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 9 to August 15, 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.

NATURE | Scoot yourself out to the Terra Nova Farm in Richmond this Sunday to catch Raptor Festival. Trained experts will be there to introduce the public to magnificent birds of prey and answer questions about everything from diet and hunting skills to mating and habitat. Expect interactive exhibits and activities as well as flying displays (11:30am, 1:30pm + 3:30pm). Bonus: Terra Nova is a fantastic place to wander; there’s room for kids to run and climb and it’s close to the West Dyke Trail for a flat hike overlooking the ocean. Sun, Aug. 13 | 11am-4pm | Richmond Nature Park (11851 Westminster Hwy) | $By donation | DETAILS

DISCO | Dig out your dancing shoes and hit the Vancity Theatre for the 40th anniversary screening Saturday Night Fever. Featuring dance moves by John Travolta and a soundtrack by The Bee Gees, this classic disco musical is an “an enthralling mixture of working class realism and dance floor euphoria”. And what weekend wouldn’t be better off with a solid dose of both of those things? Bonus: Director John Badham will introduce this special screening and will stick around after the movie for conversation with film scholar Michael van den Bos and a Q&A with the audience.  Sat, Aug. 12 | 7:30pm | Vancity Theatre (1181 Seymour St) | DETAILS

QUESTION | Former NASA physicist, consciousness explorer and philosopher Thomas Campbell speaks at SFU this weekend. From virtual reality and the nature of existence to metaphysics, digital physics and human purpose – the author and thinker will give an overview of his work and answer questions in an open forum style. Event organizers point out: “Tom is unique in having a foot in both the world of physics and the world of consciousness exploration, he is perfectly placed to answer any question you may have on the day.“ Suddenly the $250 ticket price seems pretty reasonable. Sat, Aug. 12 | 9am–5 pm | SFU Vancouver, Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings St | $250 (Not even joking) | DETAILS

SUNDAY ON SATURDAY | You’ve heard your friends talking about it. You’ve seen the IG pictures. You know it’s the place to be. Sunday Cider throws down with its third instalment of its Summer Sizzler series this weekend and you need to be at the friendly East Side cidery for an outdoor afternoon of music, food, good vibes and craft cider. Five taps will be flowing including Sesh, TropHop, Gulf Island, Sunday Sidra and a very special Sunday x Sons of Vancouver Distillery collaborative. There will also be food — Chef Todd of Handtaste Ferments will be on site – and that always means good things for your tastebuds. Not sure you’re feeling social? Slip in and grab a growler to-go. They transport nicely to beaches and parks. Just sayin’. Sat, Aug. 12 | 1-7pm | Sunday Cider (outside) | 1575 Vernon Drive | FREE Admission | DETAILS

FESTIVAL | Looking for a family adventure? How about the Bees and Blueberries Festival at Dr.Bee’s Honeyland in Pitt Meadows? A nice drive in the country (35 minutes from Vancouver) for a day of learning about bees (there are over 1000 colonies kept at the farm) could be just the ticket to feeling like you got away without actually having to pay for out of town accommodations. Expect everything from live music, bee beards and pony rides to hive openings, spelling bees and a blueberry pie eating contest (this is so Stand By Me!). Aug 12-13 | 10 am–4 pm | Dr.Bee’s Honeyland Canada (17617 Ford Rd, Pitt Meadows) | DETAILS

PLAY | If you haven’t been in a while, this is a good weekend to dedicate some time to hanging out in North Van. Fun City Festival is a two day family-friendly community event that sees Lower Lonsdale transformed into a party zone – and we’re not just talking a bouncy castle and a few face painters – think a 1000 foot slip-and-slide water party, a climbing wall, obstacle course, food trucks, a beer garden AND face painting. Lose the car and wear your bathing suit. Sat + Sun, Aug 12 & 13 | 10am to 7pm | Lower Lonsdale (8th Ave down to the water) | Free (Slide $30) | DETAILS

STARS | The Perseid Meteor Shower hits its zenith this weekend. Sadly, smoky skies aren’t ideal for star gazing. But don’t let the haze get you down…the Blackout Night Sky Festival will make up for the poor visibility by engaging your imagination with star enthused storytellers, astronomers, musicians and artists at the Museum of Anthropology.  Make a night of it with a BBQ, licensed bar, star lantern workshop, telescopes to peer through (just in case) and an experimental art installation of invented constellations. Doors are open until midnight!  Sat, Aug. 12 | 5pm – Midnight | Museum of Anthropology | $10 or FREE for Youth/Students | $10 | DETAILS

FORAGE | The window for perfect blackberries is open right now. Find yourself a thicket and get picking because next weekend will be too late. Try the borders of a quiet strip of defunct Canadian Pacific Railway tracks (always a good source). Parks, alleyways and empty lots (though the latter are harder to find) are also a profitable place to fill your bucket. What will you do with your bounty? Crumble, jam, or blackberry syrup for a late summer cocktail!

MURALS | The 2nd annual Vancouver Mural Festival (VMF) is on! Cruise streets and alleys to take in  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 much more. For a little background, check out Scout’s interview with Mural Fest founder David Vertesi here.
Now through August -12 | Various times, locations | DETAILS

JOY | We’ve come to expect and immensely enjoy Strange Fellows Brewing’s periodic celebrations. They tend to revolve around the strange, but this month they take a light and easy turn with a focus simply on “Joy”. From Strange Fellows: “August is a month of celebration – from small village fetes to big festivals, folks are united in their veneration of community, creativity, & tradition. Perhaps it is the desire to make the most of the last days of summer before the dark days of winter, or maybe its to rejoice in being a small part of a greater big.” Take some time out on Saturday afternoon to celebrate a few of the things that bring them joy: good music, company, food and beer! Gather some sunny memories to carry you through the dark days of winter. Expect live music, food trucks, ice cream and lots of good, cold beer. No cover, kids welcome.
Sat, Aug. 12 | 2-10pm | Strange Fellows (1345 Clark Dr.) | DETAILS