The last weekend of July has arrived! Make the most of it with our list of exciting events to check out around the city, including the Honda Celebration of Light, Family FUSE Weekend at Vancouver Art Gallery and more!
Here is our rundown of 20 things to do this weekend, Saturday, July 29, and Sunday, July 30, 2017.
For more things happening around town, check out our events section.
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Honda Celebration of Light 2017
Image: Meimento / Facebook
- What: A blaze of fireworks will shower over English Bay in downtown Vancouver this summer over a trio of nights for the 2017 Honda Celebration of Light fireworks competition. The participating countries for the festival’s 27th year are Japan (Saturday, July 29), United Kingdom (Wednesday, August 2), and Canada (Saturday, August 5).
- When: Saturday, July 29: Japan, represented by AKARIYA Fireworks; Wednesday, August 2: United Kingdom, represented by Jubilee Fireworks; Saturday, August 5: Canada, represented by Royal Pyrotechnie
- Time: 10 to 10:28 pm (28-minute duration each night). Rain or shine. Music simulcast on radio station LG 104.3 FM.
- Where: English Bay, Vancouver
- Cost: Free
Métis Celebration
- What: Join Métis Nation of BC to celebrate Canada’s vibrant Métis culture. Enjoy presentations on Métis traditional plant use and history in BC, take in a lively jigging performance, sample bannock bread and spruce tip water, and more.
- When: July 29
- Time: 1 to 4 pm
- Where: Surrey Museum – 17710 56a Avenue, Surrey
- Cost: By donation
Drai’s Beach Club Pool Party
- What: Vancouver’s only rooftop pool deck includes multiple pool areas and state of the art sound to enjoy while partying all day at the Beach Club.
- When: July 29
- Time: 2 to 7 pm
- Where: Drai’s Beach Club – 3rd Floor – 1161 West Georgia Street,
Vancouver - Tickets: Online, $20
South Surrey Community Festival
- What: Come have fun at South Surrey’s Community Festival. There will be lots to enjoy including live entertainment, children’s play zone, local vendors, prizes and more.
- When: July 29
- Time: 11 am to 3 pm
- Where: South Surrey Recreation & Arts Centre – 14601 20 Avenue, Surrey
- Cost: Free
The 24 Carrot Show! Fou Fou Ha featuring Fou York
- What: The internationally renowned Fou Fou Ha troupe is bringing an all-star clown squad to The Rio Theatre on Friday and Saturday night. The 24 Carrot Show! features dance, comedy, contests, burlesque, break-dancing and more.
- When: July 29
- Time: 8 pm
- Where: Rio Theatre – 1660 East Broadway, Vancouver
- Tickets: Online, $25
Storytime with Mary Poppins
- What: In celebration of the 2017 production of Mary Poppins, running July 7 – August 19 at Stanley Park’s Malkin Bowl, TUTS offers boys and girls an opportunity to meet the star, Mary Poppins – played by Ranae Miller – who will read from the Disney storybook, sign autographs and take photos with young fans. Families in attendance will be entered to win a ‘Jolly Holiday with Mary’ prize pack, including four tickets to Mary Poppins at TUTS, and other gifts!
- When: July 29
- Time: 11 am
- Where: Indigo Broadway & Granville – 2505 Granville Street, Vancouver
- Cost: Free. RSVP Online
Night Nation Run Vancouver
- What: The Night Nation Run is the world’s 1st Running Music Festival. A 5 km musical voyage filled with live music, lights, lasers, and celebration for the lover of Electronic Dance Music. Run, walk, skip or dance your way through this electrifying adventure with music carrying you every step.
- When: July 29
- Time: 5 pm gates open
- Where: Pacific National Exhibition – 2901 East Hastings Street, Vancouver
- Registration: Online
Columbia StrEAT Food Truck Festival
Photo courtesy Downtown New West BIA
- What: Get your tummies ready to rumble: New Westminster’s 5th Annual Columbia StrEAT Food Truck Fest is rolling into town this summer on Saturday, July 29, 2017. Presented by Save-On-Foods and organized by the Downtown New West BIA, this popular event brings together some of the region’s most beloved food trucks along with scores of other vendors, and this year Columbia StrEAT Food Truck Fest will once again be the biggest one-day food truck fest Canada-wide.
- When: July 29
- Time: 4 to 10 pm
- Where: Columbia Street in Downtown New Westminster
- Cost: Free
So there I was high
- What: A night of unbelievable stories with Kathleen McGee, Jonny Paul, Jenny Toews, Devin Alexander, Darcy Boon Collins, James Kennedy and Efthimios Nasiopoulos. MCed by Karl Sullivan.
- Where: The Biltmore Cabaret – 2755 Prince Edward Street, Vancouver
- When: July 29 at 8 pm
- Tickets: $10
Sanctuary Benefit Concert
- What: A night of community, inspirational music, and messages of inclusion, hope, and love. Performers include award-winning gospel singers Marcus Mosely (BC Entertainment Hall of Fame inductee), The Marcus Mosely Chorale, and Vancouver’s own Universal Gospel Choir directed by Lonnie Delisle, with a backing band. Funds raised will go to Vancouver-based Foundation of Hope and to Affirm United.
