We are admittedly huge fans of the East Van Panto. This has become a fun holiday tradition for us. We can’t imagine Christmas without it. This year The East Van Panto celebrates its 6th season with the presentation of The Wizard of Oz. In this year’s storyline, we hear that a pipeline has burst and Dorothy and Toto are flung to the magical Land Of Oz (also known as Nanaimo and Hastings). There, Dorothy is pursued by the Wicked Witch and embarks on a journey to the World’s Greenest City in search of brains, heart, courage and yes, yoga pants! The East Van Panto always pokes great fun at the quirky things that make our City unique. Come laugh a little at yourself and our fair City. Tickets for the East Van Panto start at $24 for children 16 and under. Family packs are available for $146. To get your tickets, visit The Cultch. For families on a tight budget, take note that The Cultch is offering $29 tickets on November 28th & 29th at 7:00 pm. They recently offered Housing Crisis Prices on a number of their productions. To get the special rate for this and other Cultch performances, visit Housing Crisis Prices.
East Van Panto: The Wizard Of Oz At The York November 26, 2018 to January 6, 2019
6 Nov
What’s On East Van: November 2nd Edition
2 Nov
Our weekly feature What’s On East Van sets out some cool events for the upcoming week. Beyond the week, we invite you to check out our Event Listing which is updated daily and features events for the month and beyond.
Archive’s Consignment Warehouse Sale – 1275 Venables – November 2nd & 3rd
A new organization in Vancouver called Archive is focused on helping locals become more savvy about sustainable fashion practices, including buying more long-lasting, high-quality pieces, including those that are second-hand. They’ve put together Vancouver’s first consignment warehouse sale which will have racks of all-season men’s and women’s apparel and accessories for sale. Free admission Saturday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm, or to get a jump on the crowds, $10 for 1 hour head start. There’s also a VIP option the evening before with Sustainable Panel conversation as well as shopping. To get an advance ticket, visit Eventbrite.
East End Blues & All That Jazz – Firehall Arts Centre – Until Saturday, November 3rd
If you love the sound soul-stirring gospel and blues and jazz, you may wish to make your way down the Firehall Arts Centre this weekend. There’s also a matinee performance Saturday at 2:00 pm. Tickets are $25/30 and available through the Firehall Arts Centre.
Book Launch ‘Cooking In Colour’ – Gourmet Warehouse – November 3rd
East Van residents and food bloggers known as The Food Gays are launching their new cookbook ‘Cooking In Colour’ They will be on hand at Gourmet Warehouse this Saturday from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Ritchies Bakery Pop Up – les amis du fromage – November 3rd
Ritchies Bakery will be popping at les amis du fromage East Van location, 843 East Hastings this Saturday with freshly baked bread and baked goods. They will be there from 11:00 to 5:00 pm or until they sell out.
Vancouver Tea Festival – Chinese Cultural Centre – November 3rd & 4th
The 5th Annual Vancouver Tea Festival happens this weekend at the Chinese Cultural Centre, 50 East Pender. The event includes a Chinese tea tasting bar, matcha bar and Herbal Tea Making Workshop. For more info, visit Vancouver Tea Festival.
Bling – Heritage Hall – November 4th
The Pacific Pyros present the 4th annual bead show BLING at the Heritage Hall this Sunday, November 4th. This show features a wide range of wearable glass art by 17 artists. Along with the show there will be demonstrations has well as hourly draws. Admission is free. So stop by and check out some of the talent between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm.
Backbone – Vancouver Playhouse – November 4th
The Cultch presents the renowned Australian circus company, Gravity & Other Myths in the production Backbone. 10 performers and 2 musicians take the stage at the Vancouver Playhouse and display incredible strength and flexibility with dance like movements. This show is only here for a short run. You have till Sunday to catch it. Tickets available from The Cultch.
Comedy, Entertainment & Live Music
If it’s live music you are after, the Libra Room on The Drive has a regular line up of music. Tangent Café hosts live jazz Sunday nights from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. Saturday, Pat’s Pub has live jazz Saturday afternoons from 3-7 pm, no cover.
This weekend we are back to two farmer markets. Saturday there’s Riley Park (10 am – 2 pm) and Sunday, the Hastings Park Farmers Market kicks and also happens from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. To see more of what’s on in East Vancouver, check our Event Listing.
