After Hours: What to do in September 2019

See the forest for the trees this month.

Credit: Vallea Lumina

A WALK IN THE DARK

If you go down in the woods at night, you’re sure of a big surprise–especially if it’s for Whistler’s Vallea Lumina. The multimedia experience by Montreal-based Moment Factory and Joey Houssian’s The Adventure Group involves following clues left along a 1.5-kilometre lantern-lined forest trail to find a hidden valley. Expect to see illuminated salmon, twinkling stardust, talking trees and more. Nightly until October 13; winter walks start November 28; $39.99, youth $34.99, children five and under free

Credit: Brandon Artis

BAND TOGETHER

On another sylvan note, this month Saskatoon country band the Deep Dark Woods performs at Vancouver’s Westward Music Festival, along with Black Mountain, Jon Bryant, MorMor, Mt. Joy and Yukon Blonde, among others.

The multi-genre, multi-venue event is organized by the city’s MRG Concerts division of MRG Group, which produces more than 800 shows a year and recently joined forces with Atomique Productions. The latter is an independent concert promotion and production company in Victoria, where it holds the popular Rifflandia Festival, also usually in September but in hiatus until 2020. September 12-15

READ THIS

When Vancouver author Jinder Oujla-Chalmers was approached to write a memoir of Terminal Forest Products founder Asa Singh Johal, she was well acquainted with his family but knew little about the forestry industry.

After two years of research, she has produced an account rich with details about not only how Johal built a flourishing sawmill business but also the history of the Punjab and early Canadian immigration. The Richmond-based company has outlasted competitors like Doman Industries and MacMillan Bloedel, and survived recessions, labour strife and the softwood lumber dispute. Asa Johal and Terminal Forest Products: How a Sikh Immigrant Created BC’s Largest Independent Lumber Company, Harbour Publishing 224 pages, hardcover, $28.95