Circa performers in Wolf.| Photo courtesy of The Cultch.
Summer may be behind us, but autumn in Vancouver is just getting underway. This season brings a wealth of events and festivals that delight the senses and lift the spirit. As the trees ignite with brilliant colours, the city transforms into a vibrant canvas of experiences. From mesmerizing dance productions to thought-provoking film festivals, every corner holds something new to discover. Take a look at some of the events below; you might just find your next adventure.
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Burnaby Art Gallery’s New Acquisitions
Now until Nov. 2
The Burnaby Art Gallery’s New Acquisitions celebrates recent gifts and purchases to the City of Burnaby Permanent Art Collection, a creative resource that tells the story of our community and connects Burnaby to artists and practices worldwide. Representing both the collection trends of local citizens who have generously donated artworks, as well as the mandate of the Gallery to preserve works from diverse perspectives into the future, New Acquisitions showcases a deep plurality of voices. The exhibition features recent work from Shuvinai Ashoona, Chun Hua Catherine Dong, Rawan Hassan, Karice Mitchell, Kimberly Fulton Orozco, Manuel Axel Strain and Tania Willard, as well as historical works by Garo Antreasian, Glenn Brown, Honoré Daumier, Salme Kaljur, Concordia Klar, Pedro Puerta, Ann Newdigate, Robert Rauschenberg, Parviz Tanavoli, Kunisada Utagawa, Andy Warhol and more. There will also be a Curator’s Tour on Oct. 3 at noon.
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Ichigo Ichie – The Fruit that Bears Secrets
Now until Dec. 20
www.theactmapleridge.org/ichigo-ichie-the-fruit-that-bears-secrets
Ichigo Ichie – The Fruit that Bears Secrets is a solo exhibition by multi-disciplinary artist Cindy Mochizuki. Ichigo Ichie roughly translates to ‘once in a lifetime,’ which speaks to the dream of Issei (Japanese-born immigrants) to come to Canada for new opportunities. Issei worked hard to cultivate farmland in an unfamiliar (and sometimes hostile) environment. Their lives were disrupted when World War II broke out, and 22,000 men, women and children were forced into internment camps under the War Measures Act. Through mediums of digital animation and immersive installation, this exhibition explores the history of Japanese Canadian berry farmers who settled and worked in the Fraser Valley prior to World War II. The foundation of Mochizuki’s art practice is memory work with Nikkei (Japanese immigrants and their descendants), by visiting and collecting their stories about the past, many of whom were children at the time.
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International South Asian Film Festival
Sept. 24–28
The International South Asian Film Festival is committed to contributing towards a strong, diverse and inclusive Canadian society. Through arts and culture that play a critical role in strengthening communities and economies, the festival pursues progressive, innovative and inclusive ways to celebrate South Asian stories, artists and filmmakers of South Asian descent, and connect them to a global audience. The 2025 festival theme is LEGACY, where they will reflect on the stories – past, present and future – that have shaped audiences and redefined what’s possible in South Asian film, television and entertainment. iSAFF 2025 is both a celebration of the legacy of South Asian cinema and a tribute to the festival’s own journey – championing bold, inclusive storytelling for over a decade.
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The Immigrant
Sept. 25–28, 7:30 – 10 p.m.
www.italianculturalcentre.ca/event-details/the-immigrant-theatre-production-2025-09-27-19-30
Visit the Italian Cultural Centre for an unforgettable evening of theatre, where drama, emotion and family conflict come alive on stage. The story unfolds almost entirely inside The Immigrant Café, a family-run gathering place owned by the Corsi family. Set in present-day North America, the play begins with the passing of Antonio Corsi. His three children are suddenly faced with difficult decisions about the café’s future and their own lives. When Harvey Rothstein, a shady businessman known for his ruthless ways, arrives determined to purchase the café, tensions rise and the drama intensifies. What follows is a powerful tale of family bonds, loyalty and the struggle to hold on to one’s roots in an ever-changing world. Expect moments that will stay with you long after the curtain falls by enjoying this theatre production brought to you by a collaboration between Il Centro and the East West Players! Don’t miss this unique opportunity to support local theatre and experience a compelling story told by a talented cast and crew.