Image Credit: June Hunter
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Nicole Alivojvodic Reviews Backbone On Now Until November 4th
1 Nov
If you think you’ve seen crazy strength and fitness levels before, think again. The international hit “Backbone”, from renowned Australian circus company Gravity & Other Myths, literally tosses around the perception of what strength is, where it comes from, and how it’s measured. With an ensemble of 10 performers and 2 on-stage musicians, “Backbone” had the audience’s jaws on the floor on opening night at Vancouver Playhouse Theatre. Fun for the whole family, this masterpiece of a show is a celebration of human interconnectedness and is somehow very moving without any spoken word.
The performers all work together to bring this beautiful production to life and make their incredible feats of strength and flexibility look graceful and dance-like. It isn’t until the music quiets and lights are bright that you can hear them gasping for air and see the sweat dripping. The impressive acrobatics are enhanced by sound and light effects which get the audience leaning forward, fully engaged in what’s happening on stage and scared that if they look away for just a second they might miss something. From doing dozens of backflips in a row to throwing each other around like toys to creating 3-person high human pyramids while completely blind, “Backbone” is wild and daring. It’s also charmingly informal! While the performers pull their stunts off perfectly in sync, the way they relate to each other is like friends having a great time instead of like professionals hard at work. Not only is it stunning, “Backbone” is actually quite funny too! You absolutely don’t want to miss this unique show, testing the limits of physical, emotional, individual and collective strength. Backbone is on now until November 4th. For tickets, visit The Cultch.
By Contributing Writer: Nicole Alivojvodic
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The Ones We Leave Behind At The Cultch Until November 3, 2018
29 Oct
We had the pleasure of taking in opening night of the production The Ones We Leave Behind at The Cultch. This is a multi-layered play created by Loretta Seto and presented by the Vancouver Canadian Asian Theatre. The subject matter being an elderly woman who dies alone with no one to claim her body makes one think about social isolation and the part it plays in our community, but then we ourselves can also play a part in that social isolation.
The Ones We Leave Behind features an investigator for the Public Trustee, Abby Chung, who has been assigned her first case. She is working with an experienced and hardened investigator 30 years on the job. Abby’s first assignment is locating the next-of-kin for an elderly woman named Beatrice, who has died without any family or friends to claim her. As Abby uncovers more details of Beatrice’s lonely life, she is confronted by her own demons and is forced to face issues in her own life. The Ones We Leave Behind poses the question, are the greatest walls the ones we build within ourselves?
What we didn’t expect in this production, is the laughs. The relationship between Abby and her mother are honestly quite priceless. As one with a mother that aspires to the direct approach, their relationship was very relatable. The production touches on many issues abandonment, social expectations including those we place on ourselves. A lot gets packed into this production which features an excellent cast. We recommend taking some time out to see The Ones We Leave Behind on now at The Cultch until November 3rd. Tickets are available online from $24.00 at The Cultch.
“I am so grateful to Loretta, who’s written such a gorgeous, multi-layered piece, and shared an immigrant story, and a Chinese immigrant story…The relationship between Abby and her mother is like a mirror of my relationship with my mother, who is an immigrant to Canada, and the language barrier, the cultural barrier, and a generational gap within that. There are quite a lot of differences for each of us to navigate” – Agnes Tong, who plays Abby Chung in The Ones We Leave Behind, in conversations with The Vancouver Sun
Photo Credit: Ray Shum
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Nicole Alivojvodic Reviews A Brief History of Human Extinction On Now Until October 20th At The Cultch
16 Oct
From Up in the Air Theatre comes this relevant and rousing tale of the two last surviving humans on planet earth. The year is 2178 and a fungal plague has rendered the surface of the planet uninhabitable, killing everyone and everything in its path. Created by award winning playwright Jordan Hall and Mind of a Snail Puppet Co., A Brief History of Human Extinction uniquely combines comedic theatre with the emerging cli-fi genre, exploring questions about human nature and our culpability in the destruction of our planet.
For tickets to this unique and powerful production, on now until October 20th, visit The Cultch.
