Feb 17, 2026: Broadway businesses fight to survive

Plus: A B.C. ticket platform shakes up the music scene

Author

Jessica Bernard
February 17, 2026

Outback Presents

Hey there, hope you had a good (long) weekend!

Mine was filled with watching winter sports. And yes, it’s a bit weird doing that when it’s decidedly muddy and rainy outside the window. But watching the Olympics has been a reminder that, as spectacular and talented and fearless as they are, the athletes that represent our country on the biggest stage are sometimes just like us, too. 

— Nathan

Editor-in-Chief

— FEATURE — 

Gigpit is on a mission to help the local music scene

Gigpit was launched with the idea of making buying tickets for local shows more accessible. “The whole purpose was having one place to find all of the upcoming local shows, because there wasn’t something like that before,” co-founder Ellie Scott tells the Straight. “They kind of get buried by ads, algorithms, and other artists that are paying to have their content show. On our site, there are artist profiles; you can listen to all the artists on a bill directly on the website, without having to go anywhere.”

This week’s Straight Insider perks 🎟️

We’ve got free tickets (first come, first served) to a stacked lineup of live shows at The Hollywood Theatre—from metal and punk to burlesque, drag, and cult-classic film screenings.

What’s up for grabs:

  • Iron Lung (Feb 2–3)

  • The Free Label (Feb 6)

  • Dice ft. Mark Woodyard with J-Pod & Civilian

  • Cool Runnings (Feb 9)

  • Blades of Glory (Feb 10)

  • Band & Burlesque (Feb 15)

  • Slap Shot (Feb 16)

  • Chariots of Fire (Feb 17)

  • Not a Wicked Drag Show (Feb 19)

  • Dr. Ozi (Feb 21)

If you’re an Insider, jump on it—once tickets are gone, they’re gone.

SPONSORED BY OUTBACK PRESENTS
Outback Presents

Globally celebrated Matteo Lane returns to Vancouver with his critically acclaimed comedy

Renowned comedian, singer, and storyteller Matteo Lane will bring his sharp humour and larger-than-life charm to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver on March 1, 2026, marking a triumphant return after a sold-out run in 2023. Known for blending music, stand-up, and dazzling personality into one seamless show, Lane’s return to Canada marks one of the most anticipated comedy events of the year. TICKETS ON SALE NOW, ACT FAST!

— CITY & CULTURE —

Broadway businesses fight to survive amid construction

Ron MacGillivray, owner of Fable Diner on Broadway, believed—based on what the province had publicly communicated—that the end was in sight. The subway was supposed to be finished in 2025. Now, with the project delayed until at least fall 2027, he’s no longer sure that Fable will survive. “We lost commuters. We lost visibility. We lost impulse traffic,” he says. “And once you lose those habits, it’s incredibly hard to get them back.”

  • William Azaroff wins OneCity Vancouver mayoral nomination

  • Vancouver Liberals add former ABC member to team

  • Ethọ́s Lab expands its youth hub while hosting its annual Blackathon

  • The BC Bike Show is for every kind of rider—urban cruisers, commuters, gravel wanderers, weekend coffee-lappers, and anyone who just loves being on a bike.*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY GO TO YOUR ROOM INTERIOR DECORATING AND DESIGN
Go To Your Room Interior Decorating and Desighn

Room makeovers to replace renovations

From furniture and finishes to art and wall treatments, Kelly Grimes from Vancouver-based Go To Your Room Interior Decorating & Design helps homeowners refresh their spaces without the overwhelm of a full renovation. The studio is currently booking consultations and full room makeover projects for late spring and summer 2026.

— ARTS —

Matriarchs pieces together a previously hidden family past

Olivia Adams’ deeply personal dance work Matriarchs is inspired by historical wrongs that took place at home in Australia. But it’s not lost on the young choreographer that her family story mirrors that of Indigenous communities across Canada. “I think we have similar history, having the same colonizer,” Adams says, speaking to the Straight on a Zoom call from her home in Brisbane. “A lot of older people can often kind of just shut down because they don’t want to talk about things and their experiences when there were certain laws in place.”

  • Vancouver Opera launches classics-driven 2026-27 lineup

  • Queens of Comedy takes over the Sea to Sky

  • Arts Umbrella Dance Company returns to the Vancouver Playhouse February 26–27 with Tempus Fugit: A Midseason Performance, featuring world-class repertoire and bold choreography.*

  • Oscar Shorts at the Rio Theatre. Categories include Live Action, Animation & Documentary. Purchase an All Access Pass and see all three! Feb 21-26.*

  • Come say bonjour to Festival du Bois, March 6-8, Coquitlam's Mackin Park! Brilliant music and dance, kid's shows, delicious cuisine and more. See ya there!*

*sponsored listing

— MUSIC —

Winning the Elevate Music Project is just the start for Dani Black 

Coquitlam’s Dani Black recently pulled off the difficult feat of winning the MRG Group’s Elevate Music Project, which assembles 24 artists and puts them through three rounds of competition. “My family is very musical—it was the classic piano lessons at three [years old],” says Black. “When I was eight, I’d steal my dad’s iPad 1, put GarageBand on it, and write songs.” 

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL
Vancouver International Dance Festival

Dance that transforms, soothes, provokes and inspires at VIDF 2026

From March 4–14, the Vancouver International Dance Festival transforms our beautiful city into a hub for global dance that challenges norms and sparks connection. VIDF 2026 celebrates artists from six continents who expand what movement can do. Experience Indigenous perspectives, queer imaginings and interdisciplinary experiments. Sliding scale tickets start at $10.

— ICYMI —

— THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK —

THEATRE: Single, Not Single is just one of the Improv Centre’s Love Month offerings. (To February 28 @ Improv Centre)

DANCE: Matriarchs Uprising Festival celebrates contemporary dance by Indigenous women from Canada and Australia. (February 16-21 @ Scotiabank Dance Centre)

THEATRE: Where Have All the Buffalo Gone? is a powerful and poetic journey through pivotal moments in Métis history (February 16-21 @ Gateway Theatre, Richmond)

MUSIC: The Brentano Quartet strings it together. (February 18-19 @ Vancouver Academy of Music)

FILM: Schoolteacher Pasha Talankin documents intimate and revealing footage of Putin’s regime in Mr. Nobody Against Putin. (February 18-22 @ VIFF Centre)

MUSIC: Philadelphia emo rockers Sweet Pill give you a dose of their hardcore tunes. (February 19 @ Rickshaw Theatre)

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

That’s it!

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