Things to Do in Vancouver this Weekend: Dec. 8, 2016

The holiday classics and the craft markets just keep coming – along with festive things to do both outdoors and indoors. Adding to the many outdoor light displays from the top of North Shore mountains to Vancouver’s waterfront, you can also keep warm while getting into the holiday spirit in the Bloedel Conservatory starting this weekend and pretend, just for a little while, that you are in a tropical climate.

Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Ongoing

Friday December 9

Ballet BC presents Nutcracker
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre
What: Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet captures the imagination with this charming Canadian retelling of the beloved holiday classic, the Nutcracker. Danced to Tchaikovsky’s glorious music, the story follows the wondrous adventures of Clara, her Nutcracker Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Watch for traditional Canadian scenes such as a snowy pond hockey game and a battle on Parliament Hill. Sumptuous costumes and an enchanting set design make this classic sparkle, delighting audiences of all ages with its beauty and splendour.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

The VSO’s Traditional Christmas
Where: St Andrew’s Wesley Church
What: The VSO’s Traditional Christmas concerts, featuring host Christopher Gaze, EnChor, the UBC Opera Ensemble, and the VSO’s new Assistant Conductor, William Rowson.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

Holiday Heights at the Bloedel Conservatory
Where: The Bloedel Conservatory
What: Experience a (warm) winter wonderland inside the Conservatory with lights, festive music, a holiday scavenger hunt, and more. Go to new heights with a holiday ferris wheel outside. Only $6.75 for adults, less for kids.
Runs until: Monday January 2, 2017

Stevie Nicks
Where: Rogers Arena
What: The woman herself is here with a voice that has no match in its gentle ferocity, from Fleetwood Mac and beyond.
Runs until: forever in my heart

A Christmas Carol in Gay Apparel
Where: The Cultch Culture Lab
What: Back by popular demand, this production is a beloved holiday tradition within the LGBTQ community, and is for anyone who loves a laugh. This parody of the Dickens classic tells the tale of Eleanor S. Crooge who must come out of the closet before it’s too late! Eight actors play thirty roles in this comedy with sketches, songs and drag.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

The Santaland Diaries
Where: Presentation House Theatre (North Vancouver)
What: Based on the true chronicles of celebrated humour writer and commentator, David Sedaris’ experience working as a Christmas elf in a Macy’s department store in New York City. A side-splitting send-up of Christmas and Sedaris’ brief, misguided career move.
Runs until: Saturday December 17, 2016

The Railtown Sessions Live
Where: The Fox Cabaret
What: Since July, Light Organ Records has been presenting The Railtown Sessions; conceived of and produced by Vancouver songwriter and producer Andy Bishop, who brought some of his favourite Canadian songwriters into the Light Organ studio to record their songs with recording/mixing engineer Colin Stewart. To the microphone stepped Sarah Jane Scouten, Rob Butterfield, Johnny 99, and Debra-Jean Creelman, backed by the same crack band, and out came four unique EP’s, a raw yet polished collection of each songwriter’s style and voice.

Albatross
Where: Firehall Arts Centre
What: A new dance work created by Brussels-based German Jauregui in collaboration with Vancouver’s Company 605. This driving duet aims to pull apart a single moment, enabling us to dissect and experience its contents in expanded time.
Runs until: Saturday December 10, 2016

Alice in Wonderland
Where: Studio 1398 (Granville Island)
What: This colourful production combines moments and characters from both of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There. This night out can be enjoyed by typical a family of four for under $80.
Runs until: Sunday December 18, 2016

Make It
Where: PNE Forum
What: More local craft shopping! Includes an on-site beer garden and some of the city’s favourite food trucks. There is something for everyone on your shopping list from foodies to kids and co-workers.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

A Peter n’ Chris-tmas Carol
Where: Performance Works
What: When a grumpy Chris is visited on the night before Christmas (or maybe like a week before Christmas, honestly it’s a busy time for these Ghosts), he wastes most of his time with the first Ghost. Now he must decide which of the Ghosts he wants to meet before sunrise in order to change his ways.
Runs until: Saturday December 10, 2016

Mischief Managed: Harry Potter Burlesque
Where: The Biltmore, 8:00pm
What: The name says it all. Harry Potter-themed burlesque.

