Things to Do in Vancouver This Weekend

Happy Canada Day long weekend! Paint yourself in red and white and celebrate in the streets with live music, a whole bunch of family-friendly activities and, of course, fireworks. And if that’s just a little too obvious for you, you can get in touch with nature (and check out some taxidermy) at the Museum of Vancouver, learn about asteroids at the Space Centre, or get fashionably punk-inspired seeing a Vivienne Westwood documentary.

Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Ongoing

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Friday June 29

Wild Things: The Power of Nature in Our Lives
Where: Museum of Vancouver
What: This exhibition delves into the life stories of local animals and plants—how they relate to each other and how they connect people to nature in the city. Scenic design, videos, taxidermy, crowd-sourcing technologies, and the display of natural specimens breathe life into these tales of co-habitation. The immersive nature of the exhibition, including hands-on activities, encourages visitors to examine their relationship with nature, think about momentarily disconnecting from their devices, and find equilibrium with the natural world around them.
Runs until: July 2019

Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: Since her part in igniting the punk movement with ex-partner and Sex Pistols’ manager Malcolm McLaren, Dame Vivienne Westwood has been redefining British fashion for over 40 years, and is responsible for creating many of the most distinctive looks of our time. The film blends archive, beautifully crafted reconstruction, and insightful interviews with Vivienne’s fascinating network of collaborators, guiding us on her journey from a childhood in postwar Derbyshire to the runways of Paris and Milan.
Runs until: Thursday July 5, 2018

Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre
What: Though Robert Plant has returned to the Welsh borders, he retains the sensibility—and the soul—of an itinerant troubadour. His diverse musical points of reference stand out like pins on a map, from Austin, Texas to Timbuktu, Mali.

Collective Soul
Where: The Commodore
What: If you remember 1993, you might remember Shine, Gel, and a myriad of other hits Collective Soul just got stuck in my head again.

Ganja Giri
Where: Just Dance Hall
What: From Australia, Ganja is a descendant of Truganini, from the Palawa people of Tasmania and mixes red natural elements with fat tribal beats and funky bass lines to create a unique tribal-technological dance experience.

Uada
Where:
What: Melodic black metal from Portland.

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Saturday June 30

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Asteroid Day
Where: MacMillan Space Centre
What: Asteroid Day is held on the anniversary of the largest recorded asteroid impact of Earth at Tunguska, Siberia in 1908. This global awareness campaign aims to educate the public about the nature and dangers of asteroids and protective methods for our planet.

Vance Joy
Where: Deer Lake Park
What: An Australian singer-songwriter and occasional ukulele strummer.

The Untold Story of Tom: A Tribute to Rush
Where: The Fox Cabaret
What: Listen to the story of a working man named Tom. Hidden within the messages and themes of the Rush songs you know and love, you’ll uncover Tom’s story as he works his way through life and hardship to become a modern day warrior and today’s Tom Sawyer.

Vancouver Canadians vs Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
Where: Nat Bailey Stadium
What: Take me out to the ballgame! Enjoy the footlong hotdogs, the peanuts, the sushi run? It is all there for you when you watch the local minor league Vancouver Canadians.

Trampled by Turtles
Where: Commodore Ballroom
What: An American bluegrass/folk-rock band from Duluth, Minnesota.

The Jerry Douglas Band
Where: The Vogue
What: Multi Grammy Award winning bluegrass.

Summer in the Forest
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: L’Arche is a centre for people with developmental disabilities created outside Paris in the 1960s by a Canadian-born former naval officer, Jean Vanier. Although Vanier (88) shares some of his life story, the documentary is not concerned with history so much as philosophy, and as much screen time is devoted to each of half a dozen inhabitants at L’Arche, many of whom have been there for decades.

International Sailor Moon Day
Where: Holiday Inn Vancouver Downtown
What: Explore three full rooms including Sailor Moon shows plus a vendor hall packed with artists and local businesses.

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Sunday July 1

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Canada Day at Canada Place
Where: Canada Place
What: Family activities, live music, food trucks, a citizenship ceremony, picnic areas, and of course – fireworks! It’s the largest Canada Day celebration outside of the nation’s capitol.

Canada Day Drumming Celebration
Where: Creekside Park
What: An attempt to set the Guinness World Record for “Most Nationalities in a Drum Circle.” This historic event will not only achieve a breaking record but will also symbolize the unity of Canada and the celebrate Canada’s birthday.

