Ukulele events are starting to pop up all over the place in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Here are the Classes and Clubs and jams we know about. This page also includes Out of Town regular events. You can see the Vancouver and Lower Mainland events and class start dates on a Calendar at the bottom of this page.

Classes

The Vancouver Ukulele Festival

Ruby's Ukes presents the annual Vancouver Ukulele Festival, with workshops Saturday, February 23, 2013, and an opening concert the night before. Read all about it and register at
http://vancouverukulelefestival2013.eventbrite.com/
This festival has sold out every year! It gets A LOT of repeat attendees.

Vancouver, Downtown: Ruby's Ukes

Since September 2009 Ruby's Ukes is Vancouver's Ukulele school with classes, workshops & Vancouver's Ukulele festival. A Ukulele haven for all those interested in learning, playing, & buying all things Ukulele.....As featured on CBC national Radio Documentary "Four little Strings".

10 week Ukulele Courses extraordinaire are run three times per year, January, April and September.  There are 4 levels: Absolute beginners, Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. From no musical experience at all, to learning to play jazz solos on the Ukulele! With Guido Heistek and Ruby at the helm. Private Ukulele lessons and intimate learning pods available. Also available is a two hour "Uke Can Play" Ukulele Workshop to book for your office, event or group of friends!

Other classes include "Uke Can" Saturday Workshop Series, Gospel Uke, noon-hour Ukulele Express, and Beginner [Gasp!] guitar. 

Please visit the Ruby's Ukes website for more descriptions, dates, prices and registration. Or contact "Ruby" at daphneroubini@gmail.com or  (604) 408 2290. 

(Who's Ruby?  Daphne Roubini used to be called "Ruby" by her friends at school!)

North Delta and Tsawwassen (or your own area): Gary Cyr

Teacher Gary Cyr was featured in this "Fun With Four Strings" article in the Surrey Leader. Using the James Hill Ukulele in the Classroom method, Gary's classes will explore the many elements of music including melody, harmony, rhythm, etc. as well as developing skills such as singing, picking, strumming and more. These classes will be using C6 tuning.  

Firehall Centre for the Arts in North Delta
Wednesday nights 6:30 - 7:30 PM 

Kennedy Senior's Recreation Centre in North Delta
Three ongoing classes on Fridays 10am-2pm

Tsawwassen Arts Centre
Saturdays, 11:00am - noon 

NEW CLASS ! 
Tsawwassen's KinVillage West Court
Tuesday evenings 7:15 - 8:15  

For more information on these classes or to start a group class in your own area please call Gary at (604) 594-1485 or e-mail garycyr@telus.net

Chilliwack Academy of Music

The Chilliwack Academy of Music offers two levels of 4-week classes. Find dates, cost and contact info at http://www.chilliwackmusic.com/group-classes/adults or phone 604.792.0790.

Peninsula Academy of Music Arts

Peninsula Academy of Music Arts, located at 1662 Mills Road in North Saanich offers Ukulele Workshops for adult beginners, drop-in ukulele orchestra for beginner to intermediate players, and private lessons. Summer classes start July 9th. Call or email Peninsula Academy of Music Arts for more info or visit our website.
www.peninsulaacademy.ca
info@peninsulaacademy.ca
778-426-1800

Clubs and Jams near Vancouver, BC

Vancouver, Downtown: Ruby's Ukes Ukulele Jam

This seasonal  jam meets four times a year. The fun begins at 7pm and ends at 10pm. Beer & wine is available to purchase as well as some snacks! 
It is $5 and if you need to borrow a Uke for the evening that is FREE. 
We will be projecting the Uke charts to play from onto the wall!! It will be fun!

Address is at the Ruby's Ukes Studio, 525 Seymour Street ~ (Buzzer #004)
Doors open at 6.30pm, Uke Jam from 7pm~10pm  (with some performance time too!)
For more info, check the Ruby's Ukes website or contact "Ruby" at daphneroubini@gmail.com or  (604) 408 2290.

Vancouver, Downtown: Uke N Drink & Play the Blues, with Jimy Now

Thursday Nights 6.30-8.30pm at Goldies Lounge, 605 W Pender St. at Seymour, in Vancouver, "join us for Uke N Drink With Jimy Now. We also use the high A (GCEA) tuning, and have loaner Ukes available for those who reserve one. We'll do a song-circle, some beginner lessons and live performances by Ukulele artists!" Admission by $10 donation. Contact railwayukes@gmail.com

Vancouver, Victoria-Fraserview: Hawaiian Ukes

Pam Holley organizes a small group that meets on a weekday every month or two, at someone's house or a park, to sing Hawaiian and hapa-haole songs. If you'd like to be on Pam's email list, contact her at holleypam@hotmail.com.

