It’s a weekend of well-dressed horse races, outdoor performance, an all-are-welcome sports day and a giant waterslide! There’s also some air conditioned options if you’d prefer the great, controlled indoors – such as Czech puppetry, a cartoon concert, theatre, comedy and of course many intriguing museum and gallery exhibitions.
Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Ongoing
Friday July 20
Kitsilano Showboat
Kitsilano Showboat
Where: Kitsilano Outdoor Pool
What: It’s a local outdoor variety show that is entirely volunteer run and has been a summer tradition since 1935. See the schedule, or even better – just go!
Runs until: Saturday August 18, 2018
Federale
Federale
Where: The Fox Cabaret
What: A night of musical spaghetti psychedelic western story telling accompanied by local psych stalwarts The Orange Kyte.
Us the Duo
Us the Duo
Where: The Vogue
What: Southern California folk-pop with singer/songwriters, husband and wife Michael and Carissa Rae Alvarado who gained fame through YouTube.
Eastside Outdoor Movie Night: Clueless
Where: 550 Malkin Ave
What: DJs, food trucks, and an outdoor movie.
King Princess
King Princess
Where: The Biltmore
What: A mellow pop singer-songwriter from Brooklyn, NY.
The Accountant of Auschwitz
The Accountant of Auschwitz
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: Should a man be punished for his actions as a youth after so much time has elapsed? To what end? This case was remarkable for several reasons: because it took place in his hometown in Germany, where he had lived a model civilian life. He was, as the cliche goes, “just following orders.” Because he did not himself kill anyone, many of his fellow citizens believed his actions were not criminal. But most remarkably of all, Groning himself was not so sure.
Runs until: Wednesday July 25, 2018
Saturday July 21
The Deighton Cup | Image by Jonathan Evans
The Deighton Cup
Where: Hastings Racecourse
What: Adorn yourself in your snazziest outfit topped with your biggest hat and head to a day at the horse races.
Exploring Shakespeare
Exploring Shakespeare
Where: Bard on the Beach
What: Simon Fraser University’s Paul Budra delivers in-depth explorations of this season’s play, Lysistrata. Go beyond the story and explore Shakespeare’s inspirations and influences, including a Q&A.
Fun City Festival Featuring a Giant Waterslide
Where: Victoria Park (Vancouver’s North Shore)
What: Slide the City and its 1,000 foot long water slide are at the park, along with food trucks, music and family activities.
Runs until: Sunday July 22, 2018
Red Hot Tropical Boat Cruise
Where: Harbour Cruises
What: Wear red and head out on the water for a night of mingling and dancing.
The Puppet Master: The Films of Jiří Trnka
Where: The Cinematheque
What: Revered as the pioneer of a remarkable new genre of animation that utilized puppets, Trnka conveyed the drama and psychology of his characters through his figures’ body language, expressive lighting, and camera movement. His approach to puppet film as a serious art form was born out of the lively Czech puppet-theatre tradition, which had played an important role in preserving the Czech language during centuries of Hapsburg rule.
Runs until: Thursday August 2, 2018
Forest Therapy
Forest Therapy
Where: Stanley Park
What: Vancouver’s first certified forest therapy guide will lead an exploration of the basics of “forest bathing” – a restorative practice inspired by the Japanese tradition of shinrin-yoku. Your guide will lead your through a series of “invitations” designed to calm our minds, by physically slowing down and connecting with your senses.
IQ Mania
Where: The Biltmore
What: Get a team together and test your trivia recall with a $1000 cash prize to jog your collective memories.
Liquid Labs
Liquid Labs
Where: H Tasting Lounge
What: Learn the art of crafting your own concoctions with H Tasting Lounge Premium Bartender, Dylan Williams. Use locally-foraged ingredients as you mix your way to mastery, with 4 curated cocktail recipes.
Critter Care Wildlife Society Open House
Critter Care Wildlife Society Open House
Where: Langley, BC
What: It’s the only time of year this wildlife rescue is open for viewing and your chance to see all the animals in care and learn about animal conservation. There will be children’s activities, Indigenous Carver & Story Teller Randy Tait, the Wildlife Rescue Helicopter, and performance by the West Coast Thunder Drill Team.
March on Pride
Where: Emery Barnes Park and Alexandra Park
What: This march to celebrate queer, trans and Two-Spirit people of colour begins and ends with performance and speakers at the two parks.
Cannabis Trade Show
Where: Pacific Coliseum
What: Over 500 suppliers from Canada, United States and Europe to come together and gain more investment opportunities in the growing Canadian cannabis industry.
Runs until: Sunday July 22, 2018
Sunday July 22
The Cartoony Concerto
The Cartoony Concerto
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: Curated by animation history teacher and film scholar Michael van den Bos, have fun with a medley of madcap musical cartoons produced in Hollywood and New York City during the first half of the 20th century. Each animated film in this program combines the looney with the tunes, featuring examples of classical music, opera, pop, jazz and even dizzy dance numbers, all performed by hand-drawn characters bigger-than-life projected on the big screen.
Pride Run & Walk & Pride Sports Day
Where: Second Beach
What: The main goal is to raise funds that go directly to our community beneficiaries, Out in Schools and the LOUD Foundation’s Pride Youth Scholarship Fund. The second goal is to have fun! After the run, play some sports and be entertained by performers, a beer garden, and a giant rainbow parachute – just like the one in elementary school.
Bombino
Bombino
Where: The Imperial
What: A Nigerien singer-songwriter and guitarist whose music is sung in Tamasheq and often address geopolitical concerns.
Brunch Affair
Where: The Pipe Shop
What: A celebration for every music loving, breakfast savvy, mimosa enthusiast. Celebrate and enjoy (probably?) your favourite meal of the day while enjoying some of the best views of Vancouver.
