Everyone’s always looking for something to do for a family outing, activity with friends, or a date night and I love providing information that can help locals and visitors plan their leisure time in the city. While I have been doing a monthly event list for years, I thought I would try something new and offer a specific short-list of things to do over the weekends. I’ll try this for a few Fridays and see how it takes off but you can still always reference the full monthly event list at any time.
Things To Do in Vancouver This Weekend
Saturday, September 7, 2013
West End Fest
Wesbrook Village Festival
Fleetwood Family Festival
Fresh St Market Grilled Cheese Competition
Langley Cruise-In
Walking Tour: Grandview, West of Commercial
Salsa Cruise
Portobello West Fall Market
Stanley Park’s Secrets Historical Walking Tour
Luxury & Supercar Weekend
Vancouver Chinatown Night Market
Trout Lake Farmers Market
West End Farmers Market
Kerrisdale Village Farmers Market
Vancouver Latin American Film Festival
MexicoFest
Vancouver Fringe Festival
Sunday, September 8, 2013
VPL’s Stanley Park 125 History Exhibition
Vancouver Canadians Championship Playoff Game
Coho Festival in West Vancouver
Mountain View Cemetery Bike Tour
Big Brother Canada Casting Call at Metrotown
Bugs Galore at Richmond Nature Park
The n Games at Elm Park
The Awesome Race
Rhythm of Life: The Run and Walk for Everyone
Free All Ages Evaporators Concert
Feast of Fields
Polish Culture Festival in Lynn Valley
Portobello West Fall Market
Luxury & Supercar Weekend
Vancouver Chinatown Night Market (final of season)
Kitsilano Farmers Market
Mt Pleasant Farmers Market
MexicoFest
Vancouver Fringe Festival
One event not on the list is the opening of The Disney Store at the newly-renovated Guildford Town Centre in Surrey. On Saturday, September 7, 2013 there will be a grand opening ceremony at 10:00am where the first 500 guests will receive a free gift. From 12:00pm until 4:00pm there will be a meet and greet with Disney characters at Centre Court. You can also still enter to win a $50 Guildford Town Centre gift card in my contest before 3:00pm today.
September Events in Metro Vancouver
Be sure to bookmark and share the full monthly event list for reference and feel free to send in your event for listing at no charge.
The Vancouver Canadians won their THIRD STRAIGHT championship! Way to go Vancouver!
The Vancouver Canadians are headed to the Northwest League Championship for the third year in a row after defeating the Everett Aquasox 11-4 on Wednesday.
The C’s have won the Northwest League Championship title for the last two years, every year since they became the Short Season A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays.
The first game of the final series of the summer will be played in Boise, Idaho tonight. The second game of the playoff with Boise will take place on Sunday, September 8th at 1:05pm in Vancouver at Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium.
If a third game is needed to crown this year’s champ, it will take place Monday in Vancouver at 7:05pm. Tickets are on sale now by calling (604) 872-5232, by visiting the Nat Bailey Stadium Box Office (4601 Ontario St) or online.
Let’s make sure to pack the ‘Nat on Sunday and cheer on our team! Tonight’s game in Boise can be heard on Team1410 Sports Radio.
Update
On Friday night the C’s lost 0-5 to Boise in Idaho but they bounced back in Vancouver on Sunday to win 4-2 and force a third and final game. Monday night at Nat Bailey Stadium the Vancouver Canadians won their THIRD STRAIGHT championship. Congratulations to the C’s!!
Our fair city is preparing for another incredible year of the Vancouver International Film Festival (“VIFF”) beginning on September 26th. I am very proud to once again be an official VIFF media partner, and a media partner for a hand-picked Canadian film that will screen during the festival (more details on that will follow over the coming weeks). Tickets are on sale today as we lead up to the catalogue launch and the hottest movie — and gala — season in town. Here is a quick VIFF 2013 Preview to get you started:
New VIFF Venues
With the movie theatre landscape changing in Vancouver over the last year there are a few new venue options available for 2013. VIFF now has three distinctive neighbourhoods: Granville and Davie, Commercial and Broadway, Gastown/Crosstown (with the latter offering 3,600 comfortable seats on 6 screens within seven blocks of each other).
The Centre in Vancouver
for the Performing Arts
Exceptionally grand and well-provided 1800 seat auditorium with a HUGE screen. International guests will be very impressed.
Cineplex Odeon International Village
(3 screens)
VIFF used ‘Tinseltown’ previously and is delighted to be able to return to this popular and well-equipped Chinatown multiplex under its new management.
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Vancouver Playhouse
Gracious and Spacious. We’re installing the latest in digital cinema technology.
Rio Theatre
VIFF returns to Commercial Drive at this popular licensed music and movie venue.
SFU’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts
Not just a new venue, a whole new partnership with SFU Woodwards Cultural Programs.
