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 October 10 to October 16, 2018. 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.

LISTEN | Municipal Election Day is fast approaching (October 20th ). If you’re looking for an efficient and informative way to bring yourself up to speed on the candidates and the issues that are important to them, there’s an All Candidates Meeting going on at the Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House tonight. What to expect: “A diverse format with 1-hour moderated panel discussion with mayoral or councillor candidates answering prepared questions. Participants are one representative per party, plus independents. This will be followed by a speed-dating style Q&A where all candidates will have an opportunity to answer questions from individuals.” 158 candidates are running for 27 positions, including Mayor …  Gotta narrow that business down somehow! Find out more.

CITY | There’s a Built City lecture going down at the Museum of Vancouver this week. As explained by the MOV, these lectures are a series of talks aimed at engaging “city thinkers from all disciplines and areas of interest to make connections between community, policy and governance, to the ideals and economics of architectural theory and practice.” At Thursday’s talk (entitled The Missing Middle), four housing specialists will zero in on the issue of non-subsidized affordable housing for the subsets of the population that might not qualify for subsidized housing but also can’t afford to buy a home in Vancouver. Tickets are $19 General Admission. Find out more.

STARS | Looking for an adventure? Why not head to Manning Park Resort for the Manning Park Dark Sky Astronomy Weekend (Oct 12-14). Not only will the drive through the valley be stunning, but skies are expected to be dry and clear and Manning Park is free of light noise (so prime stargazing conditions). From event orgainzers: “Bring your telescope and your astronomy questions for our star experts who will guide you on a tour of the night skies in the pristine alpine environment…” Expect a photography show, workshops, talks, kids activities and all manner of super cool telescopes — even yoga under the stars! Events are already starting to sell out, so get moving!  Find Out more.

APPLES | One of the sure signs that Fall is officially in full swing is the annual UBC Apple Festival, and it’s happening this weekend. Join throngs of happy, apple-loving Vancouverites at the UBC Botanical Gardens and get into the spirit! Not only will there be apples galore, but you can also expect apple pie, hot apple cider, caramel apples, apple chips and organic BC apple juice. Master Gardeners will be available to discuss apple tree-related gardening issues and pest management (for those of you who have trees at home). Bonus: there will be trees to take home and plant! This is not a light traffic event, so consider alternative modes of transport and wear comfy shoes. Find out more.

GIG | Slick Denver indie pop band Tennis take the stage at The Biltmore on Saturday night. Factor in an opening set by Matt Costa, and a pre-show cocktail over at Tocador and you have all the ingredients for a fine Saturday night. Grab tickets online here.

EXPLORE | Sunshine, crisp mornings and colourful foliage — this is perfect weather for exploring! Get some layers on and get hiking. We suggest a few hours on the trails out at Lighthouse Park in West Van (followed by a slice of still available pumpkin pie at Savary Island Pie Co. on Marine Drive). Don’t feel like tackling the bridge? Head out to UBC and take the stairs down to Wreck Beach or visit the bunnies at Jericho.

CONNECT | The Sustenance Festival is a series of fantastic food-elated events designed to connect local community groups, artists, and social service organizations to “celebrate and push the boundaries of food innovation in our city.” Learn about wild foods and mushroom identification, take pickling and canning classes, attend talks, listen to food related stories, sit in on cheese-making and baking workshops, attend a potluck, taste tea – the works. Events go down at community centres all over the city from now through November 22. This week there’s a workshop on growing Japanese vegetables, a food related art exhibition, and a really cool-sounding Ethiopian food workshop at the Moberly Arts and Cultural Centre on Saturday night. It’s a cool way to get to know your community! Check out the full Sustenance Festival line-up here.

OKTOBERFEST | Guzzle some German pints in celebration of Oktoberfest at The Alpen Club this weekend. They’ve always done it right. From classic Schlager songs to the Bavarian buffet, it’s the real deal. The club’s slogan says it best: “Real Oktoberfest by Real Germans.” Das original! Find out more.

FILM FEST | This is the last week of the Vancouver International Film Festival. Screenings continue through Friday and there are still some great films to catch. 350+ movies and ancillary events? That’s a lot to process. Thankfully VIFF has a user-friendly 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. So much to see! Find out more.

PECHA KUCHA | Speaking of Film Fest, Pecha Kucha takes place next week with a film-themed line-up. (We’re telling you now so that you don’t miss your chance to scoop a ticket.) Expect to be inspired by the likes of Danny Berish & Priyanka Desai of Black Rhino Creative; Programming Associate Shaun Inouye from The Cinematheque; Writer & Director Kat Jayme; Filmmaker Sophie Jarvis; Associate Director of Programming Curtis Woloschuk of the Vancouver International Film Festival; and many other talented peeps (the list goes on and is impressive to the last). Extra super fantastic bonus: the always entertaining Ken Tsui is hosting. PKNV tends to sell out, so get moving and grab a few seats while there are still tickets ($23) to be had! Find out more.