Ongoing
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
Fun City Festival Featuring a Giant Waterslide
Where: Victoria Park (Vancouver’s North Shore)
What: Slide the City and its 1,000 foot long water slide are at the park, along with food trucks, music and family activities.
Runs until: Sunday July 22, 2018
Cannabis Trade Show
Where: Pacific Coliseum
What: Over 500 suppliers from Canada, United States and Europe to come together and gain more investment opportunities in the growing Canadian cannabis industry.
Runs until: Sunday July 22, 2018
The Accountant of Auschwitz
The Accountant of Auschwitz
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: Should a man be punished for his actions as a youth after so much time has elapsed? To what end? This case was remarkable for several reasons: because it took place in his hometown in Germany, where he had lived a model civilian life. He was, as the cliche goes, “just following orders.” Because he did not himself kill anyone, many of his fellow citizens believed his actions were not criminal. But most remarkably of all, Groning himself was not so sure.
Runs until: Wednesday July 25, 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
Philippe Garrel: Definitions of Love
Where: The Cinematheque
What: Regarded in his native France as one of the most indispensable filmmakers of the post-New Wave generation, Philippe Garrel has, over the past 50 years, created an extraordinary body of impassioned, immensely personal work that has gone virtually unseen in North America.
Runs until: Monday July 30, 2018
The Puppet Master: The Films of Jiří Trnka
Where: The Cinematheque
What: Revered as the pioneer of a remarkable new genre of animation that utilized puppets, Trnka conveyed the drama and psychology of his characters through his figures’ body language, expressive lighting, and camera movement. His approach to puppet film as a serious art form was born out of the lively Czech puppet-theatre tradition, which had played an important role in preserving the Czech language during centuries of Hapsburg rule.
Runs until: Thursday August 2, 2018
Theatre Under the Stars
Theatre Under the Stars
Where: Stanley Park
What: Enjoy a delightful dose of family-friendly outdoor entertainment this summer with two Broadway musicals. Cinderella and 42nd Street will be performed live at the Malkin Bowl – a beloved Vancouver tradition since 1940.
Runs until: Saturday August 18th, 2018
Kitsilano Showboat
Kitsilano Showboat
Where: Kitsilano Outdoor Pool
What: It’s a local outdoor variety show that is entirely volunteer run and has been a summer tradition since 1935. See the schedule, or even better – just go!
Runs until: Saturday August 18, 2018
Mountain Music Series
Where: Grouse Mountain
What: Listen to music and meet other hikers, music-lovers and beer enthusiasts, or get a group of your buddies together to switch up your regular routine.
Runs until: Friday August 31, 2018 (Fridays)
Avocado Toast
Avocado Toast
Where: Vancouver Improv Centre
What: Vancouver is known internationally for its spectacular beauty, friendly citizens, and vibrant multicultural milieu. Beneath the glossy surface lies a complicated and eccentric city ripe for parody. In a series of vignettes, VTSL’s quick-witted improvisers lampoon such local stereotypes as our obsession with fitness (Grouse Grind and yoga, anyone?), quirky neighbourhoods (The Drive, Main St., Kits, Gastown), and foodie scene (coffee culture, craft breweries/distilleries, avocado toast).
Runs until: Saturday September 1, 2018
Emily Carr in Dialogue with Mattie Gunterman
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
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
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
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
BC Sports Hall of Fame All-Access
BC Sports Hall of Fame All-Access
Where: BC Place Stadium
What: Get behind the scenes of BC Place Stadium. Walk out onto the field, check out the team locker rooms, and even stroll through the premium lounges.
Runs until: Thursday August 30, 2018
Cabin Fever | Image from the Series “Ice Huts” by Richard Johnson (cropped)
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
Vancouver Farmers Market – Dude Chilling Park
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
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
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)
The Really Gay History Tour
Where: Downtown Vancouver
What: Guests will visit the sites of police raids, bookstore bombings, the “kiss-ins” of Granville Street, Imperial Court coronations, and the gayest beer parlour in town. It’s a 2.5 hour long adventure into the stories of a community that fought back against oppression, police brutality and media hate campaigns to make Vancouver today one of the most queer friendly cities in North America.
Runs until: Sunday October 28, 2018
Ayumi Goto and Peter Morin: How do you carry the land?
Ayumi Goto and Peter Morin: How do you carry the land?
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: This exhibition seeks to bridge the experiences of artists with diverse ancestries in dialogue. Long-time collaborators and friends, Goto and Morin, have created a performance art practice informed by their perspectives as a Japanese diasporic woman and Tahltan First Nations man.
Runs until: Sunday October 28, 2018
Kevin Schmidt: We Are the Robots
Kevin Schmidt: We Are the Robots
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: An exhibition of innovative installations on view both within and outside of the Gallery spotlighting British Columbia-based artist Kevin Schmidt, who draws on aspects of conceptual and performance art while embodying the DIY sensibilities of an amateur inventor.
Runs until: Sunday October 28, 2018
Body Language: Reawakening Cultural Tattooing of the Northwest
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
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
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
Making Waves: The Story and Legacy of Greenpeace
Where: Vancouver Maritime Museum
What: With humble beginnings in Vancouver, Greenpeace has grown into a large organization with offices in 40 countries. The NGO has protested numerous causes: whaling, deforestation, mining, genetic testing, and nuclear testing. Explore this exhibit that goes from their first voyage from Vancouver to Amchitka to protest Nuclear testing on an old fishing vessel to how cities, government, and industry today are developing new policies, technologies, and sustainable practices to ensure the preservation of our environment.
Runs until: September 9, 2019
What are you up to this weekend? Tell me and the rest of Vancouver in the comments below.
