The Penelopiad
Witness the original desperate housewife as she finally gets to give her side of the story in Margaret Atwood's The Penelopiad, a witty retelling of The Odyssey myth that follows Penelope as she struggles with a sullen teen, a difficult mother-in-law, non-stop suitors and a hubbie that spends decades gallivanting the globe (until Nov. 20, artsclub.com). For more thought-provoking theatre, don't miss Us & Them, a Headlines Theatre exploration of how we understand ourselves – and create divisions from others (at the Cultch until Nov. 12, thecultch.com).
Adam Gopnik
Catch beloved New Yorker writer and former Montrealer Adam Gopnik as he reflects on our darkest days in Winter: Five Windows On The Season, the 50th anniversary CBC Massey Lectures that explore how artists, explorers, scientists and thinkers have shaped our views of the Old Man we love to hate. The Vancouver lecture is aptly titled Recreational Winter: The Season at Speed (Sunday, ticketmaster.ca).
Cineplex Community Day
See top kids' movies including Happy Feet, Yogi Bear 3D, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I, Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore and many more for free at Cineplex theatres across the province as part of a Community Day, where you can also pick up popcorn, a drink and candy for just two bucks. All proceeds to the Starlight Children's Foundation Canada (cineplex.com/starlight).
Diwali Downtown
Step out of the dreary days and into the light of Diwali Downtown, a South Asian cultural celebration where you can find Bollywood dance, live music by Banyen Roots and sitarist Mohamed Assani, short films, fantastic food and more, then pick up new moves at a Bollywood dance workshop (Sunday, vandiwali.ca). And don't miss Not "Just" Bhangra at the Museum of Vancouver, a day of live performances, workshops, drumming, spoken word, roundtable discussions and more (Saturday, museumofvancouver.ca).
West Side Story
See the Sharks and the Jets clash as never before at Vancouver Opera's fiery production of West Side Story, which features Jerome Robbins' original choreography and a 30-piece orchestra performing Leonard Bernstein's unforgettable score (until Oct. 29, vancouveropera.ca).
West Coast Women's Show
Get a serious hit of estrogen-fueled fun at the West Coast Women's Show, a weekend-long celebration of health and wellness, fashion, food and decorating that features home decor ideas from HGTV gurus Colin and Justin, fitness tips from former Olympian Lynn Kanuka, a visit from Billy Miller of The Young and the Restless, a Firefighters Fashion Show and a well-deserved Martini Night (westcoastwomen.net).
From Farms to Forks 2
Enjoy a feast prepared by top local chefs using foods from local producers at From Farms to Forks 2, where you can savour Roasted Eggplant, Butternut Squash and Paneer by Vij's, Grapefruit Cured Pink Salmon by C, Vancouver Island Salt Roasted Beets and Glen Valley Vegetables by Kale and Nori Culinary Arts, Hazelnut Brown Sugar Cake by West and plenty more at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts (Sunday, growingchefs.ca/farms-forks-2). For more tantalizing tastes, don't miss the 34th annual Greek Food Festival (through Sunday, helleniccommunity.org), market taste tours and demos at the Lonsdale Quay Market's Savour (through Sunday, lonsdalequay.com) or special three-course prix fixe meals from $25 at Taste of Yaletown (until Oct. 30, yaletowninfo.com).
Big Sugar
Get a hefty helping of Canrock as recently reunited Toronto band Big Sugar – featuring guitar guru Gordie Johnson – performs old favourites and new songs from Revolution Per Minute, their first full album in over a decade (Saturday, ticketmaster.ca). Still not all rocked out? Catch the Sam Roberts Band at the Royal in Victoria Saturday (ticketmaster.ca), or witness more guitar wizardry as Fleetwood Mac's Lindsay Buckingham performs at the Centre Saturday (ticketmaster.ca).
Ghostly Fun
Just one week to go before ghosts and zombies rule the night, so get into the spirit at myriad Halloween events, including pumpkin carving at the Roundhouse (Saturday, roundhouse.ca), spooky guided walks in Fort Langley (for teens and adults only, until Oct. 30, pc.gc.ca/fortlangley), ghostly walks and bus tours in Victoria (discoverthepast.com), tours of the haunted Mystery Mansions of Deer Lake (for ages 15 and over, burnaby.ca), and the Aldergrove Wall O' Lantern, featuring a gigantic wall of more than 600 glowing jack o' lanterns (Saturday, aldergroveba.ca/wallolantern).