"Blush" by Gallim Dance.Handout
Live Music
Sharon Van Etten
Catch indie darling Sharon Van Etten, who just won rave reviews at SXSW for her spare, achingly beautiful sound, appeared on Conan, and is heading up the coast with her new album Tramp (at the Biltmore Saturday, northerntickets.com).
Of Monsters and Men
Speaking of hot tickets from SXSW, try to squeak your way into Of Monsters and Men, a harmony-rich indie folk sextet from Iceland that's been selling out ever-larger venues – even before they released their debut album in North America (at Venue Sunday, ticketweb.ca). For bands with longer resumés, catch Nada Surf at the Rickshaw Sunday, or the recently returned Kaiser Chiefs at the Commodore Saturday (ticketmaster.ca).
L'Orchestre d'Hommes-Orchestres
Experience an offbeat twist on the already-eclectic music of Tom Waits as Quebec's L'Orchestre d'Hommes-Orchestres performs Waits classics using nearly 100 objects – and instruments they invent on stage (Saturday, thecultch.com). For more adventurous sounds, hear new works by some of the province's top composers and up-and-comers at the Sonic Boom Festival (at the Western Front, vancouverpromusica.ca).
Colin James
Catch veteran Vancouver blues rocker Colin James as he performs song you wouldn't normally find on his setlist alongside guitar master Steve Dawson and his stellar acoustic band at Black Hen's new monthly series at the Electric Owl (Sunday, electricowl.ca).
Fashion
Vancouver Fashion Week
Wardrobe in need of a serious overhaul? Get a sneak peek at the latest looks for fall and winter at Vancouver Fashion Week, a showcase of up-and-coming designers from Vancouver, London, Milan, Paris and beyond (through Sunday, vanfashionweek.com). Then stop by Portobello West Market's Spring Season Opener, which features fashions by local designers, jewellers, visual artists and more (Creekside Community Centre, portobellowest.com), or pick up great local finds at the Blim Community Market (at Heritage Hall Sunday, blim.ca).
Vancouver Wedding and Honeymoon Spring Show
Getting set to tie the knot? Head for the Vancouver Wedding and Honeymoon Spring Show on Sunday, where you can find all the wedding planners, dressmakers, photographers, caterers and more that you'll need for the big day – then learn about all the lovely locales you can visit when it's blissfully over (vancouverweddingshow.ca).
Performing Arts
Blush
See dance that mixes butoh and ballet, classical music and electropunk, at Blush – a dense, emotionally-driven work by New York's award-winning Gallim Dance that was inspired by the Marquis de Sade quote (at the Playhouse Saturday, ticketmaster.ca). For more fine fusions, don't miss Vancouver's Silk Road Ensemble with guest dancers Wen Wei Wang, Andrea Moneiro and Michelle Harding at the Roundhouse Sunday (newworks.ca).
Outdoor
Night Quest
Learn about the creatures of the night as you stroll a lantern-lit forest trail at Night Quest in Pacific Spirit Park, a family-friendly event that comes with live entertainment, toasty bonfires and Girl Guide snacks (Saturday, metrovancouver.org). More the cold-blooded kind? Meet lovely lizards, geckos and snakes at the Exotic Reptile Show at Richmond Nature Park (richmond.ca).
Mountain View Cemetery Walking Tour
Step back in time and take a guided walking tour of Mountain View – a cemetery that first opened in 1886 – where you'll hear tales about a famous architect, a man who captained a Maharaja's yacht, and the murder mystery of Janet Smith – still unsolved after 90 years (Sunday, vancouver.ca).
Fitness
Yoga at the CAG
Turn your body into a sculpture as you take in striking large-scale drawings by Chinese artist Guo Fengyi at the Contemporary Art Gallery, where Yoga Outreach is offering a special exhibition-minded yoga workshop (Sunday, contemporaryartgallery.ca).
Charity Runs
Dust off those sneakers and hit the pavement for a great cause at Diva on the Run, a woman-only 8K to raise funds for the Arthritis Society. Don't want to go the distance? Try the new 1K Diva Dash (at Jericho Beach Sunday, reflexionclinics.com). Still have a little gas left in the tank? Hit Harry's Spring Run-Off, an 8K run in Stanley Park to fight prostate cancer (Sunday, canadarunningseries.com).