By Contributing Writer Nicole Alivojvodic
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Review Of A Vancouver Guldasta On Now At The Cultch Until October 21st
10 Oct
The production of A Vancouver Guldasta touches on a number of themes, but the one that stood out for us was relatable. If you live in Vancouver, there’s a good chance you are an immigrant or children of immigrants. If are not, this production will be an insight to life in the 80s on a number of levels. You almost forget how archaic the video games were by today’s standards, but they were pretty cool back then and fun. Cordless phones were those big brick things, with long antennas you pushed up and down when you made a call. Our family home in the 1980s was a sea of gold, orange and browns, the style of the times. All these things were part of the intimate stage set for A Vancouver Guldasta in the Cultch Lab. This is a smaller venue which is this perfect setting for this production. You feel like you are a fly on the wall in the living room of the Dhaliwal family in the 1980s. This is also to the credit of the amazing cast that never lost our attention throughout.
A Vancouver Guldasta features the political and religious unrest in India in 1984 during which time the Indian government invaded The Golden Temple, a holy shrine of the Sikhs. The story has a much further reach though which is at every turn in this production. That comes in the way of Andy, a Vietnamese student living in the basement. He plays an important part in this family and highlights what many immigrant families left behind to make a better life including war, violence, persecution and hunger. They have come to a new country to make a new life, but still long for the life they left behind, their family and their friends. In the 1980s, if you wanted to reach to those friends or family, there was no internet. You couldn’t just reach out and touch someone with a text or Facebook message to check in. If phone lines were down, there was no way to check in.
This story speaks to the many immigrants that make up a good portion of Vancouver’s population. No matter what country they are from, they still long for what was left behind. Many immigrants have ties to violence and war which often are lost in rush to get everywhere in the day to day life of 2018. We encourage you to take time to see A Vancouver Guldasta. It’s important to understand the past to help shape a better future. Tickets for a Vancouver Guldasta are available online via The Cultch.
Photo Credit: Pardeep Singh
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Tiva Quinn Reviews Testosterone On Now At The York Theatre
8 Oct
Testosterone is just delightful. Now there’s a sentence I never thought I’d write, but in a way, it sums up the feeling of this play, which is full of intriguing surprises.
I went in expecting something a bit more thinky – something about where gender identity fits into a person’s overall sense of identity and how physical transition doesn’t necessarily resolve these questions. The first minute or two offers us a large mirror and a monologue by trans man Kit Redstone that certainly makes it seem like we’re headed that way. Then came the locker room dance scene set to “It’s Raining Men” and I kind of lost track of time.
But if I had to guess, I’d say that by just 10 minutes in it was clear that nothing about this show was going to be predictable, that the laughs would just keep coming, and that somehow, through it all, we weren’t really losing sight of those heavier themes. It’s just that we were going to play with them instead of wallowing in them.
Toxic masculinity is certainly part of what gets explored here, but I think it’s important to note that on the whole, this is a show that likes men: cis, trans, straight or gay, they all get to strut their stuff and show off their good side a bit.
And you should definitely stick around for the brief Q & A afterwards. These are 4 incredibly talented and likeable guys, so it’s a safe bet getting to know the men behind the performances will only increase that warm, fuzzy feeing that comes with a big-hearted show. You can catch Testosterone at The York Theater until October 13th. Tickets available through The Cultch.
By Contributing Writer: Tiva Quinn
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What’s On East Van: October 5th Edition
5 Oct
Our weekly feature What’s On East Van sets out some cool events for the upcoming week. Beyond the week, we invite you to check out our Event Listing which is updated daily and features events for the month and beyond.
Vegan Pop Market – Little Mountain Shop – October 4-8
There seems to be a few of these lately and that’s certainly not a bad thing in our view. The Little Mountain Shop, 4386 Main Street, is hosting a Vegan Pop Up Market this weekend. Are you shopping for some vegan friends or family? We expect a good selection here. Shop is open 11:00 am to 6:00 pm daily.
Girls Like That – Havana Theatre – October 5th & 6th
Sour Dog Theatre Presents: Girls Like That at Havana Theatre this Friday & Saturday night. “When a nude photograph of Scarlett goes viral in her high school, rumours spread across smartphones like wildfire and her reputation becomes toxic, threatening to shatter the fragile unity of the girls she has grown up with. Using shifts in time to interrogate when play turns into competition for young women, the play focuses on adolescent female friendship in the present day and how poisoned our perspectives can become in the face of societal and cultural pressures, and not to mention the fucking patriarchy.” If you have a daughter, niece, sister, you should show this production. These events transform lives and shape perceptions for a very long time, sometimes forever. Tickets are $25 and available online at Showpass.com.
