Thursday, Sept 21
West End Food Festival
This annual event, since 2013, is a fun and diverse program of workshops, events and dialogues that celebrates food in the West End community.
With everything from a sauerkraut workshop to making your own beer — which, Megan, is not the pickling class — this six-day festival has something for everyone. Check out the complete schedule online and please register in advance for all courses you wish to take.
Runs until Tuesday, Sept 26. Gordon Neighbourhood House, 1019 Broughton St. Majority of classes are free, others are donation or minimal. facebook.com/events/1714810188815407
Final (I Promise) Pride Fundraiser
With the Vancouver Pride Society, you can never tell if they are starting too early or dragging it on too long, but since this fundraiser is not only for them but the Pride Youth Scholarships Fund, it’s worth attending.
Get your friends together and enjoy an evening filled with live DJs, drag performers and happy hour specials. Ten percent of all sales from the Robson will be donated to Pride.
5:30pm. Milestones on Robson, 1145 Robson St. Info and reservations at vancouverpride.ca/index.php.
Story Story Lie
Think you tell a better lie than all the other gays in the steam room? Conni Smudge thinks she does, and along with other guests, she will put her talents to work. Tonight is an interactive, live and laughter-filled show with one simple premise: Vancouver’s best share intimate, hilarious and often embarrassing stories that seem too strange to be true.
The catch is that someone’s lying and the audience takes part in an interrogation to reveal who it is. The first audience member to guess the liar right wins the grand prize, as well as the respect and admiration of their peers.
8-10pm. The Rio Theatre, 1660 East Broadway St. Advance tickets $10 at riotheatretickets.ca or $12 at the door. facebook.com/events/366155567137390
Brews And Chews
Are you in your 20s or 30s and looking to have a few brews and something to chew on? My address is . . . sorry, wrong site. This event is a volunteer group that hosts events for people in their 20s and 30s who live, work, and hang in Vancouver’s West End. Tonight features free vegan chili and tortillas, dozens of strategy and party games on loan, karaoke upstairs, hex-a-pong (a six-person ping-pong table), popcorn, ’90s vids on the big screen, and of course, craft brews. If you don’t know how to play a game, or you arrive solo, a games host can show you how, and will help form a group. This event is co-hosted by Young Ideas and the West End Games Meetup.
7–11pm. Gordon Neighbourhood House,1019 Broughton St. Free event. facebook.com/events/279165822599709
Friday, Sept 22
Wet and Wild
So much meat in the shower you’ll think you’re at the butcher shop — plus it’s being cleaned right before your eyes. One of the most popular nights in the Village with always a surprise or two in store just when you aren’t expecting it.
Performing tonight is DJ Mumbles in his own glass enclosure — hopefully after a guest spot in the shower. Hot men, sexy staff, smoking pocket DJ and ice cold beverages. What more do you need?
1pm–3am, show at 10pm. Pumpjack Pub, 1167 Davie St. Cover $5 after 9pm. pumpjackpub.com
Coconuts and Bananas
Vancouver’s first trans club night is an inclusive safe space for trans, non-binary and gender-bending folks to be visible. Celebrate body-positivity and community inclusion with performances by Pura Vida, Maiden China, Femenadé, Sebastian and more.
10pm–3am. The Odyssey, 686 W Hastings St. $12 at the door. facebook.com/events/376469519452928
Play Date
I have loved play dates since I was a wee child having fun with my friends in the sandbox. The same is true now, except the sandbox is much bigger and out at UBC, but I still get the same feeling of sand in my nether regions. Tonight is an indoor play date with mini drag shows.
10pm–2am. XYYVR, 1216 Bute St. Cover $5. facebook.com/events/118252768838575
Saturday, Sept 23
Wild Fruit
The women have all recovered from Pride and are now looking for some wild fruit — and they are hungry. It’s time to get too sexy for your shirt, as the best, catchiest and most obnoxious tunes from the ’90s are back.
It’s the home of music that doesn’t take itself too seriously: the secret guilty pleasures and sing-along wonders of your youth. If you wish the Backstreet Boys were still together, want to sing “Like a Virgin” or “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,” then come on out to play.
10pm–3am. Privé Nightclub, 750 Pacific Blvd. Tickets $10–$12 at Eventbrite. facebook.com/events/525306237805482
Glam Slam
Almost like Wild Fruit but with ropes, and these girls take no shit. Glam Slam takes the action and melodrama of classic professional wrestling, smashes it together with an East Van attitude and adds a sexy twist. You will be roaring as muscled women and men in tights fly from the top rope, enthralled as burlesque beauties bump and grind, and shocked as the soap opera unfolds.
Featuring some of the city’s best wrestlers, burlesque performers and variety artists such as Sparkle Plenty, Cherry on Top, Nick Price and Ginger Avenue. A guest appearance by Tristan Risk and a special see-to-believe match of Jesus Christ vs the Devil.
8–11:45pm. The Wise Hall and Lounge, 1882 Adanac St. Tickets $20–$32 at glamslam7.brownpapertickets.com/. More info at facebook.com/events/267533383738021.
