David Suzuki THE MEANING OF HOME
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From the Shadows STREET ARTIST: OXIDE GHOST TOWN IOCO LIME SCOOT BOYZ SPEAKEASIES
Vancouver Is Awesome sits down with David Suzuki to discuss home, family, a changing Vancouver and why the places we love are worth fighting for. At 90, the iconic environmentalist reflects on a lifetime shaped by the city. ANDY WHITE PHOTO
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he most impactful social movements in world history didn’t start that way. The same goes for our little big city of Vancouver. No, I’m not talking about tight yoga pants, or Carly Rae Jepsen’s hit single “Call Me Maybe.” I’m talking about counter-culture becoming culture — the underground going mainstream. It’s not a stretch to say Vancouver is the birthplace of modern environmentalism. In 1971, a small group called Greenpeace was founded here, which went on to become one of the most well-known activist organizations on the planet. Also in 1971, a charismatic scientist named David Suzuki launched a children’s show on CBC called Suzuki on Science. Eight years later, he began hosting The Nature of Things — a show that’s become synonymous with the man himself — which would advocate for a greater connection to the natural world, in nearly 50 countries. The longtime Vancouver resident and his pensive gaze graces this magazine’s cover, and his perspectives on home and love flow through stories in the pages that follow. A previously untold tale behind one of the city’s stalwart concert venues, The Rickshaw, also emerges in this magazine, tracing a line back to the history of rave culture. Once actively repressed, raves are now a draw to mainstream ticket buyers and sellers alike, even on the shores of some of our sleepiest municipalities. (I’m looking at you, West Van.) There’s also Oxide, the anonymous artist installing tiny metal figures around town under the cover of night, with their unmistakably human likenesses being revealed by daylight. So take this opportunity to uncover parts of Vancouver that you probably hadn’t seen before. Do that, and you might learn something about how the city ticks today. (Or at least you’ll have some local trivia to whip out at a party.)
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UNWRAP THE GIFT OF LIVE THEATRE! Book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin Music by Matthew Sklar Lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Based upon the New Line Cinema film written by David Berenbaum
NOV 12–DEC 27
Stanley BFL CANADA Stage FROM $39* Based upon the New Line Cinema film written by David Berenbaum Elf: The Musical is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI. www.mtishows.com OLIVER KADAR; COSTUME DESIGN BY CHRISTINE REIMER; HOTOGRAPHY BY TREVOR BRADY FOR THE ARTS CLUB THEATRE COMPANY, ELF: THE MUSICAL, 2026
Conceived and directed by Tracey Power A Musical TheatreWorks Production
Created by The Gingerbread Men
An Arts Club Presentation World Premiere
Adapted and directed by Andrew Phoenix and Kate Braidwood
Based on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens An Arts Club Presentation
NOV 26–DEC 27
DEC 2–DEC 27
Lindsay Family Stage at Granville Island FROM $29*
Olympic Village Stage at the BMO Theatre Centre FROM $29*
Lindsay Family Stage at Granville Island FROM $29*
An Arts Club Presentation
DEC 7, 14, 20 & 21
JONATHAN WINSBY, BRENNAN CUFF, JEFFREY VICTOR, AND BRANDYN EDDY, 2025; PHOTO BY MOONRIDER PRODUCTIONS
PHOTO BY KATE BRAIDWOOD
*Facility fees, services charges, and GST apply *Facility apply to all subscription and single ticket purchases. Terms and conditions apply—visit artsclub.com for details. Programming subject to change
Inside
24 ZESTY STUNTS Lime scooter gang goes viral
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DAVID SUZUKI On the meaning of home
EDITOR
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Nick Laba
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Elana Shepert, Brendan Kergin, Cassandra Anderton
EDITORIAL STAFF
POWER COUPLE Raine Maida & Chantal Kreviazuk
SALES Wali Adel, Tammy Berry, Alison Clay, Nayeli Garcia, Nathalie Longo, Ace Malicdem Chua GENERAL MANAGER Matt Blair DESIGN Birgit Brunner
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GHOST TOWN The (nearly) lost town of Ioco
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ANONYMOUS ARTIST Green metal people
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BEHIND THE DOOR Hidden bars and speakeasies
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HAPPENINGS Vancouver’s fall calendar
RAVES AT THE RICKSHAW The hidden history
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303 W 5th Ave, Vancouver, B.C. hello@vancouverisawesome.com vancouverisawesome.com
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“YOU GUYS DESIGNED A REALLY DURABLE PRODUCT THAT HANDLES ALL THE CRAZINESS OF VANCOUVER VERY WELL.” EVEREST HUGHES
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ZESTY STUNTS LIME SCOOTER GANG JUMPS INTO V I R A L VA N C O U V E R S P O T L I G H T
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-scooters are, apparently, very versatile vehicles.
The proof is on the street with Everest Hughes and the Lime Scoot Boyz, a group of around 20 local riders turning the basic e-scooters into stunt vehicles. “Basically, we do stunts and tricks on the Lime scooters and ride them in an unconventional
manner that has garnered us a lot of attention on social media,” says Hughes, who founded the group and is the main rider. Their recent stunts include jumping a staircase (and a human hot dog), off-roading down at Sunset Beach, and putting a couch on a pair of scooters and driving around — which a Vancouver Police Department officer spotted in real time. ❱❱
WORDS AND IMAGES: BRENDAN KERGIN
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“Shout out to the VPD. [The officer] asked how we did it,” Hughes says. “I told him: ‘Two Lime scooters and a Facebook Marketplace couch.’ And he said, ‘Hell yeah, that’s awesome. Stay safe.’ And I said, ‘You too.’ And then we scooted off into the distance on a couch in Mount Pleasant.” Hughes says that his interactions with police have generally been chill, and he’ll comply when they ask. The world of stunting on rental vehicles The Lime Scoot Boyz videos are getting lots of attention, with millions of views since launching last fall. And now they have a growing fan base, with more than 10,000 followers on Instagram (the only place they post), as Hughes and his group scoot around Vancouver.
