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Bruce Cockburn

Treat yourself to songs about love, war, protest, and what would happen if Nixon were reincarnated as a poor single mom, as legendary Canadian musician Bruce Cockburn - whose songwriting is rivaled only by his masterful guitar work - returns to the stage with old favourites and new tunes from his just-released album Small Source of Comfort. In Victoria Saturday and Nanaimo Sunday (ticketmaster.ca).

Cavalia

Nearly 50 steeds - from nine-month-old rescue colts Rocky and Roucao to a 19-year-old Lusitano stallion named Edros - steal the show in Cavalia, a dreamlike tribute to horses and their relationship with humans that features breathtaking acrobatics, dance, aerial acts and plenty of yays and neighs (until April 17, cavalia.net).

Diva on the Run

Gravity got the better of your waistline over the winter? Throw on your feather boa and join Diva on the Run, a fun, ladies-only 8K run and walk at beautiful Jericho Beach. All proceeds go to the Arthritis Society (Sunday, arthritis.ca). Not quite ready to go the distance? Try the 5K Dave Reed Spring Classic - a scenic run, jog or walk through Stanley Park (Saturday, vfac.ca).

Jackson Browne

He's as well-known for his environmental activism as he is for his formidable hits, which include Somebody's Baby, The Pretender, Running On Empty, and These Days - and now you can catch Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Jackson Browne as he swings through Vancouver on his solo acoustic tour (At the Queen E Saturday, ticketmaster.ca).

Earth Hour

No need to sit at home in the dark to mark Earth Hour; instead, head for the Opus Hotel, where all non-essential lights will be shut off, and diners can savour dishes such as truffles and hollandaise, house-made ricotta ravioli, and fillet of Angus beef served with roasted barley risotto, wild mushrooms and carrot puree - all by candlelight. Order the $45 set menu and 15 per cent goes to the Japan Relief Fund (Saturday, opushotel.com). In Whistler, treat yourself to a candlelight dinner at a local hotspot then watch alternative energy in action - and even chip in a few watts of your own - at the town's first-ever bike-powered concert (at Olympic Plaza Saturday, whistler.ca).

The Parlotones

Want music with buzz? Pick up a ticket for the Parlotones - a rock band that packs stadiums and sells thousands of records in its home country of South Africa, and is hoping to hit the big-time here (at the Biltmore Saturday, ticketmaster.ca). Speaking of big time, you can also catch Korean-American David Choi, who is one of the most watched musicians on YouTube - with over 83 million views. No wonder he penned the song YouTube, A Love Song (at Venue Sunday, ticketmaster.ca). And don't miss the dark, haunting sounds of Britain's Esbeen and the Witch, who last fall were nominated for major awards by Q magazine and the BBC (at the Waldorf Saturday, ticketweb.ca).

Mother Mother

For great homegrown sounds, catch the unstoppable harmonies of Quadra Island-bred Mother Mother - just days after the release of the band's new album Eureka and an appearance at South by Southwest (in Victoria Sunday and Monday, ticketmaster.ca). Or see all kinds of veteran Vancouver musicians including Ray Forbes and John Mann at Motown Meltdown, a fundraiser for the Shooting Stars Foundation (Saturday, shootingstarsfoundation.org).

The Trespassers

Meet a grandfather who teaches his grandson the finer points of poker, arranges his sexual initiation and prods him to pilfer the neighbour's peaches - despite the pleas of his born-again daughter - in the sardonic Morris Panych play The Trespassers. At the Playhouse until April 16 (vancouverplayhouse.com). More great drama? Take a theatrical reach into the minds of a suicide bomber and his target in The Last 15 Seconds (until April 2, firehallartscentre.ca); or revisit Big Brother and the Thought Police in the theatrical adaptation of George Orwell's 1984 - featuring the senior students of Studio 58. At the Cultch until April 3 (thecultch.com).

Portobello West

Spruce up your spring wardrobe and pick up all kinds of stylish jewellery, accessories, housewares, kids stuff and more by top local designers at Portobello West - now in a new home at Creekside Community Centre in the former Olympic Athlete's Village (Saturday and Sunday, portobellowest.com).

Blim Community Market

For more hipster duds, yummy baked goods, arts objects and more, don't miss the Blim Community Market at Heritage Hall in Vancouver (Sunday, blim.ca); and make sure to bring an object to the Vancouver Art Gallery where renowned Vancouver designer Natalie Purschwitz will transform it into a purse or bag as part of WE: Vancouver. Signup is first come, first served (Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., vanartgallery.bc.ca).

Fairmont Pastry Apprentice

Want a cool March Break activity for the little ones? Head for the Fairmont Empress in Victoria, where kids under 16 can get a 1.5-hour crash course with award-winning pastry chef D'Oyen Christie. The $100 fee includes a chef's hat, personalized apron, framed certificate and treats to take home to mom and dad (Sunday, then monthly through December, fairmont.com/empress).

Birds of a Feather

Learn a thing or two about Mother Nature's handiwork in Stanley Park, where expert bird watcher Cathy Aitchison leads the ornithologically-minded on a two-hour tour of Stanley Park's colourful bird life (Sunday, stanleyparkecology.ca). If flora is more your thing, try a plant identification workshop at the lovely Wildwood Ecoforest in Ladysmith (Sunday, blog.conservancy.bc.ca), or head indoors for a family-friendly exploration of tropical plant and bird life at the lovely Bloedel Floral Conservatory (Saturday, vandusen.org).

Taboo Show

Or learn about the birds and the bees - and a whole lot more - at the Taboo Naughty But Nice Show, a trade show dedicated to, ahem, "romance and self-improvement." At Tradex in Abbotsford (taboosexshow.com). Want it all signed and sealed? Start planning that walk down the aisle at the Vancouver Wedding and Honeymoon Show (vancouverweddingshow.ca).

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