A no messing around guide to the coolest things to eat, drink and do in Vancouver and beyond. Community. Not clickbait.

The Scout List, Vol. 431

From our calendar to yours comes this carefully considered agenda of cool things we are doing, wishing we could do, or conspiring to do in Vancouver from August 2 to August 8, 2017. Please note that you can now get the Scout List – with a few extra pieces of intel included – sent to your inbox every Thursday. Sign up for your subscription in the sidebar.

GIG | Sixto Rodriguez of Cold Fact fame plays the Orpheum on Saturday night. The American singer-songwriter from Detroit swings in town for one night only and tickets are scarce. Try craigslist (worth the effort).
Sat, Aug 5 | Doors 7pm, Show 8 pm | Orpheum Theatre (601 Smithe St) | $? | DETAILS

FESTIVAL | The Powell Street Festival goes down this weekend at Oppenheimer Park. The annual celebration of Japanese-Canadian arts, culture and heritage brings dance, music, martial arts demos, beautiful Japanese pottery and textiles, anime, and an all-out-awesome sumo tournament. Best of all, fill up on tasty treats like Osaka balls, squid teriyaki, bbq’d salmon, cold ramen, hot ramen, katsu sandwiches and matcha lattes. Note: this is a popular event so don’t drive. Parking will be a bitch. Hop on the bus. The #14 Hastings will get you there.
Aug 5-6 | 11:30am – 7pm | 400 block of Powell Street | Free | DETAILS

FIREWORKS | The Celebration of Light continues this week. Wednesday sees a display of pyrotechnic amazingness put on by the United Kingdom and Canada finishing the 2017 celebration on Saturday night. There are many Vancouver beaches, hills, parks and bridges that will provide free and spectacular views of the fireworks. Best to travel by foot, bike or public transit. Whatever happens, don’t try to drive through the West End on either night.
Aug 2 + 5 | 10pm | English Bay | Free with some $ options | DETAILS

PRIDE | Pride hits Vancouver this weekend. As always, the big ticket event is the parade, which starts at noon on Sunday and travels along Robson to Denman, down Denman to Beach Ave., ending at Sunset Beach where a proper pride party takes place. Make a point of taking a stroll through the Davie Street Party on Friday night. For all the juicy bits (dance parties, beer gardens, barbecues and live entrainment) leading up to the parade – as well as the full scoop on parade details – skip over to the Pride site here. This deal attracts an easy 700,000 people, so keep that in mind. Leave the car at home and take sunscreen and lots of good, respectful energy with you.
Now-Sun, Aug 6 | Various times | The West End | Mostly Free | DETAILS

ANIME | If you’re walking around downtown this weekend and you notice an uptick in the number of adults kitted out in full-on anime costumes, that’s probably because Anime Revolution is on. The three day event will include exhibits, dancing, gaming, live musical performances, discussion panels, lots of wigs and a staggering amount of cosplay.
Aug 4-6 | Various times | Vancouver Convention Centre | $35-$200 | DETAILS

TIME WARP | Echo and the Bunnymen and The Violent Femmes are in town. Slip back in time with a warm summer night of popcorn, cotton candy, and a ride on a ferris wheel at Playland before you chill the hell out at the PNE Amphitheatre to some live music straight from the 80’s.
Aug 3 | 7:30 pm | PNE Amphitheatre (2901 E Hastings St) | $70+ | DETAILS

FILM | There’s a kick ass Film Noir series on at The Cinematheque this week. Get your fix of dark and sexy vintage movies including The Glass Key (Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake), Double Indemnity (Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck), and The Maltese Falcon (Bogart, of course). Inside tip: the opening night (Aug 3) cash bar features crisp and cold pours of Strange Fellows Beer!
Now through Aug. 24 | Various times | The Cinematheque (1131 Howe St.) | $11 | DETAILS

COOL OFF | Temperatures are climbing, so cold running mountain water is where it’s at this weekend. Pack a bag with towels, sunscreen, drinks and snacks and make for the hills! Not only does Lynn Canyon Park offer lovely and partially shaded trails, but it also has some beautiful swimming holes. Check out the 30 Foot Pool (a short walk from the suspension bridge) or continue along the trails toward the Seymour Demonstration Forest and stop at Rice Lake for a dip. DETAILS

RELAX | This is a long weekend. Your primary responsibility to yourself should be to find some time to kick back. The weather is perfect – if a little hot – so take full advantage. Hit the trails out at the Endowment Lands; wander the seawall; spread a blanket on the grass at your local park; soak it all in! A summer cocktail tour might also be in order, if you’re not sure where to begin, check our new list of Vancouver’s best cocktail bars for some inspiration!

HEADS-UP | The 2nd annual Vancouver Mural Festival (VMF) goes down from August 7-12 with local and international artists making their mark on walls around East Van. The week is packed with events – lots of which are free – including talks, performances, live music, parties, a pop-up tattoo shop, a Main Street bazaar and a special Snag live painting night featuring VMF vets. Events start on Monday go strong clear through to next weekend.
August 7-12 | Various times, locations | DETAILS

Transition Into 2024 with Some Quality Downtime

From our calendar to yours comes this carefully considered agenda of cool things we are doing, wishing we could do, or conspiring to do in Vancouver, from now until January 8th, 2024.

Scout List, Vol. 601

From our calendar to yours comes this carefully considered agenda of cool things we are doing, wishing we could do, or conspiring to do in Vancouver, right now.

Scout List, Vol. 600

From our calendar to yours comes this carefully considered agenda of cool things we are doing, wishing we could do, or conspiring to do in Vancouver, from March 30th to April 5th, 2023.

Scout List, Vol. 599

From our calendar to yours comes this carefully considered agenda of cool things we are doing, wishing we could do, or conspiring to do in Vancouver over the days and weeks ahead.