We’re smack in the middle of summer and this weekender agenda is loaded with plenty of worthy YP offerings we think you’ll love. Be it catching the grand finale performance of fireworks, partying street-side alongside thousands of other Vancouverites showing their PRIDE, grabbing a cocktail at a newly-opened resto-lounge, or simply lounging seaside, read on to discover what this Notable weekend has to offer.
Kicking off this weekend is the wildly popular Vancouver Pride celebration. Starting post-work Friday and continuing throughout the weekend, there are festivities galore calling for you to partake in. Start off with the Davie Street Party featuring multiple entertainment stages, DJs, entertainers and more; grab a bevy at the new licensed venue or simply take in the scene. The festival’s annual highlight is Sunday’s Pride Parade, which snakes its way down Davie Street and features a colourful collection of personalities, music and more. For full weekend-long festival details, check the site here.
If you haven’t already had a chance to check out one of the North Shore’s most popular night markets, don’t let this weekend slip by without doing so and head over to The Shipyards Night Market in Lower Lonsdale. Grab the Seabus and head over to the revamped Shipyards plaza and check out more than 50 food vendors, local performers, more than 70 different artisanal booths, giant board games and more. It’s the perfect way to escape from the downtown core – without having to venture too far.
Given it’s the BC Day Long Weekend, we’re guessing you might amp things up a bit with a few too many at the beach (did we say that?) and may just be looking to recoup over brunch the next day. On our list of suggested landing pads has to be Hawksworth Restaurant in order to check out (and in, via Instagram) their inaugural ‘Brunch Club’. Aimed to be a way for Hawksworth Restaurant to say a huge thanks to unwavering social media (and in-person) support, this BC Day weekend (August 3 & 4) they are offering every (1) person who dines the chance to treat their guest to a complimentary brunch dish upon mention of Brunch Club. Sounds like a plan to us.
Not sure what to do post-brunch? Grab your bike and head over the Lion’s Gate Bridge to check out this year’s Harmony Arts Festival (on until August 11th). It’s West Vancouver’s most popular community-based celebration featuring plenty of live performances, music, cinema as well as art – knitting the best of the North Shore together. Oh, and they’ve also got a licensed area and plenty of local food purveyors to keep your appetite more than satiated.
Be sure to catch this Saturday’s grand finale light show set to pit Canada and the UK against Thailand. As always, you’ll have to head down to English Bay on the early evening side to score your vantage point among the masses. Alternatively, be lazy and grab tickets to the VIP section where you’ll be privy to great eats, live music and a great view. Also adding some excitement to the mix is the return of Red Bull’s Air Show, which we’re betting defies all aerial odds. For details, click here.
Roll into Sunday and head over to discover the 37th Annual Powell Street Festival in Vancouver’s Chinatown district. It’s the largest Japanese-Canadian festival on the West Coast and features a plethora of entertaining options. Check out visual arts, a craft market, music, thought-provoking international films, sumo wrestling, drumming and martial arts demos before digging into fine Japanese cuisine. The best part: it’s free!
Given that Monday is an official holiday, we think you ought to spend the day lounging about the city; grab an SUP, rent a kayak or bike and take in the sweet summer day. We’re hoping you work up a bit of an appetite and wind up down at Good & Wolfe (just opened in Yaletown) for a tasty French-inspired bite. It’s already garnered quite the buzz – and we’re betting you’ll add to that upon dining. Find more info here.
Top photo courtesy Hawksworth Restaurant