Things To Do In Vancouver This Weekend

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The city’s cherry blossoms have started, patches of flower buds are creeping up, and this Friday is the start of Intercalary Days in the Bahá’í Faith (of Persian and Ottoman origin,) which celebrates the oneness of humankind. This weekend you can loosely celebrate that oneness by showing some love of music and art, unity through laughter at a comedy show or exchange gifts – such as a silver ring you learned to make yourself.

 

Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Ongoing



Friday February 26

EP1_WEB

Battle of the Brush: Pop Art
Where: Heritage Hall (3102 Main), 7:30pm
What: A live painting competition where teams of two artists create paintings as you watch! Tonight’s theme is pop art.

The VSO Presents the 2016 New Music Festival photo: Jay Blakesberg

The VSO Presents the 2016 New Music Festival
photo: Jay Blakesberg

The VSO Presents the 2016 New Music Festival
Where: The Orpheum
What: A vibrant four-day festival celebrating the exciting works of contemporary composers. Listen to composers discuss their work before the concert, or hang out with them and talk new music at the after-show party.
Runs until: Saturday February 27, 2016

Indigo Girls

Indigo Girls

Indigo Girls
Where: The Commodore Ballroom, 8:30pm
What: You know this American folk duo from the 90s – and they released their sixteenth studio album, One Lost Day, on June 2nd, 2015.

Bowie

Bowie Tribute Night
Where: The Rickshaw, 7:00pm
What: We’re still mourning, OK? It’s going to take decades to get over the disappearance of Aladdin Sane, the thin white duke, Ziggy Stardust, the goblin king…  Tonight, Vancouver musicians say goodbye to an artist who inspired them all.

manup

Man Up: Odd Couples
Where: The Cobalt, 9:00pm
What: It’s a drag show! Drag kings and the occasional queen team up – who have never before worked together- with original numbers for The Cobalt stage. Witness the magic and mayhem.

JFL NorthWest: Kyle Kinane

JFL NorthWest: Kyle Kinane

JFL NorthWest: Kyle Kinane
Where: The Biltmore
What: Heard as the voice of Comedy Central and in various animated programs such as, Regular Show, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Bob’s Burgers, TripTank, Adventure Time, and Lucas Bros. Moving Co.
Runs until:Saturday February 27, 2016

2016 Oscar Nominated Short Films
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: Each year the Vancity Theatre is proud to present the nominees for the Academy Award for Best Short Film in the Live Action and Animation categories.
Runs until: Sunday February 28, 2016

Camilo the Magician Presents: SUPERNATURAL
Where: The Granville Island Stage
What: During this magic show, you will get to watch Camilo’s outstanding and original magic illusions, along with his unique sense of humour and sleek sleight of hand. Tickets Available at Tickets Tonight.
Runs until: Saturday February 27, 2016


 

Saturday February 27

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Out and About Walking Tour: Affordability Struggles

Out and About Walking Tour: Affordability Struggles

Out and About Walking Tour: Affordability Struggles
Where: Downtown Vancouver (sold out)
What: Led by Liz Evans, former executive director of the PHS Community Services Society and Dale McClanaghan, former CEO of VanCity Enterprises, this walking tour in Chinatown, Gastown and the Downtown Eastside will visit sites where affordable housing projects that offer health and outreach services have prompted controversy. Community participants will discuss their experiences with planning and funding debates, and provide suggestions for future initiatives.

Western-Front-Gala-Invite-520x803

Western Front Dinner and Art Auction
Where: 303 East 8th
What: Held in the historic Luxe Hall at Western Front, the legendary gala features a live auction of over 30 works donated by leading local and international artists. The convivial, entertaining, and always sold-out evening includes a cocktail reception, dinner by Hawksworth Restaurant and musical performances. Proceeds support Western Front’s year-round art and music programs.

Monster Jam

Monster Jam

Monster Jam
Where: BC Place Stadium, 7:00pm
What: It’s a monster truck show! Trucks face up in competition mixing racing, showmanship, and the ultimate fan experience into action packed live show.

