Hit up the Night Markets - Okay, so the weather isn’t looking too hot, but when is the weather report ever right! Head over to Richmond or Chinatown to chow down on authentic Asian eats (tornado potatos, octopus balls, etc…) and pick up some cheap socks and knock-off Ray Bans. There are three night markets this summer, so make sure you hit each one! There is the International Summer Night Market (free entry), the 13th Annual Richmond Night Market ($2 entry), and the Chinatown Night Market. Stuff your face!

Cloverdale Rodeo – Yeehaw!! The Rodeo is in town!! Well, it’s a little bit out of town, so bum a ride from your friend with a car and head out into the “country”… where it always smells like cow poop. The rodeo is on all weekend long and features cowboys and cowgirls in Saddle Bronc, Bareback, Bull Riding and Ladies Barrel Racing (whatever all of those things are). As well as (more importantly) cooking, baking and canning competitions, knitting, quilting and hand-made arts and crafts exhibitions, horticulture and livestock displays and much more. Who needs to go all the way to Calgary when we’ve got Cloverdale! (more info)

The Main Street Vinyl Record Sale - Vinyl? Like what goes on the floor? No, my dear young friends, vinyl is a mysterious circular thing that used to allow us to listen to music via a needle and a spinning device. Vinyl records are becoming a thing of the past, so that means you better buy some up quickly! There’s nothing cool anymore about CDs, but vinyl has an everlasting awesomeness that just exudes cool. If you don’t already have a record player, pick one up from your local salvation army, and get yourself some vinyl! Saturday and Sunday at The Cambrian Hall 215 East 17th Ave, Vancouver, BC (more info)

Chicken Wing Battle - The second annual Chicken Fight takes place on the patio of the Lamplighter Public House at 5 pm. Ten Gastown restaurants are competing in the grilling competition. Each will be given 20 pounds of chicken wings and a bottle of Lot No. 40 Canadian whisky to start off their recipes. To this, they may add whatever they want, and the creative results will hit the grill in front of the Lamplighter crowd on Sunday. Teams have 30 minutes to grill their wings. You get to taste! Win, win! (more info)

Go for a Spontaneous Camping Trip – Thanks to the dismal weather report, almost all of the BC campgrounds still have space available for camping. So, forget about staying in town for the weekend, get outdoors and pitch a tent in the wilderness. Don’t forget to bring lots of comfy sweaters, rain gear (just in case) and plenty of booze to keep you warm! Camping, it’s in-tents! 

You could win 2 hours free rental, plus insurance for 2 scooters!

Click here to check out the new listing for more details on how to enter to win!

This year, the Richmond Night Market is charging admission. So, that must mean it’s better than ever before — right? Well, hopefully we’ll find out this weekend how the Richmond Night Market can justify charging us a twoonie where we were never charged a twoonie before.

The Richmond Night Market is situated right next to the Canada Line (convenient!) and has tons and tons of food vendors. Which is what we’re all looking for right? So, you can have your fill of dragon’s beard, potato tornado, and squid balls. You can also buy tons of cheap and crappy merchandise from all of the booths. We’re just going for the $5 socks with Totoro’s face on them. Please don’t try and win a goldfish

The Chinatown Night Market has undergone a complete makeover for this year. And, if you’ve been to the Chinatown Night Market in the past, that is a very good thing. The CNM was a very small and somewhat disappointing market that paled in comparison to the RNM. But, they did have Potato Tornados, and free entrance.

The “new” Chinatown Night Market is featuring live music, Mahjong, new vendors, more food, outdoor classic movie screenings, and epic ping pong tournaments.

Whether you are planning on going to both markets, or just one, don’t forget to go on an empty stomach, bring your haggling skills, and buy plenty of pikachu socks!

