Things to Do in Vancouver this Weekend: Feb. 23, 2017

This weekend, a very happy Maha Shivaratri, and Cheese Fare Sunday! Whether you plan on celebrating with Hindus, Orthodox Christians, or neither, I think we can all benefit from days that celebrate overcoming darkness and ignorance in life, and feasting on cheese (even the vegans out there – I know there are some stellar non-dairy cheeses made of nuts and stuff.) Have a look at all the things going on in Vancouver this weekend from the final days of the comedy festival to art shows and music of so many genres. They all pair quite well with overcoming darkness, and sure, with cheese as well.

Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Ongoing

Friday February 24

am a
Where: The Cultch
What: am a explores identity through the lens of neuroplasticity, a science that examines the brain’s capacity for change. But how do we change our brains? And if we can change, how far can we go? Using personal text, scientific writings, dance, song, and frivolity to explore personal confrontation, am a is a celebration of being human.
Runs until: Saturday March 4, 2017

Debra Canada Broomball Championship
Where: Grouse Mountain
What: No skill or previous experience is required – broomball is ice hockey but without skates and using a broom and a ball. Teams range in size from six to ten players and they will provide necessary equipment and a quick tutorial. A fundraiser to support families living with Epidermolysis Bullosa or EB.

Lucia, Actors, Douse, Frankie and Tulip
Where: The Rickshaw
What: An eclectic night of really good local bands. Check out the doomy post-metal of Lucia, the warm new wave of Actors, along with art rock, dark indie, and dream-rock.

Battle of the Brush Grand Finale
Where: A live painting competition where artists team up to create art as you drink, wander, watch and socialize.
What: Heritage Hall on Main

BC Home and Garden Show
Where: BC Place Stadium
What: An event for home owners, renovators, and anyone looking to get ideas to improve their home or garden.
Runs until: Sunday February 26

Tinder Tales
Where: The Fox Cabaret
What: Professional/amateur daters, storytellers, comedians, and everyday people confess their most outrageous Tinder tales and other online dating disasters live on stage.

Gray Conversation: A Living with Wood Forum
Where: Museum of Vancouver
What: Join BC Wood for a panel discussion moderated by Jaime Gillin, editor of Gray Magazine, exploring the “softer side of wood” and its creative applications for interiors, furnishings, architecture, and art. Hear about the process of design as it relates to the products we live and interact with, rather than the structures we inhabit.

Garrick Ohlsson plays Brahms
Where: Chan Centre for the Performing Arts
What: You will hear his powerful Second Piano Concerto performed by one of the world’s most commanding pianists, Garrick Ohlsson, a famous Hungarian Dance, and the extraordinary Second Symphony of Brahms.
Runs until: Saturday February 25

Man Up: It’s Complected
Where: The Cobalt
What: The Man Up family cordially invites you — whether you’re single or taken, hitched or split, swinging or celibate, optimistic or over it, fulfilled or falling apart — to join us for a drag show that’s all about the messy, mixed up world of relationships. Let’s get complicated.

Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal
Where: Vancouver Playhouse
What: Rouge, choreographed by Rodrigo Pederneiras of Brazilian company Grupo Corpo, is direct, genuine and raw, an ode to resilience and a tribute to indigenous peoples and their musical and cultural legacy. For Kosmos, Greek choreographer Andonis Foniadakis finds inspiration in the world around us and the excitement people experience every day in a city; moments of reunion, gathering and let go. In Israeli choreographer Itzik Galili’s Mono Lisa, two dancers execute incredible acrobatics in a factory-like atmosphere filled with sounds and visions of iron and steel.

Saturday February 25

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Vancouver Bach Choir presents Orff’s Carmina Burana
Where: The Orpheum, 8:00pm
What: In an eruption of thundering chorus and heart-pounding percussion, the lush harmonies of Orff’s theatrical cantata echo in the night. Joined by prize-winning Bergmann Piano Duo and the acclaimed Fringe Percussion, the Vancouver Bach Choir will reach dizzying heights of anguish and delight in this thrilling saga of fate and fortune.

The Spirit of Haida Gwaii
Where: The Bill Reid Gallery
What: The Bill Reid Gallery hosts an afternoon panel discussion focused on exploring the continued significance of Bill Reid’s “The Spirit of Haida Gwaii” master work.

