Pubs and restaurants can now offer their patrons happy hour specials on beer, wine and spirits. Under the new law bars and restaurants can now set their own happy hour specials providing they comply with the mandatory minimum prices.  For beer the minimum price for a 12 oz bottle or sleeve is $3 and  wine must be at least $3 for a 5 oz glass. Spirits must be at least $3 for a 1.5 oz drink.

Under the new law alcohol can now be sold at farmer's markets and minors are now allowed to dine at pubs.

In total, 73 recommendations to modernize B.C.’s liquor laws were submitted as part of the latest B.C. Liquor Policy Review.  So far, 17 changes have been implemented. 

What do you think about the latest changes to B.C.’s booze policies?

The for the 29th time the Vancouver International Jazz Festival begins tomorrow  and runs until July 1st.  For the third year running it will be taking over the area this weekend surrounding the Vancouver Art Gallery and will be hosting 35 free performances in the downtown core.  There will be 4 stages peppered about: The Georgia Stage (at Georgia and Hornby), The Robson Stage (at Robson and Hornby), The Sounds of Youth Stage (at the Robson Plaza) and The Robson Ice Rink Stage.

There wll also be 12 food trucks serving up tasty treats and 10 Artisans participating in The Artisan Market on Howe Street.

There will also be 1000 headphones distributed over this weekend to participants of The Silence Dance Party which is sponsored by Sennheiser, the manufacturer of the headphones.

There will be another 300 concerts presented beyond the opening weekend, half of which are free. 

Click here for all the details and concert times for the stunning Vancouver event.

This Sunday the food cart festival returns to Vancouver just under the Cambie Street bridge at 215 West 1st Ave.  It will be open every Sunday afternoon until August 31st from noon to 5pm with a rotating selection from some of the best food carts in Vancouver.  While you are down there you can also  enjoy community markets, DJ's, artisanal food vendors, kids activities, soccer matches and urban gardening workshops.  Admission is $2 but free for Vancity and Car2go members, or you can bring a non perishable donation for enty. 

The ' Night at the Aquarium' presented by the PCL Construction Group will take place this Thursday, June the 19th.  This celebration of our oceans raises funds to support conservation, research and education, including a national sustainable seafood program called 'Ocean Wise'. 

Check out the Aquariums brand new expansive venue which will be a beautiful backdrop to this years 'Night at the Aquarium'. 

For more information and details go to VancouverCityBuzz

If your love the thrill of cheering on your team with other like minded folk then you may already be aware of some really good world cup watching venues.  If not then you may be interested in guides such as this one or this  one or even check out the map of CBC's interactive map of place's to watch the FIFI World Cup around Vancouver. 

Staying hydrated and nourished is key to a positive World Cup watching experience. Where is your favorite place to nosh while cheering on your favorite team?

The FIFI World Cup kicked off yesterday with 32 countries participating in this gigantic spectacle.  With all this excitement in full flight CBC wanted to figure  out a way to get to know a little bit of each country involved.  They concluded that the one thing that offers the best glimpse about the place behind the team, the jersey's and the sportsmanship was their music.

So 'Q' and CBC picked the best new song from each country.  Their discoveries were amazing, so in the spirit of celebration and competitiion, CBC presents the 'World Cup of Music' and invite their viewers and listeners to get to know some of this great music and vote for their favorites.  So, for all you music enthusiasts, click here for the bracket and scroll down for all the music and voting instructions.  Good luck - it sounds like fun!!

Thanks to a change in the bylaws, the City of Vancouver has now dedicated an area for kiteboarding on the beaches of Spanish Banks in Kitsilano.

Ktieboarding (also known as kitesurfing) is gaining popularity and is now part of a year long pilot project to see whether 'The Zone' should remain on Spanish Banks.

Kiteboarding combines wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport.  It is not for the faint of heart.

Some other local kiteboarding zones include Boundary Bay and Squamish and with the launch of the Vancouver zone this summer, it's no longer a long drive for enthusiasts.

While Kiteboarding may be a somewhat difficult sport to get into, it is an excellent sport to watch from the beach. 

On Wednesday June 25 f rom 5pm to 10pm enjoy 'Make Music Vancouver' - an amazing event that transforms city streets into a huge outdoor stage for hundreds of local bands.  It's simple, anyone with a band can sign up to play.  Whether you are a seasoned professional or just an amateur that rocks out in the basement.   Bands are assigned a 45 minute time slot along the dozens of mini-stages set up along Water Street.  Last year 25,000 people turned out, turning Gastown into one great big party. 

Make Music Vancouver has it's roots in La Fete de la Musique, an event that started in France back in 1982.  The wonderful outpouring of local talent was so overwhelming that the event later spread to other large cities.  Today, it is celebrated in 450 different cities worldwide including Vancouver.

Got a band?  You can still sign up to take part in this festival.

Join in the fun as the Steveston Community hosts a World Cup Soccer Spectacular.  Thirty-two businesses have adopted a country and have been designated a National Day to act as host pavillion in that nations quest for the coveted championship.  Bring home the spirit and come out and support - as the World Cup comes to Steveston.

Tuedsay July 8th marks the return of the 'Free Outdoor Movies-Vancouver' at the Grand Lawn at Ceperley Meadows near second beach at Stanley Park.  A perfect set up to sprawl out and enjoy some good ol' classics. The movies are scheduled to start when the sun begins to drop (usually around 9pm)  This years summer schedule offers family favourites, cult classics, and some anniversary celebrating gems.  In partnership with some of the West End's fine eateries the festival will also be offering dinner and movie packages with a 3 course meal and a reserved seat (yes, that's a real seat) in the VIP section for one low price. 

The Vancouver Mini Maker  Faire is back this weekend at the PNE Forum from 10am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday.  Come and check out a lot of fun stuff  to look at, try out or buy for the sibling set,  the inventor set or localista shopping set.  This years faire will feature food, workshops and makers showing off their incredible skills. Great fun for both shoppers and makers alike. 

On June 15th the 10th installment of car free days returns to Vancouver. This festival sees major streets closed to traffic and transformed into open air events featuring street food, live entertainment, arts & crafts, markets and more.

Commercial Drive, Main Street, the West End and Kitsilano neighbourhoods will each have the own flavour and activities which will correspond to the area.   The 'line up of events' will feature resident hosted block parties, live bands, kids zones and open air markets. Let's hope for the sunshine and have a great time!!

Douglas Coupland, Canada's foremost commentator on technology, society and pop culture hosts his first solo exhibition at the Vancouiver Art Gallery. 

Titled, Douglas Coupland: everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything - an anthology of over 100 examples of his creative output in the form of paintings, photo's, prints and even quilts. 

Coupland's first novel, Generation X was an international best seller in the early 1990's and since he has published 12 more novels, 7 non fiction books, a pair of short story collections and screenplays for both film and T.V.

The exhibition is open now until Sept 1, 2014.  Shoud be well worth a look see.