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29 Metro Vancouver Events To Check Out This Weekend (July 27-29)

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Photo: Rory Coomey Photography

It’s the last weekend of July and we couldn’t be more excited!

RELATED: 15 Awesome Things To Do In Vancouver This Summer If You’re Broke

From fireworks to outdoor food truck festivals, here are 29 Metro Vancouver events to check out this weekend.

Metro Vancouver Events This Weekend

Friday, July 27

Kayaking | Deep Cove Friday Night Lights

outdoor date / deep cove friday night lights
Photo: Stewart Butterfield/Flickr

Close your eyes for a second, and imagine the rippling surface of water paired with the illuminated sky. There’s arguably nothing more tranquil or picturesque.

And you can experience this firsthand! Deep Cove Friday Night Lights offers visitors the real thing. It’s a kayaking experience led by a guided tour, starting at dusk and lasting 2.5 hours.

19+ | Playland Adult-Only Nights

The final adults-only night at Playland is happening this Friday. More than 30 rides will be open, including The Beast and the Hellevator!

Photography | Mattie Gunterman

Presenting the paintings of Emily Carr with forty-eight photographs by US-born photographer Mattie Gunterman, this exhibition draws on the Gallery’s deep holdings of Carr’s work to reflect her engagement and affection for BC’s landscape.

Art | Definitely Dali Exhibition

Opened in 2005, Chali Rosso Art Gallery focuses mainly on works from Picasso, Monet, Matisse, Degas, and more.

The Gallery is holding a free Salvador Dali exhibition starting this May up until September. As part of the Definitely Dali Project, two iconic Dali sculptures will be arriving at the Chali-Rosso Art Gallery this summer: Woman Aflame and Surrealist Piano.

Yoga | Free Outdoor Yoga At Kits Beach + Riley Park

Kits Beach / date night
Photo: Mat Collective / Facebook

The classes will be held on the North side of the beach, at the corner of Maple Street and Ogden Ave. The location is different than past years, and offers a better view of the ocean and downtown Vancouver.

The daily free yoga classes are organized by Mat Collective. Not to mention, they will feature 1-3 classes each day with a variety of different levels.

Exhibit | Haida Now

Guest curated by Haida Curator Kwiaahwah Jones in collaboration with Viviane Gosselin, Co-curator and Director of Collections & Exhibitions at MOV, this exhibition features an unparalleled collection of Haida art boasting more than 450 works created as early as 1890.

Culture | Culture at the Centre

The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at UBC presents a groundbreaking collaboration between six First Nations Communities with the illuminating new exhibition Culture at the Centre, on display from Sunday, March 18th – Monday, October 8th, 2018.

Co-curated by Jill Baird and Pam Brown, the collective effort offers insight into the important work Indigenous-run cultural centres and museums in BC are doing to support their language, culture, and history.

Night market | Fridays On Front

fridays on front
Photo: Fridays On Front

Fridays on Front, an epic weekly community experience, is back in New Westminster!

The market will run every Friday evening from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. for eight consecutive weeks (July 6th – August 24th) on the 600-block of Front Street.

This family friendly community experience will feature artisan vendors from New West Craft, live music curated by the New Westminster Arts Council, and of course, your favourite food trucks from the Columbia StrEAT Food Truck Fest!

Amusement park | Playland

Playland is here! Get prepared for a summer of fun by purchasing a One-Day admission or Season Pass online or at retailers. If you buy online, you’ll save up to $5 compared to purchasing at the gate. Please note that some of the top attractions are currently not in service.

Admission to Playland gives you unlimited access to over 35 rides and attractions, including three of the newest rides!

Food truck | World’s Best Food Truck Tour

World's Best Food Truck Tour
Photo: Vancouver Foodie Tours / Facebook

The World’s Best Food Truck Tour, hosted by Vancouver Foodie Tours, takes you to the city’s best street fare spots. This tour showcases the multicultural flavours that is made with BC’s top-notch ingredients.

For the World’s Best Food Truck Tour, you’ll visit a roster of trucks and visit 4 on each 2 hour tour with a total of 15 guests.

Art | Shigeru Ban

Offsite: Shigeru Ban is a new exhibition at Vancouver Art Gallery’s Offsite location (1100 West Georgia Street) featuring the full-scale version of renowned Japanese architect Shigeru Ban’s Kobe Paper Log House, on view May 11 to October 8th.

Outdoor music | Music at the Cannery

Come out every Friday from July 13th to August 31st at 6:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:00 p.m.) for an evening of music at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site. Each week will feature a different musical act, catering to a wide range of musical tastes, from blues, jazz, folk and more.

Public exhibit | Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition

The exhibition has been shown in places such as Paris and Stockholm, and has been seen by over 25 million visitors worldwide.

The event explores the Titanic’s human stories, which are told through more 120 authentic artifacts and and extensive room re-creations. Additionally, the exhibition commemorates the centennial of the maiden voyage and of life’s fragility.

Guests get to travel back in time and experience one of the world’s largest ship in all its glory.

Food trucks | Pop-Up Food Trucks

From July 23rd to October 31st, rotating food trucks will be on-site daily on the SkyTrain Walkway at Lougheed!

From modern Indian to west coast tacos, guests can look forward to an assortment of options to suit every palate.

Music festival | Electric Love Music Festival

electric love music festival
Photo: Electric Love Music Festival/Facebook

The Electric Love music festival is an event that happens annually, with the intention of being devoid of corporate sponsorship. It’s dedicated to social, cultural, and ecological innovation through creativity.

