The 8th Annual Monsoon Festival of the Performing Arts is back bigger and better than ever! Presented by theSouth Asian Arts Society the festival attracts generations of families and friends who gather each year to celebrate South Asian culture through diverse and exciting programming.
Monsoon Festival of the Arts
The welcoming of the captivating and spiritual force of the monsoon in India dates back thousands of years. The heavy monsoon rains take over the country on an annual basis, but amidst the damage and destruction, the monsoon season is also filled with celebration, including dance, music, theatre, film and festivals. Vancouver is also known for its heavy rainfall. With the intersection of these two natural phenomena, Monsoon Festival’s goal each year is to celebrate the monsoon in the Lower Mainland by welcoming the storm.
Enjoy a month filled with theatre, music and dance performances, thought-provoking discussions, a marketplace of visual art, dance classes, development workshops and more. Nurture the creative power within the community by attending our events, learning more about artists’ processes, and experiencing creative practices, as we invest in and support the next generation of aspiring local artists.
Event Lineup
Opening Night Reception The Clutch Historic Theatre, 1895 Venables St, Vancouver August 17, 2023 from 7:00pm – 11:30pm Celebrate the opening of Monsoon Festival, including sneak peeks of the performances being presented, followed by an opportunity to mix n mingle with food & drinks. Tickets available for purchase online »
Chai with T: Live Podcast Recording Surrey Arts Centre Studio Theater, 13750 88 Ave, Surrey August 19, 2023 from 7:00pm – 9:00pm Be a guest in the audience for a live recording of the popular podcast, Chai with T, hosted by Tarannum Thind. With guest Amreen Gill (aka Bhangralicious) and Swarndeep Gill. Tickets available for purchase online »
Sunday Funday Bahangra Dance Lesson (16+) KPU Conference Centre (Cedar 1205), 12666 72 Ave, Surrey August 20, 2023 from 10:00am – 11:30am Make your Sunday more fun and get your week started right by learning some Bhangra dance moves with Raja Singh, aka Bhangre Da Raja. Register online »
Sunday Funday Semi-Classical Dance Lesson KPU Conference Centre (Cedar 1205), 12666 72 Ave, Surrey August 20, 2023 from 11:30am – 1:00pm Make your Sunday more fun and get your week started right by learning some Semi-Classical Kathak dance moves with Krystal Kiran. Register online »
Momentum The Clutch Founders Lounge, 1895 Venables St, Vancouver August 20, 2023 from 5:00pm – 7:00pm Join and listen to excerpts of three published plays from three groups of South Asian artists. Chai/Snacks and conversation to follow the readings. Hosted by Adele Noronha. Tickets available for purchase online »
Workshop Wednesday Progress Lab, 1422 William St, Vancouver August 23, 2023 from 5:30pm – 7:30pm This workshop uses improv and in-class exercises to explore the question: What makes dialogue interesting? Participants will have a chance to write new scenes or apply tools to existing works-in-progress. Register online »
Is Democracy Dead: An Interactive Theatrical Game Progress Lab, 1422 William St, Vancouver August 26, 2023 from 7:00pm – 9:00pm Why be an audience member when you can be a participant? Part interactive game, part social discussion, part theatrical performance, Is Democracy Dead? is a workshop that invites you to care and connect. Tickets available for purchase online »
Punjabi Market LIVE Punjabi Market (main stage at corner of Main St. & 49th Ave.) August 27, 2023 from 12:00pm – 6:00pm An outdoor street celebration in Vancouver’s historic Punjabi Market featuring dance, music, poetry, cuisine, family activities, and more! In partnership with the Punjabi Market Collective. Free admission.
PNE Summer Nights Concerts start this weekend with a huge lineup of Canadian acts and international superstars at the PNE Amphitheatre August 19 to September 4, 2023.
Fair at the PNE Summer Nights Concerts – PNE Photo
Concerts at the PNE This Summer
The concerts will run every evening the Fair is open, starting on Saturday August 19th at the Chevrolet Stage in the PNE Amphitheatre.
Saturday, August 19, 2023 – TLC Sunday, August 20, 2023 – Boyz II Men Tuesday, August 22, 2023 – Tenille Townes Wednesday, August 23, 2023 – Boney M ft. Maizie Williams Thursday, August 24, 20234 – Yung Gravy & bbno$ Friday, August 25, 2023 – Billy Talent Saturday, August 26, 2023 – AQUA Sunday, August 27, 2023 – Billy Idol Tuesday, August 29, 2023 – Pink Martini ft. China Forbes Wednesday, August 30, 2023 – Doug and the Slugs with the VSO Thursday, August 31, 2023 – Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo Friday, September 1, 2023 – Jason Derulo Saturday, September 2, 2023 – Stars of Drag Sunday, September 3, 2023 – Walk off the Earth Monday, September 4, 2023 – Blue Rodeo: 30 Years In July
All concert goers will need a Fair Gate Pass as well as a paid concert ticket. There will be a combination of reserved seats for superfans and standing room only floor tickets. Ticket prices will start at $20 and are on sale via TicketLeader.
More Entertainment and Attractions
Be part of The Big Rockout, enjoy the Market, Canoe Cultures, Agriculture at the Fair, nightly fireworks, duelling pianos, the SuperDogs, and a legendary drag show round out the entertainment.
