Vancouver

Vancouver is a main coastal and seaport city in southwestern British Columbia's lower Mainland, Canada. The name Vancouver is taken from Captain George Vancouver, a British explorer.

Vancouver is known for its performing arts organizations. Vancouver Symphony Orchestra has programs such as Tea and Trumpets, Kids Koncerts, Pops and various masterworks series for classical music lover to whoever novice concertgoer. The Arts Club Theatre Company provides theatre productions, specifically 10 to 14 musicals, new work, comedies, and classics. Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival is held on Vanier Park from June to September. There are free fireworks, lecture series, and Operas and Arias programs. The Vancouver International Fringe Festival is held every month of September, and for 25 years have done 500 alternative performances. The Vancouver International Festival is the largest film event in North America. TD Canada Trust Vancouver International Jazz Festival takes pride in its "10 days, 1,300 global musicians and 400 concerts." PUSH International Performing Arts Festival provides visionary music, theatre, dance and hybrid performances. The Vancouver Opera is the second largest opera company that offers new productions and traditional opera favorites. The Full Circle: First Nations Performance Talking Stick Festival offers theatre, music, dance, performance, and visual arts of the local, national, and worldwide Aboriginal artists. Vancouver Folk Music Festival brings grassroots artists to Jericho Beach.

BC Place Stadium is home to the Canadian Football League champions, the BC Lions. Each year, nine Canadian teams compete beginning from the month of June to the month of November in a battle at the Grey Cup Championships. Canadian football is also played with three downs on a longer and wider field compared to American football. Vancouver Canucks are Vancouver's favorite hockey team. Their home games are played at the GM Place. The Nat Bailey Stadium hosts the Vancouver Canadians Professional Baseball Club.

Vancouver city has one of the biggest industrial centers within Canada. This is due to its location on the Pacific Rim at the western terminus of Canada's transcontinental highway and rail routes. One of Canada's largest and most diversified trading places is at the Port of Vancouver. Vancouver city is also the head office of mining and forest products businesses. Recent years have shown the city gradually making an influence in the biotechnology business, software development and film trade.