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October 16 2025: The amour of Wreck Beach

October 16 2025: The amour of Wreck Beach

Plus: Horror movies, waterproof shoes, and Shawn Mendes

October 16, 2025

Hey there. Another Thursday is upon us. Man, The Lady of Shalott would have been different if it was less about Arthurian legends and more about the ennui of the work week:

The alarm ring’d in the bedroom/“Thursday is come upon me!” moaned/The Lady of Shalott.

(For the three Tennyson fans on our mailing list: I’m sorry, or you’re welcome.)

— V.
Senior editor

— FEATURE —

Amour, acide et noix has a very Vancouver origin story

Daniel Léveillé has spent nearly 50 years working in dance, but none of his pieces have had quite the same resonance as Amour, acide et noix (Love, Acid and Nuts). Four fully nude dancers perform an incredible, imperfect testament to the beauty of the human body—as inspired by a trip to Wreck Beach in the ‘90s. “It’s just amazing to see a man or woman jumping and rising and reaching,” the choreographer recalls ahead of his masterwork’s remount at the Vancouver Playhouse. “It’s quite different than watching the exact same movement with clothes on.”

Escape to the Sunshine Coast this Fall

Fall on BC’s Sunshine Coast is warm enough for cider on the patio and quiet enough to hear the tide pulling out. Open studios glow from the inside, with artists who invite people in. Forested trails offer a breath of fresh air, and cozy accommodations provide a restful retreat.

— CITY & CULTURE —

Vessi’s Metrotown store gets a fall refresh

The kings of waterproof sneakers want to make rain something to enjoy. “We reframe rain as something joyful and freeing,” says Josh Larsen, Vessi’s director of retail and store development. “The space celebrates that feeling instead of hiding from it.”

Behind the scenes with a Fright Nights actor
22nd Annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival: October 31 to November 8. Guided by the theme Dignity in Community, the Festival features over 100 arts and culture inspiring events throughout the Downtown Eastside.*
Protect your rights and dispute your driving prohibition with the help of a knowledgeable lawyer. Contact Acumen Law Corporation today to start your defence.*

*sponsored listing

Celebrate Vancouver’s Best in Sound with 604 & Light Organ Records

Get 10% off select vinyl with “STRAIGHT10” on the 604Shop. com

Don’t just listen, live the music. Turn up Vancouver’s bold artistry with Carly Rae Jepsen’s E•MO•TION (10th Anniversary Edition), Marianas Trench’s Haven, Hotel Mira’s Pity Party, and The Zolas’ Come Back to Life.

— ARTS —

Vancouver Horror Show is not your average film festival

The Vancouver Horror Show knows that getting your chills has its upsides. “There's something about that sense of community when you're seeing a movie in a theatre with other people,” says festival director David Taylor, “and that sort of shared collective fear is a really powerful tool for community building.”

Between Breaths makes its Western Canadian debut
Arts Club brings Frozen to Vancouver
From October 20–26, join the Vancouver Writers Fest for a scintillating lineup of exceptional books, ideas, and dialogue in 87 events to spark your curiosity.*
Théâtre la Seizième and Neworld Theatre team up to present no-holds-barred comedy Cispersonnages en quête d’auteurice. Oct. 30 – Nov. 1 at Arts Umbrella.*

*sponsored listing

— MUSIC —

Photos: Shawn Mendes is “proud to be Canadian” at Rogers Arena

Toronto’s other boy wunderkind is all grown up and proved it with a spectacular show at Rogers this week.

Photos: Halestorm electrifies the UBC hockey rink

Suki’s: 54 Years of Style, Art, and Attitude

Vancouver changes fast—but Suki’s stays legendary. Crowned Best Salon in the Georgia Straight’s Best of Vancouver 2025, it’s more than a salon—it’s a movement. Education, mentorship, and unapologetic creativity power a legacy that’s trained generations and defined the city’s style for over half a century.

— ICYMI —

B.C.’s craft breweries are feeling the pinch
Dolce Amore goes full service
Exploring the end in Wakey, Wakey
We’ve got thoughts about baseball

— THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND —

COMEDY: Shawn Hitchins presents a work-in-progress of his new show, Ribald. (October 16 @ China Cloud)

TALKS: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat author Samin Nosrat comes to Vancouver for the first time. (October 16 @ Chan Centre for the Performing Arts)

THEATRE: Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B is a contemporary spin on Sherlock stories. (October 16-25 @ Gateway Theatre)

THEATRE: Hellvira presents reimagined versions of classic horror movies in Theatre of the Damned. (October 16-30 @ Beaumont Studies)

FILM: Small File Theatre Festival puts good things in very small packages. (October 17-18 @ the Cinematheque)

VISUAL ARTS: Dollhouse Delusions explores blurred consciousnesses. (October 17-26 @ Fingerprint Gallery)

MUSEUM: Long Live Kings presents a panel on the history of Vancouver’s drag kings. (October 19 @ Museum of Vancouver)

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

That’s it!

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