Canada Day on the North Shore
Where: Waterfront Park
What: Local performers (including fire jugglers and balloon artists), displays from our North Shore community members, games and activities for the whole family, multicultural food, free cupcakes, a bouncy castle and a 24’ high climbing wall.

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Colorado Rapids
Where: BC Place Stadium
What: Two teams with names that relate to what water can do on mountains go head to head to see which team is better at soccer today.

Mr. Eazi
Where: Venue
What: Nigerian Afro-beats.

Da-Bangg The Tour
Where: Pacific Coliseum
What: A live Bollywood show.

Canada Day on Robson
Where: Robson Street
What: Music, dancing, and shopping discounts.

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Ongoing

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Westwood: Punk, Icon, Activist
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: Since her part in igniting the punk movement with ex-partner and Sex Pistols’ manager Malcolm McLaren, Dame Vivienne Westwood has been redefining British fashion for over 40 years, and is responsible for creating many of the most distinctive looks of our time. The film blends archive, beautifully crafted reconstruction, and insightful interviews with Vivienne’s fascinating network of collaborators, guiding us on her journey from a childhood in postwar Derbyshire to the runways of Paris and Milan.
Runs until: Thursday July 5, 2018

Mamma Mia!
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: Based on the Songs of ABBA, an island paradise in Greece sets the stage for the ultimate feel-good show. A daughter’s quest to find her biological father before her wedding brings together three men from her mother’s past. Who will walk her down the aisle?
Runs until: Sunday July 22, 2018

Global Soundscapes Festival
Where: Various locations
What: This year the festival showcases the instruments and traditions of the Middle East with special guest soloists from Azerbaijan, Iran, and Montreal. They’ll perform with musicians from Vancouver’s vibrant world music scene in a series of concerts and other events.
Runs until: Wednesday June 27, 2018

Queer Arts Festival
Where: Roundhouse Community Centre
What: This annual festival, which also commemorates Pride in Art’s 20th year as an artist-led organization, features a boundary-pushing, dialogue-igniting array of artistic expression that raises the voices and articulates the experiences of diverse, creators.
Runs until: Thursday June 28, 2018

Playland Nights
Where: Playland
What: An adults-only night of exhilarating rides, carnival games, food, Playland-inspired cocktails, craft beer, virtual reality racing, burlesque shows, and axe-throwing while DJs spin and you wander the park – with no children.
Runs until: Friday July 27, 2018 (Fridays)

Once
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: A Dublin street musician is struggling through heartbreak and frustrated with his songs when he chances upon a girl who challenges him to go for his dream. With a company of actors who all play instruments onstage, this theatrically breathtaking musical is a captivating love song, a foot-stomping melody, and a bittersweet duet.
Runs until: Sunday July 29, 2018

Bark: A Closer Look
Where: VanDusen Gardens
What: Three artists emphasize the amazing textures, shapes and abstractions of a tree’s bark.
Runs until: Sunday July 29, 2018

Emily Carr in Dialogue with Mattie Gunterman
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: The work of two women artists practicing in British Columbia in the early twentieth century. This exhibition draws on the Vancouver Art Gallery’s deep holdings of Carr’s work to reflect her direct engagement with and great affection for British Columbia’s landscape. Like Carr, much of Gunterman’s oeuvre reflected her engagement with the wilderness around her which she documented with images of friends, campsites, trappers, prospectors, miners and the day to day of pioneer life.
Runs until: Monday September 3, 2018

Home Away from Home
Where: Bill Reid Gallery
What: In a new gallery space dedicated to highlighting community and emerging artists, this exhibit highlights stories of the Cultural Sharing Program at the Carnegie Community Centre as represented by the individuals who participate.
Runs until: Sunday September 9, 2018

David Milne: Modern Painting
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: David Milne (1882 – 1953) enjoyed a career that spanned half the twentieth century, taking him from the bustling cityscape of New York, to the battlefields of Northern France and Belgium, and back to the wilderness of the Canadian and US landscape. During his progression as a painter, he carved out a distinguished place among Canada’s most original artists.
Runs until: Sunday September 9, 2018

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival
Where: Vanier Park
What: What do you say to watching a live production of Macbeth, Timon of Athens, As You Like It or Lysistrata in a custom-built tent on the beach while sipping wine, beer, and munching on a picnic lunch themed to the play? Yes! Right? And don’t even get us started on the amazing costumes.
Runs until: Saturday September 22, 2018

Cabin Fever
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: This exhibition traces the tradition of the cabin in Canada and the United States—from the settlement of the frontier to depictions showing how this humble architectural form has been appropriated for its symbolic value and helped shape a larger cultural identity.
Runs until: Sunday September 30, 2018