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“One of my favourite things when I’m scooting alone is just to get like a random person to film me. And they’re usually pretty stoked and, quite funny people, you know, Vancouver, some characters,” Hughes says. With social media videos and small, cheap vehicle rentals both booming right now, there was bound to be a meeting of the two. For Hughes, he entered the world through New York’s City Bike Boys, an account that has over 200,000 followers. “City Bike’s obviously a huge inspiration,” says Hughes. “They kind of pioneered the whole stunting on rental vehicles.” In Vancouver, there’s a similar group,
the Mobi Bike Boyz, who did tricks around town on Mobi bikes. Founding the Lime Scoot Boyz Hughes and his friends are into extreme sports (freestyle skiing, skateboards and similar activities). At the same time, Hughes has a media business where he shoots and edits video, which is how the Lime Scoot Boyz were founded. He was out with a friend at a skate park shooting footage when a couple of guys showed up on scooters, so he shot video of them. When he couldn’t get in contact with them, he posted it under the Lime Scoot Boyz. Since the account now existed, Hughes decided to have some fun with it. “We filmed an edit of me and my friend faking
“THEY’RE VERY FUN TO RIDE.” EVEREST HUGHES
a robbery at the Louvre, because they got away on scooters,” he says. Given his and his friends’ skills in other sports, they started playing around with what could be done on scooters. At the same time, Hughes’s bike was stolen last October, as Lime scooters entered more neighbourhoods. The timing meant he was using the scooters even more. “They’re very fun to ride. They’re faster than driving, way faster because Vancouver’s traffic is quite bad. And then, you know, you can go around the seawall, get some nice views, feel the breeze in your hair,” Hughes explains. Does Lime care how its scooters are being used? Months after starting Lime Scoot Boyz, there’s been no direct contact with Lime, the company that owns the e-vehicles. “If anyone from Lime reads this, I would love to know your stance on what we’re doing, first of all,” says Hughes. “Second of all, I’d love it if you could make me a modified scooter that I could use.” A lighter model with a bit more speed would be good, he explains. That said, he’s impressed with the scooters. “They hold up incredibly well. And like
shout out to Lime. You guys designed a really durable product that handles all the craziness of Vancouver very well,” Hughes says. While Lime doesn’t officially keep tabs on the group, the company may be aware of them. “Some of Lime’s employees, I have DM’d with them and they enjoy what we’re doing,” Hughes says. “A good handful of people who work for Lime do follow me.” That said, Hughes’s first Lime account got banned by the company after one driver reported him. But he hasn’t had issues since. Turning a social media account into a business With thousands of followers, Hughes has started monetizing the project, with merch and collaborative posts. In August, they held a video watch party event at Good Co. on Granville Street. “[We showed] some of our best-of reels and also some never-before-seen footage,” Hughes says. More events are likely in the future. He’s also hoping to grow the brand with more collaborations (like Seabus Memes) and some trips.
Safety first Hughes says some safety concerns have been brought to him. “My message for the safety of what we’re doing is: don’t scoot outside of your abilities, follow traffic laws. Don’t scoot while intoxicated,” he says. “Don’t scoot if you’re a minor,” he adds. “Because I think that’s illegal.” In B.C., riders need to be 16 years old, while Lime’s rules note most riders need to be 18 to ride its scooters. Hughes also suggests people wear helmets, though he doesn’t always. “Also, never purposely vandalize or try to destroy the Limes. Don’t throw them around. Don’t throw them in the ocean. Don’t litter them.” The Lime Scoot Boyz have never run into people or cars, Hughes says. “It’s never happened, and I hope it never does,” he says. “We try our very best. We always have spotters when there’s people around, which is, you know, part of every sport.” He says the group has put a lot of time into skating, skiing, biking and, of course, scooting. “We have experience,” says Hughes. “I put, like, thousands of miles on that baby.” ❚
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Freshly Fried Perfectly Sauced Get free drinks!
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the steaks people travel for
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very city has its hidden gems— not impossible to find, but places locals know are simply worth the trip. In Vancouver, ask serious food lovers where they’d send a friend for an unforgettable steak, and one name comes up with remarkable consistency: Sebastian & Co. The reason starts with the beef. Only the finest, beautifully marbled cuts enter Sebastian & Co’s dryaging program, where time, patience and craftsmanship develop rich, deep
flavour and remarkable tenderness that only true dry-aging can deliver. Then there’s the experience. Butchers still practice their craft in full view— custom cuts, honest conversations, real expertise. Want a thicker ribeye or a tomahawk cut fresh from the hanging rib? Just ask. It’s this combination of craftsmanship and genuine hospitality that turns first-time visitors into regulars. These are the steaks people travel for. ❚
Address: 1299 Howe Street, Vancouver Phone: 604.563.9393 Website: sebastianandco.ca
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METRO VA N C O U V E R GHOST The (nearly) lost town of Ioco ❱❱ WORDS: BRENDAN KERGIN // IMAGES: POMO MUSEUM AND BRENDAN KERGIN
1. Ioco Groceteria, on steps is Paul Warman, Mary Lou Chivers, on horse (owned
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by Dave Chivers) Darcy Warman, Vicki Lynn Warman, standing is Maureen Chivers, Dad (Lorne Sherk) in window, 1960, picture has been ripped in threes but taped back together (Fred Laidlaw’s Family album). 2. Ioco refinery site. Shell type pressure stills, Feb. 20, 1916. 3. Ioco townsite. Corner of First Street and 1st Avenue. 4. Black and white photo of five boys and a dog in winter at the Ioco townsite. They are standing on the lawn bowling green, which has been flooded to make an ice rink.
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n a region obsessed with real estate and development, it’s strange that an entire townsite could be lost to time.
Much of Ioco, however, is fading into the trees 15 kilometres from downtown Vancouver, near Anmore — with most of its buildings gone, replaced by unkempt forest. A handful of structures, including the faded yellow community hall and groceteria, still stand as they have for 100 years. A century ago, more than 80 homes packed the townsite, along with a school, the store and two churches “In the heyday of the ’20s, Ioco actually rivalled Port Moody in terms of size and robustness,” says local historian Ralph Drew, who has authored a book about the town of Ioco. At its height, Ioco had up to 500 residents, he estimates. Central was a world-class lawn bowling field and clubhouse, Drew explains. That’s now an uneven patch of grass and weeds popular with dog walkers. But 100 years ago, people came from across Greater Vancouver to play, often by ferry. Now, according to the City of Port Moody, just two houses in Ioco are occupied, and the remaining church is still active.
Almost in Burnaby Before it was a community, Ioco was an industrial project. The name Ioco comes from the company itself: the Imperial Oil Company. To supply its growing industry in 1914, the firm started building a refinery on the Burrard Inlet below Burnaby Mountain. But Burnaby and Imperial got into a property dispute, and the oil company decided to set up across the water. “They literally dismantled the steel storage tanks in Burnaby, brought them out here, set them up, and set up the refinery,” Drew says. A company town Back in the late 1910s, commuting long distances wasn’t common, so workers just moved onto Imperial’s land next to the refinery. “You ended up with a shanty town. Shacks were built hither and yon, people sourced their water from local creeks. It became a very big fire hazard and a sanitation hazard,” Drew says. To deal with the influx, Imperial decided to create a company town. “It was a booming town in the local sense, with its own post office, its own stores, the ferry came in at the foot of the drive, and there was a road by 1919,” Drew says. Boom and decline Ioco was a dynamic community through the 1920s and ’30s.