Family Art Day: Drawing Machines

Family Art Day: Drawing Machines

Family Art Day: Drawing Machines
Where: Contemporary Art Gallery
What: Join Field House Artist in Residence Fabiola Carranza making fantastical shadow puppets. Create paper props and costumes then play with them in front of light whilst you draw and trace their movement. You can also have your silhouette portrait drawn using Carranza’s take on a silhouette drawing machine.

Bird Walk
Where: VanDusen Gardens, 10:00am
What: Join Jeremy Gordon for a guided birding exploration in the Garden. Meet in the Visitor Centre Atrium. This event takes place rain or shine. Free for Members or with Garden admission.

ptsd

Shock and Awe: PTSD in Performance
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre, 2:00pm
What: The forum will explore the topics of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), addiction, and recovery, and will examine the ways in which these important social issues are expressed in the production.

painted

Painted On: A Runway Fashion and Art Show
Where: The Fox Cabaret, 8:00pm
What: A fashion shoot and art project spearhead by twin sisters Sarah and Rachel Seburn. The airbrush artists became fascinated with the effect paint has on the body when airbrushing at music festivals across Canada.

JFL Northwest: Michael Che

JFL Northwest: Michael Che

JFL Northwest: Michael Che
Where: The Biltmore, 7:00pm
What: Currently the Weekend Update co-anchor on SNL and previously a correspondent on The Daily Show.

Classified

Classified

Classified
Where: The Commodore Ballroom, 9:00pm
What: Luke Boyd, better known by his stage name Classified, is a Canadian recording artist, rapper, and producer from Enfield, Nova Scotia.

Gwaii Haanas Artist Talk featuring Rosa Quintana
Where: Bill Reid Gallery, 2:00pm
What: Rosa will give a visual presentation of her own work along with her comparative historical research. She will also discuss her collaborative work with fellow artists Matt Miles and Kathy Pick during their time together in Gwaii Haanas as part of the Artist in Residency program.

craycray8

Crazy8s Gala Screening & Afterparty
Where: The Centre (777 Homer)
What: Witness the premiere of the six Crazy8s 2106 short films made in just eight days from February 12-19.

Silver Ring Workshop

Silver Ring Workshop

Silver Ring Workshop
Where: The Aviary, 1:00pm
What: In this 3-hour wax carving workshop, you will be taken through each step of the process – from an introduction to the tools, ring design, sizing, wax carving and polishing. Instruction and tips will be provided, but the night has no strict lesson plan. They’d like you to enjoy yourselves and create your dream jewellery.

Vancouver Pet Lover Show

Vancouver Pet Lover Show

Vancouver Pet Lover Show
Where: Tradex (Abbotsford, BC)
What: Love pets? Your own or the pets of others – convene with other animal lovers, run your dog through an agility course, talk about your cat endlessly to other people with fur stuck to their clothes (hey, I say it because that’s me), learn tips, and purchase pet stuffs.
Runs until: Sunday February 28, 2016

harlem-globetrotters-2015

Harlem Globetrotters World Tour
Where: Pacific Colosseum
What: The world famous team celebrates its 90th anniversary world tour, with over 320 games in North America alone. A star-studded roster will have fans witness the ball handling wizardry, basketball artistry and one-of-a-kind family entertainment that thrills fans of all ages.
Runs until: Sunday February 28, 2016


 

Sunday February 28

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JFL Northwest: Lewis Black

JFL Northwest: Lewis Black

JFL Northwest: Lewis Black
Where: Hard Rock Casino, 7:00pm
What: Known as the king of the rant, Lewis Black uses his trademark style of comedic yelling and animated finger-pointing to skewer anything and anyone that gets under his skin. His comedic brilliance lies in his ability to make people laugh at the absurdities of life, with topics that include current events, social media, politics and anything else that exposes the hypocrisy and madness he sees in the world.

Birds of a Feather: The Bird Days of Winter
Where: Stanley Park, 9:00am
What: Discover how the birds spend Valentine’s Day as our feathered friends start strutting their stuff to prepare for mating season. Join us for a two-hour easy walking exploration to learn about bird identification and behaviour.