Ola Volo Solo Exhibition – Settlement Building – October 5th & 6th
Ola Volo is having her first solo exhibition this weekend at the Settlement Building. King.Queen.Lovers.Fool will feature 12 original paintings on canvas limited edition artworks as well as one Ola Volo signature-sized mural on wood panel. We hear Doan’s Craft Beer will be on hand and Vancouver Urban Winery will have the wine at the ready. Opening Reception is October 5 from 6:00 – 11:00 pm and an Artist Talk is set for Saturday, October 6th at 3:30 pm. For more info, visit, the event’s Facebook page.
A Vancouver Guldasta – The Cultch – Until October 21st
On now this weekend at The Cultch, A Vancouver Guldasta features a Punjabi family in the early 80s. We attended opening night and wow! For anyone that lived in the 80s, this is certainly a flashback in time. There’s history here about Vancouver, but also world politics, religion and most importantly family, which isn’t always biological. Many people who grew in the multi cultural community that is Vancouver will resonate with the many themes in this production. We highly recommend. The show is on until October 21st. Tickets are available online at The Cultch.
Draw Draw Draw – Trout Lake Community Centre – October 6th
If you ever wanted to draw on the floors and walls, now’s your chance. The Trout Lake Community Centre invites you to do just that. They will be experimenting with drawing to music and sounds as well. This is a free event that happens from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm in the Centre Lobby. All are welcome, but pre-registration is requested.
Eastside Flea – 550 Malkin Avenue – October 6th & 7th
In case you missed it, Eastside Flea has moved to a new location, 550 Malkin Avenue, Eastside Studios. 50 local vendors will be on hand this Saturday and Sunday as will food trucks, music and we hear pinball and pool. Kids and dogs are welcome as well. Admission is $3.00. The Eastside Flea runs 11:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Free Family Fun – Trout Lake Community Centre – October 8th
This holiday Monday, October 8th, Trout Lake Community Centre will have the gymnasium set up with a bouncy castle, arts and crafts and games for the kids from 10:00 am to Noon. It’s a free event, but you are asked to pre-register.
Brunch This Long Weekend?
Looking to do brunch this long weekend? Reminder that Havana Restaurant is now officially back and running after a small kitchen fire. If you are looking for more brunch ideas and where to go, don’t forget to check out our 2 features on Brunch On The Drive and Brunch In Hastings Sunrise. Lots of great places for eats and amazing coffee.
Live Music, Comedy & Entertainment
This weekend Kamloopa continues at The Cultch which is high energy Indigenous matriarchal story that follows two urban Indigenous sisters and a lawless trickster who face the world head-on as they come to terms with what it means to honour who they are and where they come from.
If it’s live music you are after, the Libra Room on The Drive has a regular line up of music. Tangent Café hosts live jazz Sunday nights from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. Saturday, Pat’s Pub has live jazz Saturday afternoons from 3-7 pm, no cover.
Three Farmer Markets happening this weekend – Saturday it’s Riley Park (10 am – 2 pm) and Trout Lake (9 am – 2 pm) and Sunday, Mount Pleasant Farmers Market in Dude Chilling Park from 10 am – 2 pm. To see more of what’s on in East Vancouver, check our Event Listing.
Image Credit: June Hunter
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A Vancouver Guldasta Comes To The Cultch With Diwali BC – October 2-21, 2018
25 Sep
Diwali BC brings A Vancouver Guldasta to The Cultch. The play is written and directed by Paneet Singh and focuses on the Dhaliwals, a Punjabi family in the early 1980s. In this production, you will witness the family navigate its way through the experience of trauma and violence occurring in Punjab. At the same time their daughter has a complicated friendship with Andy, a Vietnamese refugee teen who is living in their basement. The story takes during the Indian government’s invasion of the “Golden Temple” which is the holiest shrine of the Sikhs. A Vancouver Guldasta allows you to eavesdrop on conversations otherwise reserved only for the privileged ears of living room walls. The show runs from October 2nd to 21st at 8:00 pm most evenings, but there are some 7:00 pm shows on Sunday and 2:00 pm matinees. Tickets are available online from The Cultch.