Indigenous Plant Use
Where: Stanley Park, 1:00pm
What: Walk through the forest with an experienced guide of Coast Salish descent and learn about the traditional and present-day indigenous relationships with local flora and fauna. While there will be no collecting on these tours, Stanley Park offers a perfect setting to learn about sustainable harvesting.

Blackalicious
Where: Venue
What: The Quannum MCs Tour comes together with Blackalicious, Lyrics Born &Lateef the Truthspeaker (of Latyrx).

Vancouver Special Forum
Where: UBC Robson Square
What: “Vancouver Special” includes work by forty visual artists as a survey of the contemporary art activity in the city over the last five years. Perspectives from various artists on surrealism, abstraction, and conceptual practice will be presented.

De Profundis: Palestrina to Pizzetti
Where: Holy Rosary Cathedral, Downtown Vancouver
What: Vancouver Cantata Singers Artistic Director, Paula Kremer, welcomes lovers of choral music to celebrate the music of three Italian giants of choral repertoire; Palestrina, Allegri and Pizzetti. These three composers created music that features rich moving texts carried across centuries.

Banners
Where: The Imperial
What: From Liverpool, UK. Influenced by artists ranging from Jeff Buckley to Arcade Fire.

Canucks vs. Sharks
Where: Rogers Arena
What: It’s a hockey game. Cheer on the home team, drink a beer from a plastic cup, and wear some matchy shirts with your friends.

Sand Northrup, One Woman Circus
Where: ArtStarts Gallery
What: Well known for her interactive performances and hands-on workshops that are accessible to all ages (with parent help required for toddlers), Sand offers a zany mix of physical comedy and circus skills, with lots of audience participation.

Polyrhythmics
Where: The Rickshaw
What: An 8-piece funk band from Seattle.

Weyes Blood
Where: The Cobalt
What: Los Angeles based songwriter on tour to support her latest release, Front Row Seat to Earth.

Taboo Revue
Where: The Wise Hall
What: The Screaming Chicken burlesque troupe features over 20 dancers, comics and singers. This sexy and hilarious show features singing, dancing, comedy, and, of course, striptease.

Sunday February 26

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Comedy for Critters
Where: Yuk Yuk’s Vancouver
What: A night of stand-up comedy benefitting the BCSPCA and Humane Societies – hosted by Kathleen McGee, featuring Graham Clark, Alex Sparling, Randee Neumeyer, Jane Stanton and more.

Fugitive Voices
Where: The Annex
What: This performance honours the lives of escaped slaves who fled via the Underground Railroad to safety in Canada, and also recognizes the significance of Owen Sound, Ontario, the northern terminal of the Underground Railroad. Music, text, video, audio interviews of other Bella Coola residents, photography, and erasure poetry are all incorporated into this hour-long work.

Umbrella Self Defense
Where: Academy Duello, 1:00pm
What: Students will learn from Bartitsu master David McCormack the key moves from blocks and strikes, to hooking and Bayonet-style sword technique all with Vancouver’s most unassuming accoutrements.

Kevin Abstract
Where: The Biltmore
What: LA-based hip hop musician, on tour to support his latest release “American Boyfriend”. An all-ages show.

Ongoing

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JFL Northwest Comedy Festival (ends this weekend)
Where: Various Locations
What: Vancouver’s biggest comedy festival! Presenting some of the best in stand-up, sketch, and improv. This year’s headliners include Sarah Silverman, Tom Segura, Trevor Noah, and Game Grumps.
Runs until: Saturday February 25, 2017

Toy Babies (ends this weekend)
Where: Hot Art Wet City
What: Doll-headed portraits will once again be filling the gallery for Andrea Hooge’s fifth solo show. Andrea takes her inspiration in part from vintage children’s toys and books, her cultural heritage, and the memories of her childhood understandings of the world.
Runs until: Saturday February 25, 2017

Corleone The Shakespearean Godfather (ends this weekend)
Where: Pacific Theatre
What: A classic tale of power, destiny, betrayal and honour: what if Shakespeare had written The Godfather? This brilliant comic premise takes on surprising dramatic power as Coppola’s movie masterpiece shows itself to be true Elizabethan tragedy.
Runs until: Saturday February 25, 2017