Contemporary and Street Dance with OURO Collective and Heather Laura Gray
Where: Performanceworks (Granville Island)
What: OURO Collective continues the development of their unique movement aesthetic, a hybrid between breaking, waacking, hip hop, popping and contemporary dance, while exploring new ideas around the choreographic process for street dance based works. Heather Laura Gray is a Vancouver-based choreographer with a background in theatre and film. Her work combines dense physicality within contemporary and street dance styles, along with introspective concepts to engage the audience’s inner and outer stimuli.  

comictoy

Vancouver Comic & Toy Show
Where: Croatian Cultural Centre
What: Comics, toys, and the people who love them.

Botany Inspired Stitches
Where: VanDusen Gardens
What: The Fraser Valley Quilters Guild has curated a vivid showcase of quilts inspired by their garden delights, finely crafted by the guild artisans.
Runs until:Sunday April 3, 2016

Prevent the Preventable
Where: Grouse Mountain
What: The Preventable snow team will be on Grouse Mountain encouraging riders to snap on a helmet before hitting the slopes and handing out coupons for $40 off helmets at Outfitters.

Watch the Oscars in a Theatre

Watch the Oscars in a Theatre

Watch the Oscars in The Rio Theatre
Where: The Rio Theatre, 3:00pm
What: Join in for pre-show red carpet action, this year’s host Chris Rock, cocktails, trivia, an awards ballot, contests for Best Acceptance Speech & Best Costume, fun prizes and oh-so-much-more. And yes…. You can absolutely wear your best designer ensemble (or re-purpose that hideous bridesmaid’s dress) for the occasion. (You may even win something for your efforts!)

2016_oscarpartyweb

Rain City Oscar Party
Where: VanCity Theatre, 3:30pm
What: Experience the Academy Awards in style at VIFF Vancity Theatre!  Vancouver’s classiest big screen cinema offers the most comfortable seats in town, red carpet, step & repeat, and a fully licensed bar. Your ticket includes free popcorn and a free Oscar ballot bingo card with the opportunity to win VIFF and Vancity Theatre ticket packs, DVDs, books and lots more goodies.

Classified
Where: The Vogue, 6:00pm
What: An encore performance in a different venueLuke Boyd, better known by his stage name Classified, is a Canadian recording artist, rapper, and producer from Enfield, Nova Scotia.

 


 

Ongoing

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JFLNorthwest

JFL Northwest Comedy Festival (ends this weekend)
Where: Various locations
What: NorthWest Comedy Fest and Just For Laughs have joined forces to present JFL NorthWest, Vancouver’s comedy festival presenting some of the best in stand-up, sketch, and improv. The inaugural 2016 festival includes names such as The Daily Show host Trevor Noah, Wanda Sykes, Lewis Black, Janeane Garofalo and Todd Barry.
Runs until: Saturday February 27, 2016

X Files: The Truth is Here (ends this weekend)
Where: Back Gallery Project (602 East Hastings)
What: The exhibition pays homage to the worldwide phenomenon that was pivotal in giving Vancouver the name of “Hollywood North”  and focuses on episode 1 and 6, all the original scripts, props and objects that are included in this exhibition were used during the last summer’s production in Vancouver. The material comes directly from director, producer and writer Chris Carter.
Runs until: Saturday January 27, 2016

chewchew

I Chew Chew Chew You (ends this weekend)
Where: Hot Art Wet City (2206 Main)
What: Pizza Punks zine and Hot Art Wet City bring you a group art show tribute to your favourite food: pizza! Show pizza how much you love it with this Valentine’s show. Paintings, drawings and digital works depicting the beauty that is pizza.
Runs until: Saturday February 27, 2016

Winners and Losers

Winners and Losers

Winners and Losers (ends this weekend)
Where: The Cultch Historic Theatre
What: A conversation that embraces the ruthless logic of capitalism, and tests its impact on our closest personal relationships, and our most intimate experiences of self. Theatre artists and long-time friends Marcus Youssef and James Long sit at a table and play a game they made up, called winners and losers.
Runs until: Saturday February 27, 2016

Games People Play

Games People Play (ends this weekend)
Where:
Kimoto Gallery
What:
Board game art by Michael Soltis.
Runs until: Saturday February 27, 2016