Sea Snaps
Where: Vancouver Maritime Museum
What: A display of work by Maria Steernberg. This exhibition highlights the beauty of Vancouver’s maritime setting and our beautiful coast line through a series of themes; the working waterfront, cruising, nature and disaster.
Runs until: Sunday October 7, 2018

Mount Pleasant Farmers Market
Where: Dude Chilling Park
What: Vancouver’s easy-going Sunday market located on the east side of Dude Chilling Park – the gathering place for a diverse crowd of young families, artists, dog owners, and quirky neighbourhood personalities.
Runs until: Sunday October 7, 2018

Arts of Resistance: Politics and The Past in Latin America
Where: UBC Museum of Anthropology
What: This premiere exhibition illustrates how Latin American communities use traditional or historic art forms to express contemporary political realities. Featuring art and multi-sensory installations from Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Honduras, Ecuador and Chile, with special attention to marginalized communities.
Runs until: Monday October 8, 2018

Culture at the Centre
Where: UBC Museum of Anthropology
What: Five Indigenous-run cultural centres in BC will be showcased representing six communities: Musqueam Cultural Education and Resource Centre (Musqueam), Squamish-Lil’wat Cultural Centre (Squamish, Lil’wat), Heiltsuk Cultural Education Centre (Heiltsuk), Nisga’a Museum (Nisga’a), and Haida Gwaii Museum (Haida). Covering a wide geographic expanse from Vancouver to the Nass River Valley, this marks the first time the participating communities will come together to share their diverse cultures in one space.
Runs until: Monday October 8, 2018

Trout Lake Farmers Market
Where: Trout Lake
What: This is where you’ll find the vendors who have been doing it since the beginning; what started as 14 farmers ‘squatting’ at the Croatian Cultural Centre back in 1995 has grown into Vancouver’s most well-known and beloved market. Visitors come from near and far to sample artisan breads & preserves, stock up on free-range and organic eggs & meats, get the freshest, hard-to-find heirloom vegetables and taste the first Okanagan cherries and peaches of the season.
Runs until: Saturday October 20, 2018 (Saturdays)

Kitsilano Farmers Market
Where: Kitsilano Community Centre
What: At Kitsilano Farmers Market, shoppers will find a great selection of just-picked, seasonal fruits & vegetables, ethically raised and grass fed meat, eggs, & dairy, sustainable seafood, fresh baked bread & artisanal food, local beer, wine, & spirits, and handmade craft.
Runs until: Sunday October 21, 2018 (Sundays)

Riley Park Farmers’ Market
Where: Riley Park
What: 30+ vendors each week – a fresh selection of just-picked seasonal fruits & veggies, ethically-raised meats & sustainable seafood, artisanal bread & prepared foods, craft beer, wine, & spirits, handmade craft, and coffee & food trucks.
Runs until: Saturday October 27, 2018 (Saturdays)

Body Language: Reawakening Cultural Tattooing of the Northwest
Where: Bill Reid Gallery
What: Explore the rich history and artistry of Indigenous tattooing, piercing and personal adornment on the Northwest Coast. These five contemporary Indigenous artists are at the forefront of the revival of Indigenous tattooing in BC. They are reclaiming traditional techniques and traditional rights to be tattooed, and building awareness of the significance and protocols around the tattooing traditions.
Runs until: January 13, 2019

In a Different Light
Where: Museum of Anthropology
What: More than 110 historical Indigenous artworks and marks the return of many important works to British Columbia. These objects are amazing artistic achievements. Yet they also transcend the idea of ‘art’ or ‘artifact’. Through the voices of contemporary First Nations artists and community members, this exhibition reflects on the roles historical artworks have today. Featuring immersive storytelling and innovative design, it explores what we can learn from these works and how they relate to Indigenous peoples’ relationships to their lands.
Runs until: Spring 2019

Wild Things: The Power of Nature in Our Lives
Where: Museum of Vancouver
What: This exhibition delves into the life stories of local animals and plants—how they relate to each other and how they connect people to nature in the city. Scenic design, videos, taxidermy, crowd-sourcing technologies, and the display of natural specimens breathe life into these tales of co-habitation. The immersive nature of the exhibition, including hands-on activities, encourages visitors to examine their relationship with nature, think about momentarily disconnecting from their devices, and find equilibrium with the natural world around them.
Runs until: July 2019

What are you up to this weekend? Tell me and the rest of Vancouver in the comments below.

 

 

 

 

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