July 18 edition: Do traffic barriers do… anything?

Hey there. We’re getting to the end of this week, which means it’s my last chance to shamelessly plug our Best of Vancouver awards! 

Voting remains open until Sunday. A not-insignificant chunk of you are here precisely because you voted—thank you so much, we’re so glad to have you!—but I know not all of you have done the democratic thing yet. So please: get your votes in, and remember you forfeit your right to complain about the winners if you don’t. It’s really easy. Promise. Just click on this big picture below and it’ll take you right to the ballot. 

Okay that’s all from me. Drink lots of water and have a lovely weekend!

— V. 
Associate Editor

FEATURE

Turns out East Van’s concrete traffic barriers haven’t done much of anything

At the corner of Charles Street and Victoria Drive, a community-made sign is encouraging locals to request a pedestrian-activated crosswalk. It’s been more than a year since the City installed yellow traffic barriers on Charles, ostensibly to slow vehicle traffic—but in reality, they seem to be increasing accidents. Maria Stanborough dug through the data to find out more.

CITY & CULTURE

Dating in Vancouver: Can you morph a situationship into a relationship?

Dating guru Amy Chan is back with more tips. This time, she’s advising a lovelorn singleton who desperately wants something casual to become something more serious. She’s also far more patient than I would be in this situation (“dump him!!”), which is why she’s the expert.

• Turns out that Italian smoke on Tuesday night was deliberate

• Commentary: How I’m decolonizing my Pride

• Beloved Mt. Pleasant boutique Much & Little is shutting down

• Queer library Out on the Shelves is relocating to Granville Island

• Choose the best AI for each media project. What's available? What really works? Learn from working industry professionals. Intensive one-day workshop. Get the best results!*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY EASTSIDE ARTS SOCIETY

Create! Eastside Arts Festival in Strathcona Park July 27

Saturday July 27th is the day to be in Strathcona Park for the Create! Eastside Arts Festival featuring art workshops where you can learn how to paint, create embroidery, fuse glass and much more from local artists in workshops for all ages and abilities. 

All workshop attendees get access to the Art Zone featuring a live music concert stage, co-presented by 604 Records and Light Organ Records, from 2-6pm, plus public art activities, art shop, food trucks and beer garden. Musical artists include Haleluya Hailu, Fur Trade (Steven Bays and Parker Bosley from Hot Hot Heat) and Sarah Jane Scouten. 

Also on July 27th, the 9th annual Art, Bike, Beer Crawl brewery tour fundraiser takes participants on a wildly fun biking or walking tour of 3 breweries and wraps back at the Create! festival site for a final pint + full access to the art zone and music.

ARTS

That’s Gay! Comedy is in it for the right reasons

Erin Purghart hosted the first-ever That’s Gay! Comedy in 2022. It was also their first time ever doing standup. But the baptism of fire helped them solidify their vibe: fiercely independent, insightful, and inclusive. “I’m not a corporate Pride show; I’m not backed by corporations,” Purghart tells us. “I literally just want to hire comics who are funny and who just so happen to be queer.”

• It’s season announcement season! UBC Opera unveils its 2024-25 season

• New Works announces dance programming for its 2024-25 season 

• Mark Your Calendar: Freakout Circus Extravaganza returns in September

MUSIC

Five acts you need to catch at Folk Fest

It’s 2024, and folk music doesn’t just mean acoustic guitars and ballads. The Vancouver Folk Music Festival is as expansive as ever this year, bringing talent from all parts of the globe to Jericho Beach this weekend. Mike Usinger rounds up five of the coolest acts worth seeing, from atmospheric ancestral knowledge to genre-defying electronic Dabke.

• Review: Hana Vu soothed the WISE Hall with romanticism

• Kaytranda is coming to Burnaby 

• And T.I. and Fat Joe are playing in Abbotsford 

• Beloved local punks Japandroids announce fourth and final studio album

• The Chilliwack Mural Festival returns August 15-17 featuring free live music, 8 new murals, interactive art, a kids' zone, food trucks, and an art market.*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY CANADA BUBBLE TEA FESTIVAL

Canada Bubble Tea Festival is here!

Immerse yourself in a kaleidoscope of flavors as the festival brings together the finest bubble tea vendors. Discover new and exciting combinations and embark on a taste journey like never before. As you sip, enjoy the rhythm of live music, captivating performances, and entertainment that will add an extra layer of joy to your festival experience.

FOOD & DRINK

Vancouver’s most aesthetic coffee shops

Look, it’s one thing to grab a coffee from Starbucks on your way to work or the grocer or the beach or wherever else you might be heading. It’s another to sip a cappuccino in an immaculately decorated cafe and feel like you’ve slipped into a film set. We round up some of the most aesthetic spots to get your java fix.

• Do This This At Home: Creamy tomato and roasted pepper pasta salad, AKA summer in a bowl

• The French Table is bidding Vancouver adieu

THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND

PERFORMING ARTS
Lose yourself in the roving magic of The Tempest Project. (To July 22 @ Vancouver Playhouse)

DANCE
šxʷƛ̓exən Xwtl’a7shn (in front of Queen Elizabeth Theatre) is hosting free weekly pop-up dance classes. (July 19 @ šxʷƛ̓exən Xwtl’a7shn)

MUSIC
Vancouver Folk Music Festival sets up beachside. (July 19 to 21 @ Jericho Beach Park)

TALKS
Olympic Gold medal-winning rhythmic gymnast Lori Fung kicks off a new speaker series. (July 20 @ BC Sports Hall of Fame)

MUSIC
Take in the dusk rainforest while learning about the connections between nature and music in Forest Harmonies. (July 20 @ Pacific Spirit Regional Park at UBC)

CULTURE
Surrey Fusion Festival celebrates the diverse food, arts, and heritage of locals. (July 20 to 21 @ Holland Park, Surrey)

SHOPPING
Made in the 604 hosts a pop-up summer market. (July 20 to 21 @ Heritage Hall)

VISUAL ART
A group exhibition explores ceremony in It begins with knowing and not knowing. (July 20 to September 29 @ Richmond Art Gallery, Richmond)

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

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