The weekend is here, so get out and have some fun. Here are 20 things to do in Vancouver this weekend.

Saturday, July 23

Honda Celebration of Light 2016

• What: Vancouver’s pinnacle summer event, as fireworks galore are launched off a barge in English Bay. Of special note, the Walt Disney Company will produce this year’s display for the United States.
• Schedule and nations:
  • Saturday, July 23: Netherlands, represented by Royal Fireworks
  • Wednesday, July 27: Australia, represented by Howard’s Fireworks
  • Saturday, July 30: United States, represented by the Walt Disney Company
• Time: 10 to 10:25 pm (25-minute duration every night)
• Location: English Bay, Vancouver

Surrey Fusion Festival

• What: The ultimate celebration of music, food and culture, right in the heart of Surrey, with musical performances across six different stages, and 40 cultural pavilions offering culinary delights from all over the world.
• Where: Holland Park – 13428 Old Yale Road, Surrey
• When: July 23 to 24, from 10 am to 10 pm

Caribbean Days

• What: A weekend of tropical rhythms and cuisine organized by the Trinidad & Tobago Cultural Society of B.C.. The massive outdoor party includes a multicultural street parade, an island and international food fair and a sound stage to get you grooving to calypso beats.
• Where: Waterfront Park – Lonsdale Quay, North Vancouver
• When: July 23 to 24

Hiatus Music Festival 2016

• What: Hiatus is a boutique music and lifestyle festival that will be combining everyone’s favourite elements of The Waldorf Hotel and merging them into one amazing evening to remember.
• When: Saturday, July 23
• Where: Waldorf Hotel – 1489 E Hastings Street, Vancouver
• Tickets: Use Daily Hive Vancouver friends and family code “hiatusfriends” to get a discount on tickets bought online.

VanSplash Consultation

• What: Vancouver’s Park Board is holding a public consultation this weekend on how they can improve the city’s beaches and pools.
• When: Saturday, July 23; 11 am to 2 pm
• Where: Kitsilano Pool – 2305 Cornwall Avenue, Vancouver

Molly’s Comedy Cabaret

• What: Join XY for a 90-minute comedic romp featuring the power house vocals of local actress and singer Molly Wilson. From Broadway to pop to Motown, there is never a dull moment — and every show features a strong likelihood of puppetry.
• When: Saturday, July 23; 7 to 8:30 pm
• Where: XYYVR – 1216 Bute Street, Vancouver

Spirit Pride Gospel Benefit Concert for Orlando

• What: Sanctuary is a benefit concert for the survivors of the Pulse Nightclub shooting in Orlando and international LGBTQ Refugees, two LGBT communities who have suffered loss and violence because of who they are. Funds raised will go to the Pulse Victims Fund managed by Equality Florida, and to Vancouver-based Foundation of Hope, supporting service organizations that work directly with LGBT+ Refugees, Immigrants, Asylum seekers and Migrants.
• When: Saturday, July 23; 7 to 9 pm
• Where: St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church – 1022 Nelson Street, Vancouver

Crystal Castles

• What: Toronto-based experimental electronic band Crystal Castles are coming to the Commodore ballroom this Saturday.
• When: Saturday, July 23; 8 pm
• Where: Commodore Ballroom – 868 Granville Street, Vancouver

Fresh St. Market Salmon and Berry Festival

• What: Ambleside Fresh St. Market (1650 Marine Drive) and Fleetwood Fresh St. Market (15930 Fraser Highway) encourage the whole community to attend the annual Salmon and Berry Festival. On Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24 respectively, guests can enjoy an abundance of fresh-from-the-sea salmon, a savoury selection of berries, food demonstrations and more.
• Where: Fresh Street Market – 1650 Marine Drive, West Vancouver and 15930 Fraser Highway, Surrey
• When: Saturday, July 23 – 24; 11 am to 2 pm

Ultimate Car Show

• What: View gorgeous, exotic cars at the Ultimate Car Show at the Hard Rock Casino.
• Where: Hard Rock Casino – 2080 United Boulevard, Coquitlam
• When: Saturday, July 23; 10 am to 3 pm