Talking Stick Festival

Talking Stick Festival

Talking Stick Festival (ends this weekend)
Where: Various locations
What: This festival of extraordinary Indigenous performance and art features some of the best emerging and established Indigenous artists Turtle Island has to offer. It provides a stage for artists from a variety of artistic expressions – theatre, storytelling, writing, music, spoken word, dance and visual arts. It celebrates the traditional performance of many communities, as well as the contemporary and interdisciplinary work of Indigenous creators.
Runs until: Sunday February 28, 2016

Action and Anarchy: The Films of Seijun Suzuki

Action and Anarchy: The Films of Seijun Suzuki

Action and Anarchy: The Films of Seijun Suzuki (ends this weekend)
Where: The Cinematheque
What: In a career spanning nearly five decades, Suzuki, now 92, amassed a body of work ranging from B-movie potboilers to beguiling metaphysical mysteries. In the 1990s, retrospectives in Europe and North America brought long-overdue attention to Suzuki’s films in the West and spurred a new generation of cult followers, most notably Jim Jarmusch and Quentin Tarantino.
Runs until: Sunday February 28, 2016

Vancouver International Wine Festival photo: Rob Gilbert

Vancouver International Wine Festival
photo: Rob Gilbert

Vancouver International Wine Festival (ends this weekend)
Where: Various locations
What: For noted oenophiles and the casual wino alike, Canada’s premier wine show is a celebration of informative, educational and entertaining wine experience. From educational seminars, wine tastings and minglers to wine and food grazing events, lunches, winery dinners and the ever-popular Vintners Brunch, you’ll be sure to find something to please your palate.
Runs until: Sunday February 28, 2016

pride-and-prejudice

Pride and Prejudice (ends this weekend)
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: Relive the wit and charm of one of literature’s most beloved romantic comedies in this elegant and lavish production.
Runs until: Sunday February 28, 2016

postmistress

The (Post) Mistress (ends this weekend)
Where: BMO Theatre Centre
What: Set in the fictional Northern Ontario town of Lovely, The (Post) Mistress is a fun and quirky one-woman cabaret-style show, peppered with original music. Marie-Louise is the town’s postal worker. She is charismatic, effervescent, and seems to know everything about everyone in Lovely-and is eager to share all the gossip with the audience.
Runs until: Sunday February 28, 2016

2016 Oscar Nominated Short Films (this weekend only)
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: Each year the Vancity Theatre is proud to present the nominees for the Academy Award for Best Short Film in the Live Action and Animation categories.
Runs until: Sunday February 28, 2016

harlem-globetrotters-2015

Harlem Globetrotters World Tour (this weekend only)
Where: Pacific Colosseum
What: The world famous team celebrates its 90th anniversary world tour, with over 320 games in North America alone. A star-studded roster will have fans witness the ball handling wizardry, basketball artistry and one-of-a-kind family entertainment that thrills fans of all ages.
Runs until: Sunday February 28, 2016

FoodTruckFeb

Food Truck February (ends this weekend)
Where: Vancouver Farmers Markets
What: Experience a world of local street food while shopping for the best selection of seasonal produce the city has to offer.
Runs until: Sunday February 29, 2016

Unsung Heroes Festival

Unsung Heroes Festival

Unsung Heroes Festival (ends this weekend)
Where: Blue Water Cafe
What: A month-long festival was originally created to bring awareness to local and unique seafoods, and to avoid species that are over-fished or harvested in ways that can damage ocean beds. Try whelks, limpets, barnacles, and other delicious seafood you may have never heard of!
Runs until: Monday February 29, 2016

Gathering: Chinese New Year Folk Art by Gao Jing

Gathering: Chinese New Year Folk Art by Gao Jing

Gathering: Chinese New Year Folk Art by Gao Jing (ends this weekend)
Where: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
What: This show incorporates personal experiences with rich understanding of Chuang Guandong (New Year paintings), and presents them on traditional scrolls.
Runs until: Monday February 29, 2016

Notes From the Araxes Basin

Notes From the Araxes Basin

Notes From the Araxes Basin (ends this week)
Where: Various Locations
What:  Vancouver-based musicians and composers will collaborate with virtuoso soloists from Turkey, Armenia, Uzbekistan, Lebanon and Iran, and visiting Canadian ensembles from Victoria and Montreal, to present traditional, contemporary and intercultural music of the Middle East and Canada.
Runs until: Monday February 29, 2016

