Things to Do in Vancouver This Weekend

Get your wine tasting on with a bit of cosplay; the Convention Centre is hosting both Fan Expo and the International Wine Festival this weekend. There’s also ballet, Icelandic marionettes, two plays that focus on religious experiences, soccer, a rap group from Taiwan and a local rock and metal cover band animal charity fundraiser.

Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Ongoing

Friday March 1

Ballet BC Program 2
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre
What: Jorma Elo’s gripping 1st Flash returns to Vancouver, followed by a world premiere by the fresh choreographic voice of Adi Salant. The evening ends with the poetic Solo Echo choreographed by Canada’s internationally celebrated, Crystal Pite.
Runs until: Saturday March 2, 2019

Fan Expo
Where: Vancouver Convention Centre
What: Everyone is a fan of something, and this is a place to celebrate all things pop culture. Get an autograph or a photo with your favourite guest and get the inside scoop about your favorite movies & TV shows at our celebrity panels.
Runs until: Sunday March 3, 2019

Vancouver International Wine Festival
Where: Vancouver Convention Centre
What: With ~25,000 admissions, it is one of the biggest and oldest wine events in the world. It has been voted the “#1 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event in Canada” the last five years in a row by New York’s BizBash. The heart of the festival is the Tasting Room, where the public can choose from ~750 wines at four International Festival Tastings.
Runs until: Sunday March 3, 2019

National Theatre of Iceland Presents Metamorphosis (show 1 of 2)
Where: Presentation House Theatre
What: Featuring a cast of the most intricate marionettes and rod puppets carved of wood, and unforgettable characters created simply with silk scarves and the hands and feet of the puppeteer, Metamorphosis depicts the constantly changing nature of our existence and perceptions.

Extremophiles, Aliens and Exoplanets: Family Night
Where: HR McMillan Space Centre
What: Did you know that there are organisms that can thrive in conditions too extreme for the human body? Join this fun family night at the Space Centre and explore extreme environments here on Earth and beyond our solar system. Come out for alien crafts, activities, demonstrations, a tour of the observatory, and a special show.

Jesus Freak
Where: Pacific Theatre
What: The Campbell family prides themselves on their West Coast open-mindedness; from pot to political resistance, nothing is off the table. But when their daughter Clara comes home and announces she’s become a Christian, their tolerance is put to the test.
Runs until: Saturday March 23, 2019

The Good Bride
Where: Firehall Arts Centre
What: A one-woman comedy about a Quiverfull Christian girl. As 15-year old Maranatha waits excitedly for her 28-year old fiancé to carry her off to their wedding, we catch a glimpse into a teenage girl’s thoughts on love, sex, and milkshakes — and watch her pray to a God she loves without question. But as she’s made to wait, night after night, will her faith uphold? Based on a true story.
Runs until: Saturday March 9, 2019

Who’s Live Anyway?
Where: Hard Rock Casino Vancouver
What: Featuring Ryan Stiles along with fellow comics Greg Proops, Jeff Davis and Joel Murray. Together, they perform many of the hilarious games made famous on their Emmy-nominated TV series, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, which aired from 1998 to 2004 and returned to the airwaves in 2013.

Chor Leoni PopCapella
Where: Vancouver Playhouse
What: Enjoy familiar hits by Irving Berling, Billy Joel, Joni Mitchell, Sweet Honey in the Rock, and many more with gorgeous a capella singing by Canada’s premiere male choir.
Runs until: Sunday March 3, 2019

Le Soulier
Where: Studio 16
What: Melanie’s son Benoit, age 8, has a pain that won’t go away, so she takes him to the dentist. Naturally, this results in an epic meltdown. You see, with Benoit, nothing is ever simple. The proof: once in the dentist’s chair, Benoit turns out to have a lot more than cavities inside his mouth… In the end, Melanie – with the help of a kindly alcoholic receptionist, and a dentist who prefers plants to people – must face the fact that her son’s problems are much larger than a simple toothache.
Runs until: Saturday March 9, 2019

A Century of Nat King Cole (show 1 of 2)
Where: Orpheum Theatre
What: World-renowned jazz guitarist/singer John Pizzarelli makes his long-awaited return to the VSO to perform his incredible tribute to Nat “King” Cole on the 100th anniversary of the King’s birth year of 1919.

