Scottish comedian Gary Meikle takes the the stage at the York Theatre Friday, August 17th. In case you haven’t heard of him, Gary Meikle is a viral sensation and winner of the Scottish Comedy Award and will be back for a second tour in Canada. His new Surreal! show delves into life over the last 12 months. Tickets are $35 and are now available through The Cultch.
The Firehall Arts Centre and the Vancouver Independent Music Centre present the third season of Music in the Courtyard series from Saturday, July 30th to Sunday, September 4th. The performances will take place outdoors in the courtyard at The Firehall Arts Centre at 280 East Cordova Street. Performances will be held in the afternoons and evenings with ticket prices ranging from $15 to $25 per show. The event features a wide variety of music styles including Latin, blues, guitar, experimental electronic and much more. We’ve set out a list of the upcoming performances below. For more information and to grab your tickets, visit Firehall Arts Centre.
You are invited to come celebrate Japanese Canadian art and culture at the 46th Annual Powell Street Festival happening July 30th and 31st. Festivities will take place in Oppenheimer Park and Paueru Gai (the Powell Street area) from 11:30 am to 7:00 pm. There will be 3 stages set up showcasing contemporary and traditional artists, community food vendors and crafters offering Japanese delights and designs. You can expect to catch live performances by violinist-extremist Kytami & Phonik Ops, stirring Butoh by Kokoro Dance set to the sublimely edgy music of jo passed, an exhilarating combination of Onibana Taiko with vocals from opera singer Teiya Kasahara, Hiromoto Ida’s ICHIGO-ICHIEH NEW THEATRE solo show Homecoming 2020 and much more. To learn more about all the events taking place during the 46th Annual Powell Street, visit them online at Powell Street Festival.
Looking for some outdoor options for exercise this summer? If so, Trout Lake Community Centre is offering outdoor Zumba classes until August 15th. Classes happen every Monday from 6:45 pm to 7:45 pm. Latin rhythms including Salsa, Merengue and Cumbia along with some easy to follow moves will get you moving. Classes are designed for all fitness levels. Drop in $14.70, to register for the full series, visit City of Vancouver / Vancouver Parks & Recreation.
Photo: Trout Lake Community Centre
The Trout Lake Outdoor Summer Concert Series is back for another year starting Wednesday, July 13th and happens weekly until August 24th. The concerts are free and are held on the East side of the Trout Lake Community Centre, 3360 Victoria Drive. In the event of rain, concerts are moved indoors.
We’ve had the opportunity to take in some of the concerts and have to say it’s a perfect way to spend a summer evening. Bring a blanket, your friends, family, kids or the dog or all of the above and a picnic and you are set. If you aren’t able to organize a picnic, some food trucks will be on hand. Concerts begin at 6:30 pm and continue till 8:30 pm.
For those that love the lantern processions around Trout Lake, take note. On the very last concert of the summer, August 24th, there will be a lantern procession along with performers and musicians around Trout Lake between 8:00 and 9:00 pm.
July 13
JESSE WALDMAN
July 20
THE SWINGIN’ DOORS
July 27
KAYA KURZ
August 3
VOSTOK
August 10
SOUTH VAN BIG BAND
AUGUST 17
MARIACHI TABASKO
AUGUST 24
VOC SWEET SOUL GOSPEL CHOIR
6-8 pm
AUGUST 24
Lantern Procession
THE CARNIVAL BAND
8-9 pm
Note: Performances are subject to last minute changes.
The Italian Day Festival Society is set to host a village style Italian Day festival celebrating Italian culture and heritage on Sunday, August 28th. This year the event will take place in Grandview Park meaning Commercial Drive will not be closed down to traffic as it has in past years. Some side streets will have traffic closures around the area of Grandview Park in order to facilitate vendors and those attending the celebrations. All the fun favourites will be back including live music, fashion show, wine and beer court, contests, activities areas for children and, of course, delicious Italian food and many food trucks. The festivities kick off at Noon and continue until 9:00 pm. For more information, visit www.italianday.ca.
Vancouver Story Slam returns to the stage Thursday, July 14th. Ten storytellers share original stories and compete for prizes and bragging rights for best story. There’s a great line up of storytellers including our very own Al Tee who some may recognize as writing some great historical pieces for ILiveInEastVan. Also on hand to share their stories will be Avneet Johal, Clint Wilson, Fergus Allen, Kevin Schnepel, Linda Lawson, Marylee Stephenson, Richard Dalton, Samantha Schaffner, and Zed Payne, and special guest 2007 Storytelling Champion Don Simpson.
Vancouver Story Slam takes place at Hero’s Welcome (formerly the Legion) at 3917 Main Street (at 23rd Ave). Doors open at 7:00 pm and show gets under way at 8:00 pm. Early arrival is suggested. Admission is $6 cash at the door.
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