“IN SOME WAYS, IT’S A GHOST TOWN. BUT IT’S GONE TO SEED QUITE FRANKLY BECAUSE NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.” RALPH DREW
Lawn bowlers in white competed while crowds sat on bleachers to cheer and socialize. Baseball was popular, fairs were held, kids from Anmore arrived for school, and tankers arrived from California brimming with crude oil. But when the Second World War arrived in 1939, Ioco’s oil production became essential and guards arrived to protect it. The military also set up camp in the popular central field, which was such a focal point of social life. The military presence indicated a change. Through the ’40s and ’50s, there was
still a community, but it was in decline. “By the end of the ’60s into the ’70s, there were just a handful of houses occupied by workers. Once they retired, they could live out their life there. And then once they either moved or died, the property would revert to Imperial Oil,” Drew says. The store and the community hall remained active into the 1970s. Drew remembers Christmas concerts at the hall when he moved to the area. Ioco gone to seed Over time, Imperial demolished most of the houses. The remaining few are surrounded by blue fencing to keep urban explorers out. Bushes spill over cracked sidewalks and vines climb old electrical poles. One neatly kept house still stands. “In some ways, it’s a ghost town. But it’s gone to seed quite frankly because nothing has been done,” Drew says, adding that the heritage is appreciated, but the property is in disrepair. “It’s just gotten stuck in this limbo,” says Rachel Lige, the POMO Museum’s collection technician, who cares for hundreds of Ioco’s artifacts, photos and oral histories. The refinery shuttered in the ’90s but Imperial still runs a distribution hub next to Ioco. The townsite was sold in 2015 to Gilic Global Development Management. The new owners had big plans for Ioco, but they haven’t come to fruition. The remaining buildings have heritage status and the school, still owned by the school board, is in the midst of being turned into a daycare space for 150 children in 2027. For those curious, the POMO Museum’s artifacts include community newsletters and refinery tools. “We have barrels from the general store, a lot of trophies related to the various social clubs and sports clubs,” Lige says. There’s also a self-guided walking tour, with signs around the neighbourhood explaining life in Ioco, and giving context for what remains. ❚
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vibrant dining
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Address: 1340 Davie St, Vancouver
Address: 1610 Salt St, Vancouver
Phone: 236.477.4660 Website: westendbutcher.com
Phone: 604.829.1610 Website: ondayvr.ca
wned by, Ben Allen and Jesse Samuels, the idea for West End Butcher & Deli was inspired by Jesse’s family history in Montreal and Ben’s years of experience in butchery. With all custom cutting, locally sourced products and an incredible daily sandwich deal it is a truly unique addition to the West End. We hope you’ll come eat with us! ❚
nda is the latest culinary concept from the team behind Casereccio Foods. Located in Vancouver’s Olympic Village, Onda offers authentic Italian fare from morning to night, including freshly baked pastries, espresso, Roman-style pizza, paninos, pasta and gelato. Guests can dine in or grab and go, with daily happy hour specials offering even more reason to stop by. ❚
breathtaking views
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here’s seeing beautiful British Columbia… and then there’s seeing it from above. Fly over Vancouver’s iconic skyline, rugged mountain peaks, winding coastlines, and pristine alpine lakes with SKY Helicopters. With daily departures
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from Pitt Meadows and convenient Vancouver departure options, your next West Coast adventure is closer than you think. Your view of BC is about to get a whole lot better. ❚
Address: 455 W Waterfront Rd, Vancouver Phone: 604.239.0760 Website: skyhelicopters.ca/tours
thai street food redefined
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ancouver voted Thai Away Home the city’s best Thai restaurant in 2025, after placing second in 2024. Since opening in Cambie Village in 1995, Thai Away Home has grown into a family of six locations while drawing inspiration and discovering new dishes in Thailand’s markets The latest finds have landed in Kitsilano. Thailicious by Thai Away Home serves the full Thai Away Home menu alongside street-food favourites
from Bangkok and Chiang Mai, including braised duck noodles, northern Thai curry noodles, Crying Tiger beef, crispy eggplant fries and egg-wrapped pad Thai. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dishes are built into the menu, not tacked on, so everyone at the table has plenty to choose from. Lunch served from 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. (Sunday from noon) and dinner from 4:30–9:00 p.m. Dine in, take out or order delivery. ❚
Address: 1943 Cornwall Ave, Vancouver Phone: 604.622.4444 Website: thaiaway.com
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ANONYMOUS ARTIST Meet the maker behind Vancouver’s green metal people WORDS AND IMAGES: BRENDAN KERGIN
Oxide often installs his pieces under the cover of night.
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“THE THING ABOUT MAKING ILLEGAL ARTWORK IS YOU GET TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.” OXIDE
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O
ver the past three years, metal figures have begun to populate Vancouver’s streets.
While most street art is twodimensional, these are sculptures made of metal, and illicitly installed. The art pieces are explorations of the
human form made of leftover scrap. It creates a figure that looks equal parts organic and steampunk. Each is finished with a greenish hue, like copper or brass that’s been left in the weather too long. That hue is a clue to who’s behind the art: The artist goes by the moniker Oxide.
Inspiration from other Vancouver art Art books on Michelangelo were one of the original inspirations for Oxide’s work. The artist’s mom had them around the house, and the Italian artist’s mastery of the human form set Oxide on their current path. That included years of formal art education. As an adult, an artist and a metal worker, they were more recently inspired by what they were seeing around Vancouver, specifically the work of Junko and Lupo, two artists creating threedimensional works and leaving them around the city. “Junko actually was a big inspiration for me when he did the spider underneath the bridge over there. That was kind of a big wake-up,” Oxide says. “I saw the response he got from it, and also the backlash and stuff. I sort of asked myself, ‘All right, is it more important to make artwork or is it more important to get paid?’ And I landed on it’s way more important to actually make the artwork.” Finding a voice Along with being an artist and metal worker, Oxide is an environmentalist. And given their employment, metal was easy to come by.
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“I have an abundance of metal, which brings me to the point of some of this. The world I’m building is all about our garbage,” they say. “We have this ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mentality. And I was like, ‘Well, what if there’s a world that our garbage is still alive in and it’s just running around right under our noses?’” Oxide’s three-dimensional figures require more effort than classic twodimensional street art, but creating sculptures made one thing easier. “I think that I have a unique way of doing it that I haven’t seen anybody else do,” they say. “When you’re an artist, you’re always looking for that voice that is your own. There are amazing painters out there. There’s an army of fantastic 2-D artists doing phenomenal stuff. There are just less sculptors. So it’s a little easier to find your voice when it’s not such a loud room that you’re in.” Given the pieces are installed wherever Oxide deems appropriate, the figures are as the artist intended, without alteration due to committees or rules. “The thing about making illegal artwork is you get to do whatever you want.... And as somebody who knows a little bit about how the public art space works, the hoops you have to jump through and the boxes you have to check are extensive. And I’d way rather bypass all of that.” Getting the art out there While they have their own artistic practice, Oxide’s unique green figures are only found in the wild. About 18 have been placed, though some have been removed, broken or stolen. Some are replacements of previous figures. And some replacements have disappeared. When the art is taken, Oxide isn’t sure if it’s a compliment (someone wanted to steal the piece for a decoration) or criticism (someone wanted it out of their sight). But those disappearances don’t slow Oxide down. “This is actually what I really want to do. It brings me the most joy, brings me the most excitement, and I’ve got a really positive response from it,” they say. “And then just installing it — it’s the most thrilling thing. It’s so much fun.” Pieces have been installed in a few different ways, but each is essentially a figure attached to a base that’s set on concrete. Occasionally, Oxide will go out during the day dressed as a construction worker of some sort with a high-vis vest and secure the base. “I’ve done some work during the day in a high-vis vest, and people usually just plug their ears and walk away,” they
say. “They just roll their eyes like, ‘Oh, somebody’s doing construction around here.’”
The artist earns enough money in other ways, so the figures don’t need to be monetized.
Then, at night, Oxide returns to install the figure.
“We should probably not be striving to make as much money as possible. We should be striving towards making our community as strong as possible and lifting up people around us as much as possible,” they say.