The Violin Teacher
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: Based on a true story. After failing to be admitted into the renowned São Paulo Symphonic Orchestra, Laerte, a talented violinist, is forced to give music classes to teenagers in a public school in Heliopolis, the biggest favela of Brazil. His path is full of difficulties but the transforming power of music and the friendship arising between the professor and his students open the doors into a new world.
Runs until: Tuesday December 20, 2016

Cousin Harley
Where: The Rickshaw
What: Cousin Harley is the rocking hillbilly persona of Paul Pigat. This band has a reputation for delivering everything from hot-rod rockabilly to foot stomping vintage country and western swing.

Old Stone
Where: The Cinematheque
What: Chinese-Canadian filmmaker Johnny Ma’s blistering debut feature, recipient of the Best Canadian First Feature award at TIFF this year, is a pulse-pounding, genre-morphing drama/thriller that exposes the mechanisms of indifference at the root of China’s appalling “hit and run” epidemic.
Runs until: Wednesday December 14, 2016

The Holiday Giftshop in SPACE
Where: 552 Clark Drive
What: Showcasing 25-30 different local producers, visitors can expect to find a selection of quality BC-made products; everything from artwork, leather goods, jewelry to ceramics and things made from wood.
Runs until: Wednesday December 21, 2016

Leafly Comedy Tour
Where: The Vogue Theatre
What: A free comedy show presented by Leafly, a mainstream, lifestyle brand centered on information and entertainment in the cannabis space.

The Music Man
Where: Gateway Theatre
What: This beguiling and nostalgic family musical begins when fast-talking con man Harold Hill arrives in small town Iowa, singing empty promises about starting a glorious marching band to organize the local youth. Although all the townsfolk seem eager to follow his lead, the prim local librarian, Marian, threatens to reveal him as a fraud.
Runs until: Saturday December 31, 2016

Whistler Happy Place
Where: 2033 West 4th (in Vancouver)
What: There will be free hot chocolate from a retro Whistler gondola and a photo booth with a contest to win a season pass to Whistler Blackcomb as well as some other great prizes to be used in Whistler this winter.
Runs until: Saturday December 10, 2016

Saturday December 10

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Family Fuse Weekend
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: Traditional crafts meet contemporary ideas, documentary meets imaginary and the real meets the surreal. Explore the Gallery’s fall exhibitions through a diverse range of performances and hands-on making activities and workshops with artists, dancers, musicians, performers and educators.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

The Geekenders Present: The Rocky Horror Picture Show – Live
Where: The Rio Theatre
What: The Rocky Horror Show will combine the familiar story with an extravagant new take, exploring the world of 50s sci-fi, B-movie larger-than-life costumes designed by local drag artist Shayan Naziripour, stunning choreography taking inspiration from the glamorous musical spectaculars of the 30s and 40s, and tongue-in-cheek humour, body positivity, and the explosive enthusiasm that have gained the troupe faithful following over the past four years.

Got Craft Holiday Edition
Where: The Pipe Shop (North Vancouver)
What: Shop from over 85 handmade makers including 35% new vendors to Got Craft. There is also food, drink, crafty workshops, and swag bags to the first 50 people at the event each day.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

Christmas Bird Count for Kids
Where: Stanley Park, 10:00am
What: Calling all young birders – join other youth and experts for an annual bird survey. After a quick introduction to bird identification, split into groups and head into the forest for a 45-minute bird counting adventure.