The Richmond Night Market is open from 7pm to 12am on Friday and Saturday, and 6pm – 11pm on Sunday. (website)

The Chinatown Night Market is open every weekend from 6pm – 11pm. (website)

So, if you’re feeling a little down in the dumps this weekend due to lack of Canucks, warm weather, and tank-tops, here’s a few things that will help you pass the time away…

Spot Prawn Festival – The cockroaches of the sea sure are yummy! The Spot Prawn Festival marks the kick off to the BC Spot Prawn season, which continues on for 6-8 weeks and means that you’ll have the chance to buy live, local, and sustainable prawns directly off the dock (at the False Creek Fishermen’s Wharf–just west of Granville Island). The festival itself is free, but there is a Spot Prawn Boil from 11am – 2pm that is by ticket only, which you must purchase online beforehand. There will also be family entertainment, cooking demos, and more. 11am – 3pm on Saturday, May 11^th. (More information).

Great Canadian Craft Spring Fling Fair – This craft fair is western Canada’s largest Spring showcase of independent artisans with over 500 exhibitors in one room! It’s a craft & homemade lover’s utopia! You can expect the usual type of good for sale at Spring Fling, including handcrafted jewlery, art, chocolate, baked goods, and everything in-between. To keep the shoppers entertained, there will even be live music and children’s entertainment. Best of all, there will be a “Men’s Section”, so if you’re dragging your significant other along with you – he’ll have something to do other than stand in the middle of the aisle and stare at his watch. (more information)

The Eastside Flea Market – The Eastside Flea is a new monthly flea market in East Vancouver featuring a diverse array of vendors from handmade goods, vintage clothing & antiques, art, craftsmen items, garage sale, and more! Admission into the market is by donation, and is all ages! This is a community-oriented event, and the organizers encourage all types of vendors to participate, from people with extra knick-knacks around the house to local businesses. 9am to 3pm at The Wise Hall. (more information)

Mother’s Day – In Vancouver, Mother’s Day seems to be synonymous with brunch. Maybe it’s the mimosas and mini croissants that go together so well and have mother’s seemingly frothing at the mouth to be treated to brunch. If you’re struggling trying to think of some ideas or places to take your mother on her special day, we’ve crafted up a list of things to do and gifts to give your mother on May 12^th. Check it out here.

For the Conventional Mother

• Take her for tea at a local restaurant or hotel. There are many hotels, restaurants and gardens opening their doors for Mother’s Day to invite mothers, daughters and sons to attend High Tea. Options include: The Fairmont Hotel, VanDusen Botanical Garden, The Urban Tea Merchant, Provence Marinaside and more. Click here to learn more.

• Take her for a satisfying brunch around town. If your mother would prefer to have a satisfying meal of Bennies and Cocktails, why not treat your mother to a brunch out at her favorite restaurant. Not sure where to go for the best brunch? Read through this article of the best brunch spots in Vancouver.

• Take her out for a nice bite at the restaurant of her choice. Tons of restaurants around Vancouver are offering brunch and meal specials all day. Some places include live music, dancing or discounts. Check out Open Table to see which restaurants are offering what, and make your reservation today.

• Take Mom to the Vancouver Art Gallery for free on Sunday, May 12th! You pay for your own admission to the Art Gallery and your mom will get in free. Current exhibits include Emily Carr and the Theatre of Transcendence and the fantastic Beat Nation: Art, Hip Hop and Aboriginal Culture.

For the Active Mother

• Take a bicycle built for two around the city or through Stanley Park. Ok, you’ve got to admit that those tandem bicycles that go around Stanley Park during the summer look pretty lame. But, that’s the kind of thing that moms like–right? Taking your mom for a tandem bike ride around the park is like saying “I am not ashamed of being seen with you”. Plus, if your mom feels like taking a break, you can do all the work! If you’d rather try something other than a tandem bike – take your own bike (or rent one) around Stanley Park, through the sea wall, or over to the UBC forest for some fun riding through the woods.

• Rent a canoe or kayak and spend the day exploring delightful Deep Cove. The weather report isn’t looking promising this Mother’s day, but we all know that the weather report is usually wrong! So if it does end up being a sunny day, spend the day in Deep Cove (get some Honey Donuts while you’re there!) paddling around in the water and soaking up the sun (?).

