"Guiding Tourists Professionally Locally and Worldwide"

Please note the possibility of other events and meetings which could come up at any time -- please check this page on a regular basis.

(Chinese New Year is a little earlier this year, on Monday January 26th, 2009...The annual Chinatown New Years Parade will take place at noon on Sunday Feb 1st, starting at Pender and Carrall. Many other events are also taking place on that date as well, including the new LunarFest from 3 pm on at the Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza.)

+ The first regular-end-of-the month Members Meeting will take place on Thursday evening January 29th at the Delta Vancouver Suites, 550 W Hastings Street at Seymour, Vancouver. Our special guest speaker, back by popular demand, is former Vancouver City Councillor Gordon Price. Mr. Price has updated his Vancouver (and area) history power point display. Plus we'll hold the 'Members Corner;' this is a chance for any Member to say or show something to the rest of us. Doors open at 6 pm with the meeting starting at 6:30 pm. No need to rsvp.

+ We will be touring the new Olympic Skating Oval in Richmond (on River Road by the Number Two Road Bridge) and the Steveston Village  on Saturday February 21st, 2009.  Meet at the Oval at 10:30 am, and we'll tour from 11 am to Noon. The tour of the Village will start at 12:30 pm (till about 2 pm); further information will be given as you book. Open to Members Only. Please call our info line, 604-876-2576, on or before February 18th to RSVP.

+Our regular Members Meeting for the shortest month will take place on Thursday evening February 26th, at the Delta Vancouver Suites, 550 W Hastings Street at Seymour, Vancouver. Vancouver historian and author Chuck Davis will be one of our guest speakers. Member Dee S will update us on her recent trip to the World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations Bali Convention. Plus the annual 'shop and swap' - if you have any tour guide books, brochures, maps, VHS tapes or DVD's that you are no longer using, bring them to sell, trade or give away. Doors open at 6 pm with the meeting starting at 6:30 pm. No need to rsvp.

>We are in the planning stages of another one of our 3-day 2-night FAM Trips; this one will return us to Seattle! If it proceeds it will take place on March 7, 8 and 9, (Sat, Sun and Monday). [This trip has been postponed.] Open to Members and one guest. If interested please contact Jeff, via our info line, at 604-876-2576.

(Sunday March 8th is when Daylight Saving Time begins.)

(The UBC Museum of Anthropology will hold a free open house on Sunday March 8th; they've been closed for the last six months for renovations and expansion.)

(The 6th Annual St. Patrick Day's Parade will be on Sunday March 15th, from 11:30 am along West Georgia from Broughton to Howe Street. St. Patrick's Day is a Tuesday this year, March 17th. More info is available at celticfestvancouver.com.)

+2009 marks the 20th Anniversary of the CTGA of BC . A special Meeting and reunion / cocktail party, will take place on Thursday evening March 19th at the Marriott Pinnacle Hotel (Hastings & Thurlow) in Vancouver. We'll be hoping for Members past and present to attend. From 6 to 9 PM. A fun evening for all with guest speakers and special presentations. Full details have now been posted elsewhere on this, our main website.  Look for the "20th Anniversary" headline on our front (or home) page. Tickets will be $25 per-person. Please RSVP as soon as possible. Thank you.

(No Members Meeting on Thursday March 26th.)

(The Canadian Juno Awards will be held in Vancouver on March 29th.)

(The annual Cherry Blossom Festival starts at the Burrard SkyTrain Station on March 31st at Noon. The city has 36,000 Japanese flowering cherry trees. More info at www.vcbf.ca .)

(The Vancouver Convention Centre's West Facility [the new building] will hold two free public open houses on Sat and Sun April 4th & 5th, from 10 am to 4 pm. The CTGA has arranged our own private tour; see April 15th, below... [The existing convention centre, under the sails of Canada Place, will be known as the East Facility.])

+"How Do I Become A Tour Guide?" - a special CTGA inexpensive seminar will be held on Wednesday evening April 8th in downtown Vancouver. A full page of information with complete details can be found elsewhere on this website; look for and click on the headline 'How Do I Become A Tour Guide?' This event will also take place again in mid-October, please see below.

+"Talks Around The Coffee Table" with historian John Rogers. Presented by CTGA Member Ursula W... Wed April 8th on First Nations, Wed April 15th on Vancouver's History, and Wed April 22nd on BC Business Positioning. All from 2 to 4 pm in Vancouver's West End - parking available. $20 per session, contact Ursula by email at ursulaw@shaw.ca to RSVP and for more info. Recording permitted.

(Good Friday is April 10th, Easter Sunday is April 12th.)

+CTGA Members Only: Private tour of the Vancouver Convention Centre West Facility (the new building). Wed April 15th, no need to rsvp. Meet at the Information Desk, just inside the door at 10:45 am. The 11 am tour should take about 45 minutes.

(The 25th Anniversary of the Vancouver Sun Run takes place on Sunday April 19th, 2009. Expect 50,000 plus runners and mega traffic re-routes and delays. Best not to try and do a 'city tour' till after 1 or 2 pm.)

(Earth Day is Wed April 22nd.)

