7 things to do in Vancouver today: Thursday, August 17

Make your Thursday a terrific one with our rundown of seven must-see events happening in Vancouver: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Waterfront Cinema, and more.

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

Toni Onley: The Eloquence Experience

• What: Eloquence is a retrospective exhibition that will include over 30 works of art from esteemed artist Toni Onley. Taken from the private collections of four local collectors, it is a rare chance to view and purchase many previously unseen works from one of BC’s most prominent artists.
• When: August 17 to September 9. Opening Reception on August 19 from 1 to 5 pm
• Time: 12 to 5 pm. (Closed Sundays, public holiday and August 26)
• Where: Visual Space Gallery – 3352 Dunbar Street, Vancouver
• Admission: Free

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

• What: As pioneers of heartland rock in the late-70s, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers treating fans to their classic songs about working class issues and everyday American life with a passion and flair that belie their years.
• When: August 17
• Time: Doors at 6:30 pm / Show at 7:30 pm
• Where: Rogers Arena – 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver
• Tickets: On Ticketmaster, $40-$175

4×4 | Four Bands for Four Bucks

• What: Do604 and the Fox Cabaret presents Pet Blessings, Revered, Stal Kingsley, Puritans in a showcase.
• When: August 17
• Time: 8 pm
• Where: Fox Cabaret – 2321 Main Street, Vancouver
• Admission: $4

Eclipse: Total Alignment – Curiosity Collider

• What: Set a few days before the solar eclipse, Total Alignment blends arts and science in a cosmic celebration of our relationship with the sky above. For one night only, the production will take place in the Planetarium before and after the Centre’s evening shows (included in ticket purchase). Various multimedia performances will be a “sensory exploration” of the momentary darkness created by the perfect alignment of sun, earth, and moon.
• When: August 17
• Time:  6:30 to 10 pm
• Where: H.R. MacMillan Space Centre – 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver
• Tickets: At Eventbrite; $25-$30

Wheel Slam – Tricycle Poetics

• What: The first-ever Wheel Slam features impromptu poem and a potential Tricycle Wheel Haiku Death Match, with audience applause deciding who is victorious.
• When: August 17
• Time: 7 to 9:30 pm
• Where: Roundhouse Community Centre – 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver
• Admission: Free

Waterfront Cinema at Canada Place – Miss Congeniality

• What: A large inflatable screen will pop up at Canada Place, creating the perfect environment to take in Miss Congeniality under the stars with the North Shore mountains in the background. To give your night two thumbs up, do yourself a favour and bring a lawn chair (or you’ll be sitting on the hard ground) and blankets (it gets cold). And keep in mind that this is a family-friend event – smoking or alcohol is not permitted.
• When: August 17
• Start: Dusk
• Where: North Point of Canada Place
• Admission: Free

Taxi Stories – Vancouver Queer Film Festival

• What: Filmed in three different countries and featuring a cast of mostly non-actors, Taxi Stories is one of the most ambitious projects playing at the VQFF. Taxi Stories follows the fictional lives of a closeted cabbie in Beijing, a pregnant trophy wife in Hong Kong, and a poor pedi-cab driver in Jakarta. What happens when their lives intersect? Writer-director Doris Yeung will be on hand to say.
• When: August 17 and August 19
• Time: 9 pm (Thursday) and 4:30 pm (Saturday)
• Where: SFU’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts
• Tickets: Online, $8-$12