Vancouver Adventures: Our Picks for June

From flower-lined streets to magical wizards, June brings festivities both in-person and online

1. 2021 Vancouver International Children’s Festival – Monday, May 31 to Sunday, June 13

Looking for a fun way to entertain the kids? The online 2021 Vancouver International Children’s Festival has a mix of live and pre-recorded performances, showcasing a spectacular line-up of world-class theatre, music, dance and storytelling, created specifically for children.
Tickets are pay-what-you-can; Details online

2. Kids First Saturdays – Throughout June

Create an in-house art project with the family, based on the exhibitions on display in North Vancouver’s Polygon Gallery. There’s no age requirement to take part, but projects are geared towards children aged four to 14. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Tickets by donation; Register online

3. Tessel – Tuesday, June 1

Watch the world premiere of Fall for Dance North and Harbourfront Centre’s co-commissioned digital short film Tessel on June 1st. Conceptualized by Dora-nominated choreographer and dancemaker Esie Mensah, this film brings 14 Black dancemakers together in a vital conversation on what it means to be an artist in this moment. Premiering on the one-year anniversary of Blackout Tuesday—a day when organizations worldwide publicly expressed their commitment towards institutional change to support the Black community—the film aims to amplify Black voices by providing a platform for these artists to share their truths.
Free; Streams online from Tuesday, June 1st

4. Be in Kenya – June 3

Travel to Kenya without leaving your house. One Girl Can‘s reinvented 2021 fundraising event, Be in Kenya: A Unique Immersive Journey through Kibera, uses industry-leading technology to create an augmented reality experience that takes you on a journey of transformation. “Walk through” the Kibera settlement in Nairobi and experience a day-in-the-life of the organization’s scholarship students, showcasing incredible stories of resilience and courage. Funds raised through the virtual event will directly support university scholarships for deserving girls and help build a dormitory for Ushirika School, located in the largest informal settlement in Kenya. Tickets include a virtual cocktail event, show and access to live and silent auctions.
Virtual TD Lounge cocktail reception from 5:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., with show from 6:30 p.m. to 7:40 p.m.; Tickets by donation, starting at $25; Details online

5. Vancouver Heritage Foundation’s Heritage House Tour – Thursday, June 3 & Tuesday, June 8

Virtually visit a 1958 award-winning mid-century modern wonder, an 1890s Strathcona home, a grand Shaughnessy estate, a 1928 apartment and more, all during this online tour, stretching across five unique Vancouver neighbourhoods. Experience the original interior features, craftsmanship and design, while exploring the historical significance of each house with experts from Vancouver Heritage Foundation.
7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.; $40 or $30, with valid student ID (not including taxes); Details online

6. Doors Open Richmond – Saturday, June 5 to Saturday, June 12

Virtual doors are still open! Heading online for 2021, the 14th annual Doors Open Richmond is a week-long virtual event that features new videos and behind-the-scenes footage from more than 30 sites, including places of worship, cultural and civic centres, local businesses and heritage sites. Each one represents a unique aspect of Richmond’s rich and storied heritage and the tours will be featured on Richmond Museum’s website and social media, using the hashtag #DoorsOpenRichmond.
Details online

7. Wings and Wizards – Tuesday, June 8 to September

Bring some magic into family life, with a visit to an interactive and immersive (touch-free) Wizard’s Academy and Enchanted Forest, combining world-building, art, tech, storytelling and design. Explore the self-guided exhibit, which brings together magic and technology, making use of cutting-edge interactivity, such as motion tracking, proximity-based devices, lights, projections, props and soundscapes. Produced by Shine Experiences, a non-profit dedicated to bringing pass-through, audio-visual art experiences to the public.
B.C. Place; 777 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver; Monday to Friday from 1 p.m. to 9:15 p.m., and Saturday & Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9:15 p.m.; Prices begin at $65, with duo and family packages available; Each ticket package comes with one wand, with additional wands available for $30 each online at the time of ticket purchase; Tickets online

8. Fleurs De Villes Rosé – Friday, June 11 to Sunday, June 20

Get ready for the stunning ‘Flowers of the City’, which combines a love of flowers, local design talent and bespoke, unique displays to create an Insta-worthy fresh floral showcase in support of Breast Cancer research. This year it will be in Vancouver, along Alberni Street from Friday, June 11th to Sunday, June 20th.
Details online

9. TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival – Friday, June 25 to Sunday, July 4

Say happy 35th anniversary to the TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival! Celebrations include a program of more than 100 virtual events, with performances by talented B.C. artists; streams from New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Amsterdam and Paris; free, online workshops; club performances; and a continued partnership with North Shore Jazz. The lineup includes Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Irreversible Entanglements, Ravi Coltrane, Jill Barber, Jeff Parker and the New Breed, Steve Smith, Monk’estra, Limbs of the Stars, Triology, Peggy Lee Band, Dee Daniels, Jamie Lee Trio, Bill Coon and many more.
Details online

10. The Da Vinci Experience and His Incredible Machines – From Tuesday, June 29

Art lovers, get ready! Leonardo Da Vinci’s greatest inventions are coming to B.C. when ‘The Da Vinci Experience and His Incredible Machines’ opens in Tsawwassen Mills. This multi-sensory, 360-degree immersive art journey includes more than 10 replicas of Da Vinci’s inventions, as well as visual experiences in virtual reality.
Tsawwassen Mills Mall, 5000 Canoe Pass Way, Tsawwassen; Tickets from $23.99; Book online