Happy almost-summer! The weather's been remarkably cooperative lately (well, at least until right now, while I'm posting this), so I hope everyone has had a chance to get out there and enjoy the season in our fair city.
With summer looming, now seems like a good chance to remind families about some of the many fun activities available for us all in the city.
Before I start with some new items, a reminder to stop by the petting farm at Queen's Park. Remember, it's open again for the season, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily until Sept. 1 - your kids (and you) can enjoy visiting with goats, pigs, chickens, rabbits and more.
And, without further ado, here are a few more tidbits for summer fun in the city:
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Ready or not, school's almost out - and that means your three- to 12-year-old readers can have a great time taking part in the library's popular summer reading club. Registration for this year's club is ongoing at both the main branch (716 Sixth Ave., uptown) and the Queensborough branch.
A special kickoff party is set for 3:30 p.m. on June 18 at the main branch at June 25 at 3:30 in Queensborough.
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The spray parks are back!
Yes, outdoor fun means getting wet, and the city's spray parks are back in operation. Check out the free drop-in fun at Queen's, Hume, Moody, Ryall and Sapperton parks, ongoing from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
The city's playground leaders are also back on duty on good-weather days - near the spray parks or wading pools in Queen's, Moody, Hume, Ryall and Grimston parks. They lead a variety of fun-filled summer crafts, games and activities for kids.
Playground leader hours vary - check out the city's Active Living Guide at www.newwestpcr.ca for the full details.
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Here's another fun idea for families - the outdoor piano in the park.
Queensborough Community Centre invites everyone to play the hand-painted piano in Ryall Park.
"Tap into your inner Mozart with this unstructured, free-spirited and fun opportunity to sing, dance or simply play!" a write-up says.
It's free - just drop by the bandshell anytime between June 23 and Sept. 1, or call 604-525-7388 to find out more.
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Also on the outdoor entertainment front, don't forget that the city is jam-packed with outdoor performances and fun at the Queen's Park Bandshell, Ryall Park and Hyack Square.
This year's performance series kicks off Sunday, June 15 at the Queen's Park bandshell, with the Royal City Concert Band celebrating its 80th anniversary with a 2 p.m. concert.
The Ryall Park series starts July 2, with a 1 p.m. performance by David Cassel, and the Hyack Square Friday night dances start July 4 with a night of zumba.
Shadows and Dreams Theatre is also bringing Shakespeare back to Queen's Park this summer with Love's Labour's Lost.
For the full concert and events listings, check out the city's Active Living Guide (page 77) - you can pick it up at community centres and city facilities or you can see it online at www.newwestpcr.ca.
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Another one to add to your future calendar - outdoor movies are back!
Yes, Queen's Park Stadium will once again be the site of a summer outdoor movie series, presented by Derrick Thornhill of Park Georgia Realty, G&F Financial and the City of New Westminster.
It all kicks off on Friday, July 11 with the new Disney hit Frozen.
Other summer titles include a raft of family-friendly options both old and new, including Despicable Me 2, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Muppets Most Wanted and more.
Movies start at dusk (around 8:30 p.m.), and doors to the stadium open at 7 p.m.
For more information, call 604-515-3775 - on movie days, if it's poor weather, call 604-527-4634 to check the status of the movie.
To find out the details, search for "Frozen at Queens Park Stadium" on Facebook.
Do you have an idea for Family Ties? Send suggestions of interest to local families to Julie, [email protected]. You can also find her on Twitter, @juliemaclellan.
