As we come out of the dog days of summer, the peak picks of entertainment keeps rising
Drinks: Until August 30, Vancouver Foodster Ice Summer Drink Challenge helps you chill out through the peak of the season as participating cafes are mixing up their best iced summer drinks to complete for the title of Vancouver Foodster’s Best Summer Drink.
Red: The Annual Tomato Festival at Provence Marinaside celebrates the plump, juicy fruits with a special three-course prix fixe menu ($69) that will tempt the tastebuds of tomato-connoisseurs throughout the month.
Star: A new comedy from Black Box Theatre Co., The Movie Star, written and produced by James Barclay, directed by Tracy Labrosse, comes to Waterfront Theatre from August 13 to 23.
Pedestrian: The Granville Street Pedestrian Zone continues until Labour Day – Granville Street (between Davie & W Georgia St) with the car-free zone hosting entertainment, activations, expanded street-side patios and more, this week including loads of live music, dance classes, workshops, crafts and DJs spinning
Film: Thursday nights, head to Polygon Gallery’s Deckchair Cinema to enjoy classic films under the stars on the Cates Deck in front of the Gallery – this week’s featured film is A League Of Their Own – arrive early – concession opens at 7pm, a live performance by Secret Beaches at 8pm and film approximately 9pm
Gander: Only a few days remain for The Arts Club, Stanley BFL CANADA Stage’s brilliant production of the Tony award-winning homegrown musical, Come From Away – based on the true story of a different time when Canada welcomed the world as 38 grounded flights, 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town of Gander NL that takes them in with open hearts and homes, wrapping up August 16
Cornley: Extended until August 30, the side splitting and set busting comedy The Play That Goes Wrong finds the Cornley Drama Society presenting its opening night of The Murder at Haversham Manor! the play within the play that leaves audiences rolling in the aisles at the The Arts Club’s Lindsay Family Stage at Granville Island
Ball: As the end of their regular season draws near Vancouver Canadians are at home hosting Tri-City Dust Devils at Nat Bailey Stadium until Sunday August 16
Shakespeare: Bard On The Beach 2026 is underway with the BMO Mainstage featuring the classic tragic Scottish Play; Macbeth, on until September 18 and the musically merry and soccer-centric The Merry Wives of Windsor, kicking until September 19. While the Douglas Campbell Theatre plays host to Kate Besworth’s adaptation of Antigone until September 18, and the Goblins—WUG, KRAGVA, and MOOG return with Goblin:Oedipus on until September 19
Dark: For its second of four Bard After Dark performances on August 14 at 10pm – something funny this way comes as the Douglas Campbell Theatre, features a rotating cast of some of Canada’s best improvisers curated by Tightrope Theatre in this late-night comedic cabaret.
Stars: See the stars above and stars on stage at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park as Theatre Under the Stars features a pair of musical masterpieces for its 2026 season, the disco-tastic Sister Act and mythical Disney’s The Little Mermaid, alternating on stage until August 22, 2026.
Comedy: Indian Comedian Amit Tandon brings his all-new show ‘Halwa’ for a visit to the Vancouver Playhouse on August 13
Anniversary: Friday, August 14, Like A Star, Celebrating 20 Years of Corrine Bailey Rae Tour comes to the Vogue Theatre for a special anniversary concert from the British Singer/Songwriter
Power: Rock Icons the AC/DC PWR Up Tour plays to a full house at BC Place on Thursday August 13 with support from The Pretty Reckless
Rides: Feel the adrenaline pumping as you take in the thrill rides and amusement fun of Playland 2026, now open 11am – 6pm Wednesdays to Sundays with select Fridays and Saturdays in July and August open until 9pm
Folk: Tonight, US folk act band Caamp comes to the new Freedom Mobile Arch at the PNE in support of their lates album Copper Changes Color
Rock: On Saturday, the Pacific Coliseum welcomes Shinedown: Dance, Kid, Dance Act II with special guests Cohead and Cambria, From Ashes to New and DJ Rock Feed
Indie: Friday and Saturday, Irish indie group Kingfishr makes a stop at the Commodore Ballroom in support of their latest album, Halcyon
Soul: Canadian Soul/R&B act Daniel Caesar’s Son of Spergy Tour plays a pair of shows at Rogers Arena on Sunday and Monday
Decade: Experience The 90s – Olivier Salvas’ latest exhibition celebrates the spirit of the decade, on display at Bean Hastings Gallery, the contemporary art gallery located within Bean Around the World Café
Trio: Place des Arts’ summer season finds three exhibitions on view, Place des Arts’ Community Exhibition, in the Atrium and Images and Ideas: Student Exhibition, by Students of Don Portelance in the Leonore Peyton Salon online until August 31. Spirit of Spring, Ink and watercolours by Min Joyce Abraham showing online until August 31.
Market: Until September 7, Vancouver’s unique downtown shopping and entertainment destination, – Junction Public Market, an oasis on the waterfront at Granville Square – 200 Granville Street
Night: As we now know its the last season for the Richmond Night Market 2026 “Little World Wonder” invites the world to the party at the Night Market, packed with entertainment, food, deals, and the world’s only night market Zip Line until September 20
Robes: The Museum of Anthropology at UBC’s I Use My Haida Eyes: The History Robes of Jut-ke-Nay–Hazel Wilson, continues on display in the Audain Gallery until October 12.
Sculpture: At The Polygon Gallery, until October 18, 2026, James Harry: Eye Of The Ancestor is a
new sculpture by James Harry marking The Polygon Gallery’s seventh collaboration and co-commission with Burrard Arts Foundation. Eye of the Ancestor is a striking yellow cedar wooden sphere, carved with Coast Salish designs on the surface and holding a mirror-polished steel sphere inside.
Photo: Also at The Polygon Gallery, one of Canada’s most influential photographers, Greg Girard, is featured in the first-ever survey of his work, on view until October 25.
Local: Until the end of October, find farm fresh bounty from local growers and makers at Vancouver Farmers’ Markets; Wednesdays Downtown at the Art Gallery, Thursdays at Olympic Village, Saturdays at Riley Park, Trout Lake & West End, and Sundays at Mount Pleasant & Kitsilano
River: Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art prepares to present the world premiere of Every River Has a Mouth: the visual languages that connect us, guest curated by Snuneymuxw artist Eliot White-Hill, Kwulasultun, on display until February 14, 2027
Landscape: Now on display, until March 20, 2027 at The Reach Gallery Museum in Abbotsford –Interglacial, is a stunning new exhibition from Vancouver-based environmental artist and activist Desirée Patterson. The exhibition examines the present moment as a critical point in history, as global climate change puts the future well-being of our planet at risk
Outside: From August 7-16, the 2nd Annual Art Out Side Festival transforms Port Moody with an array of immersive multidisciplinary exhibitions – explore outdoor installations, live art activations, and artist-led initiatives in everyday spaces all across the city.
Pacific: Richmond Art Gallery reaches across the Pacific for a cultural exchange with Japan for its summer exhibition – Ongoing / Pacific Crossings on show until October 4, 2026, the exhibition covers multiple disciplines; drawing, painting, sculpture, installation, performance, and video the exhibition will include works by Japanese artists