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Free family festivals this weekend

Weekend events guide for Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody.
Current Swell
Current Swell headlines the fourth annual Kaleidoscope Arts Festival in Coquitlam on Aug. 10.

Friday, Aug. 9

MINNEKHADA BATS
As dusk descends, learn about bats at Minnekhada regional park from Metro Vancouver parks staff. The Bat Watch lesson is from 7:15 to 9:15 p.m. at the park (4000 Quarry Rd., Coquitlam). The cost is $8.50/$4.50. Register using the barcode #7712 at metrovancouver.org or call 604-432-6359.

 

Saturday, Aug. 10

BIRDS, BINOCULARS
Bullock’s Oriole, Green Heron and Band-tailed Pigeon will be among the bird species to watch for during a field trip with Larry Cowan and members of Nature Vancouver. Meet in the parking area at Victoria and Cedar drives in Port Coquitlam at 8:30 a.m. for the four-hour session. Call 604-307-0931.

REPAIR CAFE
Got a broken appliance or bike? Take it to the city of Port Coquitlam’s Repair Cafe, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m at the Public Works Yard (1737 Broadway St.). Visit portcoquitlam.ca.

FISH FEST

The Burrard Inlet Fish Fest and Indigenous Youth Canoe Day Race returns to Rocky Point Park (2800-block of Murray St., Port Moody) from noon to 6 p.m. Admission is free. Visit fishfest.ca.

KALEIDOSCOPE
Current Swell headlines the annual Kaleidoscope Arts Festival on the TD Community Plaza stage at Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam). The free family event, from 2 to 9 p.m., also includes music from DJ Emilita and indie artists Royal Canoe and Terra Lightfoot, starting at 4:30 p.m. Performing artists Blink Acro, Disco Funeral and Hip Hop Hoop Dancers as well as mural artists Richard Tetrault and Sandeep Johal will be on site. Food trucks will have drinks and meals available. Mariner Brewing will offer up the suds. Take the Evergreen Extension to the Lafarge Lake-Douglas station. Visit coquitlam.ca/kaleidoscope.

PARK SONGS
Alicja Moniatowicz, the lead singer for the cover band Foreverescence and the rock-metal group Outside Eden, performs at Music in the Park at Lions Park (2300 Lions Way, Port Coquitlam) at 1 p.m. She will be followed an hour later by singer-songwriter Ben Cottrill, who recently worked with Vancouver legend Bryan Adams for CTV’s The Launch music series that aired in February. Admission to the shows is free. Visit portcoquitlam.ca.

TWO MOVIES
Take a seat in the Inlet Theatre (100 Newport Dr., Port Moody) for a double feature screened by the Port Moody Film Society. At 7:30 p.m., it’s the Indian drama/romance The Lunchbox while, at 9:15 p.m., The Big Sick, an American comedy/romance. Admission is $5 at the door (at city hall) plus a $5 annual society membership. Visit pmfilm.ca.

SALSA DANCING
Alberto Gonzalez and Teresa Szfler spin the Latin music beats in the rehearsal hall at the Evergreen Cultural Centre (1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) for a beginners dance class at 8 p.m. The dance party runs from 9 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Admission is $10. Visit hotsalsadancezone.com.

 

Sunday, Aug. 11

NAMASTE FOOD
Bring your yoga mat and water bottle to the Poirier Street Farmers Market, located in the parking lot of the Dogwood Pavilion (1655 Winslow Ave.) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., where at 10 a.m. a hatha yoga instructor will lead participants in a class. The cost for the workshop is $5. Afterwards, pick up some healthy locally grown fare at the market. Register for yoga via makebakegrow.com.

RIVERVIEW TREES
Take a walk through the historic Riverview Hospital grounds in Coquitlam. The tour, led by the Riverview Horticultural Centre Society at 1 p.m., starts at the Henry Esson Young building. Call 604-290-9910 or visit rhcs.org.

SUMMER SUNDAYS
Pianist and singer Al Foreman, a regular on the Tri-City music circuit, brings his band (Dan Casavant, guitars and vocals; Roger Brant, bass guitar; Chris Nordquist, drums; Jerry Cook, tenor sax; and Steve Hilliam, tenor and baritone sax) to Rocky Point Park (2800-block of Murray Street, Port Moody) for a “New Orleans Gumbo” show. The concert — highlighting the styles of Louis Armstrong and Fats Domino, among others — starts at 2 p.m. on the PCT Performance Stage. The summer series is sponsored in part by The Tri-City News. Visit summersundays.ca.