It’s that time of year when there’s a real Twilight “hoa hoa hoa” sense about the air. The skies are gloomy, the mist is creeping and everyone is brooding. A younger me may have used this as an opportunity to pretend I was a teenager in Forks lusting after my vampire boyfriend. Now I mostly yearn for vitamin D and dry socks. 

I don’t know about you, but I feel just about ready to enter my post-summer coma. After a full season of late nights, beach hangs and a packed schedule, even this social butterfly needs a break. That’s why this week I’m bringing you a full list of cool art events that you can swing by solo or with your comfort people. Most run for multiple days and some don’t require tickets so that you can stop by whenever inspiration strikes!

Hey Mood Swingers! (Do we like that name? No? Okay, I’ll keep workshopping it). We may be leaving Hot Girl Summer behind, but that means it’s time for what I am officially dubbing Artsy Fartsy Fall. The official tenets of Artsy Fartsy Fall are as follows: support local artists, discover new venues, wear stretchier clothes, consume media more consciously and make time for creativity! 

In the spirit of this transition, I have another week full of arts and culture events to inspire you. Cozy up at an outdoor movie, catch a Vancouver Fringe Festival show or flex your artistic muscles with the SAD team at our collage night.

It’s official. We are about to enter the final long weekend of the summer, and it’s time for me to do a wellness check. How is everyone feeling? Personally, I’m pretty satisfied. Last week, I swam among a bloom of non-stinging moon jellies off of Jug Island, a summer moment so perfect I didn’t even flinch when I saw the Halloween aisle was already being stocked at the store I went to later.

If you don’t already have long weekend plans to hop on a ferry, sleep in a tent or some other B.C. travel cliché, keep reading for this week’s list of events in the city to end your summer with a bang and don’t forget to subscribe to the Mood Swing newsletter to get the list straight to your inbox every Thursday!

I suffered a great tragedy last weekend. On Friday, I gathered a group of friends to go to my favourite karaoke dive bar, Funky Winker Beans, only to discover it was closed because a movie was filming there. The floors may be suspiciously sticky, the bathroom suspiciously wet and the beer suspiciously cheap, but it’s my favourite place to scream-sing Alanis Morissette. 

Instead, I was left cursing my lackluster planning. Lucky for you, I’ve done all the research, and I’m giving you the Mood Swing Guarantee™ that NONE of the events on this list will leave you stranded in your kitten heels on East Hastings. Keep reading to find your worry-free plans for the week and don’t forget to subscribe to the Mood Swing newsletter to get the list straight to your inbox every Thursday!

You know what they say: another Thursday, another edition of Mood Swing! Is anyone else wondering how it’s almost August already? If the summer scaries are starting to get to you too, fear not, I have a full itinerary of events, workshops and activities to help you embrace the season.