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NDN Giver
Sept. 27, 2025–Jan.25, 2026
www.billreidgallery.ca/blogs/exhibitions-page/ndn-giver
This exhibition marks the solo curatorial debut of the Bill Reid Gallery’s assistant curator, Amelia Rea (Haida). Focusing on the tradition of gift-giving within potlatch ceremonies, it reflects on reciprocity and how these practices continue to evolve. Bringing together works by multiple artists alongside select pieces from Amelia’s personal collection, the exhibition presents contemporary potlatch gifts – such as prints and mugs – alongside archival records that document historic potlatches. Check out the gallery’s website for tickets and more information.
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WOLF
Oct. 1–18
https://thecultch.com/event/wolf
The Cultch will present WOLF, a gasp-inducing acrobatic thrill ride, at the York Theatre this month. Clad in designer Libby McDonnell’s form-hugging costumes and set to DJ Ori Lichtik’s relentless primal rhythms, the cast of ten extraordinary Circa artists grasp, tear, climb, leap and balance with fierce abandon. For director Yaron Lifschitz, the wolf is a symbol of our untameable selves: liberating, anarchic and savage. In two contrasting acts, the wolves evolve from disruptive forces of chaos into a ferocious pack whose intense choreographies overflow with raw energy and astounding physicality. Join the pack. Check out The Cultch’s website for tickets and more information.
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Murderers / The Turn of the Screw
Oct. 1–19
The White Rock Players’ Club will open with a unique offering: two suspense-filled plays by Jeffrey Hatcher, a master of suspense and adaptation. The Turn of the Screw is based on the Henry James tale of a governess that is hired to look after two children of an absent father, only to learn that the first governess disappeared under unusual circumstances. In Murderers, we meet three people describing their misdeeds in detail to the audience – we know whodunnit, and we get to learn firsthand the why and how – often with humorous observation and irony. Check out the player’s website for tickets and more information.
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The Time Machine
Oct. 2–12
https://students.langara.ca/studio-58/current-season/current-time-machine.html
Langara College’s Studio 58 will host, based on the classic science fiction novel by H. G. Wells, their production of The Time Machine. A riveting voyage through time to the year 802,701, The Traveler, joined by his eccentric assistant Filby and their dinner party guests, travels to a post-apocalyptic world populated by Eloi and Morlocks. When the Traveler meets Weena, a lonely Eloi who longs for connection, social divides become impossible to ignore. For tickets and more information, check out the website.
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14th Annual Mushtari Begum Festival of Indian Classical Music and Dance
Oct. 4, 7–9 p.m.
www.masseytheatre.com/event/mbf-2025
The 14th Annual Mushtari Begum Festival of Indian Classical Music and Dance returns to the Massey Theatre on Oct. 4 with a celebration of the timeless forms of Indian classical music and dance. This festival was started by New Westies Cassius Khan and Amika Kushwaha as a tribute to Khan’s late guru, the Ghazal Queen Mushtari Begum. Every year, Cassius and Amika would invite some of the finest Canadian and Indian artists to showcase their talents at this one-of-a-kind event. Music and dance hold no barriers, and you don’t need any prior knowledge to enjoy and be immersed in the performances.
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Waleed Kush Afro Jazz
Oct. 4, 7:30–9 p.m.
www.caravanbc.com/events/waleed-kush-afro-jazz-vancouver-show
The Waleed Kush Afro-Jazz Ensemble combines the impelling ancient rhythms of Africa with exhilarating, modern jazz improvisations. From Nubia, Sudan, to Harlem and Toronto, their rhythms are played in what is considered “odd time” in Western music, combining jazz chord progressions with traditional African rhythms to produce an entrancing experience. Waleed tells stories atop an imaginative musical landscape, inspired by the chanting and vocal phrasing which have accompanied these rhythms since ancient times. Each composition narrates an experience or journey, continually changing depending on what story the musicians want to tell. Sometimes these experiences are personal, sometimes they are historical, sometimes they are a retelling of the past of the Nile and Nubian pyramids. Each musical journey creates a relationship between the storyteller (the band) and the audience. Waleed sings in over 15 African and Western languages, celebrating the African diaspora in Canada. As the band leader, Waleed has received numerous awards for different solo and group projects, being awarded and nominated for several Juno and Grammy awards.