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VIFF’s traditional non-profit homes include the Vancity Theatre, VIFF’s own state-of-the-art facility, showing festival films (and serving beer and wine) year-round, and The Cinematheque, VIFF’s treasured neighbour and colleague.
Film Series
Canadian Images
Canadian Images Opener: All the Wrong Reasons on September 27th and September 28th.
Dragons and Tigers
Master director Jia Zhangke’s most popular film yet, A Touch of Sin is a Cannes prize-winning drama shows China’s gangsters, massage parlours, vicious bosses and desperate workers drawn into a whirlwind of violence, passion and vengeance. Winner, Best Screenplay, Cannes 2013.
Information on other series such as Altered States, Arts and Letters, Cinema of Our Time, International Shorts, Non-Fiction Features, Special Presentations, and Spotlight on France will be released in the coming weeks.
Must See BC
Preview. Promote. Vote! As part of the new BC Spotlight program, VIFF 2013 is thrilled to present a dozen feature films from our own creative backyard. The Must See BC campaign invites audiences to preview the lineup, promote BC filmmakers and vote on the must see festival screenings. And there are rewards. Follow the tag #MustSeeBC and @VIFFest on Twitter for more information.
Gala Screenings
Opening Gala
The Canadian premiere of Nebraska, with Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk, and Stacy Keach, will open VIFF this year at The Centre for Performing Arts.
BC Spotlight Gala
The BC Spotlight Gala will pay tribute to the late Babz Chula through the screening of Ben Ratner’s Down River — a beautiful example of local storytelling.
Closing Gala
The Face of Love with Annette Bening, Ed Harris, Robin Williams, Amy Brenneman, and Jess Weixler will be screened on October 11th to close out VIFF this year.
Tickets on Sale Now
The online box office is officially open today for ticket packages and passes. The in-person box office will be open on September 14th. The VIFF Mini Guide is available online as PDF download or around town and the full program catalogue will be on sale September 19th.
Be sure to follow along on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest festival information.
The Vancouver Aquarium’s next adults-only After Hours evening will be on September 19th as guests can explore “The Secret Sex Lives of Animals” through programming and shows.
This exclusive nighttime event allows adults to peruse the aquarium’s galleries and exhibits without kids underfoot while enjoying a selection of food, wine and beer.
In addition to our current exhibits, animals and shows, the September “The Secret Sex Lives of Animals” After Hours at the Vancouver Aquarium will feature a scientific talk from staff veterinarian Martin Haulena, an Amazon interactive learning show with live animals, and a seahorse romance program to catch up on your aquatic mating knowledge. Penguin Point and the Amazon Gallery will be open along with the Wet Lab Experiences (every 10 minutes).
Tickets are $18 for Vancouver Aquarium members and $25 for non-members. The event will run from 6:00pm until 10:00pm on Thursday, September 19, 2013.
If you would like to attend, I have a pair of tickets to give away. Here’s how you can enter to win your way in:
- Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
Follow the Vancouver Aquarium on Facebook and Twitter for more special event information and updates about their latest 4-D experiences.
I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, September 11, 2013. Must be legal drinking age to enter, win, and attend. Please enjoy responsibly.
19+ event. Photo ID required for entry. No tickets available for purchase at the door. Due to BC liquor laws, alcohol is only available with the purchase of food. Membership cards will be required for member priced ticket holders.
Update The winner is Katie Schiebler!
There will be no lack of events happening this weekend and whether you’ll be in Surrey, in the West End, or out at UBC you’ll be able to join in on some festival fun. The West End Fest, Wesbrook Village Festival, and Fleetwood Family Festival are all family-oriented and each will have their own bouncy castle and face-painting for the kids on top of unique community offerings:
West End Fest
West End Fest takes place Saturday, September 7, 2013 from 11:00am until 3:00pm at the West End Community Centre (870 Denman). The theme this year for the free, all-ages event is “60’s Flashback!” featuring live music, a bouncy castle, caricatures, crafts, face-painting, and more.
Wesbrook Village Festival
Wesbrook Village Festival will be a giant block party at UBC on Saturday, September 7, 2013 from 11:00am until 3:00pm. The event is free to attend, will have free parking, and even the barbecue is complimentary. UBC Opera will make an appearance, as will a cellist from the Mozart School of Music (who also happened to study at Juilliard School of Music), there will be bouncy castles, face-painting, balloon animal twisting, crafts, and children’s entertainer Will Stroet (star of CBC’s Will’s Jams) will perform. For the older crowd, Vancouver’s Top House Band Dr. Strangelove will be playing, and the UBC Dance Team will perform.
Fleetwood Family Festival
The Fleetwood Family Festival is happening Saturday, September 7, 2013 from 11:00am until 3:00pm at the Fleetwood Community Centre (15996 – 84 Ave). Now in its 15th year, the festival will have a variety of children’s activities such as a trackless train, bouncy castle, face-painting, crafts, balloons, indoor/outdoor games, and more. There will be an outdoor cafe, barbecue, and concession available.
