To sum it all up in one sentence, the Khatsalano street festival is very much worth a visit…read moreespecially if you love to vibe with people and enjoy great music together. If you want a comparison to the richmond night market, read around the middle part of this review. The only thing that i didn't like was the staff at the information booth because when i asked them about directions, they acted annoyed that i asked them a question. Their tone when they answered my question was not pleasant either. Maybe i caught them when they were in a bad mood. Luckily, that's the only single negative i have to say about this festival. The live music was SO good. I spent a good 15 minutes at each concert stage i passed by because it was so great watching people dance along and just vibing to the music. There was so much variety of music too. From what i remember, there was R&B/hip hop/rap in half french and english by Missy D. i also heard punk rock, and pop rock. The beer gardens near the block ends had a live DJ playing super upbeat stuff like pop, latinx, and EDM. There was so much activity around the beer garden. The queue to go inside snaked around the entire place until there was no more room to let more people in. People were vibing to the music and forming a crowd near the DJ showing off their best moves, it was so awesome to see. There was so many vendors selling and promoting things. I saw vintage clothing, music record labels, cell phone plans from carriers, arts and crafts, jewelry, informational booths promoting startups promoting various things, radio stations giving away stuff, and much more. A lot of the street vendors were giving samples or selling things at the booths outside their own store right behind them. I personally bought a bunch of instant noodles from an asian noodle vendor because they were having a pretty good deal and it came with some swag freebies as a bonus. I then spun a wheel at a startup company booth promoting their pop and won a free can of reduced sugar root beer. Score! The festival was crowded but the street was so wide that it was pretty easy to walk anywhere. The only real traffic jam of people was at the food truck area. It was very crowded because of the lines spreading towards the middle of the road partially blocking people who were passing by. There was plenty of portapotties evenly placed along the street with minimal wait which is great. They were disgusting inside but that's pretty normal at big festivals. The garbage situation appeared very well maintained because the streets were spotless. It was very easy finding a garbage can so I didn't have to hold onto my litter very long. There was definitely police present for crowd control at every block and walking along the street so i felt completely safe at the festival. COMPARISONS TO THE RICHMOND NIGHT MARKET: Compared to the the richmond night market, richmond tops khatsalano it in terms of variety of asian and fun instagram worthy pic making food. But khatsalano had awesome looking grilled burgers and so many food trucks that filled an entire block. Even more, they had actual restaurants selling food outside their retail shop which you could order from and enjoy eating outside. i didn't see any rides, carnival attractions, or carnival games at this event which richmond night market had a ton of. The music here is phenomenal and the vibes are so way more exciting here. Richmond night market, based on my last visit, appears to invite talent from basically anybody who *thinks* they can sing instead of established artists. The most lively area was only near the food area at richmond night market. Khatsalano was super lively wherever upbeat music was present which was basically around every block. The type of vendors selling stuff at khatsalano is way better. So much more variety of things you could buy instead of knock off anime merch or phone cases or the usual made in china stuff they got a richmond night market. Biggest difference is the admission is 100% free at Khatsalano. Richmond charges 7 bucks per person. (edit: $8.50 as of 2025!) OVERALL: Overall, If there's one free street festival in vancouver you shouldn't miss, it's the Khatsalano street festival. If you haven't been yet, don't miss next years event! 4 stars.

huge crowds turned out for the city's largest free music and art festival, taking over ten car free…read moreblocks along west 4th, from burrard all the way to macdonald. with over 200,000 people in attendance, the energy was high from start to finish. best to take transit or walk, parking is limited and can be a nightmare. caution, many cars get towed, if parked in the wrong spot. we always enjoy this event. it's well organized, lively, and fun for all ages. there were eight stages with live music, licensed beer gardens buzzing with people, and rows of food trucks dishing out everything from tacos to lemonade. water refill stations and a misting station offered some relief from the heat, a thoughtful touch on a hot july day. love all the community booths, tents, and brand pop ups lining the street, from small vendors to big corporate sponsorships. my favourite was the fjällräven tent with its spin the wheel and the ever popular blundstone boot toss where people lined up to test their aim. there was a lot of swag to be had and prizes to be won, some based on luck, others on skill, answering a question or by scanning and entering your name and email. the festival runs for one day, from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm, and everyone we encountered was in great spirits, friendly, patient, and just happy to be part of the fun. a sun soaked day of sound, street eats, and community. wear comfy shoes, bring sunscreen, and stay hydrated, you'll want to soak up every moment.

