Arts & Culture

5 Things to Do in Vancouver This Week (June 12-18)

A beachside Black culture celebration, a cosmic queer arts festival and a no holds barred comedy roast

By Kerri Donaldson /

Your weekly roundup of the top events in the city, including art exhibitions, local theatre, restaurant openings, concerts, film, markets and other to-dos we think you’ll love. If you have a Vancouver event you’d like to submit for consideration, send an email to kdonaldson@canadawide.com.

1. Get to the Beach this Juneteenth for the 2nd Annual Black Culture Celebration

June 17

The Black Culture Celebration is back, and it’s turning Sunset Beach into the ultimate Juneteenth party spot. This all-day beach party celebrates black culture, music, art, food and fashion. The lineup includes Kardinal Offishall, Rascalz, Maestro, Choclair, Checkmate and Concise, and local Vancouver artists as well as a marketplace filled with BIPOC vendors and food trucks serving up flavours from around the world—it’s a cultural feast you won’t want to miss. Fancy a beer with your beats? Opt for the VIP ticket ($60 plus taxes) and gain access to the exclusive beer garden.

When: June 17
Where: Sunset Beach
Cost: From $40
More Info: blackcultures.ca

2. Take Off on a Cosmic Journey With the QAF 2023: Queers in Space Festival

June 17 – June 28

QAF 2023: Queers in Space is a cosmic carnival of queer creativity. Start with the ArtParty! gala, a celebration of all things queer and artistic. Dive into the bumfuzzled monachopsis: innerspace out visual art exhibition, and journey through Indigenous pasts and futures with Cosmic Connections. Don’t miss Love After the End, a showcase of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer fiction. Grab a festival pass and blast off into the queer cosmos.

When: June 17-28
Where: Various venues
Cost: From $69
More Info: queerartsfestival.com

3. Witness the LOL Showdown at Roast Battle Vancouver at the MOTN

June 15

Brace yourself for a night of heavy-hitting hilarity at Roast Battle Vancouver. It’s a verbal slugfest where Vancouver’s funniest comics trade jabs, jests, and jibes. Watch as reigning Undercard Champion, Jackie Agnew, squares off against long-time champ, Rachel Schaefer, in a battle of wits and wisecracks. This comedic clash of titans that’ll have more sick burns than a sunbathing session on English Bay.

When: June 15
Where: MOTN 
Cost: $17.31
More Info: eventbrite.ca

4. Make it a Fierce Father’s Day with the Pantry Drag Show

June 18

This Father’s Day, forget the ties and socks and treat Dad to a night of fabulousness at the Pantry Drag Show. It’s a drag variety show that promises to be as entertaining as it is eclectic. With a lineup that includes Mx Bukuru, Count Cupid, Skim, and Doobie Howser, it’s a night of non-binary brilliance served with a side of boozy diner milkshakes. And with Fable Diner’s specialty cocktails and feature menu, it’s a feast for all the senses.

When: June 18
Where: Fable Diner
Cost: $19.44
More Info: eventbrite.ca

5. Dive into the Magic of Jinkx Monsoon’s Everything at Stake

June 18

Make it a night of enchantment with Jinkx Monsoon’s Everything at Stake concert tour. The two-time RuPaul’s Drag Race winner and Broadway star is set to dazzle with a mix of covers and original music, all performed with a full rock band. Known for her electrifying performance style, Jinkx weaves together tales from her life in a show where music, comedy, witchy magic and camp-fantasy collide. It’s a spellbinding, bombastic and revolutionary experience that promises to be as unforgettable as the “internationally tolerated” superstar herself.

When: June 18
Where: Orpheum Theatre
Cost: From $93
More Info: destinationvancouver.com