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It’s officially September 1, and as we mourn the last few days of summer, we’re also looking forward to the incredible events our city has to offer this fall. Here is the best in theatre, music, arts and culture for September and October 2021.
Date September 4 to 26Venue VariesCost Varies, many events free
Outside and online, the Vancouver International Flamenco Fest is all Canadian this year. Live performances will take place at the Waterfront Theatre and at the Picnic Pavilion at Granville Island. If you can’t have fun at a flamenco show, seek treatment. vancouverflamencofestival.org
Date September 9 to 19Venue VariousCost Varies
Vancouver’s weirdest theatre festival is back, and you can bet all the performers in the city have been itching to get silly (and serious) on stage. Expect both live performances and pre-recorded shows in this year’s hybrid fest. vancouverfringe.com
Date September 11Venue Gateway TheatreCost $20
In the conclusion to their outdoor concert series, Richmond’s Gateway Theatre is spotlighting dynamic duo Krystle Dos Santos and Steffanie Davis. Their upbeat contemporary funk and soul is the perfect mood booster for the greyer days ahead. gatewaytheatre.com
Date September 18Venue 380 Railway StreetCost Free with RSVP
This annual (save for last year) outdoor block party is an electronic music lover’s paradise, with live tunes, art and gaming. Entry is free, but for $25 you can treat yourself to a private bar and viewing area. monstercat.com
Date September 18 & October 2Venue China Cloud StudiosCost $15
This monthly comedy show returns to a newly renovated China Cloud (so they’ll be clowning around on an actual stage, rather than on the charming but small rug the performers used to stand on). ComedyPants is hosted by local jokesters Alistair Ogden and An-Te Chu and features special guests from around the city. eventbrite.ca
Date September 23 to October 2Venue Online and the Historic Theatre at the CultchCost From $15 online, from $29 in person
There’s something for everyone at this fest: think theatre, music, comedy, drag, burlesque and circus. The 10-day-long extravaganza spotlights both local and international Indigenous artists, with a focus on unity and empowerment. Catch it online at home or attend a viewing party at the Historic Theatre. transformcabaret.com
Date September 24 to December 11Venue Griffin Art ProjectsCost Free
This is a collection of dental office art (stay with us) from Dr. Zenon Trylowsky. But unlike most kitschy, seaside-focused dental decor, this is a gallery-like collection Trylowskycurated through pro bono work. He’d get art as a thank-you—the ideal exchange for artists without dental plans. griffinartprojects.ca
Date September 24 & 25Venue Orpheum TheatreCost From $32
Sure, we can see movies in theatres again, but the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is doing us one better. Films with live orchestra music are back at the Orpheum, and first in the lineup is Back to the Future. A fitting choice, as we’re all now well aware that time is liquid. vancouversymphony.ca
Date October 8 to 10Venue PNE AgrodomeCost From $35
It’s stein time. On the menu at this traditional German celebration is spaetzle, pretzels, bratwurst, schnitzel and, of course, plenty of beer (that includes both German bier and local craft brews). The oompah band plays bangers only. harvesthaus.com
Date October 9 to May 1Venue Vancouver Art GalleryCost $24 for adults
This new exhibit invites the viewer to take part in the artistic process, creating a unique collaborative method that Yoko Ono herself pioneered. Through mending broken china,hammering nails and writing notes about your mom, you get to be part of the art. vanartgallery.bc.ca
Date October 10Venue OnlineCost Free
KDocsFF, our city’s leading social justice film festival, brings you the premiere of this gripping documentary. It follows three South Asian queer people living in Vancouver, and how they resist silence—and find compassion—within their conservative families. kdocsff.com
Date October 14 to 17Venue Vancouver Convention CentreCost $16 for adults
The ideal event when you’re looking for home inspo: hundreds of booths, home experts and swoon-worthy displays. You’ll need a blueprint to tackle this one. vancouverfallhomeshow.com
Date October 27 to November 7Venue Online and throughout the Downtown EastsideCost Varies
This Downtown Eastside community festival is bursting with talent. Highlights include a reading from author Grace Eiko Thomson, an extraordinary archival collection of Chinese Canadian social movements from Sid Tow Chan and ground-shaking performance from Indigenous grass dancers. heartcityfest.com