Elephant and Piggie’s “We Are In A Play!”
Where: Waterfront Theatre
What: Join best friends, Gerald and Piggie, on a day where anything is possible! Filled with beloved characters and lively songs, it’s the perfect adventure for young audiences .
Runs until: Sunday March 31, 2019

Neuterhead Ace of Spays Rock Covers Fundraiser
Where: The Rickshaw
What: Members of rad local bands are joining forces to create rock and metal cover bands for one night only, and 100% of ticket sales are donated to local non-profit animal rescues. This year’s cover bands pay tribute to Blue Oyster Cult, Faith No More and Jimi Hendrix.

Artist-In-Residence Open Rehersal
Where: Scotiabank Dance Centre
What: Gidaashi creates a swirling world of ephemeral images embodied by the dancer as she is possessed by the immeasurable force of fate. Inspired by the haunting sounds of Symphony No. 3 by Henryk Górecki, the solo gives shape to the lamentations of a person removed. World premiere will be at Vancouver International Dance Festival.

Saturday March 2

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Vancouver Outdoor Adventure and Travel Show + BC Bike Show
Where: Vancouver Convention Centre
What: See kayak, scuba and stand up paddle boarding experts in the whitewater demo pool or ignite your passion for biking, hiking, climbing, water or mountain sports at over 200 exhibits. The adventure travel & international travel zones unite representatives from all corners of the globe who are ready to help you with booking your next great escape.
Runs until: Sunday March 3, 2109

Displacement
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: This exhibition comprises internationally acclaimed Victoria-based artist Mowry Baden’s work from the late 1960s to the present. Baden is known for producing intricate, sometimes humorous sculptural works and installations that borrow from the fields of perceptual psychology, science and architecture, and often solicit the audience’s participation.
Runs until: Sunday June 9, 2019

A Century of Nat King Cole(show 2 of 2)
Where: Orpheum Theatre
What: World-renowned jazz guitarist/singer John Pizzarelli makes his long-awaited return to the VSO to perform his incredible tribute to Nat “King” Cole on the 100th anniversary of the King’s birth year of 1919.

Cœur de Pirate
Where: Commodore Ballroom
What: The solo project of award-winning singer-songwriter and pianist Béatrice Martin.

National Theatre of Iceland Presents Metamorphosis (show 2 of 2)
Where: Presentation House Theatre
What: Featuring a cast of the most intricate marionettes and rod puppets carved of wood, and unforgettable characters created simply with silk scarves and the hands and feet of the puppeteer, Metamorphosis depicts the constantly changing nature of our existence and perceptions.

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Minnesota United

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Minnesota
Where: The Commodore
What: A soccer game

Seven Samurai
Where: The Cinematheque
What: Akira Kurosawa’s stirring epic topped a recent BBC poll in which critics from 43 countries selected the greatest foreign-language (i.e. non-English-language) films of all time. The film is set in 16th-century Japan, where seven unemployed swordsmen are hired to defend a village against marauding bandits.
Runs until: Sunday March 3, 2019

Sunday March 3

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MJ 116
Where: The Imperial
What: For the past decade, MJ 116 has become a phenomenon in Taiwan. Their lyrics are straightforward, which is easy to understand and brings out the very basic desires of Taiwan’s young generation. Their music and revolutionary rap style has taken the Mandarin Music scene by storm.

The Image Book
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: Trust 87-year-old Jean-Luc Godard to produce the most radical, challenging cinematic text of the year. A ruminative philosophical disquisition on image culture, a culture which the bibliophile Godard looks at askance, this will likely be seen as a key post-modern text from the most intellectually adventurous and politically aware filmmaker of his generation. Oneiric but definitively “woke”, the film demands the active participation of the viewer, but rewards with multiple insights and discoveries.
Runs until: Wednesday March 13, 2019

The Good Place Trivia
Where: The Biltmore
What: Come and test your knowledge against several Janets’ worth of questions, from the good to the bad to the medium, and bring your bow ties and your Tahani-est outfits for the costume contest

Billy Idol (sold out)
Where: The Vogue
What: It’s a nice day for dancing with yourself at a white wedding.

