Vancouver Adventures: Our Picks for October 24 to 30

This week: Catch a free flick, Cirque's Kooza comes to town, bike to work for a good cause + more

Credit: Cineplex

Free Movies at Cineplex – October 24

This Saturday, Cineplex is inviting movie lovers across Canada to enjoy a free family-friendly flick for a good cause. The fifth annual Community Day, celebrated at all 22 Cineplex locations across B.C., features Despicable Me 2, Fast & Furious 6, Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, Pitch Perfect, Hop and Dumb and Dumber To.

Coffee, candy, popcorn, pop and exclusive mini-Rafiki friendship bracelets will be sold for $2 each, with all proceeds from donations and concession sales supporting partner charity, Free The Children. Seating is available on a first-come, first-serve basis, so be sure to arrive early to claim your spot.

Various locations, Doors open at 8:30 a.m., movies start at 9 a.m.

Vancouver Heritage Foundation’s Laneway House Tour – October 24

Learn how Vancouver has been adapting to residential density for over a century on a self-guided tour of stratified properties, coach houses and laneway homes built on hertiage properties.

Our city’s unique love of laneway homes began well before the 2009 laneway housing initiative came into effect. This year’s tour includes examples of laneway homes from as early as 1890, designed to provide temporary accommodation while larger residences were under construction.

The Laneway House Tour was launched by the Vancouver Heritage Foundation in 2010 to encourage a local discussion of the sustainability opportunities offered through alternative housing solutions.

Various locations

1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

$30 for adults, $23 for students

Florence + the Machine – October 25

Florence + the Machine just can’t seem to get enough of the West Coast. Following an appearance this summer at the Pemberton Music Festival, the British band is back with another stop in B.C.

The Grammy Award-winning group (best known for the breakout single The Dog Days Are Over and lead singer Florence Welch’s hauntingly beautiful vocals) is currently promoting their latest album, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, released earlier this year. Catch them live at Rogers Arena this Sunday.

Rogers Arena, 800 Griffiths Way
Tickets starting at $48

Grimes – October 26

Vancouver-bred electronic artist Grimes will no doubt be greeted by a loyal local following at the Commodore Ballroom this week. The Canadian experimental synth-pop star, born Claire Boucher, is returning home as part of the Rhinestone Cowgirl tour.

Although she currently lives in Montreal, the 27-year-old Juno Award winner remains an icon in the West Coast music scene. The show is sold out, but limited tickets may be available at the door on a first-come, first-serve basis. This information will be released on the day of the show via Timbre Concert‘s social media channels.

Commodore Ballroom, 868 Granville Street

Doors open at 7 p.m.

Bike to Work Week – October 26 to November 1

Bike to Work Week is back and the inspiration is better than ever. The Bike HUB event encourages Vancouver locals to get active and engage with their communities by participting in the city-wide cycling initiative. 

Simply register online and log your trip to work to be entered for amazing prizes, including a bike trip for two to Vietnam. Plus, more than 40 celebration stations planted around the city will be offering free snacks, physiotherapist assessments, bike tune-ups and more, while a Halloween Party at the Oceanic Plaza on Friday, October 30th means that not even a costume makes a good enough excuse to skip a day.

Credit: Ala Serafin

Wild & Scenic Film Festival – October 28

North America’s largest environmental film festival, Wild & Scenic, is coming to beautiful British Columbia. The one-night benefit for the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) features seven environmental films, including Sacred Headwaters, which investigates the birthplace of three salmon rivers in Northern Canada and its impending future.

Food and beer will be available with all proceeds supporting CPAWS-BC to help keep the province’s parks, oceans and wilderness protected.

H. R. MacMillan Space Centre, 1100 Chestnut Street

7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.), $15

Charlotte Tilbury West Coast Launch – October 29

Charlotte Tilbury, one of the world’s top makeup artists, is coming to Vancouver to share her red carpet secrets and to offically launch her collection. Tilbury has worked with renowned designers like Tom FordStella McCartney and Christopher Bailey, as well as celebrities like Kate Moss, Jennifer Lopez and Rihanna. Stop by Holt Renfrew this Thursday to learn Tilbury’s tricks of the trade and shop her collection. 

Holt Renfrew, 737 Dunsmuir Street

6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Dog Days Are Over – October 29 to 31

An incomparably high-energy production is coming to the Scotiabank Dance Centre this week as part of the Global Dance Connections Series. Jan Martens’ The Dogs Days Are Over challenges the stamina of his dancers, the interpreation of his audience and the boundaries of modern dance itself through 70 minutes of high-intensity hopping, jumping and bounding.

The Belgian choreographer is known for provocative and physical productions but this just might be his most progressive piece to date. Sit back and relax—if you can—while eight dancers perform complex patterns with systematic precision and unparalled explosivity.

Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie Street

8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Buy tickets online, $22 for students; $30 for adults

Cirque du Soleil Presents KOOZA – October 29 to December 27

Cirque du Soleil is bringing its big-top tent back to Vancouver for KOOZA—one of its most spectacular shows. The relatable story tells of The Innocent’s personal search for his place in the world, following his encounters with an array of colourful characters along the way.

KOOZA pays homage to Cirque’s roots by combining two original travelling show traditions—aerial acrobatics and clowning—for an impressively physical and hilariously entertaining evening.

Concord Pacific Place, 88 Pacific Boulevard

Tickets starting at $52

We The City: SFU Public Square Community Summit – October 30 to November 7

This year’s SFU Public Square Community Summit is all about city building. The fourth annual summit, which includes seminars and discussions at various locations in Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey, touches on issues of increased engagement and sustainability at our schools, in our food and throughout our city.

The week’s signature event, We Are the City: An Evening at the Centrereflects on the importance of arts and culture in our community identity. Hosted by Mo Dhaliwal, the evening will feature compelling talks from artist Candy Chang, author/photographer Teju Cole, and Canadian icon Buffy Sainte-Marie will provide compelling talks.