Vancouver Adventures: Our Picks for August 5 to 11

Wave your rainbow flag for Pride, celebrate Caturday with your feline friends, shop a mini pop-up event in New West + more

 

1. Caturday – Saturday, August 5

Why should dogs get all the fun? Take your kitty to the park for an afternoon of fresh air and feline fun with other cat lovers at Caturday, the unofficial gathering of four-legged furballs.
Queen Elizabeth Park; 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.; free; bring a cat

 

2. Food Day Canada – Saturday, August 5

Look out for special menus and events at restaurants across B.C. on August 5 in celebration of Food Day, an annual event that pays homage to the amazing homegrown Canadian ingredients—and chefs—that our country has produced.
See website for local offers

 

3. Vancouver Street Dance Festival – Saturday, August 5

Strut your stuff and try six street-dance styles from hip hop and house to breaking, locking, popping and waacking at the Vancouver Street Dance Festival. Robson Square will play host to dance battles, an open dance floor, workshops, performances and live music.
Robson Square; 11a.m. to 8p.m.; free

 

4. Powell Street Festival – Saturday, August 5 & Sunday, August 6

Celebrate Japanese-Canadian art and culture at the 41st annual Powell Street Festival. The city’s longest running community arts event features an interactive installation entitled “Macro Maki,” a special presentation on Japan’s Third Gender, a panel with two of author Haruki Murakami’s top translators, and a performance by duo George and Noriko, a Japanese blues cowboy and Tsugaru samisen player from Melbourne, Australia.
Oppenheimer Park and other venues; 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.; free

 

5. Etsy Vancouver Mini Pop Up – Saturday, August 5 & Sunday, August 6

Head to New West this weekend for a fun Etsy Vancouver Mini Pop-Up, an art- and design-themed pop-up market that includes 10 local vendors and events, such as Canada’s Mountain Embroidery Workshop with Colembroidery (Saturday 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.), Cutie Teddy Bear – DIY Polymer Clay Figure Workshop with Momomints (Sunday 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.) and an All Day Tote Bag Live Paintings with Rabbits and Hurricane (Sunday).
52 6th Street, New West; Saturday 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; free

 

6. Maple Ridge Caribbean Fest – Saturday, August 5 & Sunday, August 6

Hot on the heels of last week’s Caribbean Days Festival in North Van, it’s Maple Ridge’s turn to bring the island vibes to B.C. with soca, reggae, ska, Cuban salsa and steel drum music. Try authentic food such as jerk chicken and curried goat; relax in a beer garden serving up Carib and Red Stripe beers; and check out a zone for kids featuring capoeira, zumba and storytime.
Maple Ridge Fairgrounds, 23448 105 Avenue, Maple Ridge; Saturday 1 to 10 p.m. and Sunday 12 to 8 p.m.; free

 

7. Sunset Beach Festival – Sunday, August 6

Join thousands of LGBTQ2+ community members and their allies for a day of fun-filled festivities at the Sunset Beach Festival, including a vendor village, community zone, main stage entertainment and a family fun zone. Buy an express pass for the beer gardens, where there will be ice-cold beverages and DJs spinning tunes all day long.
From 11 a.m.; Sunset Beach; free; tickets available here

 

8. Pride Parade – Sunday, August 6

Fun colourful floats make the Pride Parade one of the highlights of Vancouver’s summer calendar, and the party parade can be seen throughout the West End. Beginning on Robson Street at Thurlow Street, the 150 plus floats make their way down Denman Street to end at the Sunset Beach Festival site.
West End; 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

 

9. Gastown Cabaret – Battle of the Diva: Beyonce vs Lady Gaga! Tuesday August 8

Slay all day (well, all evening) at Gastown Cabaret’s fun cocktail of belly dancing, burlesque, drag and comedy, all set to the epic anthems of pop’s biggest queens. It’s all about audience participation, from taking part in a lip-synch battle to going for gold in a doughut-eating contest.
Guilt & Company; 1 Alexander St (below Chill Winston); 8 p.m.; minimum $10 donation at the door

 

10. One Love Westcoast Festival – Friday, August 11 to Sunday, August 13

Get into the groove with Afro, Latin and reggae sounds and flavours at the One Love Westcoast Festival, which will be held both in Burnaby and at the Rickshaw Theatre in Vancouver. Feel the Latin-inspired love with three days of music and cultural celebrations.
VIP event on Friday, August 11 at the Rickshaw Theatre, 254 East Hastings Street; tickets $30 in advance
August 12 and 13 at Swangard Stadium, 3883 Imperial Street, Burnaby; tickets $20 in advance, $25 at the gate