After a boisterous start, week two of the FIFA World Cup festivities are on deck with Canada’s first local match sure to boost the excitement even more, but not overwhelming the plethora of picks this week
Pitch: The World Cup excitement reaches a fever pitch when Group B Teams: Canada & Qatar prepare to blow the roof off BC Place on Thursday June 18 at 3pm
Fan: The FIFA FAN FEST continues to be the place to be for fans to watch every match of the World Cup on big screens with live entertainment, sponsor activations, food and drink for 20,000 fans, with free entry to the PNE grounds with select ticketed seats at the newly opened amphitheatre.
Pedestrian: The 2026 Granville Street Pedestrian Zone closes down Granville Street (between Davie & W Georgia St) until July 19 for a car-free zone of entertainment, activations and 28 establishments with expanded street-side patios to gather your gang and watch a match and take in the action
Celebrate: Friday at Richmond Oval, kicking off on World Soccer Day, Richmond Celebrates Soccer presented by the City of Richmond brings a wide range of community events will take place the city over the six-week period, including a picnic, live performances, children’s activities, and World Cup watch parties including Golden Boot Gathering at Minoru Centre for Active Living and City Centre Celebrates Soccer at Garden City Community Park
R&B: Tonight, prepare to dance as R&B hitmakers, Ne-Yo and Akon : Nights Like This Tour stops in Vancouver at Rogers Arena
Rap: Friday night, June 19, Rogers Arena welcomes Kid Cudi: The Rebel Ragers Tour with special guests, Big Boi, Dot Da Genius, and Chip tha Ripper.
Rave: Aussie DJ Lenny Pearce: Toddler Rave World Tour comes to the Vogue Theatre for a family friendly dance party
EDM: World renowned English electronic music duo HONNE are celebrating their 10 Year Anniversary Tour at The Vogue Theatre on Saturday June 19
Away: Continuing until August 16, at the Stanley BFL CANADA Stage, The Arts Club delivers a 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
Cornley: In previews from June 18, The Arts Club bursts with laughter as 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 at the Lindsay Family Stage at Granville Island
Improv: Laughter is the best medicine to wrap up your week. Find plenty of guffaws with The Improv Centre’s show Exploration Blank – a rotating, rag-tag crew of space explorers blasts off on an adventure through audience suggestions and a series of improv mini games, exploring a brand-new, dazzling galaxy of comedy every show, running Fridays & Saturday until June 27th
City: June 20, The Orpheum welcomes La La Land In Concert features the Oscar®-winning score and Academy Award®-winning song “City of Stars” composed by Justin Hurwitz with lyrics by acclaimed songwriters Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, performed live-to-film by a symphony orchestra, choir, and Jazz ensemble.
House: This weekend, The Dance Centre celebrates Ballroom Culture with its BC Premiere of MY HOUSE, on Friday June 19 and Saturday June 20. The bold new work by the award-winning queer, Canadian-Filipinx choreographer Ralph Escamillan (aka Kiki Legend OA Mother Posh Gvasalia and Canadian Mother Posh Basquiat) brings the familial structure of a Ballroom House to the stage.
photo: Jacinta Oaten
Circus: Until June 28 at the York Theatre, The Cultch 25/26 season closes with an unforgettable party, Sophie’s Surprise 29th is circus, comedy and chaos featuring lead performers from world-renowned companies like Cirque du Soleil, La Clique, and The 7 Fingers.
Bard: The tents at Senakw – Vanier Park, are a symbol of summer – Bard On The Beach 2026 is underway with the musically merry and humourous The Merry Wives of Windsor, from June 9 and the classic tragedy Macbeth, from June 11
Play: Capture all of the thrills and fun at Playland 2026, now open 11am – 6pm Saturdays & Sundays until June 30
Chicago: Catch the thrills before it ends on June 24, Believe Chicago – Flyover’s first-ever film set entirely in an urban city, a thrilling flight through the heart of Chicago passing skyscrapers, cinematic car chases, fireworks, and more. Also at Flyover, Awaken Canada continues to run in repertoire.
Duo: Richmond Art Gallery presents a pair of exhibitions until July 5, 2026. Curated by Shaun Dacey, SIDE CORE: under city marks the North American debut of Tokyo-based SIDE CORE, melding together contemporary art with skate culture and urban infrastructure. Curated by Zoë Chan, I digress is a group exhibition featuring six Canadian artists who represent a wide range of perspectives and engage in both lived experiences and collective histories in their work.
Dream: The Chinese Canadian Museum’s award-winning feature exhibition; Dream Factory: Cantopop Mandopop 1980s–2000’s has been extended by two months to allow more visitors to experience the acclaimed installation, held over until July 19, 2026.
Decade: Experience The 90s – Olivier Salvas’ latest exhibition celebrates the spirit of the decase, 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, returns to 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.
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