Vancouver Adventures: Our Picks for June 27 to July 3

This week: Sneak a peek at some of the most beautiful private gardens in town, celebrate Canada Day with the ultimate BBQ, combine a glass of wine with your best downward dog + more

Vancouver Busker Festival – June 26 to 28

Get ready for three days of street-side entertainment because the Vancouver Busker Festival is taking over the city. There are no tickets necessary for any of the shows, and you can catch performers – from Argentina to England and beyond – all along Granville Street. There’s no shortage of talent, with acts ranging from live music to street acrobatics to contortion. Check online for a schedule of performances and a map of the stages.

12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Granville Street from Dunsmuir to Smithe

La Pentola Famiglia Supper Series – June 28

La Pentola’s latest culinary adventure in their Famiglia Supper Series tour will take guests on an exciting adventure through Naples. Over 10 courses of delicious Italian fare will be served, featuring fresh ingredients like Buffalo mozzarella, local whole anchovies, branzino, and octopus. Naples is famous for being the home of pizza, so La Pentola has brought in Graham Marceau of Corduroy Pie Co. to lend some of his expertise to the menu. Reserve your spot online.

6 p.m.
La Pentola, 350 Davie Street, Vancouver

Greek Day on Broadway – June 28

Transport yourself to sunny Greece at Kitsilano’s annual Greek Day Festival. The festival will celebrate all things Greek with food, music, performances, and more. Shop the Athenian Agora Market Place for a souvenir or take in a cooking demo and pick up some tips on making your own mouth-watering Greek dishes. Children can play in the kids’ zone which will include face painting, crafts, and more.  

11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
On West Broadway from McDonald to Blenheim

Heritage Vancouver’s Garden Tour – June 27 and 28

Take a peek at some of the most gorgeous green spaces in Vancouver on Heritage Vancouver’s 2015 Garden Tour. The tours are self-guided and show off some of the city’s private slices of paradise. There is plenty of creative greenery to take in and some beautiful views with two riverfront gardens, and a “seaside cluster.” Check online to find where you can get tickets.

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Bright Green Summer – June 30

Celebrate sustainability at the Bright Green Summer Party hosted by the City of Vancouver to applaud hitting the halfway point in its Greenest City Action Plan. The event is free, but you’ll need to grab a ticket online in order to attend. They’ll be serving up food from Culver City Salads and Melt City food trucks, as well as doughnuts from Cartems. And of course, it wouldn’t be a Vancouver party without local craft beer. In between doughnuts and beer, pay a visit to the Greenest City photo booth, or watch live painters create their interpretation of “our renewable future.”

7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver

Beest Meets West – June 30

Vancouver’s Wildebeest restaurant and beer importer Westbier are coming together for a night of obscure brews paired with incredible food. Westbier specializes in European microbreweries, and they’ll be bringing a selection of artisanal Belgian and Danish beers to complement Wildebeest’s five-course meal. The menu includes local ingredients like Maple Hill pheasant and B.C. cherries served up in Wildebeest’s mouth-watering dishes

6:30 p.m.
120 West Hastings Street, Vancouver

RibFest – July 1

Lots of people will be getting out their barbeques for Canada Day, but Mamie Taylor’s and Re-Up BBQ are taking it to a whole ‘nother level with RibFest. BBQ enthusiasts from around the city will compete in this cutthroat cook-off in hopes of taking home the RibFest trophy. Come for the ribs, stay for the $5 beer specials and for the BBQ after-party.

Begins at 4 p.m., judging at 7 p.m., after-party till “late”
Mamie Taylor’s, 251 East Georgia, Vancouver 

Honda Celebration of Light Ticket Hunt – July 2

Vancouver’s famous Celebration of Light is turning 25 this year, and plans have been made to celebrate accordingly. Starting on July 2, clues will be posted on the organization’s social media sites to help some lucky Vancouverites hunt down backstage passes for the English Bay fireworks taking place later this summer. There will be a pass to be found every day for 25 days and each pass is worth $250 each, so keep your eyes peeled if you want to win.

Food Cart Fest – Sundays from June 28 to September 2

It’s Food Cart Fest’s fourth year of bringing together world-class street food in one convenient location, and this year promises to be bigger, better, and tastier than ever. The festival features a live-music patio, a ping-pong area, an open-air market, and, the stars of the show, over 20 food trucks each week. Admission is only $2, or free if you bring a non-perishable food donation for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society.

12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
215 W. 1st Ave., Vancouver

Yoga in the Vineyard at Tinhorn Creek

Tinhorn Creek’s wine may already help you relax, but now the vineyard is offering another way to unwind. Located in Oliver, Tinhorn Creek’s beautiful outdoor amphitheatre will be the site of Yoga in the Vineyard on Saturdays all summer. The hour-long classes are suitable for everyone, and tickets include a wine tasting afterwards.

9:30 a.m.
537 Tinhorn Creek Road, Oliver