Vancouver, West End: Hey Uke

This group meets on the first Tuesday of the month in the West End. Please contact Anne at anne.carten@gmail.comto see if there is space available, or to get more information 

South Surrey /White Rock Ukulele Circle

Gary Cyr and Braden Deans organize the group meeting at Semiahmoo House, 15306 24th Ave in Surrey, off King George Hwy. No meetings February, 2013. Beginning March 2, 2013, first Saturday every month, 2pm-4pm. $2 donation. Bring music stand and vanukes songbook if you have them. You can check out their facebook page.
Contact: Gary Cyr

New Westminster: Heritage Ukulele Club

Gordon Smithers runs the Heritage Ukulele Club, which meets Monday evenings 6-8pm, at the Heritage Grill, 447 Columbia St, New Westminster.  Beginners are always welcome. Here's their facebook page. Contact heritageukes@gmail.com.

New Westminster: Royal City Uke Orkestra

Sat afternoons 3-4.30pm at the Heritage Grill (Backroom), 447 Columbia St, New Westminster. Drop-in fee $5. Website: http://ukejoints.blogspot.ca/; contact heritageukes@gmail.com.

New Westminster: Tuesday Heritage Uke Joint

Check the calendar (below) for monthly Tuesday Uke Joint events at the Heritage Grill, 447 Columbia St, New Westminster, usually at the end of the month.

Maple Ridge: Kanaka Creek Coffee

Chilliwack - Decades Coffee Club

Out of town regular events

Victoria: Camosun College

Camosun College, Lansdowne Campus has Ukulele Get Togethers on Wednesday nights 7- 9pm.  Joseph Ho at  camosun.ukulele.singers@gmail.com 

Victoria: Larsen Music Store

Larsen Music Store at 1808 Cook St has an ‘incredible’ employee named Paul Laverick who is the Uke master there. He provides lots of lessons, and organizes other special events and performances for Larsen. www.larsenmusic.ca or 250 389 1988. He also runs the Ukulele Ensemble which meets every 2nd Saturday at the Orange hall from 10 to Noon. 

Victoria: Mighty Little Uke Band

Strum-along opportunities: The last Monday of each month, a group called the Mighty Little Uke Band, led by Diamond Tooth Molly, gathers at the Fernwood Inn around 6pm for a bite to eat, then 7- 9 pm for their Strum-A-Long Show. The last few months there have been upwards of 35 ukulele players having a ball playing together. They meet again on the 2nd Thursday of the month at the Royal Canadian Legion, 411 Gorge Rd. East from 7- 9 pm. The Mighty Little Uke Band has just published a wonderful songbook complete with the ukulele chords for each song, in both C and D tunings!  Hot off the press, the coil bound book costs $20.

Victoria: Monterey Ukulele Strummers

This very welcoming ukulele club meets at the Monterey Centre, 1442 Monterey Av. in Oak Bay on Mondays from 1- 3 pm. Membership to join the centre and all its activities was $40 this past year. The ukulele club, led by Jamyang Lodto, is apparently the oldest continually operating ukulele club in the world! See Monterey section under http://www.bcukulele.org/clubs_and_groups.html for further information. Monterey Centre- Phone 250 370 7300, website http://recreation.oakbaybc.org/page/2/?s=Monterey+Centre&submit=Search.

Victoria: Peninsula Academy of  Music Arts - Ukulele Orchestra

Peninsula Academy of Music Arts have started Ukulele Orchestra classes for adults on Mondays and Saturdays, alternate weeks.  The registration fee is $40 for 6 1-hour classes.   Contact: Diana English Peninsula Academy of Music Arts 1662 Mills Road, North Saanich, BC 778-426-1800 www.PeninsulaAcademy.ca

Williams Lake

Visiting the Cariboo? Join the Williams Lake Ukulele group on Wednesday mornings September to June from 10 to 12 at the Arts Centre (old fire hall) beside City Hall. All skill levels attend this strummin' and singin' fest.
Contact: Sheila Wyse

Clubs and Jams other places

The idea was to provide a list of uke clubs in places our members might be likely to visit, but these two sites already have an extensive list of clubs and players. 
Ukulele Universe listing of clubs seems to be from 2004
Jim Beloff's Fleamarket Music lists clubs and players

One site missing from Jim Beloff's list is the Portland Ukulele Association (PUA, of Portland, Oregon), a very friendly group that has put on a great annual Ukefest since 2006.

Calendar

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