Hey there. 

You might not think it's very summery due to the whole "grey and foreboding" thing the weather has been doing, but it's actually more summer than ever. Stage 3 watering restrictions have hit Metro Vancouver, meaning it's time to let all the grass go brown. 

The new restrictions mean you can't water lawns, use sprinklers, top up your water features, or fill your hot tubs. Some uses are still permitted, though, like watering vegetable gardens or spot-cleaning vehicles. You can check out the full restrictions here.

— V.`
Senior editor

FEATURE

The Road to Bard follows the man who brought Shakespeare to the beach

Christopher Gaze founded Bard on the Beach nearly 40 years ago—but the veteran artistic director has plenty more to his story than just performing Shakespeare in Sen̓áḵw (Vanier Park). In The Road to Bard, Gaze traces how he got to Vancouver. "I came here as a young adventurer,” Gaze tells us. “It seemed to be a place where there were endless possibilities for people with enthusiasm and ambition to make things happen."

SPONSORED BY CHAN CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Zadie Smith, Angélique Kidjo, and Fran Lebowitz lead Chan Centre's 29th Season

Cultural icons are coming to Vancouver’s premier arts venue! See the very best in global artistic excellence. Jazz masters Branford Marsalis and Dianne Reeves celebrate the centenary of John Coltrane, violinist Christian Li, the youngest-ever winner of the Menuhin Competition, performs a recital of Brahms and more, and Pachinko author Min Jin Lee speaks at her first literary event in Canada.

National Geographic explorers will illuminate the natural world around us in family-friendly shows while BC’s very own Chani Nicholas, who has read the astrological charts of Amy Poehler and Keke Palmer, analyzes what the future may hold.

Chan Centre Members get up to 20% off, plus more perks. Check out what the Chan Centre has to offer today!

LIVING

Little Sister's just got its own Canada Post stamp

For Pride Month, Canada Post just revealed its new Places of Pride stamps honouring locations of queer history from across Canada—and Little Sister's was honoured with one, showing its founders Jim Deva and Bruce Smyth alongside longtime manager Janine Fuller. "Forty years ago, this place was being targeted by the government," reflects current owner Parmjot Gill, "and now we're being recognized on a stamp."

*Sponsored Listing

ARTS

How director Sophy Romvari spread her wings with Blue Heron

Since its release earlier this year, Blue Heron has become one of the most-hyped Canadian films of the year. Director Sophy Romvari's first feature-length film follows a fictionalized version of her childhood on Vancouver Island, and its reception has been a blessing. “When you make a film that’s personal, and when you make a film that’s exactly the film you wanted to make," she tells us, "to have people really receive it as I intended is such a high level of artistic satisfaction."

*Sponsored Listing

SPONSORED BY THE CULTCH

One-of-a-kind circus party at The Cultch

Sophie’s Surprise 29th is circus, comedy, and chaos! Disguised as a 90s nostalgia house party, world-class performers from Cirque du Soleil, La Clique, The 7 Fingers, and more deliver death-defying circus and cabaret feats. Come and join the party! Just don’t tell Sophie…

— MUSIC —

Photos: A first look at the Freedom Mobile Arch


After years of upgrades, the PNE Amphitheatre is finally ready to show off its new look. Take a peek at the new venue before it plays host to the FIFA Fan Festival.

  • Review: Rostam finds a small but mighty crowd at Fortune Sound Club

  • June 12 - YOU'RE THE TOP! The Cole Porter Songbook On Film & Live With The Laura Crema Sextet Presented by Michael van den Bos. Get your tickets today.*

*Sponsored Listing

SPONSORED BY SIDNEY AND GERTRUDE ZACK GALLERY

LILITH RETURNING | Through June 29

LILIAN BROCA reclaims the myth of Lilith, Adam’s first wife, with powerful symbolic intensity. She reimagines Lilith not as a demonized outcast in biblical literature, but as a potent symbol of independence, challenging origin stories by presenting a woman who refuses submission and asserts autonomy. See Lilith, now on display.

ICYMI

THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK


FILM: The VPL hosts its first-ever indie film night, celebrating local moviemakers. (June 9 @ VPL Central Branch)

LIVING: Science World's latest After Dark night dives into sports science. (June 10 @ Science World)

FILM: A Place Where I Belong showcases the importance of Pride. (June 10 @ St. Andrew-Wesley United Church)

MUSIC: Singer Mary Gauthier marks 20 years since her landmark album Mercy Now. (June 10 @ Vancouver Playhouse)

PERFORMING ARTS: Sophie's Surprise 29th combines circus, comedy, and cabaret. (June 10-28 @ York Theatre)

THEATRE: Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me But Banjos Saved My Life follows Keith Alessi's story of how cancer led him to pursue his true musical passion. (June 11-14 @ Pal Studio Theatre)

SPORTS: FIFA kicks off this week, with watch parties happening across town: Granville Island, South Flats, and Wesbrook Village, to name just a few.

That’s it!

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