As we move into August and roll toward the peak of summer entertainment, there’s more picks of the week on deck
Drinks: From August 6 to 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.
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 Karaoke, Rumba, Kizomba Dancing, Crafting Workshops, Live performances 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 CREED – arrive early – concession opens at 7pm, a live performance by Secret Beaches at 8pm and film approximately 9pm
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
Light: Saturday and Sunday, the 6th annual Light Up Chinatown! returns for another free, two-day outdoor festival featuring live performances, limited-edition food collaborations, hawker street food stalls, lanterns, family activities, cultural interactions and chances to win great prizes.
Gander: Until August 16, The Arts Club, Stanley BFL CANADA Stage, welcomes the 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
Mount: Saturday August 8, head up to the Pleasant Day Festival, on Main Street from 16th Avenue to King Edwards, a vibrant celebration of the Mount Pleasant community, culture, and businesses; featuring live performances across four outdoor stages, an all-local vendor market, dozens of food trucks and restaurant pop-ups, and interactive zones for all ages.
Shakespeare: Under the tents at Vanier Park, 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: Something funny this way comes, as Bard After Dark joins the Douglas Campbell Theatre, with its first of four performances on August 7 at 10pm, featuring a rotating cast of some of Canada’s best improvisers curated by Tightrope Theatre in this late-night comedic cabaret.
Stars: Spend the evening amongst the trees of Malkin Bowl at 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.
Classic: The Early Music Vancouver Summer Festival demonstrates the “Power of Music” as it brings centuries of music history to the stage until August 7 at venues around the city.
Roar: Saturday August 8, BC Lions host Hamilton Tiger-Cats at BC Place for FamFest, a game day packed with football, entertainment, and fun for fans of all ages. This week, every game ticket includes FREE weekday admission to the upcoming PNE Fair
Kpop: Sunday, August 9, South Korean girl group Ive brings their Show What I Am World Tour to Rogers Arena
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
Run: After a six-year hiatus, the Lululemon Seawheeze half-marathon returns on August 8 starting at Jack Poole Plaza and finishing at Pender & Bute Street, the run is followed by the Sunset Festival at Brockton Oval in Stanley Park featuring DJ John Summit
Music: Sunday, August 9, The Kessler Academy, presented by Music on Main and the Microcosmos Quartet, brings young string players and guest pianist Spartak Margaryan together for a lively concert at the Roundhouse featuring music by Benjamin Britten, Igor Stravinsky, and Alfred Schnittke, all inspired by Apollo, the Greek god of music, poetry, and the sun.
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 on show until August 12 and 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: Until September 20th, 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
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