10 Highly Recommended Vancouver Events to Check Out This Spring, From a Said the Whale Anniversary Show to a France-Forward Wine Fest

IN THE MIX: Vancouver Cocktail Week

WHEN March 1 to 8
WHERE Various venues
COST Varies
Raise your glass at this weeklong celebration of mixology featuring neighbourhood cocktail crawls, brunch and other high-spirited events.

CORK IT OUT: Vancouver International Wine Festival

WHEN March 7 to 14
WHERE Various venues
COST Varies
Bonjour, bottles—the theme country for this fest’s 47th year is France. Wine dinners, seminars and tastings galore will focus on rosé (yes way).

BEAT THAT: B-Boy Chamber Music

WHEN March 8
WHERE Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
COST From $10
This daring, dynamic show combines violin, viola, cello, beatboxing and breakdancing: the Vancouver-based Infinitus Trio is something you have to see (and hear) to believe.

STAR FISH: SpongeBob Adults Only Eastside Sisters Drag Musical

WHEN March 13
WHERE Royal Canadian Legion Branch 179
COST From $12
Are ya ready, kids? Too bad: this unsanctioned 19-plus musical parody of Spongebob Squarepants promises deep sea dirty jokes.

BAD BELLE: Wildwoman

WHEN March 26 to April 4
WHERE Gateway Theatre (Richmond)
COST From $37
Beauty and the Beast and this play were based on the same true story, but expect less singing furniture and more rebellious female energy from Canadian playwright Kat Sandler.

KILLER SHOW: Canadian Psycho

WHEN March 31 to April 12
WHERE Firehall Arts Centre
COST From $32
Marlene Ginader’s fatalistic (and funny) one-woman show takes a stab at our culture’s questionable obsession with true crime.

GOLDEN AGE: Kimberly Akimbo

WHEN April 2 to May 3
WHERE The Arts Club’s Stanley BFL Canada Stage
COST From $29
This Tony-award winning musical comedy is about a teenage girl that has a condition that makes her look like an old woman.

AWESOME BLOSSOMS: Sakura Days Japan Fair

WHEN April 11 and 12
WHERE VanDusen Botanical Garden
COST $26 for adults
Dig in to taiko drumming, tea ceremonies, ikebana (flower arranging) workshops and more against the pretty-in-pink backdrop of Japanese cherry blossoms.

SPLISH SPLASH: Said the Whale’s 20th Anniversary Tour

WHEN April 11
WHERE Hollywood Theatre
COST $54
Our very own homegrown indie band is celebrating two decades of music, and the tour appropriately kicks off in Vancouver.

NO NONSENSE: Zarna Garg’s Million Dollar Excuses

WHEN April 19
WHERE Vogue Theatre
COST From $62
We dare you to take your mother-in-law to this incredible Indian-American stand-up comedian with hot and hilarious takes on marriage and family (results may vary).