Image by Theresa Ruth Eichler, “Oxpecker Head” (2009)

Ahhh... Summer.

Monday is a blur, Tuesday is finally over, eventually, Hump Day is a relief, Thursday goes by easily enough, and Friday is a celebration in and of itself. Then – lo and behold, you’ve made it to the weekend and it’s Saturday! An extra hour or two in bed, a latte to treat yourself, a balanced breakfast (two pop tarts, one for each hand) and you’re ready to start the weekend. But… what to do?  The beautiful weather of summer can seem like so pressure to get outside and have some fun, but all the amazing potential of a sunny day can feel anticlimactic if you don’t do anything outside of your normal routine.

Hey, relax. We’ve listed out the best, and most unique-sounding summer events to help you properly carpe diem. So try something new. Or at least buy a different flavour of Pop Tart. Baby steps, right?

Mountain View Wildlife Art Show & Exhibition

Art is good for the soul. Get your fill of the snow-capped, wind-swept, caribou-covered variety with a trip to this Open House, which runs from August 19 – 21 at the Mountain View Conservation Centre. Info Here.

Like Drama? 

Two Great Options:

Bard in the Valley
The 2011 season features “As You Like It” at Douglas Park Spirit Square– bonus: it’s FREE!

Twilight Drive-In*
Bad news: they’re not playing any of the Twilight movies
Good news: they’re not playing any of the Twilight movies

The Aug 12 – 18 shows were Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Friends with Benefits. For an up-to-date schedule, check out their website.

* FYI - It's Metro Van’s only Drive-In movie theatre! Retro is in.

Animals for your Animals

By this, we mean that the Vancouver Zoo is offering sleepover nights for you and the kids. This is way more exotic than summer camp:

“Once night falls, our guides and volunteers will accompany you on a walking safari throughout the Zoo so you can observe the behaviour of our animals before dusk. This extremely fun-filled event includes hot chocolate and marshmallows while we tell stories, play games or sing songs (guitars are welcome). During the night you will not get much sleep as you will hear the lions roaring, wolves howling and a few feathered friends will make sure you are awake in the morning!”

“Family Night in the Wild” runs from July 9 – August 27. Info on the Zoo's website.

All Night Star Gazing

This event sounds like a verse from the song “Summer of ’69”. Which means it sounds really cool. Get an extra shot of espresso in your blended frap, because it runs from 8pm – 10am on August 19th at Aldergrove Lake Regional Park. Click here for the info from Tourism Langley.

Project Corndog

We wish that we had made up a creative title for this event, but we can take no credit. Self-described as “an extremely local dinner theatre event”, guests get to follow a play around a working organic farm and finish the evening with an organic meal prepared by chef Adrian Beaty of Seasonal 56 and paired with wines from Lotusland Vineyards. Like we said, Project Corndog. Act fast – it only runs from August 19 – August 21.  Info here.