23 things to do in Metro Vancouver on Wednesday, July 27

Looking for something to do on Wednesday? The Straight’s got you covered. Here are 23 events happening in or around Vancouver on Wednesday, July 27.

CONCERTS

Chicago R&B singer-songwriter BJ the Chicago Kid plays Alexander Gastown.

The second night of SHOREFEST at English Bay features performances by Loverboy, Gay Nineties, the Boom Booms, Twin Bandit, Oliver Swain, Locarno, and Lydia Hol.

Guitarist Don Alder performs jazz, folk, blues, roots, bluegrass, and world music at Darts Hill Garden Park in Surrey.

ETCETERA

Annual fireworks festival at English Bay features a performance by a pyrotechnics team from Australia.

FORUMS

Discussion at SFU Harbour Centre examines whether play is simply a repetition of the labor practices that we are induced to perform, or whether it holds an emancipatory potential. 

KIDS' STUFF

Playland features midway games, the Kids Playce, an arcade, a haunted mansion, and rides such as Atmosfear, Corkscrew, Hellevator, Music Express, and Wooden Roller Coaster.

Highlights of the Summer Fun Night at Richmond's King George Park Gathering Place include games, activities, face painting, and performance by DJ Derrick.

COMEDY

Vancouver comics are featured in an improvised show at the Rio Theatre inspired by the world's most popular role-playing game.

ARTS ETCETERA

Informal discussion of the Gordon Smith Gallery's Readymades exhibition, followed by an audience Q&A session.

DANCE

UMBRAL There is a way, a new work by pataSola dance at Roundhouse Community Centre, explores life, death and spirituality.

THEATRE

The Ensemble Theatre Festival presents The Country Wife at Jericho Arts Centre.

Theatre Under the Stars presents West Side Story at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park. Note: fireworks night, show starts at 7 pm.

Plan Z Theatre Company presents the classic Canadian play Salt-Water Moon, at Pacific Theatre.

Bard on the Beach presents Othello and The Merry Wives of Windsor at Vanier Park.

The Arts Club Theatre presents the retro-rock musical Rock of Ages at Granville Island Stage.

GALLERIES

The Vancouver Art Gallery hosts an exhibition that examines the significance of the six women who were inspirational to the artistic development of Picasso.

The Vancouver Art Gallery hosts the first major retrospective in North America of New Delhi based artist Bharti Kher.

Masters of applied art low residence graduate exhibition, 7, at Charles H. Scott Gallery.

MUSEUMS

The Museum of Anthropology at UBC presents the works of celebrated Vancouver-based artist Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun in Unceded Territories.

ATTRACTIONS

The VanDusen Botanical Garden features over 255,000 plants from around the world and almost two dozen sculptures.

At the Bloedel Conservatory you can take in more than 200 free-flying exotic birds and 500 exotic plants and flowers.

MOVIES

The Cinematheque presents screenings of 1985 neo-noir crime films To Live and Die in L.A. and Blood Simple.

Screening at Vancity Theatre of director Sergio Toporek's documentary about the history of mediated representation, Beware of Images, with Q&A session to follow.