Vancouver Magazine
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April’s Best Food Events in Vancouver—Where to Dine This Month
EatWild Asks a Big Question: Is Hunting the Most Ethical Thing a Meat Eater Can Do?
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Hit These Hot Happy Hours Before March is Over
Capture Photography Festival Returns to Vancouver
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5 Reasons to Visit Osoyoos This Spring
Indulge in a Taste of French Polynesia
Beyond the Beach: The Islands of Tahiti Are an Adventurer’s Dream
Real Weddings: This Vancouver Cemetery Is a Surprisingly Chic Wedding Venue
The Haul: Nettwerk Music Co-Founder Mark Jowett’s Magic Pen and Favourite Japanese Sneakers
15 Small, Independent Vancouver Brands to Shop Instead of the Shein Pop-Up
Heat up your summer plans with this hit list of sizzling to-dos.
WHEN July 3 and 4
WHERE The Orpheum
COST From $21
Join the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra for a magical evening with Shrek and friends—perfect for families, nostalgia-seeking millennials and Gen-Zers into Shrek raves.
WHEN July 4
WHERE Rogers Arena
COST $104
Get your freak on with rap matriarch Missy Elliott alongside special guests Ciara, Busta Rhymes and Timbaland. This is set to be the biggest summer dance-a-thon of the year, so we suggest you start stretching now.
WHEN July 6
WHERE PNE Grounds
COST From $65
Gear up for a festival dedicated to everything you love—except all your ex-boyfriends, who will also probably be there.
WHEN July 5 to 18
WHERE Jonathan Rogers Park
COST From $17
Sizzle into summer with Latin beats, treats and VIP vibes at Carnaval del Sol. DJ kickoff? Check. Flamenco night? July 11. Soccer tournament? July 12 and 13. It’s fiesta o’clock all summer long.
WHEN July 7
COST From $55
Grab your Stetson and don your tightest Wranglers for the next best thing to the Calgary Stampede (but with just as much whiskey).
WHEN July 18
WHERE The Hollywood Theatre
COST From $42
Becky Hill, the powerhouse from The Voice UK, is set to energize Vancouver with her infectious electro-pop beats. Get ready for a night where the dance floor feels just like home (but don’t forget to leave after).
WHEN July 19
WHERE Plaza of Nations Marina
COST $78
Set sail on this DJ’d boat bash pitting the ’90s against the ’00s. Whether you’re Team Spice Girls or Team Britney, this throwback dance party on the open seas is sure to float your boat.
WHEN July 19 to 21
WHERE iy’a’l’mexw Jericho Beach Park
COST From $200
Globetrotters: Stay home and let your ears do the travelling. From Appalachian banjos to zesty zithers, this fest features over 40 acts from more than a dozen countries—way cheaper than airfare.
WHEN July 28
COST $55
It’s like a garden soirée met a dance floor and decided to throw the most charming party of the summer—and it’s the perfect excuse to wear your floral-est frock.
WHEN July 27
COST From $30
Tacos and cocktails come together for an all-day happy hour offering up over 250 drinks, a DJ and even an on-site liquor store so you can step up and host the after-after party.
WHEN July 29
WHERE Queen Elizabeth Theatre
COST From $51
The early 2000s called—the Decemberists are back! With their new album, As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again, these indie rock literati (yep, the pre-TikTok sea shanty trendsetters) are set to reignite millennial nostalgia.
WHEN July 30
COST From $226
Come away with Norah Jones and special guests Hurray for the Riff Raff for a night of soothing serenades—like auditory melatonin, but the only side effect is good times.
WHEN August 1
WHERE The Pearl
COST $20
Plunge into psychedelic rock with JJUUJJUU, helmed by the bearded, L.A.-based Phil Pirrone and his eclectic crew. Spend the evening swaying trippily in your baggiest poncho.
WHEN August 2
WHERE Commodore Ballroom
COST From $54
Ain’t no party like a queer as funk party because a queer as funk party has pride (and dancing into the wee hours of the morning).
WHEN August 3
WHERE The Rio Theatre
COST From $40
Calling all John Waters fans, Divine devotees and cult movie lovers: don’t miss this night of cult cinema, scandalous stories and endless glitter.
WHERE West 3rd Avenue and Ontario Street
COST From $23
Featuring DJs Shaun J. Wright and Sappho, an industrial laneway turns into a rainbow-hued dance floor for a day of pride partying and dancing in the streets.
WHEN August 11
WHERE Orpheum Theatre
COST From $62
Her new album, All Born Screaming, is out now, and the U.S. guitar great and indie darling is coming to remind everyone that she is way cooler than us and that’s okay.
WHEN August 15
WHERE Water Street
COST Free
On Gastown’s iconic Water Street, local food stalls line the cobblestones and the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra fills the air with enchanting sounds—plus the occasional chime from a certain steam clock!
WHEN August 16
COST From $68
Join the entirety of Vancouver’s indie music scene to worship at the altar of their beloved moody melody maker, Waxahatchee—fresh off her latest album, Tigers Blood.
WHEN August 18
WHERE The Vogue Theatre
This unique podcast-turned-TV show is coming to town, bringing hilarious character-based improv silliness (and probably Paul F. Tompkins).
WHEN August 27
Dust off those bell-bottoms (they might be cool again) for a blast-from-the-past dance party at the PNE. Come for the funk and soul hits, stay for The Beast—with full access to the fairgrounds.
Kerri Donaldson is an assistant editor for Vancouver magazine (and sister mag Western Living) and covers arts and culture, including VanMag’s So Fun City. She’s also a comedian and will proudly overthink almost everything for your benefit. Send her pitches or riff bits at [email protected]
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