Things to Do in Vancouver this Weekend: Feb. 16, 2017

The festivals begin! This weekend marks the beginning of the JFL Northwest comedy festival, the Talking Stick Festival of Aboriginal arts, the Chutzpah! Festival of Jewish performing arts, and Winterruption, a festival of family fun on Granville island.

Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Ongoing

Friday February 17

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

JFL Northwest Comedy Festival
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

Talking Stick Festival
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

NeoIndigenA
Where: The Cultch
What: A full-length solo performance from award-winning artistic director, choreographer, and performer Santee Smith (TransMigration), exploring our relationship to ancestors, the living universe, and renewal. The spellbinding score features elemental voices of Inuit singers Tanya Tagaq and Nelson Tagoona.
Runs until: Sunday February 19, 2017

Winterruption Festival
Where: Granville Island
What: Granville Island gets even livelier this weekend with music, art, and activities for families with kids or without.
Runs until: Sunday February 19, 2017

Science World After Dark: Quantum
Where: Science World
What: With a drink in your hand, and no kids to be seen, explore how researchers are merging quantum mechanics and information technology to create the technologies that will revolutionize and redefine the 21st century—and how many Canadian researchers are leading the way.

Matthew Good (show 2 of 3)
Where: Commodore Ballroom
What: Of the new EP, I Miss New Wave: Beautiful Midnight Revisited, Matthew Good says “I’ve waited almost 20 years to reimagine these songs in the studio; I think I may have actually bettered what some consider my best work.”

Carl Craig
Where: The Imperial
What: A Detroit-based producer of techno music.

Saturday February 18

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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

Haiku Workshop
Where: Queen Elizabeth Park
What: Be inspired by the park to create haiku poetry along with writer Michael Dylan Welch.

Matthew Good (show 3 of 3)
Where: Commodore Ballroom
What: Of the new EP, I Miss New Wave: Beautiful Midnight Revisited, Matthew Good says “I’ve waited almost 20 years to reimagine these songs in the studio; I think I may have actually bettered what some consider my best work.”

Unicorn Ball
Where: The Imperial
What: A fundraiser for the Vancouver Pride Society. Dress in your most colourful, most sparkly unicorn costumes and outfits to dance the night away.

Fake Shark
Where: The Fox Cabaret, 8:00pm
What: Local alterna-freak-pop band, with Little Destroyer and Funk Schwey.

Pelleas und Melisande
Where: The Orpheum, 8:00pm
What: One of the most respected pianists of his generation, Kirill Gerstein performs Brahms’s sprawling Piano Concerto No. 1. Schoenberg’s complex and darkly dramatic symphonic poem Pelleas und Melisande is hailed as both helping to pave the way for a new kind of composition and one of the last great works of Romanticism.

Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames
Where: BC Place Stadium
What: All Canadian hockey. Except probably all of the players. But the cities that the teams identify with are certainly Canadian.

George Washington
Where: The Cinematheque
What: Set in a derelict North Carolina hamlet, and acted by a non-pro cast, George Washington follows a group of impoverished preteens, black and white, headed by 12-year-old Nasia, the film’s wise-beyond-her-years narrator. Her new boyfriend is awkward, eccentric George; one of “God’s mysteries and mistakes”.

JFL Northwest Presents Comedy Short Shorts
Where: The Rio
What: The filmmakers of the 2017 Comedy Shorts Shorts film competition battle it out for a $1,000 grand prize and their chance to be screened at Just For Laughs in Montreal.

Dash for Dogs
Where: Stanley Park
What: Raise money and run to support BC & Alberta Guide Dogs. The organization makes a profound difference to blind/ visually impaired people by partnering them with a certified guide dog at no cost.

Sunday February 19

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Retro Design & Antiques Fair
Where: Croatian Cultural Centre
What: Mid-century modernist decor, estate jewelry, pop culture classics, French country collectibles, old dolls, decorative art pottery, funky 50’s kitsch and more. Drop-in appraisals will be available all day on a first-come-first-served basis.

Cozy Coyotes
Where: Stanley Park, 10:00am
What: Love is in the air as coyotes go a-courting—bachelors and bachelorettes will seek to find their match, while lifelong mates prepare to raise a new litter. Set out with the Stanley Park Ecological society to learn more about coyotes in Stanley Park and track their movements during denning season.

Dover Quartet and Mandolinist, Avi Avital
Where: The Vancouver Playhouse
What: The Dover Quartet was catapulted to prominence after winning First Prize at the Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2013. As the first mandolin soloist to become an exclusive Deutsche Grammophon artist, Avi has made three recordings for the label to date including Vivaldi, his 2012 debut, featuring his own Bach Concerto transcriptions, and his 2014 album, Between Worlds.

The Vancouver Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra presents Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique
Where: The Orpheum
What: The French composer Hector Berlioz (1803-1869) wrote the semi-autobiographical Symphonie Fantastique for Harriet Smithson, an Irish actress with whom he was enamored and eventually married. Berlioz’s frantic passion, vibrant harmonic coloration and dizzying dramatic phrases put listeners into a musical delirium Leonard Bernstein famously described as “psychedelic”.

Ongoing

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Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival (ends this weekend)
Where: The Cinematheque
What: By presenting unique outdoor and mountaineering films that illustrate experiences and cultures from all corners of the globe, VIMFF brings communities together to promote positive values and active lifestyles.
Runs until: Friday February 17, 2017

Elle (ends this weekend)
Where: Firehall Arts Centre
What: the story of Marguerite de La Rocque de Roberval, a French noblewoman who set out in 1542 for Canada with her uncle, Jacques Cartier to colonize the new found country. However, she finds herself abandoned on the deserted ‘Isle of Demons’ (off the coast of Newfoundland) as punishment for taking a lover during the voyage. With real bears, spirit bears, and perhaps hallucinated bears, along with the residue of a somewhat lurid religious faith and a world of self-preserving belligerence, the voluble heroine does more than survive.
Runs until: Saturday February 18, 2017

NeoIndigenA (ends this weekend)
Where: The Cultch
What: A full-length solo performance from award-winning artistic director, choreographer, and performer Santee Smith (TransMigration), exploring our relationship to ancestors, the living universe, and renewal. The spellbinding score features elemental voices of Inuit singers Tanya Tagaq and Nelson Tagoona.
Runs until: Sunday February 19, 2017

Winterruption Festival (this weekend only)
Where: Granville Island
What: Granville Island gets even livelier this weekend with music, art, and activities for families with kids or without.
Runs until: Sunday February 19, 2017

Vancouver International Wine Festival (ends this weekend)
Where: Various locations
What: For noted oenophiles and the casual wino alike, Canada’s premier wine show is a celebration of informative, educational and entertaining wine experience. From educational seminars, wine tastings and minglers to wine and food grazing events, lunches, winery dinners and the ever-popular Vintners Brunch, you’ll be sure to find something to please your palate.
Runs until: Sunday February 19, 2017

The Oscar Shorts
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: See the Oscar nominees for short films. Presented by category.
Runs until: Thursday February 23, 2017

JFL Northwest Comedy Festival
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
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
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: Wednesday February 25, 2017

Talking Stick Festival
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
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
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

Japan Unlayered
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
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

+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