BC Living
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This week: Dance all day at the indie-music street party of the summer, salsa under the stars, get some sun at the Carnaval del Sol + more
One of Vancouver’s biggest block parties is back and better than ever this year. The West 4th Khatsahlano Street Party is setting up in Kits for a day of food, local arts, beer gardens and live entertainment to spare. The party will span 10 blocks, from Burrard to MacDonald, and will feature eight stages as well as a busker zone and a family zone. The festival is free, and there’s no better chance to catch local bands like Yukon Blonde, The Belle Game, The Peak Performance Project’s Top 12 artists and many more. Check online for a full schedule and list of performers.
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. West 4th Ave. from Burrard to MacDonald, Vancouver
Want to win a trip around the world? All it takes is a top-notch teammate, some Vancouver smarts, mental and physical toughness and maybe a little luck. Teams of two can compete in RUSH Vancouver, a day-long urban scavenger hunt to raise money for The B.C. Lung Association. Teams will solve clues and complete challenges for a shot at a first-place finish and a trip around the world. Whether you win or not, RUSH promises an adventure right here at home.
Begins at 9 a.m., teams have 6 hours to complete the challenges Start line at B.C. Place’s Terry Fox Plaza
Be sure to come thirsty to the first-annual Squamish Valley Beer Festival. This one-day celebration of all things craft beer (and cider) will serve up over 120 different beers to try. Performances by local artists Watasun, Whiskey Dicks and Will Ross will set the mood while 40 breweries pour tasters of their latest brews and ciders. Tickets include a tasting glass and six tastings of your choice, while a VIP ticket gives you early entry and some other special perks.
1 p.m. to 6 p.m. O’Siyam Pavilion Park, Squamish
Head south without the cost of airfare at Carnaval Del Sol, a two-day Latin American fiesta. The festival is organized into eight different themed plazas and a main stage. The Sol Y Playa Lounge is home to a 400-seat beer garden, and the Food Plaza will be dishing up authentic Latin American foods like paella, carne asada, horchata and more. A highlight of the event is sure to be the Sports Plaza, where there will be a four-on-four soccer tournament throughout the entire festival.
10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and until 9 p.m. on Sunday Concord Pacific Place, 88 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver
There’s no shortage of cultural festivals in Vancouver during the summer and if you’re looking for another one to attend, then add Bastille Day to your calendar. Granville Island will be hosting a day of free French-themed festivities. Have a taste of Paris at the special French market brimming with pastries, cheeses and other specialties. There will be plenty to see and do including a photo booth, a cancan dance show, mimes and more.
4 p.m. till “late” Granville Island, Vancouver
Last year, the Pemberton Music Festival returned to B.C. in a big way, and this year promises to be even better. This four-day festival features some of the biggest names in entertainment, all performing live in the beautiful Pemberton Valley. Performers include international stars like The Black Keys, Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole., as well as local favourites like Dan Mangan, Tobias Jesso JR. and Gay Nineties.
2:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to midnight on Sunday Pemberton Valley, 1839 Highway 99, Pemberton
They can remove Pluto from the official list of planets, but they can never remove it from our hearts… or at least that’s the idea behind H.R. MacMillan Space Centre’s upcoming Plutopalooza. Plutopalooza is celebrating the New Horizons spacecraft finally landing on the planet after nine years of space travel. The adult-only party will include demonstrations, games, food, drinks and a special show paying homage to everyone’s favourite (dwarf) planet.
7 p.m. to 10 p.m. H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Gardens is the ultimate place to find tranquility in the middle of the city, and now you can kick back, relax and enjoy some music there every Thursday night. Starting off the series this Thursday is Deanna Knight and the Hot Club of Mars, a seven-piece jazz band specializing in old time-y covers. Get your ticket 48 hours before the event and you can also add on a gourmet picnic dinner (vegetarian and gluten-free options are available).
7 p.m. to 10 p.m. 578 Carrall Street, Vancouver
Few festivals are as engrained in the city’s history as the Vancouver Folk Music Festival (VFMF). Located right at Jericho Beach Park, VFMF has been bringing the best in folk to Vancouverites for 38 years now. This year the festival will feature over 60 artists from over 15 different countries spread across six stages. This family-friendly festival will have a “Little Folks’ Village,” an artisan bazaar and plenty of food and drinks to go around.
1 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday Jericho Beach Park, Vancouver
Grab someone you love and head to Tinhorn Creek Winery in Oliver for the ultimate romantic night. Dine and Dance has everything you need for a magical night: food, dancing, wine and a scenic spot to enjoy it all. Start out the evening with canapés and a three-course dinner served in the outdoor amphitheatre and then slip on your dancing shoes to salsa the night away. If dancing isn’t your strength, don’t worry. Latinesque Dance Studio from Kelowna will be providing a dance instructor to teach you how to move. And hey, if all else fails, everyone becomes a better dancer with a little wine.
7:30 p.m. Tinhorn Creek Winery, 537 Tinhorn Creek Road