If you want to let go of mainstream consumerism in favour of do-it-yourself culture, you might want to book a bit of time at the Homesteading Expo at the Vancouver Convention Centre.JONATHAN HAYWARD/The Canadian Press
A curated list of other things to do this weekend, brought to you by Scout Magazine. Find the Scout List at tgam.ca/scoutlist.
History: The Maritime Museum is hosting the opening reception for Ghost Passages of the McKenzie Shipyards. From the 1930s to the 1960s, North Vancouver's McKenzie Shipyards was a bustling working-class community of sorts. Its remains were torn down to make way for development in August, 2014, but the day before the demolition, mixed-media artist Tracy McMenemy salvaged what she could from the site. By applying a unique vision and a combination of methods and techniques, she "recontextualized" what she had found to simultaneously document a piece of history and create storytelling art.
Jan. 14, 6-9 p.m., Maritime Museum (1905 Ogden Ave., Vanier Park), vancouvermaritimemuseum.com
Future: It's difficult to walk half a block in Vancouver's Chinatown without encountering a construction site. The juxtaposition of new storefronts with traditional herbalists is no longer surprising. If you live, work or frequently visit Chinatown, and are interested in the shifting character of the neighbourhood, Centre A is hosting a panel discussion on heritage, diversity and urban change. Focused on a condo tower proposed for a site across from the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden on Keefer Street, the panel includes architect Joe Wai and urban planner Nathan Edelson, as well as community builder Doris Chow and community "activator" Melissa Fong.
Jan. 16, 2 p.m., Centre A (229 East Georgia St.), free, centrea.org
Music: Sink into a seat at the Vancouver Playhouse and let your imagination wander to the music of Telemann, Handel and Rameau. Why? Because the Victoria Baroque Players are in town to play Watermusic-Orchestral Suites. From Early Music Vancouver: "A concert of kings and princes, nymphs, merry sailors, frogs, and crows, all directed by the British harpsichord virtuoso Steven Devine from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment."
Jan. 15, 7:30 p.m., Vancouver Playhouse (600 Hamilton St.), $17.50-$66, earlymusic.bc.ca
Do it yourself: If you've been thinking of getting back to basics by growing your own food, making things by hand, or you just want to tackle the issue of sustainability by letting go of mainstream consumerism in favour of DIY culture, you might want to book a bit of time at the Homesteading Expo. From bee keeping and beer making to quinoa and composting, expect demonstrations, samples, products and lots of knowledge going around.
Jan. 16-17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Vancouver Convention Centre (East at 999 Canada Place), $15, homesteadingexpo.ca
Artist Talk: One Hour Photo is a series of talks engaging artists about their practices, processes and visions. It's an opportunity for art enthusiasts to dig a little deeper into the thinking that compels artists to present bodies of work on gallery walls. This week, artist Nich McElroy expands on his exhibition Float Copper in conversation with curator Mike Love. Float Copper comprises photographs taken on the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan and the conversation Mr. McElroy is interested in having is about how "the passage of time is written into this landscape in the form of eskers, kames and moraines; change and movement, which is both constant and imperceptible."
Jan. 16, 1 p.m., Gallery 295 (295 East 2nd Ave.), free, gallery295.com