Shiny Fuzzy Muddy
Where: Hertiage Hall on Main Street
What: Another opportunity to shop local crafters, designers and makers. This collaborative event creates a space for over 30 local artists to meet and share their craftsmanship, creations and designs in an intimate environment that opposes large mass-produced products.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

STOMP Out Hunger
Where: Red Truck Brewery
What: Everyone who drops off a cash or non-perishable food donation at the Red Truck Brewery before January 13th will receive a coupon good for $5 off a ticket to see the touring production of STOMP during its January 13th-15th run at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. In addition, Red Truck Beer will donate $1 from each pint of its seasonal beers sold in the Truck Stop during the month of December to the Vancouver Food Bank.
Runs until: January 13, 2016

Koneline: Our Land Beautiful
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: Go beyond the Lower Mainland to reveal the stunning landscape to the north, and to chart the tension between a still relatively pristine beauty and the scars that economic development inevitably brings in the form of resource extraction and power lines.

Rooney
Where: The Biltmore
What: The five piece rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1999 and after playing the Sunset Strip clubs and self producing EPs for a couple of years, they made their self titled major label debut and hit the road. They’ve toured with Weezer, The Strokes, Sloan, The Sounds, and The Donnas.

Mulholland Drive
Where: The Cinematheque
What: David Lynch pulls out all the stops, upends all expectations, and, well, goes all Lynchian in this maniacal, mind-bending mix of Hollywood satire, film noir, and fever dream — anointed earlier this year, in a BBC poll, as the greatest film of the 21st century to date. See it in full 35mm glory.
Runs until: Wednesday December 14, 2016

East Van Ham Holiday Artist Market
Where: 1739 Venables
What: Live music, food and refreshments, and a cozily curated selection of gifts and goods from local artisans and collectors. 

Sunday December 11

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East Side Best Side Pop Up Handmade Market
Where: Russian Hall
What: A collective of East Vancouver artists, crafters and friends are coming together for one day only, to bring you handmade goodies for the holiday season.

Musqueam Holiday Craft Fair
Where: 6777 Salish Drive
What: Over 50 tables of arts and crafts. There will be door prizes, food, and raffles. Admission by donation. Partial proceeds to go to the MIB Girls Mentorship Program.

Ongoing

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Hysteria and Heartbreak: Andrzej Żuławski (ends this weekend)
Where: The Cinematheque
What: Polish filmmaker Andrzej Żuławski, whose signature brand of over-the-top excess inspired the critics-coined adjective “Zulawskien,” died in February at the age of 75. His passing came just six months after his latest (now last) film Cosmos garnered him the Best Director prize at the Locarno Film Festival. For many, the award represented more than just the decorating of a film’s director: it vindicated a visionary artist’s singular body of work that so often met with bafflement, hostility, and suppression.
Runs until: Friday December 9, 2016

Whistler Happy Place (this weekend only)
Where: 2033 West 4th (in Vancouver)
What: There will be free hot chocolate from a retro Whistler gondola and a photo booth with a contest to win a season pass to Whistler Blackcomb as well as some other great prizes to be used in Whistler this winter.
Runs until: Saturday December 10, 2016

Ballet BC presents Nutcracker (ends this weekend)
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre
What: Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet captures the imagination with this charming Canadian retelling of the beloved holiday classic, the Nutcracker. Danced to Tchaikovsky’s glorious music, the story follows the wondrous adventures of Clara, her Nutcracker Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy. Watch for traditional Canadian scenes such as a snowy pond hockey game and a battle on Parliament Hill. Sumptuous costumes and an enchanting set design make this classic sparkle, delighting audiences of all ages with its beauty and splendour.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

The Vancouver Opera: Hansel and Gretel (ends this weekend)
Where: Vancouver Playhouse
What: In an abridged version to appeal to younger audiences, the master artisans of Old Trout Puppet workshop have created an enchanting fairy-tale world of visual surprises.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

Creeps (ends this weekend)
Where: The Cultch Historic Theatre
What: Four men work in a sheltered workshop doing mundane work. Tired of the way they’ve been treated, they rebel and barricade themselves in the washroom.
Runs until: Saturday December 10, 2016