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What’s On East Van: August 31st Edition
31 Aug
Our weekly feature What’s On East Van sets out some cool events for the upcoming week. Beyond the week, we invite you to check out our Event Listing which is updated daily and features events for the month and beyond.
PNE – Playland – To September 3rd
This is your last weekend to catch the PNE along with the SuperDogs, mini donuts, rides and nightly summer concerts which this weekend features Burton Cummings on Friday night and Chicago on Saturday night. PNE is open 11:00 am till late all weekend.
Songs of Peace and Social Justice – The Cultch – August 31st
The Cultch plays host to an evening of music and song this Friday. A long line up of talent will be performing original songs along with some classic with the theme of peace and social justice. Performers include Jim Byrnes, Howard Lee Naylor and Carole Cote. Tickets are $10 available through The Cultch.
Family Night – Grandview Park – August 31st
The Commercial Drive Business improvement Association will be hosting a Family Night this Friday in Grandview Park. There will be lots of fun activities for the kids including balloon twisting, face painting and more. As this is the last one of the summer season, there will also be a movie showing at dusk Coco. Fun gets underway at 5:00 pm and goes till 9:30 pm.
Grease Sing-A-Long – Rio Theatre – August 31st
You can still experience a last bit of summer with some Summer Lovin’, Grease-style. The Rio Theatre is hosting a sing-a-long tonight celebrating 40 years of rockin’ and rollin’. Fun gets under way at 7:00 pm. All ages welcome. Costumes encouraged.
History Walk With James Johnstone – 696 E. Hastings St. – September 1st
If you want to learn about the fascinating history of East Vancouver James Johnstone is your man. He has a wealth of knowledge of about the many faces and places of East Van from days long ago. This Saturday James will be hosting a walking history tour that starts at The Heatley, 696 East Hastings St. in Strathcona at 10:00 am. Cost is $20.
Itsumo Life Summer Pop Up – 478 Union Street – Until September 3rd
Itsumo is hosting a summer pop up show on now until September 3rd at 478 Union Street. This pop up features Japanese lifestyle items including table and kitchen ware, textiles, some vintage, incense and candles. Pop up is on 12 pm – 8 pm daily until September 3rd.
Electro Recycle – Trout Lake Farmers Market – September 1st
Electro Recycle is back at the Trout Lake Farmers Market this Saturday. So if you’ve been holding on to any old or broken small electrical appliances, bring them on down to the market with you this Saturday.
Madhatters Tea Party – Riley Park Community Garden – Sept. 1st
The folks at Riley Park Community Garden are hosting a Madhatter Tea Party Saturday, September 1st from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm. There will of course be tea, snacks and hat making. Everyone is invited to attend. All ages welcome.
A Night Of Acoustic & Soul – Café Deux Soleils – September 2nd
Café Deux Soleils on the Drive will be hosting a night of acoustic and soul this Sunday night. On stage you will find Ivan Hartle, Candace Coker and Matt Storm. Doors open at 7:00 pm, music at 8:00 pm. Cover is $10.
15th Annual Corn Festival – Britannia Community Centre – September 2nd
The Britannia Community Centre plays host to the 15th Annual Corn Festival this Sunday from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. The Latin American community is hosting their annual corn harvest fiesta. There will be food, live music and dancing. This is a free event for all ages.
Bayanihan Filipino Celebration – Trout Lake Community Centre – Sept. 2nd
You are invited to come experience a taste of the Philippines this Sunday from 11:00 am – 1:30 pm at Trout Lake Community Centre. Lots of family friendly activities. Free event, but registration is required.
Live Music, Comedy & Entertainment
Looking for live music? Leah Barley will be performing this Saturday night at Café Deux Soleils along with Kellen Saip. Music gets under way at 9:00 pm, cover is $10. Libra Room regularly hosts live music every night of the week. If it’s jazz your after, Sunday nights the Tangent Café regularly hosts live jazz music.
Three Farmer Markets happening this weekend – Saturday it’s Riley Park (10 am – 2 pm) and Trout Lake (9 am – 2 pm) and Sunday, Mount Pleasant Farmers Market in Dude Chilling Park from 10 am – 2 pm. To see more of what’s on in East Vancouver, check our Event Listing.
Image Credit: June Hunter
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