- When: July 29
- Time: 7:30 pm
- Where: St. Andrew’s Wesley United Church – 1022 Nelson St, Vancouver
- Admission: By donation
Sunday, July 30, 2017
The Drum Is Calling Festival
Buffy Sainte-Marie/The Drum is Calling Festival
- What: Each day of the festival zone will carry a unique theme with varying programming and events to provide attendees with a new experience daily. There will be carving and weaving exhibitions, dance, sports tournaments in adjacent streets, workshops, crafts, vendors and food, and live music performances on stages, including headliners Chantal Kreviazuk, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Crystal Shawanda, William Prince, Shane Koyczan, DJ Shub, and George Leach.
- When: Now to July 30, 2017
- Time: 1 to 10 pm (with some exceptions)
- Where: Larwill Park – 688 Cambie Street, Vancouver
- Cost: Free
Caribbean Days
- What: A weekend of tropical rhythms and cuisine organized by the Trinidad & Tobago Cultural Society of BC. The north side of Waterfront Park has a food concession area and a large beverage garden. Enjoy spicy Caribbean food as well as other international fare, then relax with an ice-cold drink in the hot sun. On the south side, there is an outdoor music festival. Dancers and other performers entertain while bands play Reggae, Calypso, Latin and other international sounds to a large crowd. There is a Family Zone with face painting, a children’s playground and other activities.
- When: July 29 and 30
- Time: 11 am to 7 pm. Parade on Saturday starts at 10 am
- Where: Waterfront Park – Lonsdale Quay, North Vancouver
- Cost: Free
Chilliwack BBQ and Corn Fest
- What: Enjoy everything from food to local brews and wine, live music, and even face painting. No matter what your barbecue preferences are, you’ll be able to find something to satisfy your tastebuds at the festival, cooked up by Rusty Johnson. Bite into everything from finger lickin’ baby back ribs to organic chicken tenders, pulled pork sandwiches, fresh sockeye salmon, and Chilliwack corn on the cob. Ribs and chicken meals will be served up with beans, coleslaw, and buttered corn on the cob.
- When: July 29 and 30
- Time: 11 am to 8 pm
- Where: Prospera Centre – 45323 Hodgins Avenue, Chilliwack
- Admission: Free
The Chosen Food: Pastrami & Rye: Authentic New York Deli
- What: The Jewish Museum and Archives of BC’s The Chosen Food dinner series was created so guests could eat their way through the traditional meals of BC’s multicultural Jewish Community. Each event in this series will showcase a regional style of Jewish cuisine, this one is all about the differences between pastrami and its brisket cousins: Montreal smoked meat, New England corned beef, Southern US barbecue brisket, as well as Hong Kong and Korean traditional dishes. Patrons will discuss how this relatively cheap cut of meat came to hold cultural significance.
- When: July 30
- Time: 5 to 8 pm
- Where: The Jewish Museum and Archives of BC, 6184 Ash Street, Second Floor, Vancouver
- Tickets: $40; purchase via Eventbrite
The Morning AFTER : Hip-Hop Brunch Summer Luau
- What: Enjoy mimosas and brunch, plus entry into the afternoon Hip-Hop Bounce and 50/50 draw. Featuring DJs Stimulant J, Rashad Rawkus, J-Traxx, Floetic and Icy Touch.
- When: July 30
- Time: 12:30 to 6:30 pm
- Where: The Charles Bar – 136 W Cordova St, Vancouver
- Tickets: Online, $35
Family FUSE Weekend: Nature Concentrated
Image: Vancouver Art Gallery
- What: Enjoy Nature Concentrated as part of Vancouver Art Gallery’s fun all-age Family FUSE Weekend. It’s here that you’ll get to explore new ideas, hunt for different perspectives, and see a wide range of artistic styles with artists, dancers, musicians, performers and educators.
- When: July 29 to 30
- Time: 10 am to 5 pm
- Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
- Price: Free for kids under 12, free for gallery members, regular adult admission otherwise
Comedy at Big Rock feat. Kevin Banner!
- What: They’re back at it with an outstanding lineup of the funniest stand-up comics in the West. Kevin Banner headlines this month’s show with the best pros and up and comers including Jackie Hoffart, KC Novak, Maddy Kelly, Gavin Matts and Sam Tonning. Hosting the event is Big Rock Comedy’s very own Justin O’Hearn.
- When: July 30
- Time: 8 to 10 pm
- Where: Big Rock Urban Brewery & Eatery – 310 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver
- Tickets: Online, $10
Anime Evolution 2017
- What: Anime Evolution features anime programming, artist and vendors, a maid cafe, and Japanese fandom-ed events.
- Dates: July 30
- Time: 10 am to 7 pm
- Location: Vancouver Playhouse and QE Theatre
- Cost: Online, $15
Northwest Coast Fashion: Style in a Different Light
- What: Meet Autum Jules (Skaydu.U), Yolonda (Loni) Skelton and Meghann O’Brien – three Northwest Coast Indigenous fashion designers who are transforming the world of contemporary couture with inspired works that draw on their heritage. The designers will showcase recent works on live models and discuss their visions of Indigenous design. They will also share their perspectives on historical artworks featured in our new exhibition, In a Different Light: Reflecting on Northwest Coast Art.
- When: July 30
- Time: 2 to 3:30 pm
- Where: Museum of Anthropology – 6393 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver
- Cost: Free with admission
Reality Mix Up
- What: An interactive storytelling event using traditional cinema, 360 film, and virtual reality, featuring media from a diverse range of Canadian artists. Features a workshop on Aboriginal traditional painting from Heiltsuk artist Ben Houstie, as well as short films screening.
- When: July 30
- Time: 1 to 4 pm
- Where: John Braithwaite Community Centre – 145 West 1st Street, North Vancouver
- Tickets: Online, Free
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