Tilt: Premiere Show
This show sounds like most of our relationships. The Tilt is a sketch comedy duo featuring Vancouver-based Mallory Gallant and Steve Sidi. This pretend comedy husband and wife enjoy eye-rolling, death-dropping, high-kicking, sick beats and singing Whitney Houston off-key.
Sketch, standup, music, physical stunts that Steve commits to but can never really pull off, and high notes that Mallory attempts but can never really hit. Laugh with them, laugh at them, and witness the car crash that is this relationship.
7:30–9pm. XYYVR, 1216 Bute St. Tickets $10 at the door. facebook.com/events/730394123835484
Bears Night Out
With so much estrogen around in tonight’s parties, where is a guy to go? Just get over to Bear Night and let the fun begin: bear, otter, lumberjack, twink, muscle or any other type are more than welcome. Disclaimer: you will get groped and you will have hot sweaty fun. And right in the heart of it will be DJ Quest playing some of the best tunes to get you hot and moving.
9pm. Pumpjack Pub, 1167 Davie St. Doors open 1pm with $5 cover after 9pm. pumpjackpub.com
Sunday, Sept 24
38th Annual Gay Vancouver Pageant
It seems like just yesterday we were putting the crown on those long flowing locks of our queen, I mean Emperor, Tommy D. Fret not, this is a step-down celebration for Mr, Ms and Miss Gay Vancouver as the Rhinestone Phoenix Charity Foundation presents Legendary Gentlemen and Their Hollywood Babes. Full of performances, anniversaries, speeches and a lot of shade.
5:30–10:30pm. The Junction, 1138 Davie St. Tickets $15 at door. facebook.com/events/543696156022043
Sanctuary: Nirvana vs Hole
Quite the battle for a Sanctuary Sunday. I can’t figure out which one will be Nirvana and which will be Hole. Nirvana is three men, and Alma B Itches does have experience with triple penetration, but on the other hand she does like to worship the hole — that really isn’t a beard, just leftover pubes. Whichever side Alma and Dee Blew take, Carlotta is probably going to jump on stage as Courtney Love and take over anyway.
11pm–3am. 1181, 1181 Davie St. cover $2. facebook.com/events/171330466764273
Monday, Sept 25
Answer Me: RuPaul’s Drag Race Trivia
I am happy to say I have never gotten into the whole RuPaul series of shows, so a trivia night would be lost on me, but it seems people I know are foaming at the mouth (at least I hope that is foam) to get there early and have a good seat. It will be a night worth watching, since I know my friends, after a cocktail or two, will blurt out the answer whether they are playing or not. I’ll be the one with my face in my palms hiding.
5–9pm. The American, 926 Main St. No cover. More info regarding play at facebook.com/events/171881413374165.
Dick Safari
Can’t you just picture it? Del Stamp and Alma B Itches all geared up, magnifying glass in one hand, cocktail in the other, roaming Steamworks hunting amateur cock to be the next big thing at their show? The last Monday of each month is Safari Night, where amateurs can show off the goods and try to keep the jewels out of Alma’s reach until after the winner is announced. A great night of fun with the King and Queen of Dicks as hosts, with support from Rob Fluffer — oops Rob Feller. Prizes for first and second place with lots of Steamworks giveaways.
10pm–3am. The Junction, 1138 Davie St. Cover $5. Facebook message if interested in competing. facebook.com/events/2000616956880434
Moist Mondays
Come to a show about which critics and DM lurkers have commented to the likes of “ewww,” “gross,” “why her,” and “snake” (actual comments may vary). It is going to be weird, wet and probably a little wild. Deep in the exotic far-off land of Davie Village is a private boarding school filled to the brim with burgeoning drag talent. Head Mistress, the old mean-faced queen, would like to highlight some of the best talent this city has in its up-and-coming stars. Are these queens this semester trying for that title of ValeDICKtorian, or just looking to end up in detention? Time will tell.
11pm–3am. XYYVR, 1216 Bute St. Cover $5. facebook.com/events/172038323357276
Tuesday, Sept 26
Shame Spiral Reaches 175
Wow, I saw this and thought, “Peaches, good for you gurl.” All that hard work bending over in the steam room and working your butt off on stage and you made it to 175! Oops, that’s 175 shows. Well that’s good too. Come join the celebrations as Peach welcomes Eva Scarlett to the stage for some big bold and beautiful girl action. Plus there will be some other surprise guests in the mix. And it wouldn’t be Shame without cutie DJ Dom Top.
9pm–3am. 1181, 1181 Davie St. No cover. facebook.com/events/1157726637694405
Wednesday, Sept 27
Passions
I have heard this is an awesome event to experience. If I pay $225 for dinner, I want my meal cut up and fed to me off a muscled chest. Scotiabank’s benefit for the Dr Peter AIDS Foundation does a great job and raises a lot of money for the group. Tonight taste culinary creations from the city’s top restaurants, bakeries and caterers, sip on New Zealand wines, bid on fantastic auction items and socialize with trend-setting business and media professionals, all while supporting the Dr Peter AIDS Foundation.
VIP 5:30–6:30pm. General admission 6:30pm. Performance Works, 1218 Cartwright St, Granville Island. Tickets VIP $300, General $225 at secure.e2rm.com/registrant/TicketingCatalog.aspx. For more info, visit facebook.com/events/1537664142920806
Why you can trust Xtra
