1. Watch Bard’s Virtual Mainstage

Bard on the Beach’s BMO Virtual Mainstage just launched, and there’s already a backlog of Shakespeare-inspired online content created by your festival favourites. The original video features (called My Thoughts I’ll Character) are uploaded weekly. The latest is Nadeem Phillip’s Westmoreland, presented as a dramatic angry business call. Phillip also gives his own behind-the-scenes take on the monologue, which is helpful if you’re not totally fluent in 16th century English.

More Info: bardonthebeach.org

2. See A Seat at the Table

The brand-new Chinese Canadian Museum Society of BC’s first exhibition is now open. A Seat at the Table is a multidisciplinary exhibit made up of photos and oral histories of Chinese Canadians, and visitors are welcome to add to it. You can share your stories on camera, in writing, or by adding a marker to their map. The project explores themes of belonging, racism, resilience and reparation—add it to your learning list this week.

When: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
Where: Chinese Canadian Museum of BC
Cost: Free
More Info: museumofvancouver.ca

3. Eat Tapas on Tapas

Como Taperia just returned to full service, which means new menu items in addition to their happy hour and market. There’s Jamon XO Clams with white wine (pictured above), smoked confit tomatoes with pine nuts and Ajo Blanco, and pig’s head with Mojo Picon and house-made focaccia. During happy hours, all drink orders come with a free tapa—common in Spain, not so common in Vancouver.

Where: Como Taperia
More Info: comotaperia.com

4. Get Flight Envy

September 9 to 16

Chances are you’re not flying anytime soon, but you can live vicariously through paraglider pilot Benjamin Jordan. In The Endless Chain, his feature film screening online as part of the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival, he documents “the most daring series of Rocky Mountain flights in history”—which, fair warning, might give you a little motion sickness. Maybe keeping two feet on the ground isn’t so bad.

When: Wednesday September 9 to Wednesday September 16
Where: Online
Cost: $13
More Info: vimff.org

5. Assert Your Fringe Fan Status

September 10 to 20

We’ve been waiting months to see what the Fringe’s COVID-19 pivot will look like, and it looks like the 2020 season will be long and strong. This week marks the first chunk of the “staggered” festival, which is also on October 1-10, October 29-November 8 and (tentatively) November 26-December 6. There’s both online events and distanced in-person performances. It will be a little weird, but that’s very on-brand for the Fringe. Find more details on their website.

When: Thursday September 10 to Sunday September 20
Where: Online and in-person
Cost: Varies
More Info: vancouverfringe.com