A Peter n’ Chris-tmas Carol (ends this weekend)
Where: Performance Works
What: When a grumpy Chris is visited on the night before Christmas (or maybe like a week before Christmas, honestly it’s a busy time for these Ghosts), he wastes most of his time with the first Ghost. Now he must decide which of the Ghosts he wants to meet before sunrise in order to change his ways.
Runs until: Saturday December 10, 2016

The VSO’s Traditional Christmas (this weekend only)
Where: St Andrew’s Wesley Church
What: The VSO’s Traditional Christmas concerts, featuring host Christopher Gaze, EnChor, the UBC Opera Ensemble, and the VSO’s new Assistant Conductor, William Rowson.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

Family Fuse Weekend (this weekend only)
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: Traditional crafts meet contemporary ideas, documentary meets imaginary and the real meets the surreal. Explore the Gallery’s fall exhibitions through a diverse range of performances and hands-on making activities and workshops with artists, dancers, musicians, performers and educators.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

A Christmas Carol in Gay Apparel (this weekend only)
Where: The Cultch Culture Lab
What: Back by popular demand, this production is a beloved holiday tradition within the LGBTQ community, and is for anyone who loves a laugh. This parody of the Dickens classic tells the tale of Eleanor S. Crooge who must come out of the closet before it’s too late! Eight actors play thirty roles in this comedy with sketches, songs and drag.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

Shiny Fuzzy Muddy (this weekend only)
Where: Hertiage Hall on Main Street
What: Another opportunity to shop local crafters, designers and makers. This collaborative event creates a space for over 30 local artists to meet and share their craftsmanship, creations and designs in an intimate environment that opposes large mass-produced products.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

Got Craft Holiday Edition (this weekend only)
Where: The Pipe Shop (North Vancouver)
What: Shop from over 85 handmade makers including 35% new vendors to Got Craft. There is also food, drink, crafty workshops, and swag bags to the first 50 people at the event each day.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

Make It
Where: PNE Forum
What: More local craft shopping! Includes an on-site beer garden and some of the city’s favourite food trucks. There is something for everyone on your shopping list from foodies to kids and co-workers.
Runs until: Sunday December 11, 2016

Old Stone
Where: The Cinematheque
What: Chinese-Canadian filmmaker Johnny Ma’s blistering debut feature, recipient of the Best Canadian First Feature award at TIFF this year, is a pulse-pounding, genre-morphing drama/thriller that exposes the mechanisms of indifference at the root of China’s appalling “hit and run” epidemic.
Runs until: Wednesday December 14, 2016

Mulholland Drive
Where: The Cinematheque
What: David Lynch pulls out all the stops, upends all expectations, and, well, goes all Lynchian in this maniacal, mind-bending mix of Hollywood satire, film noir, and fever dream — anointed earlier this year, in a BBC poll, as the greatest film of the 21st century to date. See it in full 35mm glory.
Runs until: Wednesday December 14, 2016

Sell Out
Where: Hot Art Wet City
What: A fun and twisted collection of new and old works by the mysterious Vancouver street artist, iHeart. As a work sells, a new piece will replace it. Leaving you wondering what will be next. It’s the perfect gift for the street art lover in your life
Runs until: Saturday December 17, 2016

The Santaland Diaries
Where: Presentation House Theatre (North Vancouver)
What: Based on the true chronicles of celebrated humour writer and commentator, David Sedaris’ experience working as a Christmas elf in a Macy’s department store in New York City. A side-splitting send-up of Christmas and Sedaris’ brief, misguided career move.
Runs until: Saturday December 17, 2016

Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol
Where: Jericho Arts Centre
What: The story of Jacob Marley’s heroic behind-the scenes efforts to save the soul of Scrooge, everyone’s favorite curmudgeon, and in the process save his own. Aided by a Bogle, a malicious little hell-sprite with an agenda of its own, Marley’s hilarious journey takes them from the Jaws of Death to the Mouth of Hell. There will be a live-description performance for people with vision loss on December 11, and an ASLinterpreted
performance for the Deaf on December 14. Vocal Eye will provide live-description services, and two ASL interpreters will provide American Sign Language interpretation for the Deaf.
Runs until: Saturday December 18, 2016

Alice in Wonderland
Where: Studio 1398 (Granville Island)
What: This colourful production combines moments and characters from both of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There. This night out can be enjoyed by typical a family of four for under $80.
Runs until: Sunday December 18, 2016

The Violin Teacher
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: Based on a true story. After failing to be admitted into the renowned São Paulo Symphonic Orchestra, Laerte, a talented violinist, is forced to give music classes to teenagers in a public school in Heliopolis, the biggest favela of Brazil. His path is full of difficulties but the transforming power of music and the friendship arising between the professor and his students open the doors into a new world.
Runs until: Tuesday December 20, 2016

Sacred Intentional Gifts Pop Up Shop
Where: Dharma Temple Yoga Studio
What: There will be goods from Andrea Wong, Drifter Brand, Kundalini Gowns, and many other gems.
Runs until: Wednesday December 21, 2016

The Holiday Giftshop in SPACE
Where: 552 Clark Drive
What: Showcasing 25-30 different local producers, visitors can expect to find a selection of quality BC-made products; everything from artwork, leather goods, jewelry to ceramics and things made from wood.
Runs until: Wednesday December 21, 2016

Christmas Queen 3: Bachelorette Edition
Where: The Improv Centre (Granville Island)
What: This episode of The Christmas Queen saga sees HRM (Her Royal Meanness) as the star of her own reality show. She insists that the finale be filmed and aired live on Christmas Eve and her poor, brow-beaten director Bob Matchit can’t talk her out of it. Not only will his Christmas be ruined but her plan is to ruin the Christmas of all her suitors.
Runs until: Friday December 23, 2016

The Day Before Christmas
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: Alex is a perfectionist who is desperately holding fast to her Christmas traditions. While juggling family and work—and a movie star—she loses control of her holiday plans, and her home becomes a disaster zone. Can she save the turkey from the dog and salvage a broken-down tree? Find out in this infectious comedy.
Runs until: Saturday December 24, 2016

Vancouver Christmas Market
Where: Jack Poole Plaza
What: A new location this year right on the harbor front. Get in there with a mix of traditional food and beverage, wood carvings and toys, knitted goods, nutcrackers, pottery and other crafty gifts. The kids (and maybe childish adults?) can make Christmas gifts and ride a Christmas carousel.
Runs until: Saturday December 31, 2016

Enchant Christmas Light Maze
Where: Olympic Village
What: What may be the world’s largest Christmas light maze is made up of over 55,000 sq. ft. of illuminated sculptures arranged to create the an atmosphere of evening adventure. Along with the maze, Enchant features a market with over 40 local vendors, 12 food trucks and a licensed eating area where you can eat, drink, and get merry.
Runs until: Saturday December 31, 2016

Avenue Q
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: The musical story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college graduate who arrives in New York City looking for love, a job, and his purpose in life. The only neighbourhood he can afford is the multicultural Avenue Q, where Sesame Street-esque puppets rub shoulders with humans. Part felt, part flesh, Avenue Q contains full puppet nudity and other vulgarities that will induce laughter.
Runs until: Saturday December 31, 2016

A Charlie Brown Christmas
Where: Carousel Theatre
What: Good grief! A lively musical adaption that also features a live jazz trio. Join Charlie Brown on his quirky journey as he tries to direct the school Christmas pageant. With some help from his friends and a ragged little tree, Charlie Brown discovers the true meaning of the season.
Runs until: Saturday December 31, 2016