MetaWorld Vol.1

MetaWorld Vol.1

MetaWorld Vol.1 (ends this week)
Where: The Beaumont
What: A selection of mixed media work from Vancouver based visionary artist Stazi Q aka MetaStazi.
Runs until: Tuesday March 1, 2016

PostSecret: The Show

PostSecret: The Show

PostSecret: The Show
Where: Firehall Arts Centre
What: An immersive, poignant journey through the humour and humanity of the personal stories we keep to ourselves, and on rare occasions, share with others. Projected images, videos, three actors and a guitarist guide the audience through crowd-sourced narratives revealing the true stories behind the secrets. See the hopeful, shocking, painful and sexual secrets that brought hundreds of millions to the PostSecret blog, became six best-selling books and are currently in a Smithsonian art exhibition.
Runs until: Saturday March 5, 2016

BrightBlue

Bright Blue Future
Where: Pacific Theatre
What: Bright Blue Future explores one pivotal night in the lives of four twentysomethings and the decisions they make that will affect their futures forever. This glimmering new play by Vancouver playwright Sean Harris Oliver speaks to the unique struggles faced by the young millennial generation.
Runs until: Saturday March 5, 2016

SoarOverChina

Flight of the Dragon
Where: FlyOverCanada
What: A fully immersive experience including wind, mist, and even scents. Follow a mythical dragon as you soar over some of China’s most spectacular landscapes and scenery during Flight of the Dragon, then stay seated and take off again to experience
FlyOver Canada, a thrilling flight ride that takes you from east to west across Canada.
Runs until: Sunday March 6, 2016

5 Women Wearing the Same Dress

5 Women Wearing the Same Dress

5 Women Wearing the Same Dress
Where: Metro Theatre
What: Set in Tennessee, in a fancy, over-the-top, Southern wedding, the play’s premise is simple.  Throw together a mixed and mostly bitter party of five bridesmaids (in hideous dresses) and let them steal away from the reception to repeatedly dish the shallow bride and guests. With the help of a little booze and a little pot, initial venting about their current situation soon develops into tales of malaise about where they are in life and then more potent social commentary.
Runs until: Saturday March 12, 2016

Dana Claxton: Made to be Ready

Dana Claxton: Made to be Ready

Dana Claxton: Made to be Ready
Where: SFU Audain Gallery
What: Claxton’s new photographs and video works in Made To Be Ready are informed by her attention to Indigenous womanhood and sovereignty. Drawing on the ideas of Anishinaabe writer and scholar Gerald Vizenor, particularly his notion of survivance which unifies survival and resilience as a means of resistance, Claxton’s photos picture Indigenous women commanding their own mediation of cultural, political and spiritual ways of being and doing.
Runs until: Saturday March 12, 2016

Chutzpah!

Chutzpah!

Chutzpah!
Where: Various locations
What: This multi-disciplinary Jewish performing arts festival welcomes outstanding internationally-celebrated dance, music, comedy and theatre artists from as far afield as Mexico, Germany, Cuba, Italy, USA and Israel as well as some of Canada’s finest. Expect anything from stand-up comedy to theatrical drama to rich global music to explosive and elegant dance.
Runs until: Sunday March 13, 2016

Gwaii Haanas: Land Sea People
Where: Bill Reid Gallery
What: Stories of the only place in Canada protected from mountaintop to seafloor. Thirty years after the Haida took a stand at Lyell Island, this unique place exists as an unprecedented example of cooperative management, between the Haida Nation and the Government of Canada.
Runs until: March 27, 2016

Body Worlds: Animals Inside Out

Body Worlds: Animals Inside Out

Body Worlds: Animals Inside Out
Where: Science World
What: Body Worlds creator and anatomist, Dr Gunther von Hagens takes you on an anatomical safari. As you explore this captivating exhibition, you will experience the intricate biology, zoology and physiology of a variety of the world’s most spectacular creatures.
Runs until: Sunday March 28, 2016

