First Thing: Summer Arts
Treat yourself to cutting-edge dance by top choreographers from Vancouver and beyond at the Dancing on the Edge Festival, happening at venues across the city including the Firehall, the Dance Centre, and even the duck pond at Queen Elizabeth Park (until July 18, dancingontheedge.org). For more great dance in idyllic locales, head for Ron Basford Park on Granville Island and see styles from around the globe every Sunday. This week, it's the Vancouver Korean Dance Society (newworks.ca). Still haven't sated your arts appetite? Make your way to Harrison Hot Springs for the 32nd annual Harrison Festival of the Arts, featuring performances, workshops, kids stuff and great music on the beach. Don't miss the high-energy Delhi 2 Dublin Sunday night (until July 18, harrisonfestival.com). If musicals are your thing, try Theatre Under the Stars in Stanley Park, this year featuring Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Singin' in the Rain (until August 21, tuts.ca).
Wreck Beach Day
Strip down to the bare essentials at Wreck Beach Day and enjoy sandcastle building, body painting, kite flying, performances by Kokoro Dance and sand in all the wrong places (Sunday, wreckbeach.org). Or head for the same stretch of shoreline Saturday and help set a new world record for skinny dipping (www.metrovancouver.org). Still can't keep your clothes on? Stay cool and raise money for a great cause at the BC Cancer Foundation's Underwear Affair - a 10K run or 5K walk in your finest skivvies (Saturday, bccancer.bc.ca).
World Cup Final
Warm up your vuvuzela and watch the Netherlands take on Spain in the World Cup final, happening in restaurants, pubs, cafes and clubs all along Commercial Drive, and at cinemas including Vancity, the Ridge and the Rio (fifa.com). Then keep that international flair at the Caribbean Street Festival in Maple Ridge (caribbeanfest.ca) and at Maillardville's Fair in the Square where you'll find performances by Uzume Taiko and Les Jammers, carnival games and more (fairinthesquare.ca).
Vancouver Island Musicfest
Catch great music in the great outdoors at Vancouver Island Musicfest, featuring dozens of acts including David Lindley, Little Feat, Joan Osborne, Nathan, Po' Girl, and "the Jimi Hendrix of throat singing," Tanya Tagaq (islandmusicfest.com). If classical music is more your speed, head for the picturesque Deer Lake Park in Burnaby and catch the VSO at Symphony in the Park (Sunday, vancouversymphony.ca). Want to shake a tail feather? Don't miss Canadian superstar Deadmau5 at the Pacific Coliseum (Saturday, ticketmaster.ca).
Hotdogs for Heritage
Take home pieces of Vancouver's most iconic buildings - including Hotel Georgia, the old Woodward's and the Marine Building - at Hotdogs for Heritage, an architectural salvage sale and fair where you can score old doors, stained glass windows, antique fixtures and more. All funds raised go to the Vancouver Heritage Foundation (Sunday, vancouverheritagefoundation.org). Or help raise money for another excellent cause at S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Walk with the Dragon in Stanley Park (successfoundation.ca).
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