Ongoing

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Still Dream, Bonnie Gaskin | Image: Paloma’s World (cropped)

Still Dream
Where: Kimoto Gallery
What: Bonnie Gaskin’s newest collection of paintings portrays an anachronistic reality and the potentially subversive characters who reside there. She examines themes derived from myth, current events, feminist theory, feminist science fiction, and literature.
Runs until: Saturday March 2, 2019

Talking Stick Festival
Where: Various locations
What: Galas, performances, workshops, case studies, conversations, catered hospitality and networking opportunities all geared toward illuminating topics regarding Indigenous performing arts across Turtle Island.
Runs until: Sunday March 3, 2019

Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival
Where: Various locations
What: Films highlighting mountain experiences, sports and culture.
Runs until: Sunday March 3, 2019

Canvas Unbound Exhibition
Where: Federation Gallery
What: Unframed contemporary works that emanate a bold, experimental, cutting-edge studio practice.
Runs until: Sunday March 3, 2019

The Shoplifters
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: Meet Alma, a career shoplifter who prefers the “five-finger discount” over any senior citizen’s deal. When a grocery store theft goes awry, her elaborate life of petty crime is halted by an overzealous security guard and his affable mentor.
Runs until: Saturday March 9, 2019

Children of God
Where: The York Theatre
What: In this powerful musical, the children of an Oji-Cree family are sent to a residential school in Northern Ontario. This is a story of redemption: for a mother who was never let past the school’s gate, and her kids, who never knew she came. Children of God offers a thrilling blend of ancient traditions and contemporary realities, celebrating resilience and the power of the Indigenous cultural spirit.
Runs until: Sunday March 10, 2019

Hot Brown Honey
Where: The York Theatre
What: Packing a punch of hip hop politics, the Honeys will make you laugh, cry, clap and shake what your mama gave you. This posse of phenomenal women make noise as they defiantly smash stereotypes and remix the system.
Runs until: Sunday March 10, 2019

Bacio Rosso
Where: Queen Elizabeth Park
What: An intimate, fully immersive evening of cirque, comedy and cuisine. Guests are seated in the heat of the action with jugglers, contortionists, trapeze artists, magicians, singers and clowns weaving together an evening of magic and laughter. The entertainment is all combined with a delicious 4-course gourmet menu designed by local award winning chef Adam Pegg of La Quercia.
Runs until: Sunday March 10, 2019

Body Language: Reawakening Cultural Tattooing of the Northwest
Where: Bill Reid Gallery
What: Explore the rich history and artistry of Indigenous tattooing, piercing and personal adornment on the Northwest Coast. These five contemporary Indigenous artists are at the forefront of the revival of Indigenous tattooing in BC. They are reclaiming traditional techniques and traditional rights to be tattooed, and building awareness of the significance and protocols around the tattooing traditions.
Runs until: Sunday March 17, 2019

The Metamorphosis
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: This exhibition ties together provocative themes and ideas of change undertaken in more than forty remarkable contemporary works selected from the Gallery’s collection. With its title inspired by Franz Kafka’s 1915 novella, The Metamorphosis invokes a compelling human and creative desire to explore oneself and the world. Kafka’s literary classic follows the experience of a man who, upon waking up, finds himself transformed into a giant insect. This exhibition looks at Kafka’s themes by way of visual art that addresses physical, spiritual and cultural transformation.
Runs until: Sunday March 17, 2019

A Curator’s View: Ian Thom Selects
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: A showcase of the span of the gallery’s rich permanent collection through an exhibition of nearly ninety works including paintings, drawings, photographs, and sculptures. Since the Gallery’s establishment in 1931, its permanent collection has become the most comprehensive resource for visual culture in British Columbia. Building on the collection’s historical and contemporary strengths, the Gallery continues to steward acquisitions through donation and purchase.
Runs until: Sunday March 17, 2019

Anne Low: Chair for a Woman
Where: Contemporary Art Gallery
What: Low’s artistic research is typically rooted in a close looking at historical objects, materials and surfaces, especially those created immediately prior to the Industrial Revolution. She is concerned with the specific conditions under which such objects are produced and consumed—particularly by women—and the domestic spaces they defined.
Runs until: Sunday March 24, 2019

Aslan Gaisumov
Where: Contemporary Art Gallery
What: This exhibition brings together two works never previously shown together and, in so doing, offers a new means through which to consider many of the concerns that have shaped the artist’s practice over the past eight years.
Runs until: Sunday March 24, 2019

Marking the Infinite: Contemporary Women Artists from Aboriginal Australia
Where: Museum of Anthropology
What: Showcasing for the first time in MOA’s history a presentation of all-women artists, this exhibition features the artworks of nine Aboriginal women, who are all celebrated artists from tiny remote communities across Australia’s deserts and tropical north. Encompassing a wide range of subjects from the natural to sublime and from minute organisms to vast celestial bodies, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the immutable tension between the universal and the specific, and discover the power of traditional Indigenous knowledge in an increasingly digital world.
Runs until: Sunday March 31, 2019