+The 9th Annual Vancouver Tourism Showcase will take place on Thursday April 23rd. For the first time it will be held at the new Vancouver Convention Centre West Facility. From 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm. Open for free to anyone who works in the tourism industry. A 'drop-by' event. No need to rsvp. Many tourism operators / venues, etc, will have displays and information.

+Our annual invite to the Capilano Suspension Bridge's Tour Guide Appreciation Day Breakfast has come through...it'll be on Wednesday April 29th from 7:30 am to 10 am (best to arrive well before 10 am). Open to any guide or driver-guide, local or long-distance. You must RSVP by April 24th, to info@capbridge.com or call 604-985-7474. Later the same day, CTGA Members who would like to visit the IMAX Theatre at Canada Place may do so. RSVP to Jeff at 604-876-2576 for either the noon and or the 1 pm shows. At noon is "Deep Sea" in 3D, and at 1 pm it's "Under The Sea" in 3D.

+Our regular end-of-the-month Members Meeting for April will take place on Thursday the 30th. Various guest speakers from many upcoming spring and summer events will be in attendance [this and much more]. At the Delta Vancouver Suites Hotel on Hastings at Seymour, Vancouver. No need to rsvp. Doors open at 6 pm with the meeting starting at 6:30 pm.

(A special tourism venue "Open Door" event will be held in Richmond on Sat & Sun May 2nd and 3rd. Tourism venues all over Richmond will be open for a 'look see'...)

(The Royal Hudson Steam Train will run from New Westminster to Cloverdale on Sat & Sun May 2nd & 3rd. Full details at www.wcra.org.)

(The Vancouver International Marathon will take place on Sun May 3rd. Expect plenty of traffic re-routes / delays. Best not to try a city tour till 1 or 2 pm.)

+On Thursday May 7th, a special CTGA Members Only on-site tour of a West End apartment building where film crews shoot TV and movie scenes, especially the old "X Files" TV show. Vancouver Movie Tours by Boyd McConnell... Please meet at 9:15 am at 1419 Pendrell Street (between Broughton and Nicola Streets), Vancouver. The tour should be done by 11 am. Best to come via transit as there is little or no free parking. RSVP by calling our Info Line at 604-876-2576 (10 am to 8 pm, Mon to Fri). The value of this free private tour is $38.

(Mother's Day is Sunday May 10th, 2009.)

(The Vancouver Art Gallery is running "Vermeer, Rembrandt" and the golden age of Dutch art masterpieces from the Rijksmuseum, from May 10th to Sept. 13th, 2009. More info at www.vanartgallery.bc.ca .)

(The Children's Festival in Vanier Park is May 11th to the 18th.)

(BC Votes in a Provincial Election on Tuesday May 12th. Please vote.)

(Victoria Day is Monday May 18th.)

(Bard On The Beach 2009: May 28th to Sept 26th in Vanier Park: Othello, The Comedy Of Errors, All's Well That Ends Well & Richard II. Full details at www.bardonthebeach.org.)

+Our Members Meeting for May will be held on Thursday the 28th , but not at the usual time or place... The plan is to meet at the UBC Museum of Anthropology by 2:45 pm for a one hour tour. Pay parking on-site. Then move your car to a free parking area at the UBC Botanical Gardens for a visit there, including the new Greenheart Canopy Walkway (in the trees)!!! We should be there till about 5:30 pm when we'll see about going somewhere for an informal coffee and snack break. Bring your 'tourism passports' and receive two stamps. No need to rsvp...

+The CTGA has been invited to attend the newly renovated Prospect Point Cafe & Gift Shop on Monday June 15th... From 5 pm to 8 pm in Stanley Park. RSVP to Debbie M: 604-809-4333 or by email at debbie@danielgroup.ca . More info at www.prospectpoint.ca .

>As a rule we do not hold any formal Members Meeting from June through to October. However over the last two summers we have held an informal gathering. This year we won't hold it till Sept 24th - please see below...

(The New Golden Ears Bridge, between Langley and Maple Ridge, will open on Tuesday June 16th. However first they are going to throw a party from 11 am to 4 pm on Sunday June 14th. Open to one and all. Once the bridge is opened, it should help to alleviate some of the traffic along Hwy 1, especially on either side of the Port Mann Bridge.)

(The World Rose Festival will take place at the new Vancouver Convention Centre (West) on June 19, 20 and 21st. More info at www.worldrosefestival.com .)

(On Saturday and Sunday June 20th and 21st in Vancouver's False Creek, the annual Dragon Boat Festival will take place.)

(Father's Day is Sunday June 21st.)

(Greek Day 2009 on West Broadway (MacDonald to Blenheim) in Vancouver will take place on Sunday June 21st. From 11 am to 9:30 pm with great shows, food and fun. For more info, visit www.greekday.com .)

(The Gastown Jazz Festival is Sat & Sun June 27th and 28th. Free.)

(The new Canada Line Oakridge Mall Station will hold an open house on Saturday June 27th, from Noon to 5 pm.)

(Canada Day is Wednesday July 1st.)

(The U.S. Independence Day is Saturday July 4th.)

