by Michelle Sproule | The main objective of this website is to scout out and promote the things that make Vancouver such a sweet place to be. We do this with an emphasis on the city’s independent spirit to foster a sense of connectedness within and between our communities, and to introduce our readers to the people who grow and cook our food, play the raddest tunes in our better venues, create our most interesting art, and design everything from what we wear to the spaces we inhabit. The Scout List is our carefully considered, first rate agenda of super awesome things that we’re either doing, wishing that we could do, or conspiring to do this week. From our calendar to yours…

Pedestrian Party | The Autumn Shift Festival sees Main between 12th and Broadway closed to traffic so that Vancouverites might gather on the streets to celebrate the seasonal shift. Emphasis is also on the growing shift in attitudes towards sustainability, eating locally and growing some of your own food. Expect the usual wickedeness: great music, street-side tables of local trinkets, gardening booths, interesting demos and probably a few chickens.
Saturday, September 15 | 12pm to 6pm | Main Street between 12th and Broadway | Free

Harvest Festival | Strathcona’s McLean Park is always the place to be on Sunday, but this Sunday is the annual Strathcona Harvest Festival , which is to say that it’s going to rock. This gig includes live music (and lots of it), potato sack racing, pie eating and a huge potluck. “Harvest Festival is a multi-cultural, all ages, free community celebration where everyone can join in the festivities, sing and dance to the music of local talent, play some good old fashioned games, enjoy feasting and spend a fun filled afternoon with old acquaintances while having the chance to make some new ones.” How friendly does that sound?
Sunday, September 16 | 12pm to 4pm | McLean Park, Strathcona (Keefer & Heatley) | Free | Details

FarmAde | If you haven’t been to UBC Farm before, now is the time. It’s like a vacation. You leave the farm feeling restored and inspired. Nxt weekend is a good excuse to go and show your thanks because it’s FarmAde. Make time to attend this annual fundraising festival on UBC’s 24-hectare learning and research farm. Originally intended to raise awareness about the farm and help to protect it against the threat of development, this family-friendly BBQ has become a tradition. Short story: it’s a good time for a good reason. Longer story: There will be vegan, vegetarian and local, free-range beef burgers on the grill as well as farm-fresh corn and organic UBC Farm veggies. Organic, fair trade baked goods from Sprouts (vegan options). To drink: smoothies and juice from The Juice Caboose (organic, vegan, gluten free and soy options) AND a beer garden. Take advantage of the free shuttle van and bicycle valet. As always, big props to the UBC Farm for cultivating food and community at the only operating farm in the city!
Friday, September 14 | 3-8pm | UBC Farm, 6182 South Campus Road | Free | Details 

Stinky Love | The Victory Gardens gals are getting ready to teach you all you need to know about how to grow awesome garlic. Sit in on their quick Fall workshop this Saturday morning and learn about the varieties of garlic that thrive on the west coast; how to prep your soil; how to care for your garlic over the winter; when to harvest; and how to cure and store for the Fall. All of that AND you get to leave with an info package and garlic seed.
Saturday, September 15 | 10 – 11am | Chalk (Corner of East Georgia and Princess Avenue) | $17 | Details 

Ride + Learn | Consider taking advantage of the September weather with a tour of Mountain View Cemetery. Did you know it was 106 acres? That’s pretty substantial. Covering that amount of ground could take a fair chunk of time on foot, but by bike it’s much easier. Get on your wheels and take it all in with a bike tour led by Vancouver history buff John Atkin. He will show you the graves of early citizens and more. Solid (if unique) Saturday afternoon, for sure.
Saturday, September 15 | 1:15pm | Mountain View Cemetery Celebration Hall (5445 Fraser) | $10 | Details 

Trees | It’s a bit of a hike but the Treefest out in Coquitlam sounds interesting: it’s a celebration of trees and heritage with an emphasis on the collection of trees on the Riverview lands. Wow. I guess that’s one way to turn around the haunting Riverview stigma(s). Activities include children’s crafts and games, tree tours, live entertainment, and heritage building tours. Totally fascinated.
Saturday, September 15 | 11 am–4 pm | Riverview Hospital ( 2601 Lougheed Hwy, Coquitlam | Free | Details

Fall Fashion | Spend on Trend goes down at Heritage Hall this weekend. This is your chance to make your way through the Fall collections of local and independent clothing and jewellery designers before they hit stores. Hook yourself up with Autumn style from Toodlebunny, cashmere gloves from Astrosatchel, or tie-dye Daub and Design and more.
September 14, 15 & 16 | Friday 5-9pm, Saturday 11-6pm, Sunday 11-5pm | Heritage Hall (3102 Main) | $5 | Details 

Pop Up | After a bit of a summer hiatus, The Beggars Banquet sets up in the old Boneta space again this weekend, and man, is it ever a sweet line-up! With an aim to bring Vancouverites a highly curated market consisting of vintage housewares and clothing, records, books and curios, as well as a tight selection of well-crafted goods, Beggars Banquet really is the coolest pop-up going. Oh, and don’t forget that there will be a cash bar, so make a night of it. Whet your appetite here.
Friday & Saturday, September 14+15 | Fri 6pm-11pm, Sat 11am-7pm | Boneta | 1 West Cordova | $2 Admission | Details 

Support | The Board of Trade shop owners David Lin and Eunice Quan opened their doors one year ago this weekend and we think they deserve a pat on the back. So go on in this week and say hi and Happy Birthday Not only are they both awesome people with great taste, but they seriously contribute to the strength of the Chinatown/Strathcona community and generally make our city a much cooler place.
The Board of Trade | 227 Union Street between Main and Gore | Details 

Eat Local | It won’t be long now, the hard working Farmers who fill the booths and tables of your local Farmers Market will pack up next month. Don’t miss the chance to grab locally grown produce from good people while you can.
Trout Lake Farmers Market | Saturday | 9am-2pm | Duh, Trout Lake
Kitsilano Farmers Market | Sunday | 10am – 2pm | 2690 Larch @ 10th
West End Farmers Market | Saturday | 9am-2pm | 1100 Block Comox
Main Street Thornton Park | Wednesday | 3pm – 7pm | Main Street Station at Terminal

Have a good week!

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Michelle Sproule grew up in Kitsilano and attended University in Australia and the University of Victoria before receiving her graduate degree in Library Sciences from The University of Toronto. She lives in beautiful Strathcona and enjoys wandering aimlessly through the city’s shops and streets with her best friend – a beat up, sticky, grimy, and uncooperative camera.

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