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 24th, to Wednesday, July 30th, 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.

WILDLIFE | Join Stanley Park Ecology Society for a guided summer stroll around Beaver Lake (Áx̱achu7), a partial bog ecosystem rich with wildlife. From event organisers: “As you venture along the wetland trail, you might hear the croaks and calls of nearby frogs, the quacks of resident ducks, and the buzz of bumblebees and dragonflies flying above the water – if you’re lucky, you also might just spot a beaver! How well do you know the animals that call Beaver Lake home?” This in-person program explores local wildlife while moving at a gentle pace along gravel and sidewalk trails. DETAILS 

WATCH | On Tuesday night, grab yourself some summer picnic food along with your best blanket and stake out a spot for an outdoor screening of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. The weather will be perfect for watching this 1986 cult classic about Ferris Bueller, a high school senior with a knack for skipping school undetected, who fakes an illness to pull off one final day of freedom before graduation. With a borrowed Ferrari and his friends in tow, he sets out to make the most of a spontaneous adventure around Chicago — all while his suspicious principal is hot on his trail, determined to catch him. DETAILS

MAKE | As part of this year’s Eastside Arts Festival, artist Megan Majewski is leading a multi-layered floral painting workshop at Superflux Beer Company. Participants will create a watercolour base, then layer translucent floral drawings to build soft, dimensional pieces. Designed for all skill levels; all-in the cost is $40.54 per person. Do keep in mind that Superflux is a brewery, so minors (16-19) must be accompanied by an adult. DETAILS

HANG | Then, on Saturday, July 26th, the Eastside Arts Festival lands in MacLean Park with free live music (in partnership with Rickshaw Theatre), public art activities, a pop-up art shop, food trucks, and a beer garden by Strange Fellows Brewing. From 2–7pm, the park transforms into an open-air celebration of community and creativity in the heart of the Eastside Arts District. How great is it to hang out in a park all afternoon with your toes in the grass, music in the air, and good things happening all around you? We suggest fuelling up nearby, by grabbing a green smoothie and Coconut Curry Bowl from The Garden (think kale, broccoli, rice noodles, enoki mushrooms, toasted coconut, and more), or head to Strathcona Beer Co. for cold beer and takeout pizza. DETAILS

CHILL | It’s the peak of summer! Make the most of the warm weather by spending as much time outside as you can. We should be using these days for sitting in parks, wandering neighbourhoods, dining on patios, driving in the countryside, and visiting beaches. You know what else you should be doing? Eating all the ice cream – that’s what! How much would you enjoy a scoop of Double Strawberry Vermouth from Annabelle’s right about now? Not into Vermouth? Can’t decide what you want next? Check our picks for Vancouver’s Best Ice Cream here.

GATHER | On Tuesday, July 29th, Chef Andrea Carlson brings her field-to-fork philosophy to The Sharing Farm in Richmond for a five-course vegetarian long table dinner guided by the micro-seasons and lunar cycle. The evening begins with a farm walk before guests sit down to a meal shaped by peak July ingredients and Carlson’s quiet, intentional style. From event organisers: “We’re thrilled to welcome Chef Andrea Carlson of Burdock & Co. to our first long table dinner of the season. A trailblazer in sustainable fine dining, Carlson is the first female chef-owner in Canada to have earned a Michelin star. With a background in organic agriculture and a career shaped by pioneering farm-to-table kitchens, her work is deeply grounded in food security, seasonality, and care for the land.” Tickets are $165. DETAILS

FIX | On Saturday, July 26th, head to King George Secondary for a dual Zero Waste event hosted by the City of Vancouver. Drop off unwanted electronics, small appliances, and clothing at the Pop-Up Recycling station, and take part in a Free Swap where you can trade, donate, or take home gently used items — no donation required to participate. However, if you do have things to unload, note that items for the swap must be clean, working, and small enough to fit in a reusable grocery bag. Donations are accepted from 10am–12:30pm. “Swap It. Recycle It. Keep It Out of the Landfill.” DETAILS

SPECTACLE | The Celebration of Light continues this week. Saturday, July 26th sees a display of pyrotechnic amazingness put on by Nova Scotia! There are many Vancouver beaches, hills, parks and bridges that will provide free and spectacular views of the fireworks. Best to travel by foot, bike or public transit. Whatever happens, don’t try to drive through the West End on Saturday night! DETAILS.

SCORE | What a great time to hit the Farmers’ Market! Tomatoes are total perfection right now; peaches are still available; and apples are already starting to show up. Plus beans, plums, pears and garlic – they’re all coming in. The day will come when those hard-working farmers will pack up and retreat, and you’ll be sorry you didn’t get to more markets! Weekends are a great time to buy local, but there are a number of mid-week opportunities too. See you out there! DETAILS / DETAILS