(It's Back On ! ! ! The annual 'Celebration of Light' fireworks will happen on Wed July 22nd, Sat July 25th, Wed July 29th and Sat Aug 1st. On Feb 4th, 2009, it was announced that due to a lack of funding, the event had been cancelled. But on March 11th, more money came forward. Make note of the dates as they are different from what was originally posted here.)

(The World Police & Fire Games start in the Vancouver and Burnaby area on July 31st, and runs through to August 9th. This event will draw about 12,000 athletes (that's twice as many than the 2010 Winter Games will bring). The town will be very busy and it may be difficult to find hotel rooms or rent a car... Visit www.wpfg.org for more info.)

(The Gastown Farmers Market: for the first time ever, the market will open every Sunday from 11 am to 3 pm starting Sun Aug 2nd to Sun Sept 27th.)

(Music Fest Vancouver [formerly Festival Vancouver] - Classical - World - Jazz - Aug 2nd to the 16th. 9 popular venues. Full details at www.musicfestvancouver.ca.)

(BC Day is Monday August 3rd.)

(The Gastown Motorcycle Show & Shine is Sunday August 16th.)

(The New Canada Line rapid transit train from Richmond and the airport [YVR] to downtown Vancouver begins running on Mon Aug 17th, 2009, 3 and a half-months ahead of schedule...)

(The Annual Pacific National Exhibition runs the last two weeks of August to Labour Day [Sat Aug 22nd to Mon Sept 7th].)

(The Gastown Concours D'Elegance [classic & heritage cars] is Saturday Sept 5th. Free.)

(Labour Day is Monday September 7th.)

+On Thurs Sept 24th, the CTGA of BC has been invited to tour the private garden of famed Vancouver architect Arthur Erickson. Open to Members Only. A entry fee of $10 will be charged. For more details, including the address and time - plus to RSVP, please contact us.

>Tourism Vancouver's Annual Open House will take place on Wed Oct 7th, 2009 from 4 pm to 7 pm.

(Canadian Thanksgiving is Monday October 12th.)

>The 20th Annual Vancouver Tourism Awards will take place at the Hyatt Hotel on Wed Oct 14th, 2009 from 7 am to 9 am. For more information and how to RSVP, please contact us.

+"How Do I Become A Tour Guide?" - a special CTGA inexpensive seminar will be held on Thursday evening October 15th in downtown Vancouver. A full page of information with complete details can be found elsewhere on this website; look for and click on the headline 'How Do I Become A Tour Guide?' ((We are planning another seminar for March 2010.))

>The Annual Sunwapta Falls [south of Jasper Alberta] Guide and Driver party is on Sat October 17th, 2009.

+Our first end-of-the summer regular Members Meeting will be at 6:30 pm on Thursday evening October 29th, at the Delta Vancouver Suites on West Hastings at Seymour. Two special guest speakers; Member Danda H will launch her latest book, this one was written by guides - "Tour Guide Tales." Plus another writer who reports on Vancouver's film and TV industry. No need to rsvp. Doors open at 6 pm. Come on out and enjoy this informative and fun event ! ! !

(Daylight Saving Ends on Sunday November 1st, 2009.)

(Remembrance Day is Wednesday November 11th.)

+Our CTGA Annual General Meeting will be held on Thursday evening November 19th, 2009 at the Delta Vancouver Suites, 550 West Hastings St, Vancouver. A special Members Reception of light sandwiches, coffee and cake will start at 5:30 pm. The meeting begins at 6:30 pm. No need to rsvp. Due to our requirements under the BC Society Act, we must hold this annual business meeting. Therefore it is important that we have a good turnout from you, our Members. Please come out and participate in your association. Thank you.

(The US Thanksgiving is Thursday November 26th, 2009.)

(This year's Santa Claus Parade is on Sun Dec 6th at 1 pm. Along Georgia from Bute to Howe, then down to Davie Street.) 

+Our Annual Christmas Party and dinner will be held on Monday evening December 7th, 2009 on board a Christmas Carol Ship, which will tour the local waters. Open to Members and one guest for $39 each. Please RSVP right away by contacting us.

+Our Annual Christmas Lights Tour will be held on Saturday night December 12th (note the date change from the 19th to the 12th). Open to Members and guests for $10 each. Held in conjuction with the Transit Museum Society. No need to rsvp. Pick-up Locations and Times: 6 pm in the Marpole Bus Loop, Hudson and Marine Drive, Vancouver. 6:10 pm at the Marine Drive (& Cambie Street) Canada Line Station. Wait in the bus loop near the station entrance. 6:30 pm at the 29th Ave Expo Line SkyTrain Station. Look for at least two buses, one will be decorated like a 'reindeer' at the front and rear. The tour will cover some of the beautifully lit homes in Vancouver and Burnaby and will run till about 9 or 9:30 pm.

(Christmas Day is a Friday this year.)

(New Years Eve is Thursday December 31st.)

>Be sure to also see our "2010" page for events and other listings during the "Olympic" year.

..........

Other events, fam trips and invites, etc, are updated on this page, throughout the year - as soon as we have more details.