A couple of times, they’ve been caught in the act. “What’s fantastic is people have walked up to me, they’re like, ‘What are you doing?’” Oxide says. “I tell them what I’m doing and they go, ‘Oh, that’s cool. All right. I didn’t see anything.’ And then they walk away.” It’s a response that encourages Oxide. Capitalization versus artistic expression There’s also a philosophical angle to Oxide’s choice to put the figures directly into the public sphere without payment.
Friends who know Oxide have advised them on how to cash in on the unique artistic expression, but that’s not the intent. “I’m prioritizing joy over profit. Reusing over consumption. Creating an experience without monetizing it. The goal is to rebel. The goal is to show that the world still has wonder and mystery, and it’s out there in the real world. Not through a screen.” ❚
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tranquility
modern and connected
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tep into the Garden and discover a hidden oasis of tranquility, nestled in the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown. This Ming Dynasty-style garden-home is a unique venue for Chinese cultural programming and events, including tours, workshops, concerts, festivals, exhibitions, wellness and educational programs. ❚
Address: 578 Carrall St, Vancouver Phone: 604.662.3207 Website: vancouverchinesegarden.com
extraordinary eyewear surprising prices
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alk through the velvet curtains behind a red phone booth and arrive at Call Me Back, an intimate and moody 22-seat speakeasy serving up creative craft cocktails and well-executed classics. Step into the award-winning interior adorned with vintage mirrors and rotary phones and enjoy a carefully crafted cocktail from a menu inspired by old telephone books. Just outside the speakeasy is Lions Pub, a traditional British pub in the heart of downtown Vancouver. With an extensive selection of 32 draught beers, fine wines, and premium spirits, it’s an ideal place to meet up with friends, catch a game, and savour the best pub fare that Coal Harbour has to offer. The pub and speakeasy are minutes away from Waterfront Station, Vancouver Convention Centre, and Canada Place. ❚
Address: 888 W Cordova St, Vancouver Phone: 604.488.8602 Website: lionspub.ca Instagram: @lions_pub @callmebacklounge
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orn in Bondi Beach, Bailey Nelson brings a fresh take on eyewear to Vancouver. Discover beautifully designed frames, expert eye care and a boutique experience without the boutique price tag. ❚
Address: Find us at 10+ locations across the Lower Mainland including Robson, Kitsilano, Main Street and South Granville. Website: baileynelson.com
our house is your house
M
um’s The Word is a relaxing Commercial Drive destination for people with indeterminate plans who like their coffee friendly, their cocktails enticing. Come to Mum’s by day, grab a coffee and a sandwich and make yourself at home. Write your book, work on your screenplay, read three pages then scroll your phone for 45 minutes, or just watch Commercial Drive passersby. We support all forms of creativity.
As day turns to night, the lights go low, the cocktails come out, and the soundtrack elevates. Some of Vancouver’s best-keptsecret DJs take over, bringing the kind of energy that casts a spell and makes “one drink” incredibly optimistic. Mum’s The Word is your creative space, your hangout with friends, and your first-date locale. Come for the daytime story, and stay for the nighttime plot twist. ❚
Address: 1301 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Phone: 604.251.6246 Website: mumsvancouver.com
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RAVES AT T H E R I C K S H AW
“I THINK WE TOUCHED A LOT OF PEOPLE ... WE HAD SOME REALLY AMAZING AND MEMORABLE TIMES AT THE THEATRE. ” DAWN MABEE
The hidden history of Vancouver’s Theatre-E
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istory rarely goes quiet — especially in the case of one of the city’s longestrunning live music venues.
Before The Rickshaw Theatre you know today, and after The Shaw Theatre screened its last Kung Fu movies in the mid 1980s, the cavernous building at 254 E Hastings St. in Vancouver went by a lesserknown name: Theatre-E. As part of the global explosion of martial
arts movies from Hong Kong in the 1960s and ’70s, two enterprising brothers — Tan Sri Runme Shaw and Sir Run Run Shaw — erected scores of screening rooms in major metropolises internationally. But when the appetite for prolonged fight scenes paired with campy camera movement waned, these often elaborate venues were left to find new purpose or be doomed to the wrecking ball. ❱❱
WORDS: NICK LABA // IMAGES: ROD MABEE
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“I THINK WE TOUCHED A LOT OF PEOPLE ... WE HAD SOME REALLY AMAZING AND MEMORABLE TIMES AT THE THEATRE. ” DAWN MABEE
Granddaughter of a Kung Fu knight Luckily for the Hastings Street theatre, an unlikely relationship formed that would preserve its operating status in the years that followed. Rod Mabee was part of a group of Vancouverites — along with then-city councillor Jim Green — who was trying to save the Downtown Eastside from falling into a downward spiral in the early ’90s. To that end, Mabee had helped found a housing and community development society. Advocates like Green and Mabee wanted to preserve the historic venues in what had once been the heart of Vancouver’s entertainment district. Those included The Lux (later called Princess), Pantages, Golden Harvest and The Shaw. As part of those efforts, Mabee was introduced to Lucy Shaw, granddaughter of Run Run Shaw. She was in charge of The Shaw theatre, as well as a couple of multicultural cable TV channels. They were both part of a business group that was looking at different ways of using the theatre at the time. “One of them was … they were just going to turn it into a fish tank, to sell live fish out of there,” Mabee recalls. “Actually, it was a pretty good building for that because it’s cold and dark.” After meeting Lucy in 1994, he says the two of them had a realistic chat that the building should retain its core identity as a theatre. “She still had this idea that if they could, they would like it to be what it was — what they built it for,” Mabee says. “And I proposed basically that you could do live events out of there, like bands.” But there were a few roadblocks. There was no active business licence, for one. That was easy enough to fix, especially when Mabee brought Lucy Shaw to city hall. Harder to get a dance permit than alcohol in the ’90s However, the city wouldn’t allow live music events. It wouldn’t allow alcohol sales. And it strictly prohibited dancing.
“A dance permit back then was harder than getting alcohol,” Mabee says. “The reason behind all of that was that there was a fear of a stampede and people dying in these warehouse parties. And it did happen.” But that was never going to happen at The Shaw, he says. “Because it was engineered for people [with a] proper exit.”
“It was so small. The place at most could accommodate 500 or 600 people. And because I was in the grey area, I wasn’t actually running underground like a lot of the raves … that was actually a legit place you could do it, because I had a business licence,” Mabee says. “I brought the theatre up to code, enough to get the business licence. Everything was safe.”
So, on the surface, Mabee did what he could with the space, renting it out to bands as a place to practice and allowing various arts and community groups to hold functions there.
Theatre-E ‘touched a lot of people’ For more than a decade, Mabee ran the theatre space in a sort of limbo state: not condemned nor equipped to fully succeed.
Meanwhile, he tapped the venue’s more fulsome potential as Theatre-E. That included shows with live bands, some of which were shut down by police.
The catalyst that spelled the end of that stalemate, and of Theatre-E, was the 2007 financial collapse, when landlords became desperate to sell. The venue was later bought and re-opened in 2009 as The Rickshaw. After that, it still took years of scuffles with the city to finally get a permanent liquor licence.
