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 September 27 to October 3, 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.

LANTERNS | This Saturday is the Renfrew Ravine Moon Festival. As night falls in the park a procession of lanterns begins to follow forested ravine pathways. Take in light installations; learn about salmon, rivers and ravines; enjoy roaming performers and live music; and make sure to stop for some tea and mooncakes at the Renfrew Field Tea Garden. This is one of our favourite Vancouver events. It’s always beautiful and overflowing with good vibes. Sat, Sept. 30 | Renfrew Community Centre (2929 E. 22 Ave.) | DETAILS

FEAST | One of the best things about the beginning of autumn is all the seasonal foods and flavours we get to enjoy. UBC Farm’s latest harvest will be making its spectacular debut Thursday night at the campus’ annual Harvest Feastival. What’s a “Feastival”, you ask? Well, at UBC it’s a combination of the best stuff in life: a multi-course meal and a “Choose Your Own Advenure” style night of activities at the University’s Arts & Culture District. After you’ve filled your belly with a tantalising Fall-inspired menu along with 999 other guests, your options await…You can work out your brain at one of the scientific or awareness-raising art exhibits and talks; have a laugh at an improv comedy show featuring UBC alumni; get your groove on at the MOA’s soul dance party; or simply digest while watching an orchestral open rehearsal. Decisions, decisions! Prepare your stomach and get your tickets ASAP for what’s sure to be a memorable and exciting event. Thu, Sept. 28 | 5-11pm | University Commons (outside the Nest) | $10-45 (Children under 2 are free) | DETAILS

MEDIA ARTS | Got a little time on your hands this weekend? How about filling it with two nights of music and visuals programmed around installations and enhanced by drinks and good conversation? Well, the New Forms Festival is on, so all of that is a possibility. This is the 17th year for the media arts festival that explores the convergence of music, media, performance and electronic art. Many good things are planned, including a full day symposium at the Western Front on Saturday. Check it out. Sept. 28-30 | Various times (and locations) but mostly at The Centre for Digital Media at Great Northern Way | $35-$95 | DETAILS

FILM FEST | The Vancouver International Film Festival kicks off this week. This is the 35th year of the festival and things are changing up. As always, there will be an impressive and varied line-up of fantastic films from around the world (365 of them, to be precise), plus an emphasis on connecting with movie goers through engaging talks and events. Bonus: VIFF has a new website that makes navigating screenings, talks and events super easy. You can search by content type, date, series, genre, venue – whatever makes sense to you. Still, 350+ movies AND ancillary events? That’s a lot of nights of popcorn for dinner!  Sept. 29 – Oct. 14 | Various Times and Locations | DETAILS

WATER’S EDGE | The Georgia Strait Alliance is an organization focused on protecting and raising awareness about the marine environment in and around the whole Strait of Georgia. In an effort to put Vancouverites in touch with the beauty and importance of the shoreline, the Alliance is hosting a day of free activities that will include the opportunity to canoe and kayak, participate in water themed art workshops, learn about sea level rise or take advantage of free admission to the Maritime Museum – you can even slip your hand into a Vancouver Aquarium’s mobile touch tank to feel the slimy skin of a sea cucumber. For a full list of events visit www.georgiastrait.org. Sat, Sept. 30 | 10am–4pm | Vanier Park | FREE | DETAILS

ART | Hot Art Wet City’s annual immature nude art show Boobies & Wieners is back for a fifth filthy year. As the HWAC Gallery closed its Main Street front last year, this year’s show will go down at the The Gallery of BC Ceramics on Granville Island (the tourists won’t know what to think, which makes this extra awesome). As always, expect to see the walls filled with explicit art from some of the best and dirtiest Vancouver artists. As HWAC Explains: “From the crass to the cartoonish, there’s sure to be something sexy to appeal to you.” Opening reception happens Thursday at 6pm. Viewer discretion is advised.  Sept 28–Oct 1 | Various times – opening reception Thurs night | The Gallery of BC Ceramics (1359 Cartwright St, Vancouver) | DETAILS

GIG | The New Pornographers play The Commodore on Friday night. I’m not going to write a lot more about that because obviously you’ll want to stop reading and grab a ticket before they are all gone. Try here. Fri, Sept. 29 | Doors 8pm, show 9pm | Commodore Ballroom (868 Granville St.) | $35+ | DETAILS

GROW A CHEF | One of our most anticipated annual food events and fundraisers is back for its 8th year. From Farms to Forks: A Growing Chefs! Kitchen Party is once again taking over the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts‘ kitchen classrooms for a live-action tasting event. Over fifteen of BC’s top chefs will be working their magic before your eyes, cooking up dishes using the region’s best ingredients with wine pairings from Mission Hill Family Estates. Cocktails, beer from Moody Ales and tea from Namasthé Tea Company will also be available. If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, it’s an evening of hopping from one cooking station to the next, tasting, mingling and picking the brains of some awesome culinary minds, all while supporting an awesome program nurturing and educating young minds on food cultivation and healthy eating. We’ve never been so excited about being back in a classroom! You can find out more about the charity here. A seriously good time. Don’t miss out! Sun, Oct. 1st | 5:30 – 9:30pm | PICA (1505 West 2nd Ave.) | 19+ | $200 – $235 | TICKETS

COMMUNITY | Tucked quietly between the constant crazy of Prior Street and the comparative emptiness of the warehouses and train tracks to the south is the tiny but beautiful Strathcona Community Garden. Full of individual plots teeming with lovingly cared-for produce, flowers and trees, plus a small orchard of apple trees, some out buildings, blackberry thickets, benches and picnic tables for sitting at — it’s a sanctuary of sorts. Take a walk through, talk to some gardeners, watch the bees; it’s a place that slows you right down. This Sunday (noon-3pm) is a great time to check it out as the Harvest Festival will be going on. This means that, in addition to the chill environment, there will also be beekeeping and mushroom growing displays, native plant talks, local history sharing and plenty of food and drink. Get into it. Sun, Oct. 1 | noon-3pm | Corner of Hawkes + Prior | DETAILS

CITY | Heads-Up for Tuesday: There is another VanPlay Smart City Talks going down at Robson Square and now is the time to scoop a ticket. The topic for this event is ‘Space and Equity’ and how the concept applies to Vancouver’s parks, public spaces and recreation opportunities. Former Fulbright scholar and Chairman/CEO of Design Workshop will be on site to lead a discussion on environmental and spatial justice by asking questions about what our public parks and spaces will look like in the future (both near and far). Good stuff to think about! Tue, Oct. 3 | 6:30pm | Robson Square (800 Robson St.) | $10 | DETAILS