September 11 2025: Ring the Allam bells 🚨

Hey there. We’ve made it to another Thursday! The smoke is clearing up, and with it the lingering headaches we’ve all had for a week. 

Living through summers of terrible smoke can’t be good for us; especially when we look outside and say “Well, the sun isn’t red and ash isn’t falling from the sky, so it can’t be THAT bad.” Our baseline for the summer, perhaps, shouldn’t be “literal apocalypse”; or is that too much to ask for?

— V.
Senior editor

— FEATURE — 

Ken Sim's former chief of staff eyes up his job

Kareem Allam, Ken Sim’s former chief of staff, was instrumental in getting the current mayor elected. But after a public falling out and the ensuing court case, the tides have turned. Now, Allam wants to face his old boss on the campaign trail. (Yes, for that municipal election that is over a year away.) “I don’t think anybody should be surprised that I’ve been unhappy with how things have been going,” he tells the Straight. “Then the city itself demonstrated how unhappy it was with the direction, highlighted by the byelection results.”

SPONSORED BY ARTS CLUB THEATRE COMPANY

IBSEN FOR THE MODERN ERA

The Arts Club Theatre Company in partnership with Theatre Calgary is bringing new life to a timeless classic with Amy Herzog’s captivating adaptation of A Doll’s House. With happy children, a pristine house, and a husband secure in a lucrative job, beautiful Nora Helmer appears to have it all. But a secret is bubbling under the surface that threatens to alter her reality. Ibsen’s iconic story of a woman caught between what’s proper and what’s right gets a contemporary makeover in this whip-smart and incisive production by director Anita Rochon.

Get tickets from $29 at artsclub.com—don’t miss the chance to see this dramatic masterpiece reimagined for a modern stage.

— CITY & CULTURE —

Your very Vancouver September 2025 horoscopes

It’s still Virgo season for a little bit longer! Our not-an-astrologer Rachel Burns is here to remind you that the Vancouver Art Gallery might not be moving on, but your love life sure can.

• Which former Vancouver Canadians are helping the Blue Jays fly to the playoffs?

• Have you ever felt unsafe while traveling? F.E.N.S. is building a one-stop shop application that could change how people travel. To properly solve the problem, they're conducting a quick survey to understand you better.*

• Vancouver is funny has officially kicked off with astounding performances from Hannah Berner, Chris Fleming and Alok Vaid-Menon! Check out the lineup for your next show!*

• Vancouver International Flamenco Festival. September 20-28, 2025. The 35th Anniversary edition features powerful and diverse live performances, masterclasses and workshops with artists from Spain, the United States, Mexico, Cuba, Iran, Morocco, and Canada.*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY VANCOUVER FRINGE

Vancouver Fringe Festival Week 2!

The Vancouver Fringe Festival is in full swing and now in its second week! There's still lots of time to catch some incredible shows from comedy, music. drag and more. Catch live music in the Fringe Bar and lots of events across Granville Island, and Little Mountain Gallery Gastown, there's something for everyone here at Fringe! PLUS don't forget to grab your Fringe + for perks across the festival.

— MUSIC —

Van Jams: New Vancouver music you might have missed

It might have been summer, but that didn’t stop local bands from releasing new music last month. We gather some of the latest tracks from B.C. artists like Kylie V and the Vidos and give them a spin.

• Review: The Orpheum boarded the Marina starship to planet popstar

• Photos: X Ambassadors pressed play on their VHS anniversary tour

• The stɑl'əw̓ Pow Wow, September 12-14, (at Langley Events Centre), celebrates Indigenous culture with drumming, singing, and dancing. Tickets available online or at the door.*

• Just for Laughs New Face of Comedy, Troy Bond, is performing live at the Biltmore Cabaret. Don't miss his shows on Sept 26 & 27!*

*sponsored listing

— PERKS OF THE WEEK —

This week, Insiders can claim free tickets to the HUMP! Film Festival, Indie Night at Hollywood Theatre, an evening with Holly Cole at the Vogue, and a Superbad & Booksmart double feature.

On the food front: enjoy 10% off at Minami and Loam Bistro, a complimentary dessert at Desi Indian Lounge, and a free appetizer at B House.

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

— FOOD & DRINK —

We Tried It: Din Tai Fung’s shaved snow with fresh mango is a refreshing finale

Din Tai Fung opened up on Alberni Street in May, and it has now released its first dessert—just in time for the end of summer. We check out the cool shaved ice tower.

• Yes Shef returns to the Fairmont Pac Rim this fall

SPONSORED BY DAN SAVAGE’S HUMP! FILM FEST

THIS WEEKEND! It’s hot, it’s hilarious, it’s oh-so-human. Catch an all-new HUMP! at Rio Theatre

It's not traditional adult entertainment – it's a curatation of insanely creative, boundary-pushing, taboo-shattering, short form works of cinematic art, created by real people for real people. The 2025 Fall Lineup showcases 22 new gems, each five minutes or less, that will rock your world. September 11-12, Rio Theatre.

— ICYMI —

• 30 Vancouver concerts to check out this month

• B.C. punks Dayglo Abortions released from Ohio jail

• There’s a new classical ballet company in town

• How to eat your way through Naramata

— THINGS TO DO THIS WEEK —

BOOKS: UBC prof and author Wade Davis talks about his latest work, Beneath the Surface of Things. (September 11 @ Frederic Wood Theatre)

PERFORMING ARTS: Ten speakers spin yarns at the Vancouver Story Slam. (September 11 @ The Pleasant)

COMEDY: Charlie Demers and Jacob Samuel host the inaugural Comedy Weekend. (September 12 @ Pacific Theatre)

MUSIC: Get your cowboy boots a-stompin’ for the Barnside Harvest Festival, with headliners Walk Off The Earth, Arkells, and the Dead South. (September 12-14 @ Paterson Park, Delta)

VISUAL ARTS: Dan Starling’s solo lithographic exhibition It Doesn’t Stop It Doesn’t Stop opens. (September 12-21 @ THIS Gallery)

VISUAL ARTS: Video games get their due in themed exhibition GAME ON. (September 12 to October 10 @ City Centre Artist Lodge)

FOOD & DRINK: Enter mocha heaven with a coffee and chocolate tasting workshop. (September 14 @ Makerlabs)

LIVING: Dream of a life without traffic at Main Street Car Free Day. (September 14 @ Main Street)

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

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