Wed Nov 4
Luzia opens
Cirque du Soleil returns with its waking dream of Mexico: acrobats working under a curtain of rain beneath the Grand Chapiteau. Opening night Wednesday, then shows through the weekend; the run goes to January 10.
Photo: Siddarth Varanasi via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
The festival-of-lights issue
Rows of
light.
Diwali lands on Sunday, and the week glows ahead of it: an intimate evening in Coquitlam, the Roundhouse’s big free afternoon, and lamps lit across the region. Meanwhile Cirque du Soleil raises its big top at Concord Pacific.
Cover storyDiwali week: three free celebrations, one per city.
InsideLuzia opens under the Grand Chapiteau.
The editA magician selling fast, ski films at the Rio, the free page.
The city, edited
Light the
lamps.
Diwali falls on Sunday this year, and the week builds to it: a baithak evening at Evergreen on Thursday, the Roundhouse’s free festival on Saturday, and the lamps lit at home after. In between, Cirque du Soleil opens Luzia under the big top, the Canucks host Anaheim at seven, and a magician has nearly sold out North Van’s biggest room.
7days covered
16picks this week
4to book ahead
01
Tuesday to Friday
The week, edited
The big top goes up Wednesday. Around it: a 7 pm puck drop, ski films, and a magician almost out of seats.
Tuesday
Canucks vs Ducks
Rogers Arena, 7 pm. The only home game of the week, with Anaheim in town.
Thursday
Coast Mountain Film Fest
Rio Theatre. Freeski films at 7, CAPiTA’s Defenders of Awesome at 9:30; $34.45 covers both programs.
Friday
Matt Johnson
Centennial Theatre, North Van, 7 pm. Magic, escapes and mind reading; over 90 per cent sold.
02
The cover story
The festival of lights
Diwali falls on Sunday. The city starts celebrating Thursday, and everything here is free.
Photo: Sumita Roy Dutta via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)Thu
Thursday, Nov 5
Diwali in Coquitlam
The Diwali Celebration Society opens its 23rd season with an intimate, baithak-style evening of South Asian music and dance. Free, but capacity is limited; register on diwalifest.ca.
Image: Diwali FestSat
Saturday, Nov 7
Diwali Fest at the Roundhouse
The year’s biggest free Diwali afternoon: a live rangoli build, a Diwali market, henna, and a contemporary mehfil of music and dance. Registration is per person, so sign up everyone who’s coming.
NOV
8
8
The day itself
Sunday is Diwali
The festival of lights lands on Sunday this year. If the weekend fills up: Langley’s library hosts a free drop-in Diwali afternoon on Saturday, and Diwali Fest closes its season at Surrey City Hall next Sunday, Nov 15.
03
Saturday + Sunday
The weekend issue
A vampire farce on Granville Island, a comedian doubling up at the Vogue, and the big top all weekend.
Image: Arts Club Theatre CompanySat
Saturday, Nov 7
Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors
The Arts Club’s fast-farce Dracula: a small cast plays many roles, the hero is a coward, and the Count bakes. Two shows Saturday; the run closes Nov 15.
Photo: MRG LiveSun
Sunday, Nov 8
Lucas Zelnick, twice
The New York comedian plays the Vogue behind a year of viral crowd-work clips, and demand added an 8:30 late show to the 6 pm. Doors an hour before each.
BIG
TOP
TOP
All weekend
Luzia, all weekend
If opening night gets away from you, matinee and evening shows run Saturday and Sunday under the Grand Chapiteau, and the run continues to January 10. The matinees are the family slot.
04
Free to get into
The free page
Four free plans, one per city. Spending strictly optional.
01
Art To Go
The Port Moody Art Association’s 57th annual show and sale: original local art, artists in the room, free to browse.
02
Diwali at the library
Langley’s free Diwali afternoon: crafts, henna and performances in past editions. All ages, no registration.
03
Pop-up Recycling & Swap Tent
Bring what you don’t need, take what you do: recycling stations plus a free swap tent.
04
Drawing in the Gallery
Two quiet hours sketching inside the gallery. By donation, drop-ins welcome; bring a pencil.
05
Put it on the calendar
Book ahead
November fills in fast.
Your week should feel planned, not researched.
Every pick is verified and edited by Whim, then pulled together into a short list worth acting on.
✓ You’re on the list. See you Sunday.