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, July 10th, to Wednesday, July 16th, 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.

FOLD | Learn how to turn paper into something surprising at a hands-on accordion pop-up book workshop at Urban Source this evening (Thursday, July 10th). Artist Alison Woodward leads a three-hour-long class ($50) at this Main Street hub of creativity, where you’ll explore basic folding and pop-up techniques, and create your own illustrated book to take home (along with extra materials for future projects). No previous experience needed. DETAILS

MOON | July’s full moon rises today! This one is known by many names: Buck Moon, Hay Moon, Thunder Moon, and Salmon Moon (marking the return of salmon to their spawning grounds). Although it officially peaks this afternoon (1:37pm to be exact), the moon should still be pretty dang full after sunset (when you can actually get a good look at it) and Friday night, too. So, grab a blanket, find an open patch of grass or sand, and give yourself a few quiet minutes to stare at the sky and think big thoughts some time in the next 48(ish) hours. If you’re looking for a new spot, Clinton Park in Hastings-Sunrise is a solid choice: wide open fields, unobstructed views of the heavens, and close enough to T&T to grab snacks on the way. Also a nice option: sitting on a piazza with friends (see next entry).

PIAZZA | There’s something beautifully uncomplicated about an Italian piazza. It’s a stretch of outdoor space where the hours slip by in the form of second glasses of wine, good coffee, and neighbours stopping by to chat. Now, Commercial Drive has got its own version: a pilot project parklet just south of Livia that they’ve affectionately dubbed ‘the piazza’. And starting tomorrow, the popular cafe & bakery is kicking off a series of Friday night cookouts designed to activate the space with good food – and wine! First up: a Portuguese spread. Expect bifanas, peri-peri shrimp, tomato rice, and white bean salads. The piazza catches the summer sun perfectly, turning your evening into a golden sprawl ideal for a slow and memorable evening full of deliciousness and conversation, made even richer by the endlessly entertaining parade of Commercial Drive activity. DETAILS

FORAGE | Spend an afternoon learning how to spot wild edibles in Pacific Spirit Park. Field guide and author Tom Cervenka leads a 75-minute walking tour ($26) this Saturday, covering the basics of plant identification, and sharing stories of how local berries and plants have been used throughout time. Explore the forest trails with a small group, stopping to examine what’s in season and learning how to recognize edible species in the wild. No harvesting here — just a chance to discover something new the next time you head into the woods. DETAILS

BAGELS | Let’s be honest, most of us are still figuring out toast. Bagels? That’s a whole new party trick. This weekend, Yukiko Iikura, head baker at Wa-Bagel by Aburi, is leading a crash course in making soft and chewy Japanese-style bagels from scratch at the Japanese Language School in Railtown. During the class ($60), you’ll knead, boil and bake your dough, and then stuff your bagels with fillings like anko azuki bean with cream cheese or roasted sweet potato, finished with a scatter of black and white sesame seeds for good measure. The class runs three hours to give the dough time to rise — because bagels, like most good things, don’t like being rushed. While you’re waiting, there’ll be tea, fruit and snacks to keep you going. And at the end, you’ll head home with a box of fresh, warm bagels to share (but no judgment if you don’t). *Unfortunately, Regular Admission tickets are already sold out; but tickets for GVJCCA Members ($40) are still available, and donations are always welcome. DETAILS 

CLEAN | Roll up your sleeves and get ready to help clear the shoreline this Saturday. Hit Jericho Beach to pick up sad pieces of foam and plastic, nasty discarded bottles, and other gross bits of trash that should never have found their way to the shoreline in the first place. This event is hosted by Shoreline Rescue Club and sponsored by Island Life Apparel, which means that everything you need to clean is provided for you. It also means you can expect a few surprises along the way, including free giveaways, raffle prizes, and some local sponsors bringing post-cleanup treats. Check-in opens at 9:30am, with gear supplied (although bringing your own gloves and water bottle wouldn’t hurt). Teams will head out at 10am to tackle the clean up of sand, grass, and shoreline. Open to all ages, free to join, and a good way to start your weekend making a difference. DETAILS

ART | There are only a few days left to check out Vancouver-based artist Liang Wang’s new exhibition, Neon Superstitions, before it comes down from the walls at THIS Gallery! From THIS: “Drawing from scenes in Vancouver’s Chinatown, the works feature neon signage, beckoning cats, Guan Gong statues, and shopfront displays — symbols that blur the lines between commerce, faith, and folklore. These icons, often found in everyday spaces, become visual cues for protection, fortune, and justice, especially within diasporic communities…This body of work reflects a fascination with the tension between the sacred and the secular — between what is seen and what is felt.” The series of paintings is a marked departure for Wang from his usual depictions of urban landscapes – and his first solo exhibition in Vancouver! Don’t miss it. DETAILS

MORE ART | Take a spin around the Vancouver Art Gallery this weekend. Monsters in My Head is Japanese artist Otani Workshop’s first North American solo show, turning clay, wood, and wild ideas into a weird, beautiful ‘forest’ full of ceramic creatures and raw, playful paintings. Built with foraged materials and some Pacific Northwest inspiration, this exhibition is a delightful expression of creativity that offers the chance to escape your own head for a little while. As the VAG explains: “Entering the exhibition is like wandering into a forest of the imagination. Ceramic creatures in various scales and forms emerge from earthen mounds, tree stumps and scattered stones. The mazelike installation—constructed from materials foraged from local parks and forests—echoes Otani’s creative process, which transforms natural elements (clay, wood, flora) into figures brimming with presence and personality.” Sounds like a nice companion activity to our next suggestion (see below).  DETAILS

SHAPE | Pot Spot Studio in Chinatown is hosting a laid-back handbuilding pottery workshop this Saturday ($73.40) where an instructor will walk you through the basics of no wheel, no pressure clay forming for a nice bit of creative release. Whether you’re new to it or are looking to sharpen your skills, you’ll leave with one completed and fired piece (and maybe a new hobby). Tea or coffee included. DETAILS

TARTARE | Bar Tartare’s July chef line-up is seriously loaded with talent – no surprise there; but the extra tasty news (if you haven’t already heard) is that they’re also now open on Sundays, for a series of special one-day-only stints. This week Tess Bevernage and Thomas Robillard are on deck to make some sweet French sandwiches like jambon beurre and a spicy Merguez. Add to that, it’s been teased (via IG) that Bevernage’s turn in the Tartare kitchen also coincides with the A Sunday in August Party. It’s shaping up to be a very nice Sunday!  DETAILS

RELEASE | After a stretch of rain, the sun’s back — and Dachi’s opening bottles to celebrate. This Sunday, they’re launching their latest Scout Vineyard collab: a crisp, skin-contact Riesling and Pinot Gris blend described by co-owner Miki Ellis as “fresh, zippy yet structured… a perfect patio drinker.” Scout winemakers Murray Fonteyne and Aaron Godard will be on hand pouring the new release, plus a few rare cellar finds, with Dachi’s all-day menu running alongside. No reservations required, just show up and settle in. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are also available! Get sorted. DETAILS