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 Thursday, November 27th to Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025. 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 here.

¡SALUD! | If you find yourself in Mount Pleasant this weekend, consider slipping into ¿CóMO? Taperia. We’ve loved this Spanish-inspired Main Street spot since the moment it opened in 2018. This week marks their seventh anniversary — no flashy decorations, no big show, nothing over the top. Just the usual: very good people serving very good things, the way they always have. A vermouth feels like the right move. Offer a congratulatory nod, maybe even a high five if you’re feeling bold. The standing bar will almost certainly be lively, and the complimentary tapas at happy hour remain one of the city’s most civilised rituals that every Vancouverite should make room in their schedule to enjoy. If you haven’t been in a while, drop by. And if you’ve never been, this would be a rather sensible moment to change that. Congratulations guys – we love and appreciate you!  DETAILS

BID | Access Gallery teams up with Or Gallery for a full-scale, after-dark auction inside the Vancouver Opera’s rehearsal hall on Friday night. Over forty works are on the block, including paintings, photography, jewellery, prints and contemporary pieces, from artists working across the country. The evening is built around three auction formats: a beginner-friendly “Emerging Art Collector’s First Bid” section with starting bids under $200; a main live auction designed to move fast; and a silent auction you can browse at your own pace. All proceeds go directly to sustaining Access Gallery’s programming and keeping artist-run spaces active in the city — the kind of infrastructure that gives new voices room to take risks. Admission includes a 2026 membership to Access Gallery and Or Gallery, plus your bid paddle. $25 via membership link / $35 at the door. DETAILS

BEHOLD | The Festival of Lights is on at Van Dusen Botanical Gardens. The switch to millions of twinkling lights gets flipped to the ’on’ position this weekend. Expect interactive installations like the mycelium-inspired Wood Wide Web, themed pathways, the Salmon Run display, and a new Great Bear Rainforest exhibit inside the Visitor Centre. A brisk walk through the gardens, taking in the lights, is a great way to jump-start your holiday spirit. The forecast calls for rain, so dress appropriately and take a few extra dollars for cups of hot chocolate (and possibly a doughnut). DETAILS

ADMIRE | Emily Carr University hosts its annual student art sale alongside the Indigenous Winter Market, bringing together emerging artists, designers, and makers for three days of work worth exploring. Expect everything from paintings and ceramics to printmaking, wearables, and jewellery, plus handcrafted pieces from Indigenous artists curated by the Aboriginal Gathering Place. This event is always inspiring and always cool. Plus, it’s a nice way to connect with the community, support new talent, and take home something original. DETAILS 

BRUNCH | The Acorn’s Clay Collab Brunch returns this weekend. Tickets ($95) include brunch, a welcome drink (Mimosa or Fauxmosa – depending on how you roll), and a hand-crafted ceramic bowl by ceramicist Gabrielle Burke of Community Clay to take home. It’s an easy, relaxed way to eat well while supporting a local maker. Vegan and gluten-free options are available. It’s kinda crazy that there are still seats available, so don’t overthink it, just do yourself the favour and grab one while they are still an option. DETAILS

SWAGGER | I’m really interested in checking out Montréal Chinois: The Lost Decades Photography 1945–1960s at the Chinese Canadian Museum — it sounds very cool. From the museum: “Step into a side of Montréal you’ve never seen. This exhibition unveils a rarely seen archive of Chinese Canadian life from 1945 to the 1960s, sourced from the McCord Stewart Museum. Featuring the work of Chong Hong Ho, Arthur Lee, Samuel Lee, Peter Wong, and Chuck Yip—self-taught photographers who captured friendship, swagger, and everyday flair—it reveals a world where Chinese Canadians shaped the city’s sense of style and cool.” Friendship, swagger, and everyday flair? I’m so into this. The show is viewable 10am to 5pm, Wednesday to Sunday. DETAILS

VINYL | | Strange Fellows Brewing hosts its annual one-dollar record sale, a huge fundraiser for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank. Tables will be stacked with thousands of records, CDs, DVDs, cassettes, and oddball music finds, all priced at a dollar. DJs pulling DJ sets straight from the bins, the taproom will be pouring beer, and the panini press will be going all day. Bring donations of canned food or records if you have them—everything helps. DETAILS

FEAST | Burnaby’s cutest coffee shop, Handworks Coffee, hosts a two-day Chilean-style sandwich pop-up with our pal Benjamin Barwick (previously Dachi) this weekend, and we couldn’t be more excited (Ben makes the best sandwiches!). The menu includes a carne mechada with braised pork, tomato, avocado, and mayo, and a manzana con manjar built from caramelized apples and dulce de leche. Barwick’s summer pop-up sold out fast, so go early, grab a coffee, and get your order in! DETAILS

CRAFT | Robson Square turns into a busy holiday market this weekend as the Japan Market Christmas Fair returns. Expect food, crafts, art, pottery, apparel, matcha, and plenty of one-of-a-kind gifts if you’re hunting for something a little different this season. There will also be cultural performances throughout the day, including kimono shows, taiko drumming, lion dance, and calligraphy demos. Discounted tickets are available online, and the first fifty people through the doors each morning receive a ten-dollar market voucher. Samurai characters will be roaming for photos, too, so aim to get there early. DETAILS

GATHER | UBC Farm hosts a hands-on winter soup workshop led by chef and instructor Abraham Wong on Wednesday, and there are a few seats left. The evening workshop focuses on turning imperfect or leftover produce into a bowl of tasty (and nourishing) soup. Wong will walk participants through how to make two soups start to finish: a beet-and-cabbage borscht and a potato-leek. Sessions end with everyone sitting down to eat together, making it a practical way to build skills and waste less as winter sets in, but also a nice way to connect with a handful of humans. Like this vibe. DETAILS

GINGERBREAD  | If you’re downtown, looking to shift out of the grind of the work week and into something a little more festive, slip into the Hyatt Regency and wander through this year’s Gingerbread Lane. The hotel lobby becomes a full hall of gingerbread architecture — about thirty builds made by professionals, hobby bakers, and secondary school teams. Each one has its own character, and taking a moment to look closely is an easy way to reset and get into a cheerful mood. The event is free, with tap-to-donate stations throughout the exhibit supporting Make-A-Wish Canada. Last year’s display raised $25,000, and the hope is to top that number this year. Before you leave, cast a vote in the People’s Choice Award — there’s always a quiet standout that steals the show. DETAILS

ENGAGE | The City of Vancouver is working on the planning process for Railtown, looking at how the area can evolve while supporting the mix of creative businesses, light industry, and community use already rooted there. The work will explore options for more flexible commercial space, potential housing opportunities, and additional room for artists and makers. Community feedback will shape the early policy directions, so residents, workers, and visitors are encouraged to weigh in. No complaining later if we don’t try to speak up now! The survey is open until Wednesday, December 3rd. DETAILS