabulous and famous Silent Auction in Sapperton at the Pensioner’s Hall at 318 Keary Street.
Doors open at 6:30 PM and entertainment starts at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $20 each and available from Greens & Beans located at 143 East Columbia, Alpine Animal Hospital at 348 Sixth Street and VANPET at the Royal Square Shopping Mall at 800 McBride Boulevard. Tickets are also available by calling …

The Knit 1 Take 2 knitting group that meets Sundays at Waves Coffee is holding their Second Annual Knit in the Park this Sunday, September 18th, from noon to 4. They’ll be meeting at the bandshell rain or shine and activities include the very fun Yarn Steal and a Potluck. From their email:
If you want to participate in the yarn steal please bring 100 grams of yarn, wrapped.  Please select a yarn you’d enjoy knitting. The event is also picnic pot luck. Since this is a picnic please choose food that’s easy …

If you are an avid reader like me, then you might be on the look out for a Book Club to join. I love the two book clubs that I belong to. They challenge me to read books I would have never have read before, ever. If you are interested there are a few book clubs around town.

The second annual Vancouver Freelance Camp ‘unconference’ is coming up Saturday, September 10, from 9am to 5pm, just a few days before The Network Hub’s grand opening at their brand new second location in New Westminster’s River Market.

Local foodie and vegan advocate Melissa Balfour takes veganism seriously. She’s also good at showing off vegan delights, as well as taking some of the mythology away from veganism. She had me impressed at a recent wine and cheese party when she whipped up two amazing “non cheese” cheese dishes – one from Brazil nuts and garlic (SO GOOD) and a spinach dip thing that was awesome. She’s started the New Veganminster Project to show off what New West offers to vegans, and to promote vegan foodie tourism to our …

On September 10th, 1898, New Westminster was very nearly destroyed by what is now referred to as “The Great Fire”. Pictures show a city completely ravaged; the devastation razed most of the city’s buildings. On Saturday, September 10th (the same day and date of the Great Fire), New West Fire Fighters will be flipping the pancakes and cooking ham for Sapperton Old Age Pensioners Association. Sapper Flap Jack Saturday is from 8:30 am to 12 noon.

This weekend marks the 5th Annual Quayside Festival and Sale and I have to admit that this was one of my favourite community events last year. And it wasn’t just because I sold  a tonne of my unwanted cast-offs – it was because it was a nice sunny day and hanging out by the river is always a nice thing to do.
Says event organizer and Quayside Board president, James Crosty, “Over 7,500 people are expected to stroll more than a kilometer along the Boardwalk from the River Market to Quayside Park …

Around this time last year I posted about the 11th Annual Doggy Fun Day so it should be no surprise that I’m posting again! The 12th Annual Doggy Fun Day is Sunday August 28th in Queens Park from noon till 3pm. Check out doggy-centric displays and enter the many raffles. Check out the Royal City Rockets Dog Agility Team as they perform at 12:30pm and 2:30pm. And don’t miss the best part – the doggy games! Egg & spoon races, 7 legged race, doggy look-a-like contest, special doggy tricks, and …

Today’s topic is suggested by my neighbour Sloane, who emailed this suggestion: I had an idea for the next New West Wed: Summer Festivals! Which one is your favourite and why. I know there are ads in the newspaper and stuff but I always feel like I miss the smaller ones. And maybe someone might have a reason that would convince me to try others?

The Vancouver Foundation is hosting a free “Community Conversation” event June 23rd at Centennial Community Centre to explore how a strong sense of belonging and social connections can strengthen neighbourhood ties and help build a more vibrant New Westminster.
Organizers say this is a chance to connect with other New West residents and organizations and talk about:

How does New Westminster welcome newcomers to the community?
What are the opportunities for interaction and sharing amongst neighbours?
Where are the opportunities for volunteerism in New Westminster?
How does your community share its local food and support nutritious …

Change is good. Don’t get me wrong I’m all for tradition, but it’s nice to switch things up once in a while! And that’s exactly what Hyack is doing this year with the 40th Annual Opening Celebration of the Hyack Festival.

For a second month in a row NWEP and Tenth to the Fraser will be teaming up to host a special Election Edition of the popular New Westminster Green Drinks. The event will be held on a special night, Monday May 2nd (election night), from 5:30-late at The Heritage Grill Back Room, New Westminster.

In New West, we certainly know how to celebrate! This year there are two days of Easter fun! There is, of course, the annual Antique Car and Easter Parade on Sunday, but with the re-opening of the River Market this year, there are now festivities on Saturday for everyone to enjoy, especially if family lunches and dinners take you out of the action in Queen’s Park on Sunday.