“Cops parked across the doorstep at the last minute, basically not even warning the person that was trying to put this on,” Mabee says. “I would always partner with somebody because if we leased it out … then they could sue me and the owner. But if it was a co-production, it was a way of limiting the damage to the owner.” Many of the events held at Theatre-E fell into an “all ages” grey area. Those were raves, essentially, or afterparties for raves — supporting a scene that was blowing up at the time. Promotional posters for an event called “xmas II” on Dec. 12, 1998 advertise an evening of live ambient performances with Pilgrims of the Mind and Dan Handrabur. Another teases a Full Moon Party with DJs Zen and Andre, alongside independent film screenings, art installations and a live radio broadcast on 89.3 FM. For the most part, the city tolerated Theatre-E.
It wasn’t until recently that Rod Mabee’s daughter Dawn Mabee sought to bring light to an unsung part of the beloved theatre’s past. Dawn spent nights of her teenage youth selling water to thirsty ravers, or hosting sleepovers in the otherwise empty building. Dawn says it’s a shame that more than a decade of memories fell into obscurity. “I think we touched a lot of people,” she says. “We had some really amazing and memorable times at the theatre. Also, the city and the rave scene was a whole moment. And it should be part of the history books about that theatre.” Whether it’s Kung Fu movies, Christmas raves or death metal concerts, one legendary venue in this city has been fighting for fun, despite forces that might try to take it away. ❚
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SEAN WILLIAM RANDALL
ian tan gallery established 1999
MEGHAN HILDEBRAND
2655 Granville Street iantangallery.com
DAV I D SUZUKI ON THE MEANING OF ‘HOME’
D
avid Suzuki has a home on prime real estate in Vancouver. But it wasn’t always considered so — at least for some.
The iconic environmentalist has lived in his home along Kitsilano Beach for more than 50 years. He bought it for a “very reasonable price” at the time because it was located near a path where gay men used to meet, and because of attitudes in those days, some people were nervous about it, he tells
Vancouver Is Awesome. Since then, the waterfront property’s value has skyrocketed, and Suzuki, now 90 years old, hardly knows his neighbours. “Everybody along that block has just been flipping. They buy, live there for six months … [then] they flip it because the value is going up like that,” he explains, noting that the trend is finally dropping. But his home isn’t a place he’d flip for profit — far from it. ❱❱
WORDS: ELANA SHEPERT // IMAGES: ANDY WHITE
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TRUE LOVE AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE People know David Suzuki as the host of the long-running show The Nature of Things, but he’s also a father, son, brother and a dear friend to many, as his recent book Lessons From a Lifetime: Ninety Years of Inspiration and Activism reveals. His wife of more than 50 years, Tara Cullis, holds a glowing spotlight in his life. While the David Suzuki Foundation is named after the pioneering scientist, Cullis is a co-founder and director of the organization. The couple also perform together in a touring play called What You Won’t Do For Love, which explores love’s power to inspire climate action. A performance at New Westminster’s Anvil Centre in 2020 drew a “rave response,” Suzuki says, before COVID struck. It toured again years later, most recently during a run in Ontario beginning in February 2026. “And I love [the play] because … Tara is the star in the whole thing. The thing I keep saying is I’m just a figurehead, because my name’s on it. I get credit for all of the work these people are doing. And in the play, you realize, holy, she’s not only the best-looking one of the partners, but she’s got the smarts, like she’s the driving force of that. And so I’m thrilled,” he says. “It makes people so vulnerable, because they identify so much with Tara and me, and they’re emotionally open to new ideas,” Suzuki says.
Home is where the family is “This is more than a piece of property or real estate. This is my home,” he says. “When my mother died, I put her ashes on the tree down at the bottom of our territory. And every time that tree blossoms, I think of my mother.” Suzuki also put his niece’s ashes in the same place. A dogwood on the property houses a treehouse for the kids to play in. “My kids would gather dead squirrels
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and snakes off the street [and] they’d come home. And we had a little ceremony, and we had a little cemetery of pets, you know, our dogs and cats and all of these wild things,” he adds. Suzuki’s father, a carpenter, ripped out his own kitchen cabinets from an old house he had and installed them into his son’s home. “It looks like hell; it doesn’t fit. But every time I open the door to the cabinet, I think of my father,” he says. “I know that
when someone buys it, they’re going to rip it out.” Suzuki’s best friend, Jim Murray, also stayed with him for a weekend while he was building a fence along the property. Murray spent a long time carving a handle on the gate, and now he recalls his friend every time he opens it. But for the environmentalist, his feelings for his home extend to larger global issues.
Defend the place you love, says Suzuki “The things that really matter are not included in [these] transactions that we have, and so people just buy and sell and move away,” he says. “We’ve got to find that relationship with Mother Earth.” Suzuki gets letters from people who worry about rising sea levels or trees being cut down near their homes, and they want to find a better area. “So I’m going, ‘Is that your home? Stay there and fight for it. Don’t just abandon it and move away. Fight for your place on this earth,’” he says. “The things that matter most cannot have a price put on [them]. But we’re doing it all the time with Mother Nature. We look at a forest and say, well, we need the money from those trees. But the forests are cleansing the earth, and healing the atmosphere, and filtering the water.” Suzuki says people focus heavily on the economic aspects of property, but the West Coast is an “absolutely fantastic” part of Canada, including Vancouver — and that isn’t because of money. From B.C.’s troubled past to a multicultural present Some of these reflections appear in the activist’s latest book, Lessons From a Lifetime: Ninety Years of Inspiration and Activism. It includes writings from his friends, colleagues and family, who comment on his life and their relationship with him. But the British Columbia Suzuki grew up in felt very different. The beginning of his book highlights his experiences in a Japanese internment camp in the B.C. Interior when he was a young boy, where he forged a lifelong alliance with the natural world. He comments that he had a “happy childhood” despite the province being “unbelievably racist.” “I was just a happy kid,” he reminisces, but says that as he got older, he saw racist columns in newspapers and on TV. “I think to me that’s one of the awesome things about what Vancouver is today … that it’s not what Vancouver was. There’s been a profound shift. And all for the good, of course. We’ve become much more multicultural,” Suzuki says. But he’s concerned about the future of the city, and of the world — both of which he desperately cherishes. “The science has been clear for over 50 years now about climate change,” he says. “But that’s just one of the problems. Toxic pollution, the loss of biodiversity … which to me is the major crisis.
