Moving into the second act of August, we find the waning days of school break filled with family-friendly activities.
Iced: 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.
Fruit: 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.
Spin: Friday August 21, DJ Diesel (aka Shaquille O’Neal) brings his Summer of Shaq Tour and much hype to Harbour Event Centre
Hoops: This weekend, WNBA’s Toronto Tempo Cross-Canada Series comes to Rogers Arena for a pair of games: Friday night at 7pm vs Portland Fire and Sunday at 4pm vs Las Vegas Aces
Kick: Whitecaps FC aim to keep their grip at the top of the MLS table when they host Houston Dynamo FC tonight, then welcome FC Dallas on Saturday at BC Place
Stars: It’s your final chance to see magic 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, come to a close August 22, 2026.
Star: At Waterfront Theatre, a new comedy from Black Box Theatre Co., The Movie Star, written and produced by James Barclay, directed by Tracy Labrosse, plays until August 23.
Cornley: Only until August 30, the side splitting and set crashing 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
Watermelon: Sunday at 4pm, the BC Lions’ 4th annual Watermelon Smash comes to BC Place along with a match up against Western Rivals the Saskatchewan Roughriders the fun starts at Noon on the ‘patio’ for the Biggest Backyard Party of the season with Watermelon Smashing Station, live music, and more
Car-Free: Until Labour Day – the Granville Street Pedestrian Zone – a car-free Granville Street (between Davie & W Georgia St) block party host entertainment, activations, expanded street-side patios and more, this week including loads of live music, dance classes, workshops, crafts and DJs spinning – today highlighting National Dog Day the zone is pooch-centric
Bark: Yaletown celebrates the Day of the Dog with Pet-a-Palooza taking over the neighbourhood streets with dog races, activities, entertainment and more
Motown: Tonight, Firehall Arts Centre welcomes back Krystle dos Santos and A History of Motown, the singer’s brilliant trip down a musical memory-lane from the Motor City and it’s legacy of iconic singers, running until August 29
(l-r): Cole Tinney, Krystle Dos Santos, Jon Holisko, Gavin Youngash. Photo: Ben Parker
Stand-up: One of Korea’s most celebrated comedians, Lee Sang Jun, brings his hit comedy show to The Vogue Theatre on Sunday August 23 at 7pm – come early for the FREE Lee Sang Jun Outdoor Patio Stage Pre-Party w/ Binky & Brendocha
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: Thursday, August 21 is the third of four Bard After Dark performances. From 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.
Film: Thursday nights, head to Polygon Gallery’s Deckchair Cinema to enjoy music and films under the stars on the Cates Deck in front of the Gallery – this week’s featured film is RAD – Director and stunt legend Hal Needham’s look into the world of BMW racing and racers. Arrive early – concession opens at 7pm, a live performance by The Theremin Man at 8pm and film approximately 9pm
Marine: The 23rd Annual Richmond Maritime Festival comes back to the Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site, this weekend – August 22–23. The family-friendly festival highlights the rich maritime legacy of Steveston through two-days of nautical-themed activities, workshops, puppet shows, and music.
Fair: The summer tradition, PNE Fair, opens this Saturday with special Opening Weekend tickets for $7 including all the new and beloved activities; like new Wizard of Oz on Ice, new British Columbia Tattoo, the return of West Coast Lumberjack Show, the 50th Anniversary of SuperDogs and much more
Concerts: With the PNE opening, the daily Summer Night Concerts at the Freedom Mobile Arch begin with Blue Rodeo on August 22 and The Guess Who on August 23
Pyro: Saturday August 22, from 4pm to 10pm, Hyack Festival presents the Summer Music and Fireworks Festival, at New Westminster Quay with artisan market vendors and exhibitors, live entertainment, food, and an evening Fireworks extravaganza
HipHop: Monday, August 24 Rogers Arena welcome rapper J. Cole’s The Fall-Off World Tour to the stage
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
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
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.
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.
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
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