• Hit the slopes with your mother at Whistler. The spring skiing season is in full swing at Whistler, and Blackcomb is still open from 10-4pm every day for your skiing or boarding pleasure. Have a leisurely breakfast, drive up the sea-to-sky highway and head up the Wizard Gondola for a fresh day of skiing in the warm spring air. Don’t forget your sunscreen! Goggle Burns are not a good souvenir.

For the Adventurous mother

• Take your mother to Playland for the day. Wanna hear your mom scream like she did on the day she gave birth to you? Why not take her to Playland to spend the day riding the roller coasters and trying to win stuffed animals. At $30 a ticket, the price is pretty steep – but what else says “I love you” like “I want to hear you scream and possibly watch you throw up after going on the Corkscrew”.

Generic Gift Ideas For the Mother You Honestly Have NO IDEA of What They Want/Like

• Flowers! Or… you could even make your own terrarium.

• Chocolate! You can’t go wrong with a good selection of chocolate for Mother’s Day. Thomas Haas has some great looking cake specials for the occasion, Daniel’s Chocolates has a wide variety of Mother’s Day chocolate boxes

• Cleaning Supplies? Forget cleaning supplies. What mother wouldn’t want a full house cleaning done by somebody other than herself!? Have you ever tried to look after a house and keep it clean? WHY DOES THE DUST KEEP COMING!??! Surprise your mother with a full house cleaning by some of the top cleaning companies in Vancouver: Aspen Clean, Molly Maid, or etc…

• A day at the spa! There’s nothing quite like bonding over being rubbed down with warm oils. Instead of just treating your mother to a day at the spa – why not tag along and spend the afternoon in complete bliss. Try Absolute Spa to find some package deals or check out good ol’ Spa Utopia.

You can expect the usual type of good for sale at Spring Fling, including handcrafted jewlery, art, chocolate, baked goods, and everything in-between. To keep the shoppers entertained, there will even be live music and children’s entertainment.

Best of all, there will be a “Men’s Section”, so if you’re dragging your significant other along with you – he’ll have something to do other than stand in the middle of the aisle and stare at his watch.

In short, Spring Fling has: over 500 Exhibitors, Fresh Farmers’ Market, Silent Auction / Live demonstrations / Door prizes and so much more.

BoredinVancouver.com is giving away 2 free tickets to the Spring Fling craft fair. All you need to do to enter is leave a comment telling us what was the last thing you crafted, and how it went. (Terrariums – horrible! They’re all dead now!)

Alternatively, for two entry points, post the following tweet on twitter:

RT to enter to win 2 free tickets to Spring Fling Craft Fair from @BoredNVancouver! Info: http://bit.ly/13g34dk

Winners will be chosen on May 09, 2013.

Free Comic Book Day – Love comics or hate comics, free comic book day means one thing and one thing only FREE. COMICS. Dude. They’re free! Best of all, Free Comic Book Day falls on May 4th! (May the 4th be with you…..) So, you’ve got the international Star Wars day merging with Free Comic Book Day… Omg this box of nerds I was eating just exploded in my hand. Free comic book day is being held at comic book stores across Vancouver, check out the store locator to see who is participating closest to you. (More information).

Vancouver Police Recovered Bikes and Goods Auction - Remember that episode of The Simpsons where Homer goes to a police auction and ends of buying a super sweet car that used to belong to master criminal, Snake? The Vancouver Police Recovered Bikes and Goods Auction is nothing like that. It’s pretty fun to see the giant auction, with people bidding against each other and the tension raging. But, honestly, the bikes they sell aren’t that great. The ones that are great are bid on until they match their original, in-the-store price. So, you may end up like us and get really excited and bid on a crappy bike that ends of costing you more to repair than what its worth. But, maybe we’re just bitter. Try your hand at it! (More information).

Terminal City Roller Girls – Girls skating circles around you! Well.. sort of. On Saturday, roller derby is back at the Minoru Arena in Richmond with a double header featuring Riot Girls, Faster Pussycats, Public Frenemy, and Bad Reputation. Good evening entertainment at a price you can actually afford. Take that Canucks! (More information).