It was my first time at Eat Vancouver 2015!! I was pretty excited. Hosting different venues around…read moreVancouver but the big showcase was located at BC Place. Tickets at the door was $17 or online for $15. I was lucky enough to get free tickets. I came on a Sunday at around 11am. I was glad coming early to beat the big crowds and long lines. Lots of different vendors, food samples, food for purchase, beer garden, so much more. We purchased 20 tickets for $20. Pricey I thought, plus the entrance but lucky for us we entered for free! Most stalls had food or snacks anywhere from 1-6 tickets. But we were getting full from the free samples. Lots of local, healthy, organic, gluten free vendors. We also watched a cooking class by a celebrity chef. Overall it was a good time.

Was it the change of location or just the gloomy weather that brought everyone here today?!?! It…read morewas super packed and there were lines at EVERY booth. I would be in line for so long that it just didn't seem worth it. There seems to less 'tasting' booths this year, and more booths selling items that weren't really related to food. Steam mops?! The best booth was probably the Bosa foods one, and even this one was a lot smaller than last year. They had their sparkling sodas, truffles, and different kinds of cheeses to sample. Another good one was the BC dairy association booth where they actually had chefs cook a meal, so I got to try some tuna with fennel cream, which was quite good. Again, really long line up for these. Nevertheless, I did manage to pick up some items at good prices. Kettle corn, honey, and Japanese red bean cakes. There some booths last year that aren't here this year. (I wanted my Chai tea bags!!) Walked out of here tired and worn, from squishing through the crowds so much. Purchased tickets online beforehand for $12 each. Will I go again next year? Guess I still have a year to decide.

Granville Island is all about food and art from my point of view, and this little gallery is…read moreanother great example of the art part. Not only is this a gallery though, it's also a printmaking workshop! You can sign up for various classes in printmaking. How enticing, inspirational and exciting is that?! -now, back to my procrastination program.

I came here a few hours before my Elite Event that was happening in and around the same area. Since…read morethe event was an art Gallery themed event I thought that I would do something along the same lines on the Island. The advantage to it being rainy is that it was quiet today. In general I was looking for anything and everything to do with art. I do plan on making this week my Granville Island art exploration week. I actually found this place by accidentally taking the wrong turn to another destination, however, this was the best accident ever. I loved their simple greeting cards. Prices were reasonable and good customer service.

Beautiful arts festival, quite a few different range of artist from ceramics and sculpture (clay,…read moreporcelain, glass, etc.), jewelry, paintings, clothings, and much more. Nice attitude and atmosphere. Good and beautiful environment and inspiring! Do recommend to check it out although this year's Harmony Arts Festival is going to end soon. Music too and a nice view and tables to enjoy sitting there to listen to the music and chat.

Visited the Polygon Gallery near Lonsdale Quay and The Shipyards area. Lucky enough to see the…read moreexhibit of Vancouver photographer Greg Girard. All photographic works were by Greg Girard, courtesy of the artist and Monte Clark Gallery. Curated by Reid Shier, Director and Elliott Ramsey, Curator. It was a brilliant exhibition not to be missed, showcasing Greg Girard's collection of works from 1972-2026. The exhibition runs until October 25.

My friend and I visited this gallery late last night and we both were blown away by the gift shop…read moreinside! (We unfortunately did not check out the actual gallery or exhibition as we were there just 30 minutes before its closing at 9pm). The gallery gift shop is fantastic. I admit, we are suckers for museum gift shops, and this was just like a smaller version. They had gorgeous artisan jewelry, artsy household decor accessories, clever and unique games, candles and potions, greeting cards, etc., all the types of high-end and clever and artsy items you'd find at most art museum stores. Prices are high, yes, but most items are unique, that you'd not find elsewhere, and are of high quality, and support artists and the art gallery. Also, they do have a section of sale items here, too. I really appreciated how family-friendly the staff is here, and how they have programs and items designed to get kids interested in art. Case in point: at the counter they advertised free kits for kids, to make these AWESOME, cool articulated puppets. These puppets are super neat, made from thick, colored cardboard, with funky graphics on each section, with each section attached to each other by metal rivets or brads, so the joints are all articulated and move. Super fun. And FREE! My friend asked for one for her toddler niece and the lady at the center asked if she wanted more than one kit. So my friend got three kits, for her niece and her little friends. I asked for two kits, for my two kids (who are older, but would enjoy them) and the lady said, sure, no problem! So I got a few of these fun puppet kits, too. I thought that was amazingly nice. I should note, too, that this building is gorgeous, with clean lines and infused with light as the walls are all glass. And they have these comfy, cozy, round cobalt blue sofas by the window wall facing the water. Perfect for reading or just getting some sun rays and taking in the view. Lovely lovely building.