Talking Stick Festival (ends this weekend)
Where: Various locations
What: Celebrating Aboriginal culture, this festival showcases the new evolving contemporary work of today’s artists. All areas of the performing arts are represented from theatre, dance, drumming, and music to spoken word, visual arts and multimedia performance.
Runs until: Sunday February 26, 2017

Flight of the Dragon (ends this weekend)
Where: FlyOver Canada
What: For a limited time, FlyOver Canada presents Flight of the Dragon, a flight ride experience that takes you over the breathtaking Chinese countryside and renowned landmarks. FlyOver Canada invites all guests to come and enjoy both FlyOver Canada and Flight of the Dragon; two virtual flight rides for the regular admission price.
Runs until: Sunday February 26, 2017

The Audience (ends this weekend)
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: From Winston Churchill to Margaret Thatcher, through Tony Blair and right up to David Cameron, the Queen has held a weekly meeting, or “audience,” with each of her twelve prime ministers. Peter Morgan’s imaginary glimpses into these tête-à-têtes provide a droll and fascinating portrayal of a lioness of history—one who, over the span of six decades, transforms from an uncertain young monarch into the revered figurehead of today.
Runs until: Sunday February 26, 2017

BC Home and Garden Show (ends this weekend)
Where: BC Place Stadium
What: An event for home owners, renovators, and anyone looking to get ideas to improve their home or garden.
Runs until: Sunday February 26

Japan Unlayered (ends this week)
Where: Fairmont Pacific Rim
What: The exhibition will highlight the architecture of Kengo Kuma, from its small beginnings to its current large-scale works. Extending beyond the work of Kengo Kuma to include Japanese design from a wide range of fields represented by Muji, Beams Japan, Chef Nozaki of Waketokuyama, Sakurai Tea Experience, Acura Canada, and other Japanese design themes.
Runs until: Tuesday February 28, 2017

Unsung Heroes Festival (ends this week)
Where: Blue Water Cafe
What: A month-long event to bring awareness to local and unique seafoods and to avoid species that are over-fished or harvested in ways that can damage ocean beds. In prior years, the menu has consisted of dishes such as whelk paella, steamed gooseneck barnacles and sustainably-raised sturgeon liver mousse.
Runs until: Tuesday February 28, 2017

am a
Where: The Cutlch
What: am a explores identity through the lens of neuroplasticity, a science that examines the brain’s capacity for change. But how do we change our brains? And if we can change, how far can we go? Using personal text, scientific writings, dance, song, and frivolity to explore personal confrontation, am a is a celebration of being human.
Runs until: Saturday March 4, 2017

+Plus and Convergence
Where: Kimoto Gallery
What: New works from Michael Soltis and Yorke Graham.
Runs until: Saturday March 4, 2017

Odysseo
Where: In a tent! A really giant high-tech tent.
What: 65 magnificent horses, 48 talented riders, acrobats, aerialists, dancers and musicians take the stage for a seamless look outside of reality. Deploying their extraordinary talents, the acrobats present a mix of force and sensitivity, interacting with the spellbound audience, while the live musicians and vocalist immerse spectators of all ages.
Runs until: Sunday March 5, 2017

The Men in White
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: When Abdul’s cricket team decides to take action to end their losing streak, they talk of recruiting Abdul’s brother, Hasan, who is an expert at the sport. But bringing Hasan from India to Canada will take more than just a plane ticket, and not all members of the team agree with the high cost.
Runs until: Saturday March 11, 2017

17th Annual Chutzpah! Festival
Where: Various locations
What: Breathtaking dance, discerning theatre, hilarious comedy and globally-celebrated music highlight this year’s festival with world-class performances and workshops by international, Canadian and local artists.
Runs until: Monday March 15, 2017

Haroon Mirza
Where: The Contemporary Art Gallery
What: The Contemporary Art Gallery presents the first solo exhibition in Canada by British artist Haroon Mirza.
Runs until: Sunday March 19, 2016

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: Saturday March 25, 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: Sunday 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: Monday 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: Saturday 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: Sunday April 30, 2017

Susan Point: Spindle Whorl
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: Since the early 1980s, Susan Point has received wide acclaim for her remarkably accomplished oeuvre that forcefully asserts the vitality of Coast Salish culture, both past and present. She has produced an extensive body of prints and an expansive corpus of sculptural work in a wide variety of materials that includes glass, resin, concrete, steel, wood and paper.
Runs until: Sunday May 28, 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