Eat vegan, drink in Chinatown and be merry at the Fringe: 5 weekend events happening in Vancouver

Crowds are pictured at the 2019 Vancouver Vegan Festival. The 2023 event has switched locations and will be happening at Kitsilano Beach Park on Sept. 9, 2023. (Facebook)

While this weekend has fewer days than September's first one, that doesn't mean there are fewer opportunities to have fun. From a quirky theatre festival to celebrations in Chinatown, here are five activities to check out in Vancouver in the coming days.

 

HEAD TO GRANVILLE ISLAND FOR THE FRINGE FESTIVAL

The 39th annual Vancouver Fringe Festival is returning to Granville Island this week, with 85 shows included in this year’s roster.

Local theatre enthusiasts will be able to select from 41 performances scheduled for Friday, 60 on Saturday and 59 on Sunday.

This year’s festival, which runs until Sept. 17, includes 12 performance venues as well as a special bar at 1531 Johnston St.

Different food trucks will be parked in the bar area each night, with Meet2Eat and Planted tapped to cater this weekend’s festivities.

On Friday night, DJ O Show will be spinning tunes for an Afro-Indigenous hip-hop and R&B dance party starting at 10 p.m.

Balkan Shmalkan, described as “East Van’s sweetest dance party orchestra” is scheduled to take over the bar on Saturday, from 9 p.m. to late. Festival goers will have a chance to compete in the “Bar Olympics” on Sunday, starting at 3 p.m.

The festival’s executive director, Duncan Watts-Grant, says the focus of this year’s event is on rebuilding its foundations.

“We have emerged from the pandemic into a new performing arts landscape. This means adapting to new challenges while staying true to our community of artists, patrons, volunteers, and Fringe fans,” Watts-Grant said in a statement on the festival’s website.

He says this year’s event will be the first time that at least 50 per cent of the shows are by equity-seeking artists.

“We are dedicated to the work of ensuring that the Festival represents our community and is a space for everyone,” said Watts-Grant.

Attendees will need to purchase a $10 membership in order to access tickets, which start at $15 for each show.

“As a non-profit society, your membership helps to cover our core operational costs, and enables us to offer the base costs of your tickets straight back to artists,” reads the festival’s website.

LIGHT UP CHINATOWN

A two-day block party will take over Chinatown this weekend, giving locals the opportunity to explore the historic neighbourhood in a new way.

Light Up Chinatown is kicking off Saturday at 11 a.m. and will run until 9 p.m., while Sunday’s festivities will start at the same time but end at 6 p.m. The event’s epicentre is at 500 Columbia St.

“Enjoy special live performances by local legends and emerging talent, grab a bite from one of Vancouver's favourite food trucks, and indulge in the many special promotions offered by Chinatown businesses over the weekend,” organizers wrote on Facebook.

They also highlighted the fact that the area is home to six restaurants featured in Vancouver’s Michelin Guide and several bars named in Canada’s 100 Best.

FEAST ON VEGAN FARE

A plant-based party is happening at Kitsilano Beach Park on Saturday, and the zero-waste event comes with zero cost to attend.

The Vancouver Vegan Festival will run from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the schedule of events includes a guided meditation session, DJ-fueled dance parties, family-friendly yoga classes, talks, workshops, dog training and a community cold dip.

Attendees will have 17 different food and drink vendors to choose from, and a market featuring sustainable goods will also be on site.

Sanctuaries, change-makers and wellness professionals will also be at the festival to provide information and services.

All proceeds from the event will go to the Little Oink Bank Sanctuary, which cares for over 70 rescued mini pigs and farmed animals in Oliver, B.C., according to the charity’s website.

DON’T DRIVE TO THE DRIVE

Car Free Days Vancouver 2023 kicks off with a vehicle-less celebration on Commercial Drive this Saturday. From noon to 7 p.m., it will be all pedestrians, plus food and drink vendors, on the street between North Grandview Highway and 1st Avenue. There will be three stages featuring live entertainment, with one at 5th Avenue dedicated to local artists, another on 3rd Avenue reserved for drag performances, and one with programming by Rufus Guitar Shop at 2nd Avenue. The family-friendly festival is free to attend. If you can’t make the Commercial Drive Car Free Day, there will also be one on Main Street on Sept. 16 and another in the West End on Sept. 24.

RIDE IN THE GRAND “FUNDOG”

Two big cycling events are happening out of Vancouver this weekend – the annual RBC GranFondo, a 122-kilometre ride to Whistler – and the Grand Fundog, a parody event that advertises itself as the biggest bike scavenger hunt in the Lower Mainland.

Online registration for the GranFondo is closed, but you can still sign up in person at the Vancouver Convention Centre on Friday between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., with entry fees starting at $365.

Or, for something slightly less intimidating and much more affordable, you can register for the Grand Fundog online for $10. There are two categories to choose from—competitive and casual—and the event will happen rain or shine.

“The Grand Fundog is a celebration of the Vancouver cycling community and everything it has to offer,” organizer Riley Rips wrote on Facebook.

Riders can register for either category, both of which cost $10 online, for a chance to be named the Lord of the Loops.

Saturday’s event will be the third and final Riley Rips’ event of the season, following the “B.C. Barkway” in April and “Bark to the Future” in June.

Cheering for participants in either event is free and highly encouraged.