“I THINK TO ME THAT’S ONE OF THE AWESOME THINGS ABOUT WHAT VANCOUVER IS TODAY…THAT IT’S NOT WHAT VANCOUVER WAS. THERE’S BEEN A PROFOUND SHIFT. AND ALL FOR THE GOOD, OF COURSE. WE’VE BECOME MUCH MORE MULTICULTURAL.” DAVID SUZUKI
“There are many, many issues.” ❚
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for seafood lovers
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ucked in the heart of historic Yaletown, Blue Water Cafe is the place for seafood lovers in Vancouver. Executive Chef Frank Pabst creates West Coast–inspired dishes using fresh, local ingredients, with flavours influenced by cuisines around the globe. In 2026, Blue Water Cafe was named No. 2 Fine Dining in Canada in Tripadvisor’s “Best of the Best” awards. The energy in the open-concept kitchen, buzzing
Japanese Raw Bar and cozy heated patio is contagious, making every visit feel like a celebration. Committed to sustainability, the restaurant serves Ocean Wise-certified seafood, so each dish is as responsible as it is memorable. Whether you’re indulging in a casual dinner, sipping a craft cocktail or hosting a private event, Blue Water Cafe offers a taste of the fresh coast in a lively, welcoming space. ❚
Address: 1095 Hamilton St. Vancouver Phone: 604 688 8078 Website: bluewatercafe.ca
classic steakhouse reimagined
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n the heart of Yaletown, Elisa Steak reimagines the classic steakhouse with a wood-fired Grillworks Infierno and a menu featuring Blue Dot ribeye, signature Smoked Bison Tartare, and expertly crafted Beef Wellington. In 2026, Elisa earned global recognition, ranking #1 in Canada, #5 in North America, and #32 worldwide on the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants list. Elisa also achieved Silver Certification — Upper Tier under The Beef Advocate
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Global Meat Standard 2026, recognizing its commitment to provenance, handling and ageing. The restaurant was also named #7 Best Fine Dining in Canada by Tripadvisor. Executive Chef Andrew Richardson brings precision and warmth, while 2025 Michelin Vancouver Sommelier of the Year Franco Michienzi elevates each pairing. With attentive service, a welcoming atmosphere, and desserts like Baked Alaska, Elisa delivers unforgettable dining experiences. ❚
Address: 1109 Hamilton St, Vancouver Phone: 604.362.5443 Website: elisasteak.com
italian classic
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n the heart of downtown Vancouver, CinCin wraps you in candlelight, warm wood tones, and the intoxicating aroma of a wood-fired oven. Known for handmade pastas rolled fresh each day, perfectly charred meats, and seafood kissed by the flames, every dish reflects Italy’s rich culinary traditions. The open kitchen draws you in, a stage where chefs turn seasonal, local ingredients into plates to
savour slowly. CinCin continues to set the standard for Italian dining in the city. Pair it all with a glass from CinCin’s awardwinning wine list—recipient of the 2026 DiRōNA Award of Excellence and the Gold Award for Wine Program Excellence by the Vancouver International Wine Festival. For romance, celebration, or indulgence, it’s a Vancouver classic. ❚
Address: 1154 Robson Street, Vancouver Phone: 604 688 7338 Website: cincin.net
more than a butcher shop
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t Luigi & Sons, Executive Chef Andrew Richardson extends the craft of Elisa Steakhouse beyond the dining room, offering a curated selection of premium cuts and house-made provisions for the home cook. Sourced from exceptional producers both locally and globally, the collection ranges from Blue Dot Reserve
beef from Prince Edward Island to A5 Wagyu from Kagoshima Prefecture—each chosen for quality, integrity, and flavour. More than a butcher shop, Luigi & Sons is a destination for elevated takeaway and thoughtfully prepared provisions, bringing a restaurant-level experience into your home with ease and precision. ❚
Address: 1102 Mainland St, Vancouver Website: luigiandsons.ca
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more than dessert
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he air at Thierry Chocolates is rich with the scent of cocoa, warm pastry and freshly poured espresso. Behind the glass, rows of truffles, bonbons and macarons are arranged like tiny works of art, each crafted with carefully sourced ingredients and a patient hand. Locals stop in for an afternoon coffee, couples linger
over shared desserts and visitors leave with ribbon-wrapped boxes bound for friends. And if you’re in Vancouver, there’s likely one nearby — with cafes in Mount Pleasant, Alberni and Ambleside. More than a dessert store, Thierry is a place to linger, savour and enjoy creations shaped by skilled chocolatiers and pastry chefs. ❚
Address: 1059 Alberni St. 265 East 10th Ave. 1343 Bellevue Ave. Website: thierrychocolates.com
super, honest cooking
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n the heart of Kitsilano, Provisions is a neighbourhood cafe where good food and good company come together. Gather with friends and family over a smash burger made with Luigi & Sons’ signature grind of beef, freshly baked cruffins, and comforting seasonal features made to enjoy in the moment. With its warm,
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welcoming atmosphere and focus on simple, honest cooking, Provisions is a place to slow down and connect— whether over lunch, coffee, or something sweet to share. Celebrate the season surrounded by community and flavour, where every visit feels like catching up with an old friend. ❚
Address: 1864 West 4th Ave, Vancouver Website: provisionscafe.com
your ink is unique. your removal should be too
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s laser tattoo removal has become more common, many people assume every clinic follows the same process. In reality no two tattoos are exactly alike. Ink colours, tattoo style, age, placement, skin type, and even the artist who created the tattoo can all influence how it responds to treatment. That’s why NIXX Laser Tattoo Removal takes a different approach. Instead of relying on a single device, NIXX uses two
of the industry’s most advanced laser technologies to create a customized treatment plan for every client— matching the right laser to the tattoo, not simply the laser they have. NIXX’s technicians are tattoo industry trained and certified in laser tattoo removal. Whether the goal is complete removal or preparing a tattoo for a Fade-to-Cover, every treatment is planned with the final outcome in mind. ❚
Address: 1926 W 4th Ave #104a Vancouver Phone: 604.734.8282 Website: nixxtattooremoval.com
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bold, authentic, modern thai cuisine
Not saving lives, just making your day a little bit better!
VISIT US AT:
2967 W Broadway, Vancouver @littlespoonsunshine | www.littlespoonicecream.com downtown vancouver taphouse
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ocated in Olympic Village, Jay Nok by Sala Thai exploded onto the restaurant scene in February 2025, quickly becoming the destination for authentic Thai cuisine. Award-winning chef Nok Khangrang and co-owner Bobby Kongsilp reinvent street food classics drawn from all four regions of Thailand. Unwind at Happy Hour featuring $10 cocktails, $6 highballs and delicious Bangkok Bites (Mon-Fri 4-6 p.m., Sat & Sun 2-5 p.m.). At dinner, it’s Jay Nok’s Pad See Ew short ribs and chicken wings that keep people coming back — alongside Thai classics and vegetarian options. Guests love the expansive dining room and playful, modern aesthetics that honour Jay Nok’s traditional Thai roots and the kids will enjoy the full-size claw machine and classic arcade. Bring your friends, order too much and stay late. ❚
Address: 127 W 2nd Ave, Vancouver Phone: 604.683.7999 Instagram: Jaynokmodernthai
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alone’s Taphouse is your downtown Vancouver spot for great food, cold drinks, live sports and good times. With 38 beers on tap, big screens throughout the pub, weekly entertainment and a lively, welcoming atmosphere, Malone’s has something happening every night. Whether you’re catching the game, grabbing dinner or staying for a few rounds, you’ll feel right at home. ❚
Address: 608 W Pender St, Vancouver Phone: 604.684.9977 Website: malones.bc.ca
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“I LOVE VANCOUVER SO MUCH. IT’S ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL” CHANTAL KREVIAZUK
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P OW E R COUPLE Raine Maida and Chantal Kreviazuk on Vancouver, music industry
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o many fans, Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida are the Canadian rock royalty power couple.
Individually, they’ve each had numerous hits, and their impact on music extends around the globe to several big-name artists.
I was in elementary school when Our Lady Peace dropped its debut album, Naveed, catapulting frontman Maida into the limelight in 1994. Kreviazuk’s rise to fame came shortly after, starting with her timeless hit “Surrounded.” ❱❱
WORDS: ELANA SHEPERT // IMAGES: SUBMITTED
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Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida have been on tour promoting their new book I’m Going to Break Your Heart.
