Hey there. Are you ready for democracy?

No, we’re not talking about the municipal election coming up this fall. We have a much more pressing matter to attend to: the Golden Plates Awards.

Every year, the Straight asks Vancouverites to nominate their favourite places to eat, drink, and be merry in our reader-voted Golden Plates Awards. Now on its 29th iteration, we have a simple request to make of you: tell us where you love to eat. Head here to write in your favourite candidates, and help us crown the city’s most beloved spots. 

— V.
Senior editor

VanCity Pinball & Arcade is more than just a collection of cabinets and games: it’s a veritable temple to the history of flippers. Owner Angelo Muro has spent the last two decades amassing his collection and is optimistic that the old-school game might be getting some new love. “People started to want things that were tactile, tangible, and something they could touch,” he tells us. “And that is pinball.”

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:

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

The 2026 HUMP! Film Festival Spring Lineup comes to Vancouver for two nights only at the Rio Theatre. Curated by Dan Savage, this touring showcase features bold, funny, and unexpectedly moving short films created by real people. Every film is under five minutes, and the audience votes for their favorites. No celebrities. No big studios. Just wildly creative storytelling about sex, intimacy, kink, and connection.

Screenings take place March 27 and 28 at 6:30 PM and 9 PM.

This is a 19+ event. All prices listed in USD.

Tickets are moving fast

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Janine Felst noticed that influencers wearing housecoats were taking over the internet. So, the Vancouver entrepreneur decided that it would be a perfect product for the local market: slow fashion, made to encourage people to take a break from the hustle. “Just put the robe on, and then see how you feel,” Felst tells us, “if you can decide to slow down.”

604 Studios: Vancouver’s premier recording hub celebrates one year as an all-in-one home for creatives; Featuring Studio 1's the Little Mountain 4048E SSL console+ live room, Studios 2–3 for production, songwriting, Atmos, VO + more, a Soundstage with cyc wall, green screen, and immersive projection alongside a Boardroom podcasting space.

Canadian dance icon Guillaume Côté teamed up with Robert Lepage to create an unlikely version of Hamlet: one where movement, not mouths, do the talking. “It has a lot in it,” Côté promises of the production, showing at the Vancouver Playhouse this week. “It doesn’t take much sometimes—just patience and creativity.”

*sponsored listing

In a reminder that nothing gold can stay, the DIY venue on Kingsway has announced that it cannot continue hosting shows after March 22.

*sponsored listing

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BOOKS: EVENT Magazine is hosting its annual used book sale fundraiser. (March 16-20 @ Douglas College)

TALKS: Tropical forest ecologist Catherine Potvin discusses her career and offers climate solutions. (March 17 @ Green College, UBC)

BOOKS: Ever wanted to meet people while quietly reading books? Now you can! (March 17 @ Vancouver Public Library Central Branch)

VISUAL ARTS: Whimsical Wonders, Brought to Life in Colour promises hue-fuelled works. (March 18-29 @ Gallery George)

PERFORMING ARTS: Danceboy turns Munish Sharma’s lifelong love of dance into a genre-bending performance. (March 19-22 @ Vines Den)

MUSEUM: New exhibition Tupananchiskama: Ancient Andean Cosmovision has its world premiere. (March 19 to January 3, 2027 @ Museum of Anthropology)

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

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