The Path Forward – Free Concert Celebration with VSO Indigenous Council

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The Path Forward is free concert celebration aligning with and honouring National Indigenous Peoples Day, curated by the VSO Indigenous Council. The event features performances by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) in collaboration with Indigenous artists and musicians from the Coast Salish Territory of the Musqueam; Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations along with a special guest from Tla’amin Nation.

VSO Indigenous The Path Forward

The Path Forward

  • Dates: Thursday, June 13, 2024
  • Times: 5:00pm festivities, concert at 7:00pm
  • Location: The Orpheum (601 Smithe St, Vancouver)
  • Tickets: This is a free community event and no ticket is required. Please arrive early to enjoy the family zone, a selection of Indigenous food, and to secure the best seating.

Hosted by Geena Jackson (creator of Bears’ Lair), festivities will begin at 5:00pm with a Family Zone and selection of Indigenous food. The atrium will open at 6:30pm and the free concert will begin at 7:00pm. At 8:00pm there will be a fashion show with designer Himikalas (Pamela Baker), and music with DJ O Show to round out the evening.

For those who can’t attend in person, The Path Forward event will be streamed for free online and you can view last year’s event online here as well. Follow the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) on Facebook for more information.

About the VSO Indigenous Council: In seeking reconciliation, the VSO has established an Indigenous Council made up of the Musqueam (xʷməθkʷəy̓əm), Squamish (Sḵwx̱wú7mesh), and Tsleil-Waututh (səl̓ilwətaɁɬ) nations, as well as an elder, youth, Metis, and Urban Aboriginal representative.

Related: National Indigenous Peoples Day Events 2024

Free Outdoor Movies in North Vancouver at Deckchair Cinema

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The Polygon Gallery presents Deckchair Cinema – free outdoor movies in North Vancouver every Thursday night at sunset from the end of June to the end of August, 2024.

deckchair cinema outdoor movies in north vancouver
Photo courtesy of the Polygon Gallery/Deckchair Cinema

Free Outdoor Movies in North Vancouver

  • When: Every Thursday from June 27 until August 29, 2024
  • Where: Cates Deck (The Shipyards), Spirit Trail, North Vancouver. In front of The Polygon Gallery.
  • Admission: Admission to Deckchair Cinema is by donation, courtesy of BMO Financial Group, and includes access to the Gallery’s summer exhibitions

Attendees are encouraged to arrive early and make themselves comfortable by bringing their own blankets or low chairs. A concession stand will feature drinks from local breweries, which can be enjoyed on Cates Deck, a public zone for alcohol consumption.

Film Schedule

  • June 27 Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains
    • Music By Katayoon Yousefbigloo Begins at 7:00pm
    • Film Starts At 9:30pm
  • July 4 The Harder They Come
    • So Much To Say: A Bob Marley Celebration With Dj Leroy Hikwa Starts at 7:00pm
    • Film Starts at 9:15pm
  • July 11 Stop Making Sense
    • Music By Niña Mendoza Begins at 7:00pm
    • Film Starts at 9:15pm
  • July 18 Night Raiders
    • Film Starts at 9:15pm
  • July 25 Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
    • Music By Paisley Eva Starts at 7:00pm
    • Film Starts at 9:00pm
  • August 1 Death Becomes Her
    • North Shore Pride Night
    • Film Starts at 9:00pm
  • August 8 Close-up
    • Film starts at 8:45pm
  • August 15 Supercop
    • Film Starts at 8:45pm
  • August 22 Phantom Of The Paradise
    • Film Starts at 8:30pm
  • August 29 The Warriors
    • Music By Rhek Begins at 7:00pm
    • Film Starts at 8:30pm

July 11th is also the Opening Night for Anti-Icon Apokalypsis at the Gallery, admission is free. The new, landmark series Anti-Icon: Apokalypsis, by acclaimed photographer Martine Gutierrez, refuses ready understandings of identity, gender, and culture. Across seventeen self-portraits, Gutierrez embodies a pantheon of legendary figures – all female or feminized – from across the world’s legends, histories, and myths. Follow the Polygon Gallery for more information about the film series and their exhibits.

Find more free outdoor movies around the region this summer.

Free Outdoor Movies in Downtown Vancouver

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Enjoy free outdoor movies in Downtown Vancouver with the return of Summer Movie Nights at šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square (Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza) on Thursdays this July and August.

Free outdoor movies in Downtown Vancouver
Photo courtesy of Downtown Van

Free Outdoor Movies in Downtown Vancouver

  • When:  Every Thursday from July 4 to August 15, 2024
    • Activations start at 5:00pm each night, with the film screenings starting at sundown
  • Where: šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square (formerly known as the Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza)
  • Admission: Free! Attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating.

Movies are played on a 16-foot inflatable screen and begin at sundown (around 9:00pm). As a warm-up to each feature film, the plaza will host several activations and activities starting at 5:00pm. Enjoy games, trivia, chalk art, music from DJ Chip$, Canada’s Got Talent’s Ola Dada, and a rotating selection of food trucks like Shameless Buns, Roasted Revolution, and Taco Nori.  

