Hey there. 

Well, all good things come to an end, and Canada's historic World Cup run has finally run out of gas. However, the Straight office still has some horses left in the race: editor in chief Nathan Caddell's arbitrarily chosen team of choice is England, which happens to be my home nation. Cheering for England is unfortunately a bit cringe, but if you squint, the St. George's cross kind of resembles a badly drawn maple leaf.

— V.
Senior editor

Switzerland faces off against Colombia at 1 p.m. today, the final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be held at BC Place. But it was a long road to get the stadium ready for its few weeks in the global spotlight—one traversed with Vancouver's best interests in mind. “We had to renovate to create more hospitality space," explains BC Place general manager Chris May, "but our job was to understand what FIFA said their requirement was, and then figure out what BC Place needed for the next 15 years."

Are you ready for a sublime summer weekend full of brilliant music and cool vibes? Come Find Your Folk at the 39th Mission Folk Music Festival, July 24-26 in Mission’s beautiful Fraser River Heritage Park – just a short drive from Greater Vancouver. Hear everything from indie folk and Celtic tunes to Ukrainian soul, vintage bluegrass, fiery Métis fiddling, a dance-inducing brass band, and so much more.

With over 25 acts on 5 stages (many shaded), there’s something for every ear plus the Festival Choir, Wee Folks activities, jams, dances, participatory workshops, the Artisan Market, Food Court, and the Festival Bistro beer garden. There’s on-site camping and easy parking, too. It’s affordable and fun for the whole family – click here to find out more!

Patios, pints, and pop-ups aplenty will continue to adorn Granville Street this summer. City Council has voted to keep the public space corridor in place until the fall—though past that, the future of a pedestrianized downtown is less clear.

Actor and director Gail Maurice has been waiting to make Blood Lines for much of her career. “It’s been with me for a very long time, over 25 years,” she tells the Straight. “It was a very different film… it was really gritty and dark.” A quarter of a century and several awards later, the Métis filmmaker finally got to make the movie she'd been dreaming of.

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Summer is here, and with it the endless tumble of outdoor festivals, community stages, and even some big-name touring acts to boot. Check out our pick for what shows to catch this month.

Summer's most iconic festival, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival, is back at Jericho Beach Park July 17-19.

Headliners include Hazlett, Billy Bragg, Valerie June, Ruby Waters, Tami Neilson, Aysanabee, plus tons of other great music to discover. Great food, beverages, free kids' admission and programming, all at a spectacular location.

LIVING: Knitters, crocheters, and cross-stitchers assemble for a fibre arts social. (July 7 @ Vancouver Public Library Mount Pleasant Branch)

LIVING: Take a walking tour through Ambleside to discover West Vancouver's unique architectural identity as part of West Coast Modern Week. (July 7-12 @ West Vancouver Municipal Hall, West Vancouver)

TALKS: Local expert Alex Douglas discusses the history of Mount Seymour. (July 8 @ MONOVA, North Vancouver)

TALKS: Julian Brave NoiseCat joins climate scientist Janna Wale and fashion designer Rebecca Baker-Grenier for a night of Indigenous change-making. (July 8 @ online)

PERFORMING ARTS: Indian Summer Festival kicks off 10 days of celebrating South Asian arts. (July 9-19 @ various venues)

PERFORMING ARTS: Experimental sound art series Why Whisper explores the power of audio. (July 9 to August 27 @ What Lab)

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

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