April Fools’ Day is behind us, Vancouver is pretty in pink cherry blossoms and bunny-shaped chocolates are lining store shelves. The city feels a little lighter, a little more hopeful as the darkest days of winter fade into distant memories. I love these early days of spring.

I’m Becca, by the way—SAD Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief and substitute newsletter writer as Phoebe explores Southeast Asia for a couple of months.

While the world still feels like a dark place, I hope the start of a new month—and a fresh batch of affordable activities from your new parasocial pal—helps swing your mood in a positive direction.

P.S. You have three days left to submit writing or artwork for our 40th issue, themed CAMP. Have a story about the perfect s’more? Want to free yourself of shame from Scouts? What about the cheesy cult movie that changed your life? Whatever inspires you, we want to hear about it. More details on how to pitch can be found here.

P.P.S: Speaking of Phoebe, her apartment was damaged in a recent fire at Main Street and 8th Avenue. A GoFundMe has been set up to help her and her roommates recover from the loss.

Don't forget to subscribe to the Mood Swing newsletter to get the best low-cost Vancouver arts and culture events straight to your inbox every Thursday!

GALLERY OPENING ☆ A new multimedia from the slow-fashion collective Pattern Nation, Room for EveryBody, opens at Slice of Life Gallery on Thursday, April 2. The show celebrates inclusivity, community, non-monogamy, polyamory and collective joy through vibrant mixed‑media art, size‑inclusive upcycled fashion and expressive photography. It runs until Tuesday, April 7th, and offers interactive experiences like a “drink & draw” night.

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 6PM – 10PM ☆ SLICE OF LIFE ☆ $5 (TICKETS)

FREESTYLE MUSIC PARTY ☆ Bring your instrument of choice (or just your curiosity) to this hands‑on, freestyle music party co‑presented by NOW Society and Sound of Dragon Ensemble. With guest musicians from Taiwan’s Little Giant Chinese Chamber Orchestra, the afternoon invites players of all levels to jam, improvise and explore Chinese traditional instruments like the pipa, erhu and dizi. Totally informal, wildly welcoming and open to listeners, too.

SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2PM – 3:30PM ☆ 8EAST, 8 E PENDER ST ☆ FREE

APRIL FOOLS ZINE MARKET ☆ Hosted by Maggie D. Waldron—your favourite bi woman’s favourite trans woman—this laid‑back zine market brings together more than a dozen local artists for a day of DIY goodies. Expect zines, prints, stickers and assorted creative chaos, plus a great excuse to hang out and support local makers.

FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 10AM – 4PM ☆ 1965 MAIN ST ☆ FREE

BLOSSOM BLOCK PARTY ☆ A downtown patio becomes an open‑air disco for this one‑day block party at the Dunsmuir Patio, created in partnership with Public Disco. From 2 to 9 p.m., boogie outdoors as an all-femme DJ lineup spins vinyl, browse a local maker’s market inside FUNK Coffee Bar, catch pop-up performances and watch a live mural painting. With both a kids’ zone and a fully-licensed bar, it promises a day of fun for the whole family.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 2PM – 9PM ☆ 1055 DUNSMUIR ST ☆ $5 DONATION

TREASURE SWAP ☆ Ready for a closet refresh and a plant upgrade? This free community swap at KMCO invites you to bring forgotten clothes and cute plants to trade for something new. If that wasn’t enough to entice you, there will also be mushroom-infused beverages and open DJ decks. Bring your USB if you want to jump on! Come for the swap, stay for the vibes and leave with greener shelves, fresher fits and a cheeky mood boost.

SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 11AM – 5PM ☆ 2179 W 4TH AVE ☆ FREE (RESERVE YOUR SPOT)

SAD Online

Mood Swing (April 2, 2026)