Thursday, Sept 22
Unmask: Hooking Up
It’s too bad the events this group hosts are for younger guys because I know a few men that could use a refresher course. Their version of hooking up is: “Hi, how are you, let’s fuck.” There isn’t even an appetizer and a drink anymore; forget about dinner. This session is to teach the younger set exactly how to prepare for hooking up. Whether it’s with a casual partner, a friend with benefits, a Grindr date, or a long-term boyfriend, hooking up is complicated. But it doesn’t have to be. Mpowerment events are planned by and for young self-identified men who are gay, bi, or queer. They invite all guys who like guys and their friends to attend.
6:30–9pm. Mpowerment, 568 Seymour St. No charge. facebook.com/events/1405401746142102
Yoga & Meditation For Recovery
An open class for those in recovery, or anyone wishing to connect with themselves through gentle Hatha yoga. Mats, props and tea provided and no one turned away for lack of funds, any donations received go directly to the Vancouver Recovery Club.
8:15pm. The Vancouver Recovery Club, 2775 Sophia St (close to Main Street and 12th Avenue). More info at timbangyoga@gmail.com or facebook.com/groups/160053194037137.
Friday, Sept 23
HUMP Film Festival
Have you ever tried to sit through a Dan Savage HUMP Festival without getting a prize-winning boner? Try being six-feet-seven and all folded up in the small seats and you would be squirming too. This year I may try the popcorn container trick with the bottom cut out. I’m warning you now: don’t reach in because that won’t be butter you’re feeling. Tonight promises to be a whole new array of amateur hot, sexy, creative and kinky home movies. All genders, all kinks, all fetishes, all ages and all bodies are fair game. I can personally say you are definitely going to enjoy this if you’re a Hump virgin. Maybe next year there will be a submission from you.
Two showings tonight and Saturday at 7pm and 9:30pm. The Rio Theatre, 1660 East Broadway St. Tickets $20 US at humpfilmfest.com
Wild Fruit
If you wish the Backstreet Boys were still together, want to sing Like a Virgin, or just wanna have fun, try a Flygirl party. Never a dull moment at these events.
10pm–3am. Playhouse Nightclub, 1240 Thurlow St. Tickets $10 at Little Sister’s, 1238 Davie St, or online at flygirlproductions.com
Saturday, Sept 24
Annual Awesome Race
If you’re like me — I don’t run and I’m not good with other languages (except for swear words), so I’m never going to qualify for The Amazing Race — this is your next best bet. Teams of two will enjoy scenic routes and fun challenges around Metro Vancouver to help raise much needed funds for important programs and services to improve the lives of those living with HIV/AIDS through A Loving Spoonful. Grand Prize is $2,400 for the first place team so grab a partner and get to work.
11am for check-in and registration, race begins at noon. To keep it fair the start location will be given to the teams before the race. Register now at wesomerace.ca. Cost is $50 per team member.
WEArts: Weekly Art Market
You may have walked by and seen lots of art, jewellery, pottery and other trinkets on display and for sale Sunday afternoons at the new Jim Deva Plaza on Davie Street. I have and I always think “oh, I’ll have to go back next week and check it out, my beer is waiting at PJs.” Well, this is your last chance of the year, so it is do or die time as after today the market will not be back until next summer.
12–6pm. Jim Deva Plaza, corner of Davie and Bute Streets. No entrance fee. facebook.com/WEArtsVan
LGBT Comedy Open Mic
Everyone always needs a good laugh and how many times can it be about Ryan Steele’s junk? Start your Saturday nights off early and just watch, or perform your own five-minute comedy spot about anything at all. Sign up is at 8pm. Maybe I should start reading the listings every week and people could tip like they tip drag queens that mime? Best of all, if you go to the open mic you can hang around all night afterwards and celebrate, or drink away your sorrows, or wait for Steele to drop trou again and hear the belly laughs.
8–10:30pm. XYYVR, 1216 Bute St. No cover. facebook.com/events/1793792270862176/
Pump
You have to love the simplicity of picking names for gay parties. The shorter the name, it seems, the busier the party. Pump, Thrust, JO, DILF, White, Red, Black, Blue, Cock, Balls, Urethra, okay that one I threw in to see if you were actually paying attention. Straight parties give it away right at the beginning that the party will be dull with names like Winter Wonderland, Beach Blanket Party, Party on the Porch and on and on. Tonight, of course, the party will be rocking as Pump brings you go-go boys, dancers, leather, rubber, fetish and DJ Quest to put you in that special frisky mood.
