city

5 Things to Do in Vancouver This Week (October 10-16)

An art crawl, oysters and a maverick art festival.

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.

Fanny-Bay-Oyster-Bar--Shellfish-Market-and-North-Vancouvers-Copperpenny-Distilling-Co_max
Credit: Photo Courtesy of Fanny Bay Oyster Bar

1. An Oyster and Cocktail Pop-Up

October 16

Need a break from all the pumpkin spice? Fanny Bay Oyster Bar & Shellfish Market and North Vancouver’s Copperpenny Distilling Co. are ushering in their successful summer pop-up collab into the fall season for a Sunday afternoon dedicated to fresh oysters and perfectly paired gin cocktails to wash them down. It goes from 2 to 7 pm (or until they run out) and is right in the heart of the Shipyards Brewery District.

When: October 16
Where: North Vancouver’s Copperpenny Distilling Co.
Cost: From $17
More Info: copperpennydistilling.ca

12th-Annual-North-Shore-Art-Crawl_max
Credit: Photo courtesy of North Van Arts

2. The 12th Annual North Shore Art Crawl

October 14-16

The annual North Shore Art Crawl is back! All weekend long (from 10 am to 5 pm) you can catch over 150 local artists spread out across 88 different venues around the North Shore area. Drop in on some live demos, visit open artist studios or just wander around and get inspired. Carefully curate your crawl with this online event guide or pop into one of the many local breweries and enjoy a beer while you appreciate some art.

When: October 14-16
Where: Various locations (a map is included in this guide)
Cost: Free
More Info: northvanarts.ca

The Cafe
Credit: Credit: Chelsey Stuyt, courtesy of ITSAZOO Productions and Aphotic Theatre

3. Eavesdrop on Strangers in The Café

October 11-22

Ever try to listen in on someone else’s conversation? Don’t feel bad, we all do it! (unless you said no—then me neither). But in this experimental play from ITSAZOO Productions and Aphotic Theatre, the only way you’ll be able to catch the 7 distinct vignettes that constitute this 90-minute immersive play is by doing just that. The entire production takes place in an actual coffee shop, too. So you can order your fave oat milk latte, mill about or find a seat near one of the “performance tables” and start eavesdropping.

When: October 11-22
Where: Kafka’s
Cost: $25+ GST
More Info: itsazoo.org

Credit: Photo courtesy of Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival

4. Celebrate the Outliers at the 6th Annual Vancouver Outsider Arts Festival

October 14-16

Canada’s first (and only) outsider art festival, VOAF highlights more than 60 innovative  artists from across Metro Vancouver for a weekend of unconventional visual and performance art. What festival do you know that has the Vancouver Cantonese Opera, the poetry group The Troupe de Poetry and drag king Heathen all on the same bill? The fest runs from 12-3 pm (and Saturday till 5:30 pm), and you can check out the performance schedule for more details. (And don’t forget to scope out the free workshops—Japanese flower arranging, yes please!)

When: October 14-16
Where: Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre
Cost: Free
More Info: voaf.ca

The-Unbroadcast-Life-of-Mildred-Bailey_maxCredit: Photo courtesy of Firehall Arts Centre

5. The Unbroadcast Life of Mildred Bailey

October 14-15

Award-winning composer and traditional Lil’wat Nation singer Russell Wallace brings the life and music of 1930s Salish jazz singer and musical pioneer Mildred Bailey to the Firehall Arts Centre stage for 2-nights of swinging jazz and — podcasting? That’s right! A live podcast revue to be exact. And thankfully not one of your friends’ podcasts that you have to pretend to care about.

When: October 14-15
Where: Firehall Arts Centre
Cost: Sliding scale from $20-$40
More Info: firehallartscentre.ca