Vancouver was a bit dreary when Kreviazuk tried to live here Before writing chart-topping hits for other top artists while raising a family, Kreviazuk was a solo artist. She actually lived in Vancouver for a brief stint after graduating high school early in Winnipeg thanks to Royal Conservatory of Music credits. “I thought I would be independent and leave my family home in Winnipeg and start my mission to get into my life in music. I was 17. I got a little tiny apartment in downtown Vancouver. And I was really excited,” she recalls. But after 40 days and 40 nights of rain, the songstress had enough of Raincouver. But the couple would later have a tremendous impact on one of Canada’s global pop stars: Avril Lavigne. Lavigne’s angsty first album, Let Go, has a very distinctive, youthful sound — and we love it. But her second album, Under My Skin, achieved glowing reviews, with critics and fans praising the album’s raw, emotional, edgier sound. Kreviazuk co-wrote about a half dozen songs on Lavigne’s sophomore album. Maida also co-wrote and co-produced part of the album.
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“[Avril] was with us for most of my pregnancy. [She was the] first person to hold the baby after [Raine],” Kreviazuk tells Vancouver Is Awesome, adding that writing for other artists was great for balancing family life. “It gave me an opportunity to be at home and breastfeed. It gave me a chance to be home with the kids and have a normal-ish kind of schedule. I could go to the studio and come home or say I can work from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., pick the kids up at school or make it to the basketball game or whatever,” she adds.
Kreviazuk is now married to a man named Raine (ironic), and loves visiting Vancouver. Maida has a soft spot for the Fish House on Granville Island, and also loved performing at the new Freedom Mobile Arch during the FIFA World Cup. “That new amphitheater was beautiful. That was amazing,” he says. “I think Vancouver was a great host for FIFA for sure. The energy … we were there a day early and just having people walking around Robson … all these different cultures, different accents.” Kreviazuk also loves Bowen Island,
“I THINK VANCOUVER WAS A GREAT HOST FOR FIFA FOR SURE. THE ENERGY …WE WERE THERE A DAY EARLY AND JUST HAVING PEOPLE WALKING AROUND ROBSON … ALL THESE DIFFERENT CULTURES, DIFFERENT ACCENTS.” RAINE MAIDA
where they often took their kids. A close friend of hers also lives there. Couple has written big hits for other artists Who are some of the other big artists the powerhouse pair has impacted? Their resume might surprise you. Kreviazuk has written songs for big names including Gwen Stefani, Pitbull, Christina Aguilera, and Drake. Maida has written for Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson. Now, the couple is on tour and promoting their book, I’m Going to Break Your Heart, a title Maida says means something different for each of them. “We both have different versions of what [the phrase] means. My version is when you finally find someone, and you commit to that person for life, the sad reality is that someone’s going to die first. So someone’s heart will always get broken,” he explains. The double memoir features chapters written by each artist. On Sept. 14, they will play a show at Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre. “I love Vancouver so much. It’s absolutely beautiful,” Kreviazuk says. ❚
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BEHIND THE DOOR VA N C O U V E R ’ S H I D D E N B A R S AND SPEAKEASY-STYLE ROOMS
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rom freezer doors and phone booths to a fake accounting office, these legal modern bars turn arrival into part of the night out. I love a bar that makes me work a little to get inside. Not velvetrope nonsense, but that moment when I wonder if I have the right door. In Vancouver, it might mean ordering from a Chinatown
dumpling counter, stepping into a red phone booth or looking for the light above an almost invisible basement entrance. The originals were illegal drinking rooms. Today’s versions are licensed, online and marketed as speakeasies. They even have their own Instagram accounts. Here are a few I’ve managed to find. ❱❱
WORDS: CASSANDRA ANDERTON // IMAGES: SUBMITTED
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1 Laowai: order “Number 7” Laowai begins inside BLND TGER, a dumpling shop on East Georgia Street. Ask for “Number 7” and the freezer door opens to a glamorous room inspired by Shanghai in the 1920s and early 1930s. The cocktails include an introduction to the Baijiu, a Chinese distilled spirit typically made from sorghum and other grains. For another layer, private room No. 8 seats up to 15. The room rewards lingering. There’s plenty to notice once the freezer-door reveal is over.
2 Bagheera: place your bet A few blocks away, Bagheera hides behind the fictional Happy Valley Turf Club at 518 Main St. Place a wager on King Louie and the betting-shop entrance gives way to a room inspired by Victorian India and vintage rail travel. Bagheera asks you to play along, and that brief performance is part of the fun. It’s polished, dramatic and particularly fun with someone who has no idea what’s coming.
3 Call Me Back: step into the phone booth
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doors worth opening
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Inside the Lions Pub on West Cordova Street, a red telephone booth leads to Call Me Back. The 22-seat cocktail bar occupies a former florist shop inside Terminal City Club. It’s small, intimate and best suited to conversation rather than a large group. Book ahead when possible. I like this one for a quieter downtown drink.
4 Key Party: accounting on the outside The Valentin Manheimer Accounting storefront on Main Street looks intentionally unassuming. Behind it, Key Party shifts into a warm 1960s-and1970s lounge serving retro cocktails and Jell-O shots. The contrast is the joke, and it still makes me smile every single time. Key Party is walk-in only, so have a little flexibility.
5 The Narrow: follow the red light The Narrow Lounge is one of Vancouver’s original hidden-bar experiences. Its Main Street entrance is famously easy to miss. The red light is your clue that the basement bar is open. Inside, it feels less like a themed set and more like a wellloved neighbourhood bar that happens to be concealed. It’s dim, lively and walkin only.
6 Arcana: ask the pet psychic Arcana announces itself as a pet-psychic business on Abbott Street. Behind the storefront is an occult-themed lounge filled with tarot imagery, Ouija boards and a Zoltar machine. It’s playful and over the top, with the entrance establishing the strange little world inside. Arcana accepts reservations and walk-ins.
7 Ama: look for the orange door Ama offers a quieter version of the hidden-room idea. Find the orange door at 3980 Fraser St. and head upstairs above Nammos Estiatorio. Japaneseinspired cocktails and a raw-bar menu are served in a refined room removed from the street below. There’s no password or fake business. The architecture does the hiding.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS D/6 Hidden Lounge
Hello Goodbye
Shameful Tiki Room
At D/6, a bookcase opens onto the Hidden Lounge on the sixth floor at 39 Smithe St. It’s a private room rather than a separate bar, but the classic secretbookcase reveal is hard to resist.
An unmarked door at 1120 Hamilton St. leads downstairs to Hello Goodbye, a subterranean DJ and bottle-service lounge. It makes the list for its arrival, even if the room is more late-night club than cocktail bar.
Shameful Tiki Room is not a speakeasy, but the blacked-out windows and heavy curtains create the same sensory reset. Inside is a fully immersive world of vintage tiki drinks, music and theatrical effects.
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WHAT’S HAPPENING
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ancouver’s cultural calendar is packed year-round with festivals, markets, and celebrations. They showcase the city’s creativity, diversity, and love of community. From world-class film and performing arts festivals to outdoor adventures, foodie feasts, and holiday magic, there’s something happening in every season. Whether you’re here for a weekend or a longer stay, dive into the events that make Vancouver one of the world’s most vibrant destinations.