This years event will be happening from July 26th to 29th. Food trucks will be available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner all weekend.

Night market | Shipyards Night Market

Visitors will find fresh food, locally made products, musicians, art and entertainment every Friday night. The festivities in the Square kick off at 5:00 p.m. on Friday nights. In addition, there is live music until 10:00 p.m. on the Shipbuilders’ Stage, showcasing talent from all over BC.

There’ll be over 100 food stalls, and 200 retail vendors. Sink your tastebuds into the classic tornado potatoes, and try your hand at mango desserts, squid, bubble waffles, dragon’s beard candy, and so many more! Here’s a guide to the must-try food this summer.

Outdoor Shopping | Richmond Night Market

Richmond / Date Night
Photo: PiscesDreamer / 604 Now Flickr Pool

The wildly popular market always features incredible, mouthwatering cuisine, as well as live performances on their 50 foot stage.

People visit from all over the country for this unique market, similar to the nightlife and delicacies found in Asia.

Choir | One Voice Harmonic Choir

Come walk the labyrinth to the powerful, musical sounds of Jerry DesVoignes and members of the One Voice Harmonic Choir.

Be transported by the deep, rich sub-harmonic sounds of Tibetan throat singing; be inspired by ancient songs and chants accompanied by Tibetan bowls and bells, gongs and conch shells. Immerse yourself in beautiful, sonic soundscapes while walking and reflecting or sitting in contemplation.

LEGO Exhibit | People Gotta Move

new westminster lego
Photo: @breekinnee / Instagram

The free New Westminster LEGO exhibit is now open and has people moving to see what it’s all about. The New Westminster Museum and Archives latest exhibition is about transportation in New West and is composed of LEGO, artifacts and an assortment of historic photos.

The exhibit is now open until November 16th, 2018. Guests can also take part in themed tours, talks and programs.

Dancing | SummerFest 2018: Salsa Fridays with Salsa Studio

Every Friday night this year during SummerFest, Roger from Salsa Studio will be hosting a fun, easy and social dance experience. You will learn the foundations of this dance in a two hour lesson.

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Saturday, July 28

Dog party | Barks + Brews Dog Friendly Patio Party

Dog Friendly Patio Party
Photo: @ redtruckbeer / Instagram

In celebration of the opening of Jet Pet’s new Olympic Village location, they are hosting a family-friendly (including furry four-legged family members!) summer patio party at Red Truck Beer Company’s Truck Stop.

It’ll be hosted on Saturday, July 28th from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Outdoor performances | Summer in the Square

The Summer in the Square series features local artists who will regale and entertain you in Norman MacKenzie Square through the warm summer months.

Performances will be twice a week, from June 30th to September 4th. So grab a beer at BierCraft or a refreshing iced drink from Blenz and sit out on their patios, or take a seat in Norman MacKenzie Square, and enjoy the amazing performances!

Fireworks | Honda Celebration of Light

Celebration of Light
Photo: Rory Coomey Photography

This year the theme is love, and the fireworks will be on throughout the day and into the night on July 28th, August 1st and August 4th.

There will be pre-show entertainment before the Honda Celebration of Light fireworks each night, starting early in the afternoon.

Fresh produce | UBC Farm Farmers’ Market

Discover the UBC Farm through your tastebuds! Get your local, certified organic, farm-fresh seasonal veggies, fruits, herbs, flowers and free-range eggs straight from the UBC Farm.

Movies | Cineplex Family Favourites

Movies will be screened every Wednesday and Saturday in July, August, and September at 11AM.

The best part? Films will be the mere price of $2.99, and a portion of the proceeds go towards supporting WE Charity.

Waterfront festival | Caribbean Days

Caribbean DaysEach year, during the last weekend of July, the Trinidad & Tobago Cultural Society of BC presents the Caribbean Days Festival.

This event draws a crowd of exuberant fun-lovers to North Vancouver’s Waterfront Park for a weekend of parading, dining, socializing (liming) and dancing in the sunshine. This year’s Festival takes place on Saturday, July 28th and Sunday, July 29th, 2018.

Community festival | Newton Days

Throughout July, Newton Days will be taking over the Newton Grove on Saturdays from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

It returns for a second summer complete with a farmers market, kid fun zone, face painting, food trucks, henna and Science World demonstrations. All four days will also have a BBQ serving up delicious bites.

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Sunday, July 29

Cats | Meowfest

MeowfestMeowfest, hosted by meowbox, is coming to Vancouver on Sunday, July 29th, 2018. It’s a global celebration for cat lovers supporting the BCSPCA and other not-for-profit cat organizations!

The festival is the first of its kind to come to Canada’s West Coast and will feature a whole day of your favourite celebrity cats, food trucks, speakers, entertainment, shopping, adoptable cats and more!

Meat & beer | Brewery And The Beast

The mouthwatering Brewery and the Beast festival is back this weekend. It’s a fun fest with an abundance of meat and beer, so get ready to satisfy your taste buds.

It’s a smorgasbord of meat, bringing in dishes that all locally sourced from farms such as Heritage Angus, Cheam View Ranch, Turtle Valley Bison Ranch, and more.

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Upcoming Events

August 5 | Sunset Beach Festival

Beginning at 11:00am, the event will feature a Main Stage, Community Zone, Family Fun Zone, beer garden, food trucks, interactive art and much more!

August 18 | New West Pride Street Party

Taking place on Saturday, August 18th, celebrate pride and the LGBTQ+ community in New Westminster with an entire week of events and a full-scale Street Party on the weekend.

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