Film Schedule – Every Thursday

  • July 4th – Barbie 
    • For opening night, Pop Queen Cardio will host a dance workshop for those eager to learn the choreography from the film. During the movie, Canada’s Drag Race star, Synthia Kiss and Vancouver’s Next Drag Superstar winner Atondra will perform iconic dance sequences from the film alongside the talented Quill Collective dance team. Attendees will also be invited to wear their best Barbie-themed attire and walk the “Pink Carpet” for their chance to win some awesome prizes. A life-sized Barbie Box photobooth will also be on-site for movie-goers to enjoy.  
  • July 11th – The Devil Wears Prada 
  • July 18th – Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade  
  • July 25th – The Princess Bride 
  • August 1st – Mamma Mia! (PRIDE) 
  • August 8th – Knives Out (Audience Pick)  
  • August 15th – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse  

Follow Summer Movies Nights on Instagram for updates, along with Downtown Van to find out more about their free community events like the Granville Block Party in August.

Browse free/low-cost events around Vancouver »

FIFA Fan Festival Vancouver at the PNE

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With two years to go until Vancouver hosts the FIFA World Cup, the City has just announced that the official FIFA Fan Festival will take place at the PNE at Hastings Park.

FIFA Fan Festival Vancouver PNE
Freedom Mobile PNE Amphitheatre rendering – FIFA Fan Festival 2026

FIFA Fan Festival Vancouver at the PNE

FIFA Fan Festival guests will get to enjoy the new state-of-the-art amphitheatre, which will be a major legacy piece for British Columbia as well as a showcase of environmental sustainability and spectacular Canadian wood construction. Organizers are planning on live entertainment, cultural showcases, food options, and the ability to watch all the top matches from the new venue.

“The PNE is absolutely thrilled to be named the official FIFA Fan Festival site,” said PNE President and CEO, Shelley Frost. “This is an opportunity to host not only our city and province, but the entire world in a once-in-a-generation event for any city. Additionally, the spectacular new amphitheatre, which will open in time for FIFA World Cup 2026, will be an important arts and cultural legacy venue for British Columbia.”  

The FIFA Fan Festival Vancouver™ will operate throughout the FIFA World Cup 26™, beginning on June 11, 2026, and ending on July 19, 2026. Detailed planning is underway, and the dates and hours of operation, programming, activations, and specific content will be announced at a later date.   

From Vancouver in the north to Mexico City in the south, San Francisco in the west to Boston in the east, a record 104 matches will be played in front of packed crowds in spectacular stadiums as Canada, Mexico and the USA host the FIFA World Cup 26™.

Related: Vancouver to Host 7 FIFA World Cup 26 Matches, Help Name the New PNE Amphitheatre

Earth Matters at Science World

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Explore our changing planet through a different lens, immerse yourself in incredible ecosystems, and learn how the smallest of actions can have a big impact on our natural world when you visit Earth Matters: Rethink the Future on now at Science World. Enter to win tickets!

Earth Matters at Science World

Earth Matters - Science World - Photo credit Scitech
Earth Matters – Science World – Photo credit Scitech
  • Date: May 31, 2024 to January 9, 2025
  • Location: Science World 1455 Quebec St, Vancouver
  • Admission: Purchase tickets online

Created by the renowned Scitech in Perth, Australia and produced by Imagine Exhibitions, Earth Matters features thought-provoking and fully interactive exhibits, covering topical themes such as biodiversity, rising global temperatures, and carbon emissions across an informative journey that will inspire visitors to find new answers to big questions. 

In nature, everything is connected—air, land, water. As you explore Earth Matters, look out for those connections along the way. Solve complex challenges and push your own ideas to new heights. Then, rethink a more sustainable future—starting in your own backyard.

See the inner workings of a tree, listen and learn about endangered species, and experience large-scale visualizations of changes taking place in our natural world. Learn more about the big issues, like biodiversity, rising global temperatures, and how to manage carbon emissions.

An interactive 3D projection map of a coral reef visually demonstrates changes in its ecosystem in response to visitors’ everyday decisions. In other exhibits, a mechanical pump demonstrates how much water is used in the production of a single chocolate bar and other popular lifestyle consumables.

Special Event

On June 19th Science World hosts Interconnected: Exploring Indigenous Perspectives on Earth Matters with Hillary Hyland, Te-awk Tenaw, Talaysay Campo (Co-Owner of Talaysay Tours), Dr. Shandin Pete, and Cara Lenoir. This event aimed at an adult audience delves into the rich interrelations of Indigenous knowledge on environmental stewardship, sustainability and the interconnectedness of the natural world.

Win Tickets

I have a family pack of tickets for Science World to give away so you can check out Earth Matters! Here’s how you can enter to win:

Win a Family Pack of Tickets to Science World

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