Holy Mo! A Christmas Show
Where: Pacific Theatre
What: Folly, Guff, and Buffoona are back! And this time, it’s Christmas. A reverently irreverent re-imagining of the Nativity told with gusto and a questionable commitment to accuracy by Pacific Theatre’s three favourite fools.
Runs until: Saturday December 31, 2016

The Music Man
Where: Gateway Theatre
What: This beguiling and nostalgic family musical begins when fast-talking con man Harold Hill arrives in small town Iowa, singing empty promises about starting a glorious marching band to organize the local youth. Although all the townsfolk seem eager to follow his lead, the prim local librarian, Marian, threatens to reveal him as a fraud.
Runs until: Saturday December 31, 2016

East Van Panto: Little Red Riding Hood
Where: York Theatre
What: Little Red Riding Hood is bombing down the Adanac bike trail to deliver a basket of goodies to her sweet little granny. Cheer Little Red along as she battles everything from bike thieves to distracted drivers to The Big Bad Wolf. Suitable for kids 5 and up.
Runs until: Saturday December 31, 2016

Mary Poppins
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: Watch Mary Poppins fly over the rooftops of London, and feel like a kid again! Remember, anything can happen if you let it. This family musical featuring the unforgettable songs from the popular Disney film—A Spoonful of Sugar, Chim Chim Cher-ee, and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious—is practically perfect in every way.
Runs until: Sunday January 1, 2017

Untangled Figures by Guillaume Leblon
Where: Contemporary Art Gallery
What: Creating fictional landscapes or altering an existing space has long been Leblon’s favoured technique for fuelling uncertainty and doubt in order to undermine the stark purity and perfect finish of the museum.
Runs until: Sunday January 1, 2016

Peak of Christmas
Where: Grouse Mountain
What: It’s mountaintop holiday time. Bring your family to Santa’s workshop and meet reindeer, or take a sleigh-ride through a mystical alpine forest. You can also experience the tranquil beauty of skating on an 8,000 square foot mountaintop ice skating pond, surrounded by snow-topped trees or wander through an outdoor holiday lights display.
Runs until: Monday January 2, 2016

Christmas at Flyover
Where: Flyover Canada
What: FlyOver Canada will transform into a magical winter wonderland this Christmas season. Guests will have fun helping Santa search for his missing elves during an exhilarating flight across Canada and onto the North Pole.
Runs until: Monday January 2, 2016

Holiday Heights at the Bloedel Conservatory
Where: The Bloedel Conservatory
What: Experience a (warm) winter wonderland inside the Conservatory with lights, festive music, a holiday scavenger hunt, and more. Go to new heights with a holiday ferris wheel outside. Only $6.75 for adults, less for kids.
Runs until: Monday January 2, 2017

Canyon Lights
Where: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
What: The suspension bridge, Treetops Adventure, Cliffwalk, the rainforest and canyon are transformed into a world of festive lights in the trees, over bridges, and in the little village. See the world’s tallest living Christmas tree (153 feet) go on a Snowy Owl Prowl, decorate gingerbread cookies and make your own Christmas card.
Runs until: Sunday January 8, 2016

All Together Now: Vancouver Collectors and Their Worlds
Where: The Museum of Vancouver
What: 20 beautiful, rare, and unconventional collections, with something for everyone including corsets, prosthetics, pinball machines, taxidermy, toys, and much more. In this exhibition both collector and collected are objects of study, interaction, and delight.
Runs until: Sunday January 8, 2016

White, Steel, Slice, Mask
Where: Contemporary Art Gallery
What: Working together for over a decade, the duo’s interdisciplinary practice typically instigates community-based models of participation in order to re-imagine a material record of the present. They investigate tactics of cultural representation while utilizing the methods of anthropology to examine various forms of collecting, interpretation and display.
Runs until: Sunday January 8, 2016

