20 things to do in Vancouver this weekend: August 12 and 13

Summer is going by fast, so make the most of it with our weekend rundown of events! From Slide the City, Abbotsford International Airshow, Odlum Brown VanOpen and more, here are 20 things to do this weekend, Saturday, August 12, and Sunday, August 13, 2017.

For more things happening around town, check out our events section.

Saturday, August 12, 2017

Slide the City

Rachel-Ann Konetsova / Instagram

• What: Slide the City returns to Metro Vancouver for the third year. What started in 2015 as a one-day event that attracted 6,000 participants has grown into a two-day fest with the 1,000-ft-long slip-and-slide down Lonsdale in North Vancouver. Also expect food trucks, concerts, and vendors as Slide the City is part of North Vancouver’s Fun City Festival.
• When: August 12 and 13
• Where: Lonsdale Avenue at Keith Road, North Vancouver
• Tickets: Online. Starts at USD$30

Burnaby Blues + Roots Festival

• What: This nine-hour event showcases an eclectic variety of world-class music on three stages in the picturesque venue of Deer Lake Park. Featuring Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Sue Foley, Little Miss Higgins and more.
• When: August 12
• Time: 1 to 10 pm
• Where: Deer Lake Park Festival Lawn
• Tickets: Online, $65

Odlum Brown VanOpen

• What: The Odlum Brown VanOpen kicks off August 12 at the Hollyburn Country Club in West Vancouver. Part of the ATP Challenger Tour (for the men’s tournament) and ITF Pro Circuit (women’s tournament), the VanOpen features approximately 140 men and women from all over the world set to compete for $200,00o (USD) in prize money.
• When: August 12 to 20
• Where: Hollyburn Country Club – 950 Cross Creek Rd, West Vancouver
• Tickets: Online. Admission to men’s and women’s singles qualifying during the opening weekend on August 12 and 13 are free. Ticket prices range from $25 to $58 for the remainder of the tournament, with free admission offered to kids under 12 on Wednesday, August 16.

Blackout: Night Sky Festival – Museum of Anthropology

• What: At the peak of Perseid meteor shower season, Blackout: Night Sky Festival will see the MOA transform into an all-ages arts and astronomy celebration. The museum will remain open until midnight, as stargazers enjoy the night sky amidst Indigenous storytelling, special musical performances, and lantern making. To cap it off, local experimental artists will present an immersive, projected arts installation on constellations.
• When: August 12
• Where: Museum of Anthropology – 6393 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver
• Tickets: $10 at the door

Vancouver Mural Festival – 2017 Mount Pleasant Street Party

• What: Up to 100,000 people are expected to visit the area to view the completed murals and take in live art, music, markets. Highlights include Red Bull Tour Bus Stage with Yukon Blonde and Louise Burns, Alleyway Oasis featuring City Disco and Treasures & Travels Market, DIY T-Shirt tie-dye + upcycle jam, VMF FLASH Tattoo Pop-Up, Craft Beer Garden by Vancouver Craft Beer Week, The East Van Bazaar, Holden Courage Memorial Graffiti Jam + VMF 2017 – 4 Elements of Hip Hop parking lot party by Vancouver Street Dance Festival.
• When: August 12
• Time: 12 to 6 pm
• Where: 10 blocks in Mount Pleasant closed to traffic including Main St between E 12th & E 7th Ave. and the alley between Main + Quebec St.
• Admission: Free

Kaleidoscope Arts Festival

• What: Bif Naked headlines this full-day arts festival at Town Centre Park. The musical lineup also features Jennifer Hayes, West My Friend, Derrival, The Paperboys and BreakOut West and 2017 nominees for Rock Artist of the Year, The Matinée. Other festival highlights include dancers, circus performers, storytellers, artists, an artisans market, kids’ activities, local food trucks and craft beer.
• When: August 12
• Time: 2 to 10 pm
• Where: Town Centre Park, 1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam
• Cost: Free

The Night – 604 Weekend 2017

• What: The 604WEEKEND is hosting a series of events throughout Metro Vancouver this weekend, bringing athletes, artists, and influencers of all industries together, to collaborate and network in the city. The first event – ‘The Night‘ – has local DJs spinning tracks until the early hours of the morning while you meet local and international social superstars like Neels Visser, Cindy Kimberly, Anastasia Karanikolaou and Kyra Santoro.
• When: August 12
• Time: 10 pm
• Where: Cabana Lounge – 1159 Granville Street, Vancouver
• Tickets: $40 – Tickets available via Eventbrite

Salish Sea Slam- Men’s Roller Derby Association North American Qualifier

• What: The Salish Sea Slam is the inaugural MRDA North American Qualifier Tournament, co-hosted by the Vancouver Murder, Mainland Misfits, and the MRDA. Seven teams from Canada and the USA will be competing for the last two spots at the 2017 MRDA World Championships in Cardiff, Wales.
• When: August 12 and 13
• Where: Richmond Olympic Oval – 6111 River Road, Richmond
• Tickets: Online, $10-$35. 12 and under Free

lululemon SeaWheeze Half Marathon and Sunset Festival 2017

Runners get ready for a previous SeaWheeze Half-Marathon in Vancouver. (SeaWheeze lululemon Half Marathon/Facebook)

