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…

BASEBALL | The Vancouver Canadians are in town to play a few home games against the Eugene Emeralds this week. Grab a ticket (they start at 12 bucks) and hit the stands at Nat Bailey Stadium to cheer. Add cold beer and a bag of popcorn and you’ve got a pretty perfect summer activity.
Thur, July 18 – Mon, July 22 | Day & Night Games | Nat Bailey Stadium | $12.50-$22 | DETAILS

CHILL OUT | Folk Fest spreads across Jericho Park this weekend. There’s something quintessentially Vancouver about this three day event. Even if you’re not into folk music, a summer evening at Jericho with music flowing, patchouli and weed in the air, and a little sand between your toes is just flat out awesome and emblematic of the place and time. This year is the 36th annual Vancouver Folk Festival, so it’s perfectly acceptable to expect greatness. Kathleen Edwards will be there and so will Steve Earle, The Wooden Sky, Justin Rutledge, Hannah Georgas and a whole whack of fantastic artists. Pack a blanket and chill.
July 19-21 | Jericho Beach | $40 – $165 depending on your commitment | DETAILS

FUSE GRAND BALLROOM | Once every few months, The Vancouver Art Gallery really lets loose. These occasional breaks from the usual civilized gallery behaviour are known as FUSE – an evening of music, live performance, DJs and art. This time around, the VAG team has collaborated with Arrival Agency (the peeps behind the re-vamped Fox Theatre project and Food Cart Festival) to give us Vancouver Grand Ballroom. This party will extend beyond the gallery proper onto patios, rooftops and the street below. FUSE-goers are encouraged explore current exhibitions like Martin Honert, Grand Hotel and the recently opened Persuasive Visions exhibition (17th Century Dutch and Flemish Masterworks).
Friday, July 19 | 8pm–1am | Vancouver Art Gallery (750 Hornby St.) | $20 | DETAILS

DRINK LOCAL | A cold beer on a hot day is one of those things that Vancouverites cherish. With nearly a dozen new craft breweries now open or set to open over the next several months, our choice of what that cold beer will taste like have jumped significantly. Drop in to catch the opening of Deep Cove Brewers and Distillers in North Vancouver on Friday and get to know the newest source of goodness in town. Samples will be poured, tours will be given and the patio will be open. UPDATE from Deep Cove Brewers + Distillers: “We are a little sad to announce that due to some unforeseen delays with the district of North Vancouver regarding permitting and approval, we have to delay our Grand Opening. It was our original plan to open our doors this coming Friday, July 19th, and to celebrate in style. However, due to the not to uncommon complications associated with gaining government approval, we will have to wait for a few more weeks to open our doors to the public.” A new opening date is set for August 23rd.
Friday, July 19 | 11:30am-9pm | 2270 Dollarton Hwy. | North Vancouver | DETAILS

GIG | Fancy a bit of punk? Well hustle down to the Chinese Cultural Centre Saturday night for some Black Flag. Since breaking up in the mid 80’s, the famous fractured punk rock band has only played a few reunion shows here and there. Don’t miss out on this rare opportunity. This is an all ages show, and conveniently only blocks away from both Bestie (late night sausages!) and The Chinatown Night Market (food carts hang out at the corner of Columbia and Keefer on Saturdays)
Saturday, July 20 | 7pm | Chinese Cultural Centre (50 East Pender St.) | $22 | DETAILS

FEAST | July 21 is the Belgian national holiday commemorating the day that Leopold I took a constitutional oath as the first King of Belgium way back in 1831. I think I’m safe in saying that if you’re looking for a medieval feast to attend in celebration of National Belgian Day, Chambar is the only place in the city that is really going to accommodate you. But move on it, buster, because many other gluttons will be racing you to your seat. Expect a decadent feast of 8 birds – Ostrich, Squab, Pheasant, Duck, Quail, Turkey, Chicken and a Pastry Swan – as well as regal metres of Chambar Ale, jolly communal tables and hands-on action, because cutlery is for pups.
Sunday, July 21 | 6pm | Chambar (562 Beatty St) | $80 | DETAILS

LOW BROW | Art is anything you want it to be, inspired by anything, even the mundane. Case in point: ‘Hey Loser!’ – a new mixed media exhibition opening at Main Street’s Hot Wet City Gallery this week. It will feature the works of artists who are, as gallery owner Chris Bentzen explains “inspired by the lame and unsophisticated.” Check in Friday night to see what locals Ali Bruce, Brandon Cotter, Hamish Olding, Daniel Tatterton, Tylor Macmillan, and Victoria Sieczka will bring to the table. The opening night reception for Hey Loser! includes music by Spun Suns and a bit of beer from Scandal Brewing. This show runs until August 3.
Friday, July 19 | 7pm | 2206 Main Street (@ 6th Ave) | Free | DETAILS

EAT YOUR VEGGIES | Packed with vitamins, flavonoids and oodles of antioxidants, kale is awesome and we all know that we should probably be eating more of it. The good news is that kale loves Vancouver. We can grow it all year round and that means we can eat it all year round and become super healthy kale-lovers with little or no challenge. Well, maybe one small challenge. Finding new and exciting ways of making that dark green leafy plant an enticing part of your diet can take some work. Get hooked up with a quick (and free) kale-centric workshop at The Dirty Apron this weekend when Holistic Nutritionist and Urban Gardener, Tricia Sedgwick swoops in to talk kale and share a series of easy recipes that will help you to get that kale intake up. To secure your spot in this free one hour workshop, call The Dirty Apron at 604-879-8588.
Sunday, July 21 | 11am | The Dirty Apron Cooking School | Free | DETAILS

SUNDAY MARKET | A bunch of local artisan vendors are joining a couple of local sommeliers (Dave Stansfield and Lisa Cook) for a cool twist on a Sunday market that involves wine tasting and quickie wine seminars. Take shelter from the sun in the beautiful Vancouver Urban Winery space where you can wander between market stalls and wine-on-tap tastings to bite-sized seminars about affordable summer wines and then repeat. The lovely ladies of HeyJude will be there with vintage clothing collection, plus Sugo Sauce and the Wonton Girl will also be on site with The Westcoast Chutney Company, Dolly’s Delicious Treats and Dolce Delights (mmm, cupcakes and wine).
Sunday, July 21 | 11am-5pm | Vancouver Urban Winery | 55 Dunlevy Ave | $5 | DETAILS

LAUGH | New rule: Bill Maher is in town. Yup, the political satirist, comedian and social commentator will be taking the stage at the QE this Sunday night and chances are there will be some laughing going on. Tickets are shockingly still available.
Sunday, July 21 | 8pm | Queen Elizabeth Theatre (600 Block Hamilton St. ) | $50-$100 | DETAILS

Check the Globe & Mail every Thursday for our Special Weekend Edition of the Scout List

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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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