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October 2 2025: Announcing the Best of Vancouver winners

October 2 2025: Announcing the Best of Vancouver winners

Plus: Your guide to VIFF, October events, and cool concerts

October 02, 2025

Hey there. After Truth and Reconciliation Day on Tuesday, we’re back to our regularly scheduled programming for the week.

It’s the first Thursday of the month, and you know by now what that means: a new print edition of the Straight is out now! And this month it’s a doozy—the results of our annual Best of Vancouver awards.

Pick it up wherever you get your finest free papers, and happy reading.

— V.
Senior editor

— FEATURE —

The 29th annual Best of Vancouver award winners are here!

You nominated, you voted, and now, you get to find out who won. Every year, the Best of Vancouver awards see thousands of locals have their say on the things that make Vancouver great. Want to see who scooped the crown for everything from best barber to best beach or best bus route? Check out all the winners here.

The Value of a Dance Education

"There is no greater education for a young child. If you want your child to succeed in university, in social life, in whatever they choose—dance provides a foundation that nothing else does.” - Artemis Gordon, Artistic Director, Dance

Arts Umbrella Dance inspires young dancers to reach their full potential through world-class training and mentorship. With a focus on both technical excellence and artistic expression, the program offers a supportive and inclusive environment for students ages 2 to 22. Led by acclaimed instructors and guest artists, dancers explore a range of styles and develop discipline, creativity, and confidence. As a leader in dance education in Canada, the program continues to nurture the next generation of artists, fostering a lifelong love of movement and the performing arts.

— ARTS —

The Straight guide to VIFF 2025

The city’s favourite film festival returns this week, with star-studded premieres, swaths of local talent, and a soft spot for weird stuff. We’ve been getting into the thick of the action with previews, interviews, and reviews in our VIFF 2025 guide.

30 awesome events happening this October
The Vancouver Art Gallery has picked new architects
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.*
The 25th Annual Chutzpah! Festival returns on November 12-23 with a vibrant lineup of performances presenting music, theatre, comedy, dance, and storytelling showcasing exciting international artists through a multicultural Jewish lens.*
Travel to the year 802,701! Studio 58 presents The Time Machine October 2–12. Tickets from $10. Don’t miss this world premiere—book now!*

*sponsored listing

The Dance Centre presents the world premiere of Co.ERASGA’s Eternal Gestures

A trilogy of evocative solos commissioned from Indigenous Coast Salish-based choreographers Starr Muranko, Michelle Olson and Margaret Grenier, and performed by Artistic Director Alvin Erasga Tolentino, this poetic new work asserts our connection to the land, and speaks to truth, healing, and the decolonization of art.

October 9-10 at Scotiabank Dance Centre: get tickets here.

— MUSIC —

Daniel Caesar’s Trout Lake pop-up concert was wild, and worth it

What happened when a Canadian R&B star played a pop-up concert in a rainy park? Thousands of people showed up.

30 cool concerts to catch in Vancouver this month
Sounds Good: the “uncool kids’ table” edition
Doja Cat gives extra-advance warning of her Vancouver tour date
Oct 14 & 15 - The Rio is setting a sinister tone for the haunting season with TWO performances of Claudio Simonetti's Goblin performing a LIVE score to horror master Dario Argento's Suspiria.*

*sponsored listing

— FOOD & DRINK —

Two Metro Vancouver spots land on North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list

A pair of Golden Plates faves made it onto the definitive list of the best 50 restaurants on the continent—not too shabby, if we say so ourselves!

No Reservations: The Gemm isn’t your typical speakeasy
Vancouver Sake Fest pours back into town

Haunted Teas, Hidden Speakeasies, and Immersive Mysteries Await This Fall at The Castle in the City

This October, explore Spooky Season at Fairmont Hotel Vancouver with a trio of spine-tingling, unforgettable experiences: Haunted Cellar Afternoon Tea, JINX Spooky Speakeasy, and the return of an immersive mystery experience, Castle Confidential. The iconic hotel transforms into a haunted haven of elegance and enchantment, celebrating the dark side of luxury.

— ICYMI —

Vancouver firefighters to launch their hot 2026 calendar
Adhere To will keep you stylish in a downpour
The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes director talks art
Comedian Sophia Johnson leans into her lore
Photos: Linkin Park got Rogers feeling like it was 2007

— THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND —

PERFORMING ARTS: Choose your alpha in high-flying circus show Wolf. (To October 16 @ York Theatre)

VISUAL ARTS: Where Are We Now? sees three artists find themselves through creating. (October 2 to November 2 @ Ferry Building Gallery, West Vancouver)

THEATRE: Have A Senior Moment Festival knows creativity has no age limit. (October 3-11 @ Pal Studio Theatre)

THEATRE: Lend Me A Tenor lets the Pagliacci jokes write themselves. (October 3-25 @ Metro Theatre)

MUSIC: A workshop production of The Awakening blends Cantonese and western opera. (October 4 @ VPL Central Branch)

FOOD & DRINK: Superflux says it’s time for Oktoberfest. (October 4 @ Superflux Beer Company)

MUSIC: Industrial rockers Econoline Crush prove that the ‘90s aren’t dead. (October 4 @ Rickshaw Theatre)

LIVING: Why is Long Island Medium Theresa Caputo’s hair so big? It’s full of secrets. (October 5 @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre)

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

That’s it!

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