(In)Visable: The Spiritual World of Taiwan Through Contemporary Art

(In)Visable: The Spiritual World of Taiwan Through Contemporary Art

(In)Visable: The Spiritual World of Taiwan Through Contemporary Art
Where: UBC Museum of Anthropology
What: Against a backdrop of skyscrapers and mountains, ghosts and spirits haunt the island of Taiwan. Taiwan’s urban and rural life cycles are filled with rituals and ceremonies of various faiths ranging from Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism to Christianity, Chinese folk religions and animistic beliefs of Taiwan’s Aboriginal peoples. While religion affects, challenges and intermingles with the secular world, myths, legends and fairytales add other layers to the spiritual world of Taiwan.
Runs until: April 3, 2016

Ghost Passages of the McKenzie Shipyard

Ghost Passages of the McKenzie Shipyard

Ghost Passages of the McKenzie Shipyard
Where: Vancouver Maritime Museum
What: Through a varied collection of painting, photography and sculpture, Vancouver-based artist Tracy McMenemy seduces the viewer into endless and ongoing passage of time in her latest series, Ghost Passages of the McKenzie Shipyard. McKenzie Barge and Marineways was a landmark along the Burrard Inlet in Deep Cove, BC; an epicenter of industrial development in the North Vancouver community since 1932.
Runs until: Sunday April 3, 2016

Botany Inspired Stitches
Where: VanDusen Gardens
What: The Fraser Valley Quilters Guild has curated a vivid showcase of quilts inspired by their garden delights, finely crafted by the guild artisans.
Runs until:Sunday April 3, 2016

Rennie

Group Exhibition from the Rennie Collection

Group Exhibition from the Rennie Collection
Where: 51 East Pender
What: Bringing together a variety of practices and media, this survey aims to reveal the chaos of the world by addressing enduringly pertinent issues, from migratory displacement to an in-depth examination of identity and history.
Runs until: Saturday April 23, 2016

Winter Farmers Market

Winter Farmers Market

Winter Farmers Market
Where: Nat Bailey Stadium
What: Each week you can look forward to finding locally grown vegetables and fruit, meat and seafood from local ranchers and fishermen, artisan cheese and bread, herbs and seasonal nursery items, baked goods, prepared foods and artisanal craft.
Runs until: Saturday April 23, 2016 (Saturdays)

I Didn't Know I Didn't Know It

I Didn’t Know I Didn’t Know It

I Didn’t Know I Didn’t Know It
Where: Contemporary Art Gallery
What: The first solo exhibition in Canada by British artist duo John Wood and Paul Harrison. Their practice unfolds as a way of observing the human condition, an ongoing investigation into the world that surrounds us, the objects we encounter and use daily, and our fundamental engagement with the physical universe in all its sometime or seemingly futile existence.
Runs until: Sunday April 24, 2016

Across the Top:

Across the Top: The Quest for the Northwest Passage

Across The Top: The Quest for the Northwest Passage
Where: Vancouver Maritime Museum
What: This exhibit will transport you to the Arctic where you will learn about its environment and people; the many voyages of discovery; the search for John Franklin’s lost expedition (both historical and modern), and the ultimate discovery of HMS Erebus by Parks Canada.
Runs until: May 2016

Your Future Home: Creating a New Vancouver

Your Future Home: Creating a New Vancouver

Your Future Home: Creating a New Vancouver
Where: Museum of Vancouver
What: In response to mounting concern about a rapidly changing region, this exhibit will immerse visitors in an experience that spotlights 20 visions for tomorrow’s city, while focusing on four topical issues: housing affordability, residential density, ease of transportation, and quality of public space.
Runs until: Monday May 16, 2016

MashUp

MashUp

MashUp
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: Exploring how artists incorporate found images, objects, sounds and words into their work, starting with the movement’s emergence at the turn of the twentieth century and showing how it has become a dominant force in our world today. It will feature 371 works by 156 artists, filmmakers, architects, musicians and designers, such as Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp, Juan Gris, Hannah Höch, Joseph Cornell, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, Nam June Paik, Jean-Luc Goddard, Frank Gehry, Dara Birnbaum, Stan Douglas, Hito Steyerl, Isa Genzken, DJ Spooky and Tobias Wong, among many others.
Runs until: Sunday June 12, 2016


What are you up to this weekend? Tell me and the rest of Vancouver in the comments below or tweet me directly at @lextacular


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