Fitness For All
Where: 1100 West Georgia Street
What: Chinese contemporary art collective Polit-Sheer-Form Office (PSFO) has produced a five-piece set of exercise equipment specially designed for the Vancouver public. The artists’ decree suggests that establishing a more collective self-awareness fosters inclusivity and collaboration within a community.
Runs until: Sunday March 31, 2019

In a Different Light
Where: Museum of Anthropology
What: More than 110 historical Indigenous artworks and marks the return of many important works to British Columbia. These objects are amazing artistic achievements. Yet they also transcend the idea of ‘art’ or ‘artifact’. Through the voices of contemporary First Nations artists and community members, this exhibition reflects on the roles historical artworks have today. Featuring immersive storytelling and innovative design, it explores what we can learn from these works and how they relate to Indigenous peoples’ relationships to their lands.
Runs until: Spring 2019

Hastings Park Farmers Market
Where: Hastings Park
What: Find a weekly selection of locally grown fruit and veggies, farm fresh meat, eggs and dairy products, fresh baked sourdough bread and treats, craft beer, wine and spirits, artisanal prepared food, local crafts, hot coffee and food trucks.
Runs until: Sunday April 28, 2019 (Sundays)

French Moderns: Monet to Matisse, 1850-1950
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: Sixty paintings and sculptures from the Brooklyn Museum’s renowned European permanent and long-term loan collections. Identifying France as the artistic centre of international modernism from the mid-nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries, these works—which are diverse in subject matter, style and scale—were created by leading artists of the period, intended both for private collections and public display.
Runs until: Monday May 20, 2019

Affinities: Canadian Artists and France
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: Looking at the significance that French art and culture has held for Canadian artists over the past 120 years, this exhibition of works from the Vancouver Art Gallery’s Collection focuses on influences of Impressionism, Post-Impressionism and Surrealism on Canadian artists during the first half of the twentieth century.
Runs until: Monday May 20, 2019

Counternarratives: Paintings by Archibald Fairbairn
Where: Bill Reid Gallery
What: The watercolour paintings of Archibald Fairbairn (1888 – 1979) document the beauty of totem poles and communities during the early 20th century. This exhibition juxtaposes an idealistic painter’s postcolonial gaze with critical discourse from contemporary Indigenous voices.
Runs until: Sunday June 2, 2019

Wild Things: The Power of Nature in Our Lives
Where: Museum of Vancouver
What: This exhibition delves into the life stories of local animals and plants—how they relate to each other and how they connect people to nature in the city. Scenic design, videos, taxidermy, crowd-sourcing technologies, and the display of natural specimens breathe life into these tales of co-habitation. The immersive nature of the exhibition, including hands-on activities, encourages visitors to examine their relationship with nature, think about momentarily disconnecting from their devices, and find equilibrium with the natural world around them.
Runs until: July 2019

Making Waves: The Story and Legacy of Greenpeace
Where: Vancouver Maritime Museum
What: With humble beginnings in Vancouver, Greenpeace has grown into a large organization with offices in 40 countries. The NGO has protested numerous causes: whaling, deforestation, mining, genetic testing, and nuclear testing. Explore this exhibit that goes from their first voyage from Vancouver to Amchitka to protest Nuclear testing on an old fishing vessel to how cities, government, and industry today are developing new policies, technologies, and sustainable practices to ensure the preservation of our environment.
Runs until: Monday September 9, 2019

Shake Up: Preserving What We Value
Where: Museum of Anthropology
What: The exhibition will bring to light the convergence of earthquake science and technology with the rich Indigenous knowledge and oral history of the living cultures represented in MOA’s Northwest Coast collection. Beyond scientific discoveries, knowledge of earthquakes and natural disasters has been passed down through generations throughout many cultures, including those of the Northwest Coast First Nations. Also as part of the exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to see the majestic poles of the Great Hall undergo conservation, many for the first time in 40 years.
Runs until: Fall 2019

How Far Do You Travel
Where: Select B-Line TransLink busses
What: Five Canadian artists — Diyan Achjadi, Patrick Cruz, Rolande Souliere, Erdem Tasdelen and Anna Torma — are being commissioned to graphically wrap the exterior of a series of articulated buses traveling on major routes in Metro Vancouver.
Runs until: Tuesday December 31, 2019

What are you up to this weekend? Tell me and the rest of Vancouver in the comments.