About the PNE
Since 1910, millions of guests have enjoyed shows, exhibits, sporting events, amusement rides, concerts, cultural activities and, of course, the annual summer Fair at the PNE.
Today, the PNE is the largest employer of youth in British Columbia, the longest running and best attended annual ticketed event in BC and the site of hundreds of famous events – from a live performance from the Beatles to the historic Miracle Mile.
Signalling the finale of summer in Vancouver, the PNE is opening up this weekend with a jam packed schedule of entertainment and events. Also this weekend, Miss604 is proud to sponsor Summer at Burnaby Village, Burnaby Summer Stages (Friday), and Burnaby Summer Cinema (Friday). Find these events and many more things to do in Vancouver this weekend listed below:
Meet Me in Gastown is a free community event that includes street performers, local business activations, and a finale show by the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra to close out a month of summer fun in the city.
Free Gastown Street Party
When: Thursday, August 31 from 3:00pm to 7:00pm
Where: Water Street will be partially closed to traffic from Abbott to Carrall St. There will be stages at Maple Tree Square and Abbott.
The afternoon will kick off with performances from Emmett Jerome and Hayley Wallis at the Maple Tree Square Stage. Local artists including Arega Grigoryan, Katherine Cross, Olivia Di Liberto, and Paige Jung will be stationed on the streets, captivating crowds with live art demonstrations. Additional musical acts including Alannah Clark, Katie Stewart, and Lee Nichols, can be found throughout Gastown.
Photo Submitted
Along Water Street, visitors can shop local businesses and engage in activations, including a free floral bouquet station. Picnic tables will be set up along the street for attendees to enjoy takeout from neighbouring businesses, along with Monarca and Guilt & Co.’s cocktail patio extension on Carrall Alley.
Greta Bar will have a booth along Water Street with arcade games, Herschel will have a bean bag toss for a chance to win prizes, Pourhouse will have all day Happy Hour, MAKE will offer 15% off during the event, and much more!
Restaurants such as Local Public Eatery, MeeT in Gastown, Twisted Fork, L’Abbattoir, and The Greek will be lively spots for guests to dine, with Portside hosting an oyster shucking competition. The grand finale of the evening will be a performance from the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra.
If you’re taking transit and walking over from Waterfront Station, stop by Deville Coffee (333 Seymour, located directly across from the skytrain station) to pick up a Meet Me in Gastowntote bag with a purchase (while supplies last) and enjoy the dynamic roving band, East Van Horns.
Hosted by Low Tide Properties in collaboration with the Gastown Business Improvement Society, PCIDevelopments, Reliance Properties, and The Salient Group.
TransLink is celebrating 75 years of trolley bus service in Vancouver with new Mini-Trolley Compass Keychains and free vintage bus tours on August 16th. Since their first appearance in 1948, trolley buses have been providing vital zero-emission transit services to Vancouverites.
Vancouver Trolley Buses – TransLink Photo
TransLink Celebrates 75 Years of Trolley Bus Service
Now, over 100,000 zero-emission transit trips are taken on trolley buses every weekday. By running trolley buses instead of conventional diesel buses, over 18,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions are saved every year, leading to less pollution and cleaner air.
2008 – Photo by John Bollwitt
To celebrate this milestone, TransLink is releasing a new limited-edition Mini-Trolley Compass keychain, and free tours riding one of Vancouver’s first trolley buses.
Mini-Trolley Compass Keychains
The new Compass product will be available August 16th, starting at 8:00am, at TransLink’s Customer Service Centre. There will be 4,000 Adult Mini-Trolley keychains, and 1,000 Concession Mini-Trolley keychains available. Each works to tap at fare gates and on buses, just like a Compass Card. Customers will be limited to purchasing two Mini-Trolley keychains. Each bus can be loaded with your favorite Compass pass or stored value and the headlights light up when tapped on a reader. Each Compass Product can be paid for with a $6 refundable deposit.
Trolley Bus Tours
Free rides on a historic brill trolley bus are available outside of Waterfront Station between 9:00am and 4:00pm on August 16th. Those interested should meet on the south side of Cordova Street, across from the entrance to Waterfront Station (601 W Cordova St. Vancouver). Tours will commence approximately every 20 minutes. Availability is limited and on a first come first served basis.
1948 BC Electric Trolley Bus – Vancouver Archives # CVA 586-10665
Trolley Bus History in Vancouver
Vancouver is the only city in Canada with trolley bus service! With 262 buses, TransLink has the second largest trolley bus fleet in Canada and the US.
Vancouver’s first trolley bus went into service on August 16, 1948. It was operated by BC Electric Railway Company. The first trolley bus was a Canadian Brill T-44, which was built in Thunder Bay Ontario at the Canadian Car and Foundry bus manufacturing plant. These vehicles had a 140-horsepower motor and drew 550 volts of power from overhead wires.
The first trolley bus route was called the Fraser-Cambie. It started service at Queen Elizabeth Park, went over the Cambie Street Bridge, through Chinatown, and down to Marine Drive and Fraser Avenue. The last brill trolley bus was retired in August of 1976 after 28 years serving Vancouver streets. A total of 364 Brill Trolleys were in service over that period.
