The latest arts, culture and other happenings in Vancouver this July, 2023. Have a tip? Email bhagyashree@looselipsmag.com.
The Art of Dimension : A vibrant celebration of Haida metalwork practices, and a powerful artistic affirmation of Indigenous knowledge sharing across generations, The Art of Dimension features the copper, gold and silver carving artistry of Haida Gwaii’s lauded Skil Xaaw Jesse Brillon, alongside Bill Reid’s own masterful repoussé works.
Date: July 4 – October 15; Opening Celebration July 8, 2 – 4 PM
Location: Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art (639 Hornby Street)
Theatre Under The Stars: So much more than just a night at the theatre, Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) interweaves a kaleidoscope of elements – setting, scenery, concessions, and quality art – into a fun, encompassing experience much greater than the sum of its parts. This season presents The Prom and Matilda.
Date: July 7- August 26
Location: 610 Pipeline Road, Malkin Bowl, Stanley Park
VSO Symphony at Sunset: The Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation team up with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) with an open-air concert on with selections ranging from the William Tell Overture and Max Richter’s Four Seasons Recomposed, to the beloved movie scores of Ben Hur, Star Wars and Jurassic Park.
Date: July 8
Location: Sunset Beach
CREATE! Arts Festival: A community initiative designed to welcome guests to explore, learn, and create art together with local artists, CREATE! Arts Festival features a wide variety of accessible visual and performing arts workshops for adults and youth, including watercolor painting, needle felting, indigo dying, pottery, glass fusing, photography, ukulele, Salish singing, storytelling, and much more.
Date: Saturday, July 22; 10 AM – 7 PM
Location: Strathcona Park (857 Malkin Ave)
Vancouver International Jazz Festival: The 38th Vancouver International Jazz Festival kicks off summer in the city with over 140 free and ticketed performances of diverse programming over 10 days. Opening weekend includes free Downtown Jazz outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, and the Festival culminates on Canada Day weekend with shows across Granville Island.
Dates: June 23 – July 2
Location: Granville Island
Indian Summer Festival: Vancouver’s “festival for the curious mind” marks its 13th edition with ten ticketed and free events running from July 6 to July 16, 2023. This year, the carefully curated festival speaks to the theme of “inter/dependence’’ with events hosted in venues across Vancouver. For event details or to purchase tickets, visit indiansummerfest.ca.
Date: July 6 – 16
Location: Performance Works (1218 Cartwright St)
Summer Balloon Festival: The Summer Balloon Festival vendors are from Hong Kong, Ukraine, Korea, Indonesia, Philippines and more. Expect food and drinks, local artisan products, balloon twisting, and more!
Date: July 16, 10 AM – 6 PM
Location: Heritage Hall (3102 Main Street)
Honda Celebration of Light: Originally named the “Symphony of Fire”, the Honda Celebration of Light has come a long way since 1990. Recognized as the longest running off-shore fireworks festival in the world, they host dozens of countries to compete each year in a spectacular fireworks display. This year’s featured countries are Australia, Mexico and The Philippines.
Dates: July 22, 26, 29
Location: Watch from Spanish Banks, English Bay, Concord Pacific Grandstands (or any rooftop patio, if you have swanky friends)
The Bad Academy: Natural Wine 101: Is there a bigger buzzword in wine than “Natural”? Whether you’re already an aficionado, unsure of what any of these terms mean, or just want to learn how to drink things that are better for the planet, this is the class for you.
Date: Wednesday, July 26 6-8pm
Location: Conscious Lab, 422 Richards St #200, Vancouver, BC
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical: Beautiful tells the story of Carole King’s early life, weaving both her professional and personal realities, triumphs, and challenges, into a theatrical ‘tapestry’ that is both moving and funny, sensitive, and generous.
Dates: Until August 6
Location: The Arts Club’s Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage
Million Dollar Quartet: An ode to four beloved musical icons and the genius who made them legends, brought to life each night with high-voltage energy and musical fireworks by a crazy-talented cast of singers/actors/musicians. Million Dollar Quartet celebrates rock ‘n’ roll, providing us with the nostalgia we all crave and need right now.
Dates: Until August 6
Location: The Arts Club’s Granville Island Stage
Back to the 80s film series: Join VIFF for their Back to the 80s summer season, giving you an overview of this pivotal decade in dominant culture. They spotlight the vital films such as Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, Diner and Scarface, the landmarks, the trendsetters, and, most importantly, the unjustly marginalized, misunderstood or overlooked.
Dates: Until August 31
Location: The VIFF Centre
Tall Tales: The Quest Is Up To You! : Join an (improv) hero on a fantastical journey where the audience is the author. Inspired by fantasy fan favourites like The Princess Bride, Labyrinth and Lord of the Rings, Tall Tales: The Quest Is Up To You! will whisk audiences off to a faraway land where laughs and larks abound. What happens along the way? It’s up to YOU!
Dates: Until August 19
Location: The Improv Centre on Granville Island
Vancouver Folk Music Festival at Jericho Beach in 2023: Taking place at beautiful Jericho Beach in July each year, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival was one of the Lower Mainland’s premier music festivals.
Dates: July 14-16
Location: Jericho Beach
21st Vancouver Chinatown Festival: Organized by the Vancouver Chinatown BIA Society, the festival will bring two days of free family-friendly fun to the city’s historic Chinatown neighbourhood, complete with an artisan marketplace, historical walking tour, food trucks, live music, and even a petting zoo. So whether you’re just stopping through or making a day of it with the whole family, you’ll find plenty of activities to enjoy here.
Dates: July 15- 16
Location: Between Keefer and Columbia Street
The Queen of Carthage – World Premiere: A seamless blend of Baroque and contemporary song and dance, this interdisciplinary performance is a powerful reclamation of the story of Dido, The Queen of Carthage, and her legacy as a political leader, an empire builder and a woman of colour.
Dates: July 27, 8 PM
Location: SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts
False Creek Crab Fest: Feast away on a delicious crab boil prepared by Chef Vish Mayekar with Chef Robert Clark and Chef Dez Lo, enjoy live music & games and sip on Granville Island Brewing beer and Fabrique St-George wine and Sapsucker sparkling water in the heart of False Creek.
Dates: July 15, 12 – 4 PM
Location: False Creek Harbour Authority – Fishermen’s Wharf (1505 West 1st Avenue)