STOMP Out Hunger
Where: Red Truck Brewery
What: Everyone who drops off a cash or non-perishable food donation at the Red Truck Brewery before January 13th will receive a coupon good for $5 off a ticket to see the touring production of STOMP during its January 13th-15th run at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. In addition, Red Truck Beer will donate $1 from each pint of its seasonal beers sold in the Truck Stop during the month of December to the Vancouver Food Bank.
Runs until: January 13, 2016

Walker Evans: Depth of Field
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: The American photographer Walker Evans (1903–1975) is among the most influential artists of the 20th century. Covering the full arc of his career, Walker Evans: Depth of Field presents the most comprehensive look at Evans’ work ever mounted in Canada.
Runs until: January 22, 2017

Alexine McLeod
Where: Monte Clark Gallery
What: The artist presents wall-mounted abstract compositions that combine everyday materials including plastic, fabric, found objects, and light.
Runs until: January 30, 2016

In the Footprint of the Crocodile Man
Where: UBC Museum of Anthropology
What: The Sepik River of Papua New Guinea is one of the largest river systems in the world, extraordinarily beautiful, but seldom visited. It is here that the Iatmul people, who live along its banks, have created internationally renowned works of art primarily inspired by stories of the majestic crocodile as the primordial creator. This unique exhibition will showcase the most comprehensive collection of contemporary Sepik art in North America for the first time. In addition to highlighting the exquisite carvings of Papua New Guinea’s latmul people, the exhibition will delve into their economic, cultural, and spiritual connections to the river system, drawing urgent attention to the logging and mining operations that pose environmental threats to the region.
Runs until: January 31, 2017

Juxtapoz x Superflat
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: A manifesto for new creative practices that can no longer be adequately described by the traditional categories of art and production. Presenting the work of more than 30 artists from Japan, China, Korea, Europe and the United States this remarkable exhibition offers a unique insight into contemporary art and its place in cultural life.
Runs until: February 5, 2016

As Heavy as a Feather
Where: Centre A
What: Indigenous Taiwanese artist Chang En Man is having her first exhibition in North America. Chang’s practice is characterized by a dynamic interplay between story, tradition, and the struggles of indigenous peoples in the face of ongoing experiences of colonization.
Runs until: February 11, 2016

Robson Square Ice Rink
Where: Robson Square
What: Ice skate for free or rent a pair for $4 on this outdoor, covered public rink right downtown.
Runs until: February 14, 2017

Judy Chartrand, What a Wonderful World
Where: The Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
What: Her beautiful and provocative work presents her own personal history and insights into life in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, and commentary on racism and post–colonial relations between Indigenous and non–Indigenous cultures.
Runs until: February 19, 2016

Layers of Influence
Where: UBC Museum of Anthropology
What: This stunning exhibition will explore clothing’s inherent evidence of human ingenuity, creativity and skill, drawing from MOA’s textile collection — the largest collection in Western Canada — to display a global range of materials, production techniques and adornments across different cultures and time frames.
Runs until: April 9, 2017

Vancouver Special
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: The first iteration of this series and it features works by 40 artists produced within the last five years—Vancouver’s post-Olympic period. The exhibition includes many emerging artists as well as those who are more established but whose ideas were prescient. Some are recent arrivals to Vancouver, while others are long-term residents who have already made significant contributions. Others are nomadic, less settled in one place and are working energetically between several locations.
Runs until: April 17, 2016

Nat Bailey Stadium Winter Farmers Market
Where: Nat Bailey Stadium
What: Don’t fret the summers Farmers markets packing up – winter is here, and you can still shop local for fresh produce, preserves, baked goods, and crafts.
Runs until: April 22, 2017

Hastings Park Farmers Market
Where: Hastings Park (near the PNE)
What: The Hastings Park Farmers Market features a great selection of local produce; nursery items, fish, meat & dairy; artisan prepared foods, baking and treats; local crafts, and of course, food trucks.
Runs until: April 30, 2017

What are you up to this weekend? Tell me and the rest of Vancouver in the comments below or tweet me directly at @lextacular