The New Pornographers Free Concert – Free entertainment is always appreciated. Thank god Red Bull wants to get us all hooked to their yellowish crack drink, because they’re always putting on free events for their target consumers. The tickets have already been RSVP’d out, but the concert is being held in a parking lot on Georgia and Cambie Street at 3pm. So, there is a good chance you can either sneak in, or listen in from beyond the fence. (More information).

Our Social Fabric Sale  - The OSF fabric sale is back for another month. Time to grab a paper bag and cram it full of random fabric that you may never use again! Did we mention there are bags of buttons? $5? Seriously? If you’re planning on doing some crafts, making some curtains, wrapping some presents, or whatever else you creative people do with fabric… check out the Our Social Fabric sale on Sunday! (More information).

There’s lots more stuff happening in Vancouver this weekend, including Playland re-opening, the Marijuana March, BMO Marathon, and more.. Check out our full event listings here.

The 2013 festival will include Catherine D’Lish, the King of Boylesque Russel Bruner, Cheesecake Burlesque, Bloody Betty, Paint & Pasties, and burlesque legends Judith Stein and Shannon Ddoah.

This year will also feature some fun burlesque classes on Saturday, including: Tea Time with Judith Stein, Fabulous is a State of Mind with Foxy Tann, and Seductive Striptease with Shannon Ddoah. Most of these classes are just $20 and are held at the Vancouver Burlesque Centre.

Never witnessed a burlesque show? Now is your chance to experience it on a world-class level. Here’s a clip of what you can expect:

Part of the fun of EAT! Vancouver is the thrill of the hunt. Trying to find the best food samples, trying to make friends with the absinthe girls, trying to haggle with the restaurants at the end of the day to give you cheaper leftover food.

If you haven’t experienced it before, this is your year!

BoredinVancouver.com is giving away 2 free tickets to this year’s EAT! Vancouver Food & Cooking festival being held on May 24-26th. All you need to do to enter is leave a comment telling us your favourite food.

Alternatively, for two entry points, post the following tweet on twitter:

RT to enter to win 2 free tickets to EAT! Vancouver from @BoredNVancouver! Info: http://bit.ly/10qBJzJ

Winners will be chosen on May 15, 2013.

The Vancouver Tattoo & Culture Show – We once went to this, and saw someone getting their butt tattooed. They were just straight up butt-naked lying down in the middle of the PNE forum, getting some ink injected into their butt. If that doesn’t make you want to go to the Vancouver Tattoo & Culture show, the fact that they also have pin up girls, tattoo contests, tons of artists, cheap tattooing specials, and live entertainment, might help. Fri-Sun at the Vancouver Convention Centre. $20

Party for the Planet – There is nothing more important than the planet that we live on, so why not have a huge, rockin’ party for it! Yay, earth! Despite the fact that it’s in Surrey, the festivities include performances from Lights, Hey Ocean!, and the Minions from Despicable Me 2. The “fun things to do” include learning about sustainability, transit, and learning about precious trees. Learning! Entertainment! Mini donuts?

Got Craft? – Despite being one of the most annoying names for an event, Got Craft? is a great, big craft fair that also includes a bar (or was that the other craft fair?) and locally made goodies. You can shop independent from a wide variety of curated handmade goods ranging from jewelry, clothing, ceramics, stationery, housewares, plush toys, and more. Enjoy tasty treats including homemade baked goods and artisan chocolate. Make your own craft project to take home with one of their D.I.Y. workshops.

The Third Annual Vancouver Wheelmen Vintage Bicycle Swap Meet – Reminisce about when bikes used to cost $34.95 and pick yourself up some rusty gold! The wheelmen will be there to assist you with any purchases and questions you might have about the various bikes and parts and accessories. Sunday from 10am to 4pm at the Britannia Greenway on Commercial Drive and Napier.

There are tons more events happening this weekend, check out our full listing by clicking here.