• What: The weekend of yoga, running, beers, and live music will take place in and around Vancouver’s beautiful Stanley Park. A yoga lesson will be led by lululemon ambassador Goldie Graham, and runners of the half marathon will wind their way through a 21 km stretch featuring Gastown, Kitsilano, and the Stanley Park seawall before reaching the finish line in Coal Harbour.
• When: August 12
• Time: Half marathon begins at 7 am, Sunset Festival gates open at 4:30 pm, with yoga at 6 and concerts beginning at 7:30. A full schedule can be found here.
• Where: Saturday’s half marathon will span all around Downtown Vancouver, and the Sunset Festival will be at Brockton Fields in Stanley Park – 1151 Stanley Park Dr, Vancouver
• Tickets: $45 for the Sunset Festival, available at Eventbrite

Trout Lake Farmers’ Market

• What: This farmers’ market began back in 1995 and became the cornerstone of the Vancouver Farmers’ Market collective of markets. One of the most popular of the markets, Trout Lake has food trucks on site and a variety of vendors selling all manner of food stuffs.
• When: Every Saturday until October 21
• Time: 9 am to 2 pm
• Where: Lakewood Drive and 13th Avenue, East Vancouver
• Admission: Free

Sunday, August 13, 2017

2017 Abbotsford International Airshow

abbotsfordairshow.com

• What: The 55th annual Abbotsford International Airshow features dozens of aerobatic and static aircraft, interactive displays, kids zone, camping, a Brew North Strong Beer Festival, and non-stop fun.
• When: August 11 to 13
• Where: Abbotsford International Airport
• Tickets: Online

Vancouver Chinatown Festival

• What: A celebration of the area’s heritage and culture, with tea ceremonies, calligraphy demonstrations and a Hong Kong-style outdoor bazaar. Festival activities include a day market, multicultural stage performances, TD Canadian Talent Showdown, and Streetfest.
• When: August 12 and 13
• Time: Noon to 6 pm
• Where: Chinatown – Columbia and Keefer streets, Vancouver
• Cost: Free

African Soccer & Cultural Festival

• What: An annual soccer tournament, showcasing a variety of talented players from many ethnic backgrounds and ages from Canada and around the world. Plus, enjoy a cultural festival between matches.
• When: Now to Sunday, August 13
• Time: 9 am to 9 pm
• Where: Burnaby Lake Sports Complex East – 3677 Kensington Avenue, Burnaby
• Admission: Free

Vancouver Stand Up Comedy Wildfire Relief Show

• What: Some of BC’s finest comedians join forces for a night of amazing comedy in aid of the people and animals who have been effected by the terrible wildfires. Featuring Simon King, Ivan Decker, Kathleen McGee, Tim Nutt, Dino Archie, Kevin Foxx, Justin Nichol and more.
• When: August 13
• Time: 8 pm
• Where: Yuk Yuk’s Vancouver – 2837 Cambie Street, Vancouver
• Tickets: Online, $20

New West Cultural Crawl

• What: This free two day event showcases the best of New West’s artistic talent presented all throughout the city. Make a day—or weekend—of it by walking from gallery to gallery at some of the city’s most historical venues.
• When: August 12 to 13
• Where: Various neighbourhoods of New Westminster, including Sapperton, Downtown, Uptown, West End, and Queensborough.
• Cost: Free

The Pop-Up – 604 Weekend 2017

• What: Day two of the 604WEEKEND kicks off with a luxury streetwear pop-up by LA designer Daniel Patrick at the Waterfall Building near Granville Island. This will be the first ever Daniel Patrick Canadian in-store experience where you’ll get to shop limited stocks of both mens and womenswear apparel.
• When: August 13
• Time: 11 am to 5 pm
• Where: The Waterfall Building – 1540 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver
• Price: Free

One Love Westcoast Festival

• What: Featuring Afro/Latin and Reggae culture, music and communities, this all-ages family event will showcase live fusion bands and international talent, alongside a tasty food fair and marketplace.
• When: Saturday, August 12 to Sunday, August 13
• Time: Starts at 11 am on Saturday, ends at 8 pm on Sunday
• Where: Swangard Stadium – 3883 Imperial Street, Burnaby
• Tickets: Online, $20-$50, children 12 and under free

The Dining Room by AR Gurney

• What: The Rogues annual Performance Intensive presents The Dining Room, a brilliantly conceived and richly humorous play. The all-female cast portrays a wide array of diverse characters in a a theatrical experience of compassionate humor and abundant humanity.
• When: August 12 and 13
• Time: 8 pm (Saturday), 2 pm and 8 pm (Sunday)
• Where: Rogues West Actors Studio – #400-1026 Davie Street, Vancouver
• Tickets: At the door, $15

Ladner Village Market

• What: 2017 marks the 21st season for the Ladner Village Market, which takes over the heart of Ladner Village on select Sundays in the summertime. It’s a phenomenal market, with live music, tons of vendors, and much to see and taste.
• When: August 13
• Time: 10 am to 4 pm
• Where: 5028 48th Avenue (between Delta and Elliott Streets) in Ladner Village
• Admission: Free

Social Sundays at VanDusen – Coldwater Road

(fred goldstein/Shutterstock)

• What: Pack a blanket and bring your friends to VanDusen Botanical Garden for Social Sundays this August. Coldwater Road, signature cocktails, and lawn games will get you grooving on Sunday afternoon. All ages event, but ID is required for liquor purchase. 
• When: August 13
• Time: 3 to 5:30 pm
• Where: VanDusen Botanical Garden – 5251 Oak Street, Vancouver
• Cost: Free with regular garden admission