WEDNESDAY
Opening Ceremony: Welcome & Wind Down
The guests of PDW 2014 will be welcomed by the Dancers of Damelahamid, a coastal group of Aboriginals that will share a Gitxsan song of embrace and blessing. Dinner will be served in traditional potlatch style after a word of welcome from CAPSI, our sponsors, and PDW committee co-chairs.
Opening Gala
This event will serve as a casual gala to encourage the delegates of 2014 to socialize and get to know each other in a relaxed environment. We will host a live band that will play cover songs among their own material for this event.
THURSDAY
Clubbing Night: Work Hard Play Hard
Let our team shuttle you through downtown to Vancouver’s largest nightclub – Gossip – located adjacent to the home of the Vancouver Canucks, Rogers Arena, and BC Place. Right on the water and beside the Edgewater Casino, Gossip will help you forget how much you miss being back at pharmacy school. Drink specials include highballs and domestic beers for $3.75!
FRIDAY
Culture & Comedy
David Grenirer, a former counsellor and stand-up comic, will share with us his latest pupils of comedy. This hilarious presentation is part comedy and part education. David teaches stand-up comedy to people with mental illnesses in order to empower them to fight the stigma associated with mental illnesses by demonstrating what these patients are capable of. The results are life-changing from both the perspective of the comics and the audience, so sit back, have a laugh, and who knows – maybe we`ll even learn something! So often conferences bring in experts to talk about mental illness, but this is a chance to actually hear from the people who have it. What they have to say will surprise, delight, and inspire you!
SATURDAY
Cocktail Party & Closing Gala: A Medical Masquerade
Social cocktail hour at 7:30 will be followed by a masquerade ball full of mystery and adventure. Guests will dance the night away with a local band one of Vancouver’s favourite DJs. We can’t stand to see you go, so keep your masks on!
SUNDAY
If your flight schedule allows you to have a bit more time in Vancouver, we want to encourage you to see some more of what Vancouver has to offer. Since you can’t possibly see it all in one weekend, we want to provide an opportunity to see enough to ensure you come back! Below you will find some suggestions of nearby destinations and directions on how to get there.
Robson Street: If you’re looking to shop, stroll, dine, or people-watch, head to Robson Street. This destination has everything from big-name stores (Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada) to funky independent boutiques. The main action is concentrated in the blocks from Burrard Street to Jervis Street, where stores line every inch of space along the sidewalk. And with no short supply of coffee shops, ethnic restaurants, sports bars and grills, fine dining and other eateries, you’re never far from a great place to stop and refuel.
Granville Street: Granville Street is where you’ll find Vancouver’s main downtown entertainment district. Countless restaurants, bars and nightclubs make this a popular late-night hangout, particularly on the weekends. The Pacific Centre shopping mall provides unique stores for those in search of the latest fashions, while the area between Robson and Drake streets offers a diverse collection of boutique shops where you can find the latest footwear, club gear, music or comic books
Granville Island: This small island in the middle of the city is used as a charming public market, overflowing with fresh produce, breads, seafoods and a great number of other creative, handmade goods. Strolling the narrow lanes of the island shows off unique shops and photo-worthy views of downtown across False Creek.
Vancouver’s Aquarium: The Vancouver Aquarium is home to over 70,000 fascinating creatures from the Arctic to the Amazon. The Vancouver Aquarium is a self-supporting non-profit dedicated to effecting the conservation of aquatic life through display and interpretation, education, research and direct action. Through its visionary programs and the hard work of its staff and volunteers, the Vancouver Aquarium is Canada’s largest and one of the five largest in North America. Definitely a Vancouver must-see!!
Vancouver’s Art Gallery: This gallery contains a highly acclaimed collection of national and international contemporary art that deserves a few hours of your time. Don’t miss the collection of work by the well known British Columbian artist Emily Carr.
Chinatown: This area is rich in history and architecture, and the third largest Chinatown next to only New York and San Francisco. Highlights of a Chinatown visit include the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, the Sam Kee Building (world’s narrowest commercial building) and the Chinese Cultural Centre.
