James Harry’s Eye of the Ancestor. | Photo courtesy of The Polygon
Spring has arrived in Metro Vancouver! This time of year is perfect for diving into meaningful conversations, experiencing unforgettable performances and seeing the world from new angles. Whether it’s the movement of dance, the quiet beauty of blossoming trees, the energy of live music or the storytelling magic of theatre, there’s no shortage of ways to get inspired. And with Easter weekend in the mix, it’s an even better excuse to slow down a little, enjoy the season and make time for what brings you joy. As the days stretch longer and everything feels just a bit more alive, why not take advantage and explore everything happening around you?
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Network
March 20–April 12
www.unitedplayers.com/show/network
Now playing at the Jericho Arts Centre is Network, an adaptation for the stage by Lee Hall, based on the Paddy Chayefsky film. Howard Beale, a veteran news anchor who, after being fired for low ratings, has a public breakdown on live television. His angry, ranting broadcast unexpectedly becomes a huge ratings success, transforming him into a populist prophet and the network into a ratings powerhouse. The formidable Diana and her team of producers foresee the future and intend to seize power-at any cost. The play satirizes the corrupting influence of media conglomerates, where profit margins dictate content and the lines between news and entertainment blur. The satirical 1976 film by Paddy Chayefsky dominated the Academy Awards and was a prophetic masterpiece. Nearly 50 years later, this new, acclaimed stage adaptation remains a potent and provocative work of art as the world grapples with truth, authenticity and the search for meaning in a digital age.
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Canadian Adobo: Film Screening & Panel
March 25, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
https://vpl.bibliocommons.com/events/69851a511e64afd01e5975f9
Across Canada, there are Filipino migrant workers who left their own families in the Philippines to care for the families of others in Canada. The documentary film Canadian Adobo, directed by Kent Donguines, documents the emotional toll on overseas Filipino workers and their families through intimate family and group therapy sessions as they reconnect after separation, migration and displacement. Visit the Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch for a screening of Canadian Adobo. After the film, there will be a conversation with screening guests Kent Donguines (director and film protagonist) and Devine Calanog (Mango Mental Health), focused on migrant labour, family separation and community-led healing.
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Black Box Diaries: A Screening and Conversation with Shiori Ito
March 26, 7–10 p.m.
www.chancentre.com/events/black-box-diaries-a-screening-and-conversation-with-shiori-ito
Join journalist and filmmaker Shiori Ito for a screening and discussion of her widely-acclaimed, Oscar-nominated documentary memoir Black Box Diaries (2024) at the Chan Centre. Ito is an Oscar and BAFTA-nominated filmmaker, journalist, writer and activist. Her work focuses on gender-based human rights issues, for which she has been called one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2020. Black Box Diaries documents Ito’s investigation of her own sexual assault case, subsequent legal battle against the high-profile abuser and her role in sparking Japan’s #MeToo Movement. In addition to its nomination for Best Documentary Feature at the 97th Academy Awards, Black Box Diaries received a Peabody Award, among other recognitions.
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Wildwoman
March 26–April 4
www.gatewaytheatre.com/events/wildwoman
In Wildwoman, playing at the Gateway Theatre from March 26 to April 4, we follow the story of Catherine de Medici, the young, newlywed of King Henry II of France, who thinks her life at court will be a fascinating forum of political discourse. Instead, the palace is a cruel and disturbing place where her singular function is to be a baby-making machine for male heirs. Even the other women at her side, a scheming lady-in-waiting and the king’s power-hungry mistress, seem to mostly fend for themselves. The only kinship she finds is with the paperback-romance hot, head-to-toe hair wildman kept in the dungeon as one of the king’s collection of caged oddities. The power and cruelty of the French Royal Court awakens Catherine’s own wild side, and once she unleashes it, no one is safe from her vengeful wrath.
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Something Rotten!
March 26–April 19
www.langara.ca/studio-58/current-season/something-rotten
Something’s rotten in the state of England, where brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom run an unsuccessful theatre troupe. The pair are constantly outdone by the arrogant Shakespeare, who revels in his fame and fortune. Desperate to find some success of his own, Nick visits a soothsayer who suggests writing the world’s first musical. Side-splitting from start to finish, Something Rotten! is jam-packed with catchy songs and ridiculous antics! Playing live at Langara College’s Studio 58 from March 26 to April 19.
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Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival
March 27–April 17
The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival is the city’s signature springtime event and the annual celebration of cherry blossoms inspired by the age-old Japanese cultural tradition of hanami (flower viewing). Discover the essence of Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival through an array of annual events and installations, including the Big Picnic at David Lam Park and Sakura Days Japan Fair at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Visit the festival website for more information.
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Exploration Blank
April 9–June 27
Join a rotating, rag-tag crew of space explorers in an entirely improvised intergalactic romp at the Vancouver Improv Centre! From charting undiscovered star systems to being captured by alien civilizations, this out-of-this-world comedy show will be an entirely new adventure every night. The only two things you can expect? The unexpected AND laughter of cosmic proportions! Check out their website for tickets and more information.
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James Harry: Eye of the Ancestor
April 10–Oct. 18
www.thepolygon.ca/exhibition/james-harry-eye-of-the-ancestor
A new sculpture by James Harry marks The Polygon Gallery’s seventh collaboration and co-commission with Burrard Arts Foundation. Eye of the Ancestor is a striking yellow cedar wooden sphere, carved with Coast Salish designs on the surface and holding a mirror-polished steel sphere inside. The composition creates layered reflections and viewpoints that shift with the viewer’s movements around the sculpture. The title is rooted in Coast Salish visual language, where the eye signifies awareness, presence and continuity beyond the individual. The sculpture constructs this form as an immersive spatial system, transforming the eye into structure, threshold and interior. Through calibrated light, reflection and movement, the work enacts Indigenous pedagogies in material form, situating knowledge as relational, layered and revealed over time.
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Vancouver Vaisakhi Parade 2026
April 11, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
The Vancouver Vaisakhi Parade is one of the largest Sikh parades in the world. Attendees of all races and cultures are welcome at this celebratory and rich cultural event, which features a large number of floats, community performers and live music. Vancouver’s Vaisakhi Parade also features a unique element which pays tribute to the harvest celebration roots of the parade – attendees are given free food and drink from hundreds of local residents and businesses.
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Sakura Days Japan Fair 2026
April 11–12
Sakura Days Japan Fair celebrates all things Japan – from Japanese food, drink and performances, to music and art. Join us and immerse yourself in Japanese culture – participate in a traditional tea ceremony, try Japanese festival food, sample premium sake, learn new Japanese games and enjoy a range of cultural performances. Discover a wide variety of vendors and exhibitors featuring local Japanese food, crafts and businesses. Most activities will take place outdoors, with select vendors, tea ceremony and curated experiences that will take place indoors. There will be taiko drumming, theatre performances and woodworking demonstrations, just to name a few!
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