Sunday, July 24

Sunday Afternoon Salsa

• What: Salsa dancing returns to Robson Square for the Summer 2016 season, offering free lessons, performances and social dancing. Swing by and check it out – it’s fun just to watch if you’re too scared to hit the dance floor!
• Where: Robson Square – 800 Robson Street, Vancouver
• When: Every Sunday in July and August; lessons at 3 pm, performances at 5 pm, social dancing all afternoon

Farmers’ Markets

Popular among chefs, home cooks, and local gastronomes, farmers’ markets have become an integral part of Vancouver’s food landscape. Not only do these community events grant local farmers, growers, and bakers the opportunity to connect with urban folk but they also provide them with a space to show off their seasonal favourites. Here’s a quick list of a few – for full details check our guide to Vancouver farmers’ markets.

• Granville Island Public Market
• Trout Lake Farmers’ Market
• West End Farmers’ Market
• Kitsilano Farmers’ Market
• Yaletown Farmers’ Market
• River District Farmers’ Market

Night Markets

In addition to a variety of farmers’ markets, the city and surrounding areas boast a collection of night markets that showcase the city’s best food trucks, bakers, and artisans. These night markets bring together communities for entertainment, shopping, and wonderful food:

• North Vancouver’s Shipyards Night Market
• Richmond Night Market
• Panda Market (International Summer Night Market) in Richmond

Granville Island

• What: One of the biggest attractions in Vancouver, Granville Island is a great place to go for free. Enjoy the hustle, bustle and bounty of the Public Market and marvel at the island’s unique arts and crafts, while enjoying the spectacle of street buskers.
• When: Granville Island Public Market is open seven days a week, from 9 am to 7 pm, most other retail stores are open seven days a week, from 10 am to 7 pm

The Sunday Service

• What: Whereas other successful improv troupes in Vancouver are comprised of dozens of performers, these guys opt to keep it simple – the Sunday Service is five top-notch performers that have been nationally recognized so many times they’ve lost count (just kidding, it’s 21). They perform every Sunday at the Fox Cabaret in Mount Pleasant and never fail to bring down the house, making it a popular spot for comedians and regular folk alike to take in a night of guaranteed laughs.
• Price: $7
• Time: Sundays at 9 pm
• Address: The Fox Cabaret – 2321 Main Street

Bog Secrets

• What: Discover the unique wetlands and bog around Beaver Lake on International Bog Day. Bring your rubber boots and join our Conservation Technician to see the animals and plants that depend on these productive areas. Learn what Stanley Park Ecology Society is doing to encourage the conservation of these fragile wetlands. This walk leaves from the Stanley Park Dining Pavilion.
• Where: Stanley Park Pavilion – 610 Pipeline Road, Stanley Park, Vancouver
• When: Sunday, July 24; 2 to 4 pm

The Sunset Series

• What: The City of Richmond is hosting aFREE summer Sunset Series.  Come watch the sun go down with family and friends every Sunday at the Olympic Riverside Plaza at the Richmond Olympic Oval.  The Sunset Series features live music, a free YYoga class, beach volleyball, and food trucks.
• Where: Richmond Olympic Oval – 6111 River Road, Richmond
• When: Sunday, July 24; 5 pm to midnight

Crab + Lobster Boil

• What: Raise a glass of YEW’s Summer Sangria and make new friends as hands reach across the table to dig in to the generous family style meal starring Lobster and Dungeness Crab. The three-course meal kicks off with a bright and flavourful Little Gem Lettuce Salad and features garden fresh sides including Steamed New Potatoes, Grilled Asparagus, Heirloom Tomato Confit and Green Butter Beans best enjoyed with Pastry Chef Mark’s Homemade Brioche and Warm Summer Fruit Pie.
• Where: YEW seafood + bar – 791 West Georgia Street, Vancouver
• When: Sunday, July 24; 6 pm

Do the Grouse Grind

Get your hiking legs ready, it’s time to tackle Mother Nature’s Stairmaster for another year. The Grouse Grind trail at Grouse Mountain is open for hiking from 6:15 am to 7 pm.

Swim in one of Vancouver’s outdoor pools

Take a dip in one of the city’s outdoor pools, including Vancouver’s largest salt water pool at Kitsilano Beach. Click here for our complete guide.