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October 23 2025: B.C. wineries fight the freeze

October 23 2025: B.C. wineries fight the freeze

Plus: Cognac in a can and a VIFF award-winner

October 23, 2025

Hey there. How’s your week going?

It feels like nothing gold can stay in Vancouver, and not even beloved institutions are safe from change. Potluck Hawker Eatery served its last laksa last weekend, and Park Theatre is showing its final films this week. At least Ken Sim merely plans to cut hundreds of jobs from City Hall, not demolish the whole east wing. Small mercies!

— V.
Senior editor

— FEATURE —

How Okanagan wineries are preparing for snap freezes

The last couple of years have been brutal for Okanagan Valley vineyards. Unseasonably cold weather in January 2024 all but killed the grape harvest, leaving wine producers reeling about what the future might hold. “The weather came so quickly,” recalls See Ya Later Ranch winemaker David Saysomsack, “and went so cold that it was just devastating for a lot of different varieties.” Mike Usinger explores how growers are adapting to ensure B.C. vino can weather the (literal) storms.

22nd Annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival

The 2025 Festival features over 100 arts and culture events including music, stories, poetry, theatre, ceremony, films, dance, readings, forums, workshops, discussions, gallery exhibits, art talks, history walks, and more!

Guided by the theme Dignity in Community, we celebrate the strength and creativity found in our connections and imagine what is possible when dignity is a shared foundation for us all.

— ARTS —

Gazelle’s creators on winning the VIFF Vanguard Audience Award

Audiences at VIFF voted Gazelle, a piece by Nadir Sarıbaca and his co-writer Ayhan Hülagü about migration, as the public’s favourite international film of the festival. “Creating Gazelle was a way to turn our pain into something meaningful,” Hülagü tells the Straight. “We’re so grateful that our story resonated so profoundly with the audience.”

Vicki’s Picks: 5 Halloween shows to feel the spooky spirit
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— MUSIC —

Photos: Electronic powerhouses Kaytranada and Justice co-headline Rogers Arena

Two electronic greats took to the stage in a dynamic show that melded stagecraft wizardry with pounding beats.

You Nearly Missed: Judy Collins brings the golden age of folk to the Massey Theatre
Photos: The Wombats are still dancing to Joy Division

An ABBA Christmas to Bring Holiday Sparkle to Vancouver this December

Vancouver audiences can expect a night of glittering costumes, irresistible melodies, and pure holiday magic when Vancouver's internationally acclaimed ABBA tribute band, ABRA Cadabra takes the stage for an ABBA Christmas celebration! Stops include Burnaby Dec 2, Surrey Dec 5, New West Dec 6 & North Van Dec 14. Click to find out more!

— PERKS OF THE WEEK —

Our Insiders get access to exclusive giveaways and concert tickets all season long — and this week’s lineup is stacked.

Join the epic Queen sing-along with Choir! Choir! Choir! at the Orpheum on October 28, or catch Paula Cole & Sophie B. Hawkins at the Vancouver Playhouse on October 29. Looking ahead, groove with Poison Girl Friend (November 4, Rickshaw Theatre), Psychedelic Porn Crumpets (November 5, Commodore Ballroom), and Lady Wray (November 12, The Pearl). Families can also mark their calendars for Gabby’s Dollhouse Live at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on March 15.

Plus, as always: enjoy 10 percent off at Minami and Loam Bistro, a complimentary dessert at Desi Indian Lounge, a free appetizer at B House, and much more.

To unlock up to $100 worth of free stuff every month, become a Straight Insider for just $8.25/month on an annual plan.

— FOOD & DRINK —

Vancouver brand Triple X.O.G. is banking on cognac green tea

Felix Chen grew up drinking cognac and green tea—and after appearing on Dragon’s Den, it might be your new favourite tipple, too. “We’re getting so many people from outside B.C.—Quebec, Ontario, the Netherlands, Australia, and Asia—asking where they can buy it,” Chen says.

The Chilliwack farm behind Botanist’s most beautiful plates
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— ICYMI —

Pull up a chair at Thumn’s Dinner Club
Fewer tricks, more Halloween treats
Don’t let Hiromoto Ida catch you yawn in Vacant Lot
George Stroumboulopoulos joins Whistler Film Festival

— THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND —

DANCE: Vancouver-based Bharatanatyam artist Sujit Vaidya pushes the boundaries of the form. (October 23 @ Scotiabank Dance Centre)

MUSEUMS: Halikium Wade Baker and Mary Tasi look at Captain Vancouver through an Indigenous lens. (October 23 @ MONOVA, North Vancouver)

DANCE: Amour, acide et noix examines the power of the naked body. (October 24-25 @ Vancouver Playhouse)

VISUAL ARTS: PHOTOGraphie Festival celebrates lens-based art with talks, exhibitions, and more. (October 24-26 @ SFU Harbour Centre)

THEATRE: Pop! Pop! takes little ones on an underwater adventure. (October 24 to November 2 @ Presentation House Theatre, North Vancouver)

VISUAL ARTS: Doug Thoms’ Wet Weekend captures a kaleidoscopic dystopia. (October 24 to November 2 @ THIS Gallery)

FOOD & DRINK: Body Energy Club is having a sale on smoothies at a homecoming event. (October 25 @ 1637 Lonsdale Avenue)

MUSIC: Vancouver Opera stages a decadent production of Verdi’s Rigoletto. (October 25 to November 2 @ Queen Elizabeth Theatre)

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

That’s it!

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