My ol favourite home neighbourhood of Mount Pleasant, came alive on Main St this past Saturday…read more I'd been to Car Free Day on Main St last year & that was fun, however this Fest was off the chains & took festivals to another level. Pleasant Day Festival ran along Main St from King Edward Ave to 12th Ave. Wear a great pair of walking shoes. I've never seen so many vibing beer gardens every few blocks along the way with people dancing & getting their good cheer on. Even the kids zone was awesome - so if you have young ones, bring them along next year. There was so many eclectic businesses at the massive amount of tents set up along Main St, that this Fest could have ran over three days, just to be able to check everything out. The selection of food trucks on hand was on point. I had Tacos from one of my favourite food trucks - Taco Nori. See my pics. The line up of various musical artists was excellent - several stages provided live music. The Mount Pleasant neighbourhood brought their A game to the festival. I'm thinking of moving back to Mount Pleasant - I wish! Tag this fest now in your calendar for next year & do not miss it.

This was my first year attending the Vancouver Mural Festival, and I decided to attend it with my…read morefamily after seeing photos that were taken by my parents from last year's festival. A large stretch of Main St. starting from East Broadway was closed off from cars for the festival for vendors, though most of the wares that were displayed weren't related to murals. The murals were located mostly in East Vancouver in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood between East 15th Ave. and East 5th Ave. There were a few in the West Side of Vancouver which I did not visit. What makes this mural festival special is you can see the artist paint the artwork on the walls and buildings. Almost all of the artwork is bright and saturated with punchy colours. What are the themes? First Nations, East Vancouver, West Coast lifestyle, dreams, tasteful street graffiti, abstract art, human life and nature. I saw a limited number of murals because my Dad only wanted to see the new ones that were created for this year. Apparently, they have mural tours, and I will probably do it for next year, as I love to walk and see artwork. This event is like the East Side Culture Crawl but it's all outdoors!

"Illuminate Yaletown" is an annual event that is usually held for one night in early March,…read morecommencing at exactly sundown on the night in question. It recently celebrated its tenth year (so I'm surprised there's no Yelp write-up on it yet!). It's a pretty cool event and, best of all, it's FREE! This year IY was held on March 8th, so my kid and I decided to go. It helped that the weather was clear and rain-free (!). The event was held on Hamilton Street, between Drake and Davie, and the road on this block was closed off to traffic. And boy, it was hopping! Lots of families and couples were there, checking out all the exhibits and installations. In a nutshell, IY features light artists and designers, and interactive tech displays and light projections. There are guys walking about on stilts who are encased in colorful light-changing "armor". There are colorful light-changing sculptures. There's a walk-in dome where , inside, - you guessed it, - there are colorful light changes projected on the interior. There are plenty of cool photo ops, including a tropical themed, vibrant colored light-infused backdrop, and in the square on Hamilton across the street, there are hanging colorful light-infused swing-seats in the shape of donuts - perfect for sitting in and getting a funky photo! (This is the square immediately behind the Yaletown Roundhouse Skytrain station). And above the square is a canopy of strung blue and white lights (so pretty). All in all, the area is festive and bustling with people enjoying themselves and taking lots of pictures. Because it's a fairly small area, one could see it all within 20 minutes or so (perfect for families with small children, FYI). And very cool how they give out free 3-D-esque glasses, which really enhanced the viewing of some of the light displays, turning them into visual prismatic images. I love prisms and kaleidoscopes, and it was cool to see some of these light sculptures morph into moving patterned rainbows when wearing these glasses. Weather-permitting, we plan on going again next year.