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, October 10th to 16th, 2024. Please note that you can once again get the Scout List – with a few extra pieces of intel included – sent to your inbox every Thursday. Sign up for your subscription here.

BEHOLD | Aurora Borealis Alert: There is a geomagnetic storm incoming, and they say it’ll be a stunner. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center has forecasted a “severe” geomagnetic storm set to hit on Thursday, October 10, and continue into Friday, October 11. This is no ordinary aurora! Experts predict an intense display as the fastest-moving coronal mass ejection of the current solar cycle arrives. Keep an eye on NOAA’s Aurora Dashboard for real-time updates, find yourself a spot with less light pollution (we’re thinking Spanish Banks might be a passable in-the-city solution?) and prepare to witness something spectacular! DETAILS

FARM | The Fall season is one of the best times to get out and appreciate the straightforward beauty of a working farm. Not all farmers have time for visitors, though; so when we find one that does, we’re stoked! This weekend we want to head to Schoolhouse Farm in Ladner for a walk around their pumpkin patch (open every Saturday in October – the 12th, 19th, and 26th – from 9am to 1pm). Bonus: the self-serve produce stand will be well-stocked; hot drinks and snacks will be available; and there will be lawn games set up. Rain? No problem! There’s a tent for that. Plus, the Secret Society of Books mobile shop will be there with a solid selection of reads for kids. So cool. DETAILS

SHROOMS | From edible and medicinal to poisonous, dubious and deadly, there are scores of mushrooms on the scene right now, and it’s good to be schooled on the tasty, trippy, tricky little things. On that topic: The Vancouver Mushroom Show is back at the VanDusen Botanical Garden this fall! Join the Vancouver Mycological Society for a day packed with mushroom education, presentations, vendors, and art.  DETAILS

ART | There’s a fun little art show opening at Propellor Studio on Granville Island this Friday. You Can’t Always Paint What You Want is a new series of paintings by long-time collaborators and real-life pals, Geoff Carter and Tom Wren. Silly, smart and on-point stuff! The Opening goes down this Friday, October 11th from 6-9pm, and the show will remain on the gallery walls until November 28th. Regular gallery visiting hours are Monday to Saturday, from 10-5pm. DETAILS

REFLECT | So far this season, the weather has been outstanding – but it won’t last forever. One of these days, a big wind will come along and shake all the colourful leaves to the ground, and all will be soggy with rain. Seriously, take some time out this weekend to really appreciate the Fall. Any forest, beach or field will do; but if you want to get Japanese about it, consider a visit to the Nitobe Memorial Garden. It’s a serene 2½ acre traditional Japanese tea and walking garden located out at UBC. Complete with bright red Japanese maples, a Koi pond, streams, waterfalls, stone lanterns and a teahouse, this garden is “a place of reflection, where each step reveals a new harmony.” Nitobe is open 10am–4:30pm, 7 days a week. DETAILS

SIGHT LINES | Fairmont Pacific Rim is a fine place for a cocktail any day of the week; but this week in particular, we are looking forward to a drink and wandering through the hotel mezzanine’s The Pacific Gallery where Sight Lines, an exhibition in partnership with Equinox Gallery, features works by photographer Marten Elder and architectural artists Erin McSavaney and Renée Van Halm. The show explores architectural space through re-imagined depictions blending realism, abstraction and the sensory impact of colour. It’s a small but thoughtfully curated show that adds another layer to the already rich Pacific Rim experience. On display now through January 2025 in the second-floor lobby. DETAILS

CELEBRATE | This is a big deal! On Saturday night, Chupito Cocteleria is the place to be for a special celebration marking two big milestones: the final season of Chupito’s iconic patio (read: your last chance ever to have one of their magical slushy margaritas!), and 15 years of La Taqueria Hastings. Expect a stellar lineup of local chefs, including Chef Javier Blanc (Paella Guys, Casa Molina), Chef Vish Mayekar (soon to open ‘Elem’), and Chef Ben Lim (Lunch Lady); plus fresh oysters from Seven Seas. Drinks from local breweries and distilleries like Plato Ferments, 33 Acres, and Tequila Don Julio will be flowing, and bartender Winnie Sun (Zarak, Elem) will be taking charge of the bar. A good time will be had! Tickets ($75 each) HERE.

FIX | Got a busted blender, torn shirt, or malfunctioning coffee maker? Don’t kick your broken bits to the curb in frustration. Fix them! Don’t know how? Head to the hugely popular Repair Cafe, happening at Kits Community Centre this weekend. Expect knowledgeable volunteers manning repair stations for fixing small appliances, textiles, jewellery, and electronics. Book one free appointment time slot (between 9:30am and 1:30pm) via the Eventbrite link here to receive in-person repair help. Thanks to all the organizers and volunteers who make this happen; it’s a pretty cool initiative! DETAILS 

THINK | OG “influencer” probably best known as the author of the book The Tipping Point (among many others), Malcolm Gladwell is in town for a talk at The Orpheum next week, Monday, October 14th. The event coincides with the 25th anniversary of the aforementioned seminal book (his first) and follows the recent release of its follow-up, Revenge of the Tipping Point, which will be the kicking off point of this discussion with journalist and vet interviewer, Ian Hanomansing. “In this provocative new work, Gladwell returns to the subject of social epidemics and tipping points, this time with the aim of explaining the dark side of contagious phenomena.” Should make for a thought-provoking conversation! To get in the audience, snag one of the remaining tickets ($40-90) HERE.

EAT LOCAL | Leaves are falling, pumpkin patches are popping – this is going to be a great three-day weekend! Hit a farmers market for all the best stuff coming out of the groud. All kinds of apples are happening right now, plus healthy kale, grounding squash, and all the tomatoes. Also: cheeses, artisan breads, preserves, honey, wild salmon, cookies, and pies for days. Support the people who grow and make our food! DETAILS.

VOTE | Election Day is fast approaching (Saturday, October 19th). Advance voting starts this week (October 10-13th) and happens again on October 15/16th. The locations of advance voting stations can be found on the Elections B.C. website here. See a list of candidates here.