8pm–3am. Pumpjack Pub, 1164 Davie St. $5 cover after 9pm, strict dress code in effect. vancouvermeninleather.ca
Sex & Shine
Unlike Netflix and chill, this is Sex and Shine, where you do the nasty and then someone shines your boots. Not really but it sounds like something they would do at 8×6. This is the second round of Plur, where sexual kinkiness and slippery debauchery abound. Kink, BDSM, LGBTQ, SOP, Dungeon whatever you like as long as your outfit is shiny like a mirror. Rubber, latex, anything with a glare is acceptable.
9:30pm–3am. Club 8×6, 1775 Haro St. Cover $20 at door or in advance at plurproductions.ca
Sunday, Sept 25
Celebrity Dim Sum
I love dim sum: you can eat all the food you want and nobody knows you are really a little piggy because all the dishes are taken away as soon as you empty them. You could be on dish number 84 and they would think you just sat down. Plus this one is for a good cause — it’s a signature fundraising event for AIDS Vancouver. And if filling your belly is not enough, you get the opportunity, as long as you can still walk, to meet and network with Vancouver’s high-profile celebrities that have ties to AIDS Vancouver.
10am–1pm. Four Seasons Hotel, 791 W Georgia St. Tickets $158 regular, $228 VIP. Find a list of sponsors and celebrities at aidsvancouver.org.
Scotiabank AIDS Walk To Thrive
It’s that time of year again where everyone wants me outside and walking early in the morning. At least for the Sun Run my friend Megan and I signed up, put on the t-shirt, walked over to the start line at Georgia and Granville Streets and decided it was just too hot, so we took off and sat on Milestones’ patio, still in our shirts, and watched all the runners come by a half-hour later. Best race of my life! Today, though, because it is for a cause dear to my heart, I may do the walking. Join in and raise money for Positive Living BC’s Community Health Fund. If you see me already at the Thrive Festival I just happened to walk a little faster than you — to the cab.
11am registration opens, 5.5 km walk begins at noon, ending at Malkin Bowl for the Thrive Festival. Roundhouse Community Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews. All info for the walk, the route and to sign up at aidswalkvancouver.ca.
Daddy Day Care
Okay the name is really the Pigpen, which is open for Vancouver’s most infamous weekly Sunday afternoon kegger, where you will find the hottest men in the city — now officially paired up with the best music in town with their rotating resident DJs, the “Sounders of Swine,” Bertossi, Graves, Mumbles, and the old hog herself, Stamp, usually located at the back trough.
1pm. Pumpjack Pub, 1167 Davie St. No cover if you bring the bartenders some bacon. pumpjackpub.com
Queersreadthis: Meet Up & Discussion
Sometimes when I do these listings I sit back and enjoy a bottle of wine. Sometimes when there are quite a few events to list, there is also quite a bit of wine and my typing looks just like the name of this event. But alas tonight is only a half-bottle so everyone is safe. Tonight meet up with other queer people who are interested in politics in a non-partisan and non-judgemental space. You may not all agree on all things but shared queerness binds us together. A welcoming open environment awaits you.
7–9pm. Spartacus Books, 3378 Finlay St. facebook.com/events/1062851710503237/
Monday, Sept 26
B-Roll: Mean Girls
How is this for a stretch: Berlin and a gaggle of Vancouver’s finest drag queens play bitchy girls that get together and pick on the pretty girls. No, this is not Bingo Night at Celebrities, it is B-Roll returning with its rendition of Mean Girls, a movie classic from another decade.
9pm–12am. The Penthouse Nightclub, 1019 Seymour St. Tickets $10–15 at eventbrite.ca. Info and bios at facebook.com/events/1861526970737032/
Tuesday, Sept 27
Life Drawing With HIM
I can’t draw worth crap unless I call it modern, eclectic, revolutionary, symbolism. True story: I took art class in high school because the cutest jock took it. Hence the long exaggerated name of my artwork for the term, which I failed miserably with whatever you can get that’s lower than an F. (The jock was gay but had a daddy — strike two.) The Health Initiative for Men hosts this drop-in, informal monthly drawing class on the fourth Tuesday of each month. I have been told tonight’s focus is on the human body. There may be a naked model to ogle or, with my luck, there may be a bunch of body parts on a table. Who is up for finding out with me?
6:30–8:30pm. HIM office, 310-1033 Davie St. Free or a small donation would be appreciated. checkhimout.ca/drawing/
VancouverJax
The answer to every problem can be solved with one line: sometimes you just need to jack off. You can argue the premise until you are blue in the face, but it is just falling on deaf ears. What better way to do it than with 15-20 of your closest new friends all sitting around the room doing just what you are doing, getting off on all the men sitting around the room? Easy peasy as mom used to say, not necessarily about jacking off, but just in general. Hot JO porn and lube are all supplied, you just supply the dick.
7–10pm. Club 8×6, 1775 Haro St. Entrance is $10, students $5 and coat check is $2. vancouverjax.com
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