Hey there. How was your long weekend? 

Although we’ve had more than a few false starts to spring this year, maybe this week is the week it finally happens. The cherry blossoms and magnolias are out. The daffodils are blooming. There is still a tiny sliver of snow on top of the North Shore mountains. And, in perhaps the surest sign of spring, people have started swimming at Kits Beach again. Brave!

— V.
Senior editor

Vancouver’s longest-running cultural event is the Powell Street Festival, which began in 1977 as a way for Japanese Canadians to celebrate a unique cultural identity at a time before the horrors of internment had been fully recognized. “The first festival was a quiet political act,” reflects Emiko Morita, former festival director and editor of a new anthology recognizing the importance of the event. “It was the first time Japanese Canadians gathered in a very specific geographic place, a place where they’d been forcibly removed.”

On Native Land is having its world premiere at The Cultch! This new musical intertwines the lives of three seemingly disparate characters—a lawyer, Chief, and rising singer-songwriter—whose paths converge in a powerful tale of identity, land, and love. 

Dive into the heart of contemporary Indigenous narratives! On Native Land is a sweeping love story with a focus on urban Indigenous communities, offering solace and solidarity.

Corey Payette’s contemporary score has a driving force rooted in the drum, grounding the music in Indigenous tradition while soaring melodies echo Broadway numbers such Company and Dear Evan Hansen. Richly textured and emotionally charged, Payette’s compositions bridge ancestral and modern tonalities.

Payette challenges the idea of what musicals can be. This debut is not to be missed!

Mercury is somehow not in retrograde right now, which means April is the time for action! Make bold decisions, like a B.C. premier altering time itself, writes our resident not-an-astrologer Rachel Burns.

*sponsored listing

Ditch the hustle, shake the crowds – head to the delightfully different that is Nanaimo. Sail on Hullo, BC Ferries, or hop on Harbour Air and land where springtime breaks the cookie-cutter mould. Sun warms, art wows, history whispers, and spunky locals keep every moment funky…with elbow room to boot.

Science fiction has plenty of tropes to pull from, which, according to the Improv Centre’s artistic director Alan Pavlakovic, makes it especially fertile ground for a long-form improv show. “What you’ll be seeing with this show is not a Star Wars or Star Trek parody, but something much more like a space opera,” Pavlakovic tells us, ahead of Exploration Blank’s opening this week. “Players might be a robot, mutant, earthling, or alien if that’s the point of view they want to have for the show.”

*sponsored listing

Vancouver is never short of new music to appreciate. From fresh tracks from old favourites like Delhi 2 Dublin to the debut single of a local producer venturing into songwriting, or a sweet EP from one of the city’s best former residents, last month’s local music releases brought something for everyone.

*sponsored listing

Fetching Forever is Vancouver's go-to for dogs who love special attention. Book an Asian Fusion Groom at a spring rate, or drop in Fridays for $10 Nail Trims. Daycare trials are always free. Grooming, daycare, and curated treats — all under one roof in Cambie Village. Get Fetched today.

VISUAL ARTS: Spores Illustrated Hall of Fame reimagines Sports Illustrated covers to probe who we platform. (To May 4 @ Lucky’s Books & Comics)

TALKS: Law professor Rachel Killean discusses whether destroying the planet should be a crime. (April 7 @ Coach House, UBC)

FILM: A screening of In Waves and War is accompanied by a talk about exploring ibogaine in conjunction with PTSD. (April 7 @ VIFF Centre)

MUSIC: Rapper Nettspend crashes out on his Early Life Crisis tour. (April 7 @ Vogue Theatre)

TALKS: Artist shayna-adjowa jones weaves tales of Afro-diasporic folklore and the recurring motif of Black people with wings. (April 8 @ Secret Lantern Society)

MUSIC: Vancouver Opera’s Nicholas Burns and a cast of singers explore what makes La Bohème so captivating in this free show. (April 8 @ VPL Central Branch)

PERFORMING ARTS: Circurious Cabaret puts Vancouver’s cirque stars on the big stage, minus the big top. (April 8-9 @ The Annex)

Want to know what else is happening in Vancouver? Check out our events listings.

You made it all the way to the bottom, and we love you for it! Readers like you are what keep us going. If you want to support free arts and culture journalism, send this newsletter to a friend.

And before you go, let us know:

• Did a friend share this with you? Sign up for free.

• Want to advertise to locals? Contact our team.

• Have a cool story to share? Drop us an email.