SEPT
COME TOWARD THE FIRE The annual, award-winning festival celebrates Indigenous culture in all its forms. Now with a third day, there’s everything from concerts featuring June Winner Aysanabee to hands-on workshops and live mural painting. COMETOWARDTHEFIRE.COM
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MISSION RENAISSANCE FAIRE
CANADA SUPER 60
After a surprisingly large turnout in 2025, the Faire is returning much, much larger than before. Taking place in the “Realm of River’s Edge,” visitors can check out a Viking longhouse, the Frothy Fox Pub and live music, betwixt knight battles and trading trinkets.
Cricket is growing in popularity in North America, and Vancouver’s on the front foot for this trend. This tournament will see teams from across Canada compete in the T10 version of the sport, which offers a shorter format (about 1.5 hours instead of half a day, or even longer).
MISSIONARTSCOUNCIL.CA/EVENTS/REN-FAIRE
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VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL While Vancouver has dozens of film festivals, VIFF is the top dog, with more than 150 feature films each year, many of which are having their worldwide or Canadian premiere at the festival. This year, local up-and-comer Sophy Romvari is curating the festival. Her feature debut Blue Heron was part of the 2025 festival. VIFF.ORG
NBA IN VANCOUVER: TORONTO RAPTORS VS. LA CLIPPERS The NBA is returning to Vancouver again. While the city isn’t getting a team anytime soon, Rogers Arena is getting a game, with Canada’s only team taking on the LA Clippers, which aren’t even the only team in Los Angeles. FWIW raptors could totally take on a 19th-century sailing ship.
DOOMS NIGHT While Halloween is often all about death, Dooms Night is a chance to live it up. The annual night of EDM brings artists from around the world for one night at Pacific Coliseum, with Swedish DJ Alesso headlining. Also on the bill is Armnhmr, Cosmic Gate and Timmy Trumpet.
VANCOUVER CHRISTMAS MARKET The annual downtown Christmas market will give Jack Poole Plaza some German flair with its mix of European foods, gifts and cheer. Based on the markets across cities and villages in central Europe, the market has become one of the biggest Christmas events of the year in Vancouver.
VANCOUVER FASHION WEEK Vancouver Fashion Week (North America’s second-biggest, after New York) continues to draw hundreds of designers to the city, with a mix of established and emerging talent.
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EASTSIDE CULTURE CRAWL
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BRUNO MARS AT BC PLACE
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HEART OF THE CITY FESTIVAL
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It almost feels like a residency, with the short-king pop star playing five shows over a week at BC Place, in support of his new album The Romantic. Opening for Mars will be songstress Raye, as well as frequent Mars-collaborator Anderson .Paak (performing as DJ Pee.Wee).
LUMIERE FESTIVAL One of the most beautiful outdoor events of the year, especially for the vespertines, Lumiere uses light as its medium to bathe the city in vibrant colours. Keep your eyes open around the downtown peninsula for the displays, which are often fantastical, ethereal and intangible.
Spread out across Strathcona, the Downtown Eastside, Commercial Drive and surrounding areas, this might be the event with the biggest footprint in Vancouver, which makes sense since it brings people into the studios and exhibition spaces where the city’s creatives create. It may be called a crawl, but you’ll have to keep up a jaunty pace to catch all the highlights. CULTURECRAWL.CA
JADE MUSIC FESTIVAL
Now in its 23rd year, the Heart of the City celebrates the community and culture in the Downtown Eastside. Over more than a week, there will be art shows, plays, video installations, dances and more, all exploring the theme of belonging.
Organizers of Jade have a clear goal: to make Vancouver the North American hub for Chinese language music. Along with a series of live music shows, there will be workshops and discussions, including folks from around the world.
HEARTOFTHECITYFESTIVAL.COM
JMFA.CA
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WINTER SOLSTICE LANTERN FESTIVAL When the nights are the longest, the lanterns will be lit. While this year’s winter solstice is inconveniently on a Monday, that won’t stop the Secret Lantern Society from putting on an evening stippling the darkened shores of False Creek with pinpoints of light. SECRETLANTERN.ORG
JAN
WHAT’S HAPPENING DEC MERRY AND BRIGHT Martini Town may sound like an off-brand Margaritaville, but there are no Jimmy Buffets here. It’s the creation of Gemma Martini, in the outdoor film backlot used for shows and movies. That means a cinematic setting for all the carols, snacks and photos you could want.
THE SHIPYARDS CHRISTMAS MARKET Across the inlet from the Vancouver Christmas Market, North Vancouver’s own Christmas market has fast become a popular attraction with 100 stalls, 140 vendors, Santa and live music. The free festivity is a big one, spread across the Shipyards district and taking advantage of the public space. SHIPYARDSCHRISTMASMARKET.COM
MERRYBRIGHT.CA
GOH BALLET: ‘THE NUTCRACKER’
LIGHTS BY THE LAKE
The award-winning ballet academy and company is taking a crack at this Christmas classic with five performances at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.
A bit out of town, but worth the drive for those who love the twinkle of lights and the night air. The village of Harrison Hot Springs set up lights across the town along the lakeshore, creating a storybook setting. While it’s on for a long stretch, Dec. 5 and 19 will be particularly festive nights with Santa and a Sasquatch greeting folks. TOURISMHARRISON.COM/LIGHTS-BY-THE-LAKE
VANDUSEN FESTIVAL OF LIGHT A million specks of light will replace the garden’s plants as the main attraction. The magical experience is a longtime tradition for some local families who often take children to explore the themed areas, dancing lights at the lake, and warm snacks in the winter air. VANCOUVER.CA/PARKS-RECREATION-CULTURE
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VANCOUVER POLAR BEAR SWIM When you look at a calendar, 2027 isn’t that far away. And the annual polar bear swim is the biggest New Year’s tradition the city has. Thousands will flood the seaside along English Bay to splash for a split second. Participants and spectators are both welcome. VANCOUVER.CA/PARKS-RECREATION-CULTURE/ POLAR-BEAR-SWIM.ASPX
FROM
COACH HOUSE TO LIVING ROOM SINCE 1929
New name, same energy. Once, there was a hotel in North Vancouver named the Coach House. It held a grand staircase, crystal chandeliers and a fireplace lounge with doors that opened straight to a turquoise pool. Locals still
recall the parties. They spoke of the hot air balloon stunt over the pool’s deep end. There were nights that ran past midnight. And in 1999, the building came down in a real explosion. The original owners came back, determined to give it new life, this time naming it DoubleTree, creating the North Shore’s Living Room.
Walk in tonight. You’ll hear music playing, drinks pouring and neighbours catching up over dinner. New name, same energy.
ADDRESS 700 Old Lillooet Rd North Vancouver, BC V7J 2H5 PHONE 604–985–3111
COME AS YOU ARE. STAY AS LONG AS YOU LIKE. THE NORTH SHORE’S LIVING ROOM.
WEBSITE doubletreenorthvan.ca INSTAGRAM @doubletreenorthvan Fall 2026 AWSM 51
Daily Heli-Tours departing downtown Vancouver & Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, Canada
skyhelicopters.ca