Itsy Bitsy goes to Vanukes

On the third Tuesday of every month a group of up to 100 uke strummers and pluckers head to an old church venue in Vancouver's Kitsilano district to attend Vanukes. 

http://www.vcn.bc.ca/vanukes/

This energetic evening has been offered to uke'sters far and wide for 15 years and is organized and led by none other than the King of Ukulele himself, Ralph Shaw. 

http://www.ralphshaw.ca

When I introduced Ralph to the Itsy Bitsy uke at last night's Vanukes and jokingly asked him how I could restore the wee uke to its former tenor size he was quick to reply with classic Ralph Shaw humour. "Use a bicycle pump, of course!" Ralph quipped. 

The social little instrument continues to bring smiles to players' faces as they often ask to see it and immediately start to pluck and strum.

Some folks even neglect their full size ukes in order to play the Itsy Bitsy: