October 19 edition: Free Lights show, anyone?

Plus: Cirque, skaters, and charcuterie

October 19, 2023

Fall officially begins this week, but there’s nothing like getting into the spirit a bit early. Big sweaters! Hot chocolate! Crunchy leaves! Thick socks! The looming return of seasonal affective disorder! Soup! 

And—in case you missed it—we’re still running a reader survey to find out what you want to see more of, with all participants automatically entered into a draw to win an awesome staycation including a night at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Nothing beats the endless rain blues like the promise of free stuff, right?

FEATURE

Ushering Ballet BC into the future

A muscular shirtless man in black pants holds a woman by one hand, as she folds into a deep back bend. More dancers are visible in the right-hand background.

Ballet BC artistic director Medhi Walerski says the company frequently draws bigger crowds abroad than at home. It’s time to embrace the lyrical beauty that’s on our doorstep.

CITY & CULTURE

How Britannia Courts became the heart of Vancouver skate culture

They were the (gender-neutral) skater boys; the city said “see you later, boy”; they formed a committee to fight for their space.

SPONSORED BY CHUTZPAH! FESTIVAL

23rd Annual Chutzpah! Festival

The Lisa Nemetz Festival of International Performing Arts: November 2-23

The Chutzpah! Festival returns with an exciting and dynamic lineup of performances. The 2023 highlights include; opening and closing night special comedy events, concerts from Klezmer to chamber opera, innovative dance works, theatre, storytelling, interdisciplinary projects and interactive multimedia works paired with workshops, stimulating conversations and opportunities to interact with creative artists. 2022 was the inaugural year of the Festival’s expansion of programming for young audiences and families, including special school matinees, which will return this year. 

This year’s Chutzpah! Festival is filled with artistic experiences from around the world, offering work that is joyful, moving, thrilling, and thought-provoking. With an emphasis on artists from across Canada, the festival will also present works from Israel, The Netherlands, Japan, Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Get your tickets now!

ARTS

Cirque du Soleil’s new show Kooza goes back to circus roots

Three figures in colourful outfits stand centre-stage with a pile of metal hoops behind them.

We caught up with some of Kooza’s cast before Cirque du Soleil’s return to Lotusland later this month.

MUSIC

Fionn wants you to come by your angst honestly

Two white women dressed in early 2000s throwbak outfits pose, one holding a guitar over her head and one holding a bass upside-down

Local sister act Fionn are making pop punk to soundtrack every mid-20s meltdown.

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY DTES HEART OF THE CITY FESTIVAL

20th Annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival

Guided by the theme Grounded in Community, Carrying it Forward, and celebrating a year of milestones, the 2023 edition will feature 100+ events and showcase 40+ local venues over twelve days.   Live and online events include music, stories, poetry, theatre, ceremony, films, dance, readings, forums, workshops, discussions, gallery exhibits, art talks, history walks and more.  

FOOD & DRINK

The Vancouver Cheese and Meat Festival returns

Dried meats and mustard are artfuly arranged on a wooden board.

Get ready to gorge: 40 vendors, including nearly a dozen cheesemakers, are setting up shop for a delicious day of dining.

SPONSORED BY CO.ERASGA

Accumulation premiers November 9

The dynamic world premiere of Accumulation (Nov. 9 – 11) is a transcontinental project by Co.ERASGA Dance, in collaboration with participating artists from the USA, Canada and France. Body, dance, movement, sound, costumes, sculpture and visual objects were all components in the making of this unique and creative live performance event.

THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK

Bettina Matzkuhn artist talk at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum | October 19 | 6pm 

Bettina Matzkuhn’s Meteobotany exhibition mixes embroidered lichens with drawings of weather patterns to show how the micro and macro align in ecosystems. [By donation]

Jordan Klassen and David Vertesi at the Hollywood Theatre | October 19 | 7pm

Sad boy singers play the Hollywood, ahead of Jordan Klassen’s new album releasing on October 20. [$22.50]

TechPong 2023 at Science World | October 19 | 7pm 

Tech and business folks unite in an epic ping-pong tournament to raise money for charity. [$33.28+]

Te Tangi a te Tūī at York Theatre | October 19 to 29 | Various times 

Te Tangi a te Tūī (The Song of the Tui) brings an enchanting and empowering Māori circus theatre work about adaptation and authenticity. [$29+]

Haley Blais at the Hollywood Theatre | October 20 | 6:30pm 

Local songwriter Haley Blais performs her sophomore album, Wisecrack. [$25]

Small-File Media Festival at the Cinemateque | October 20 to 21 | Various times 

Low-res, compressed movies take centre stage at this celebration of pixelated motion art with an ecojustice bent. [$14+]

New West Film Fest at Landmark Cinemas | October 20 to 22 | Various times 

A smorgasbord of shorts, documentaries, features, and experimental movies form the programming for the annual film fest. [$10]

Coho Commotion at Capilano River Regional Park | October 21 | 10:30am to 2pm 

This kid-friendly event lets you get up close and personal with wild salmon as they swim upstream to spawn. [Free]

The Floating Man: Canadian Film Premiere at Robson Square | October 22 | 6:30pm

UBC Okanagan professor and filmmaker Michael V. Smith delves into drag and gender with this movie memoir. [Free, registration required]

Want to know what else is happening in Vancouver? Check out our Events Listings.

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