Happy Tuesday, Vancouver. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Vancouver Brief serve up everything you need to know for the week ahead.
📰 In the news
Local happenings: Firefighter sheds PTSD with psychedelic therapy, Ritz Carlton rooftop drag tea party teases glamour, and Vancouver breaks ground on its third Vine bus route — catch up here.
State-level stories: North America’s largest hybrid ferry hits Puget Sound, new forest rules aim to widen buffers and cool streams, state unveils supports for queer youth — see what else is brewing.
National headlines: Ford is recalling over 850,000 cars with fuel pump flaws, NASA’s probe delivered closest Sun shots, and BlackRock plans private investments in 401k portfolios — peruse the best of the rest.
Highlights this week
- Join free intermediate ESL classes every Wednesday
- Meet monthly to navigate Clark County HomeShare
- Help spruce up Arbor Lodge Park
- Swap DIY eco-creations with your neighbors
- Learn budgeting essentials with Ida West
- Compare home equity loans for free
- Save $300 on Endurance auto repair coverage
🫶 We got your back
Breakfast: Why settle for bland toast when weekend mornings were made for bottomless mimosas and fluffy pancakes? We’ve rounded up the coziest spots around Vancouver where coffee flows freely and eggs benny never disappoints. Check ’em out here
Museums: From art galleries and sculptures to quirky historical niches, these must-visit museums are a great excuse to put on real pants and explore the city.
Home Fixes: Finding a plumber before your bathroom becomes a swimming pool is smart. Our shortlist of trusted plumbing pros helps you connect with the best of the best, whether you need ’em yesterday or six months from now.
Savings: Energy bills hitting harder than an afternoon shot of espresso? A few simple tweaks like draft stoppers and LED swaps can actually make a dent in your monthly statements. Get more energy-saving hacks here
👀 Why just read it when you could be in it?
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📆 Around town this week
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirey outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
This week
🎨 Pints & Palettes: Watercolor Workshop @ Baerlic Brewing Alberta | Wednesday (7/16) at 6:00pm – Baerlic Brewing Alberta doubles as your art studio, where Amy Wike leads you through watercolor basics and hands you hop-tastic templates to fill in. All supplies are covered, so you need to muster dry wit, a paintbrush, and a thirst for good beer.
🚀 Deep Space Adventure @ Ridgefield Community Library | Thursday (7/17) at 2:00pm – Think your biggest weekend risk is overcooking the roast? Deep Space Adventure is recruiting your crew for a live-action, choose-your-own-adventure trek through space hazards that feels like the Oregon Trail with lasers. Scavenge supplies, dodge cosmic curveballs, and impress your friends with real space trivia.
💃 History on Tap: Tour of México @ Clark County Historical Museum | Thursday (7/17) at 7:00pm – If you’ve survived one too many pub quizzes, History on Tap is shaking things up with a south-to-north Tour of México courtesy of Vancouver Ballet Folklorico. Expect vibrant color, gravity-defying skirts, live folk tunes, insider cultural tidbits, and a runway-style fashion moment. No passport required.
🌳 Arbor Lodge Park Stewardship Event @ Arbor Lodge Park | Friday (7/18) at 8:00am – Feel like flexing your green thumb? Join Portland’s horticulture pros at Arbor Lodge Park to prune, plant, and swap rogue squirrel stories. It’s the perfect excuse to play outdoorsy, impress your neighbors, and enjoy a little dirt therapy.
♻️ Homemade Eco-Living Swap!@ Kindred | Friday (7/18) at 10:00am – If you’re over fluorescent supermarket aisles, gather with fellow kitchen alchemists to swap lavender salve, beeswax wraps, and rogue wood polish recipes. Bring spare jars, curiosity, or just good humor, and leave richer in skills, spoils, and someone’s famous lavender scrub.
🪡 Jane Austen Inspired Embroidery @ Battle Ground Community Library | Friday (7/18) at 1:00pm – Take a break from the virtual world and pick up a needle for some Jane Austen inspired embroidery, celebrating her 250th birthday. We’ll stitch wisecracks from Elizabeth Bennet, florals fit for Pemberley, and avoid any awkward dance cards. No dukes required, just crafty conviction.
This weekend
📖 Northwest Book Fair @ Fort Vancouver Artillery Barracks | Saturday (7/19) at 10:00am – If you think your book addiction peaked in college, think again. The Northwest Book Fair brings PNW wordsmiths, indie publishers, and workshops fueled by too much cafe coffee. Chat up your future favorite author, snag a signed copy, and score bragging rights at book club.
🐦 Origami Toys @ Ridgefield Community Library | Saturday (7/19) at 10:30am – A workshop with Yuki Martin takes a sheet of paper and turns it into a spinning marvel, sans the tech headache. You’ll fold squares into interactive toys that flap, twist, and surprise you. No origami ninja skills required, dry wit and nimble fingers will do.
🚗 Cruise the Couve@ Uptown Village | Saturday (7/19) at 12:00pm – Whether you’re here for the ’70 Chevelle or just the people-watching, Cruise the Couve is our annual parade of chrome, muscle, and paint jobs rolling down Main Street. Grab a lawn chair, snag free parking up top, then enjoy the cavalcade at your leisure.
🌈 Boyeurism – The Pride Spectacular! @ Alberta Rose Theatre | Saturday (7/19) at 8:00pm – Pride weekend demands a rainbow-fueled spectacle, so head to BOYeurism where two Goliaths of Glam fuse drag, burlesque, circus, and dance into one decadent delight. Trust me, catching Trinity K. Bonet live beats your regular bar crawl, hands down.
🎭 Twelfth Night @ Metropolitan Performing Arts | Sunday (7/20) at 6:00pm – This summer’s Shakespeare in the back field launches with Twelfth Night and a free season announcement party. The whole shebang is free, so grab a lawn chair, revel in some witty wordplay, then stick around to snag next year’s show lineup and class details.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
🎶 Live music & entertainment
- 7/17 Women’s Drum Circle @ Love Potion Magickal Perfumerie – 5:30 pm
- 7/17 History on Tap: Tour of México @ Clark County Historical Museum – 7 pm
- 7/18 Stormdog @ Billy Blues – 9 pm
- 7/19 Twelfth Night @ Metropolitan Performing Arts – 6 pm
- 7/19 Boyeurism: The Pride Spectacular! @ Alberta Rose Theatre – 8 pm
- 7/20 Scooped Ice Cream Festival @ Esther Short Park – 11 am
- 7/21 Stunteddy’s Flea Circus @ Ridgefield Community United Methodist Church – 6 pm
- 7/22 Volbeat and more @ Cascades Amphitheater – 7 pm
This house is wild
*This 👇 could be your listing. Hit us up if you’ve got a home (or 12) to sell.
Listed by: Andrea Mayhew (Redfin)
A builder’s own home with serious bragging rights, this 4-bed, 3.5-bath Felida stunner lines up daily shows of sunrise, sunset, and alpenglow over both Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams. The primary suite is basically a boutique hotel, complete with a private coffee bar, spa-worthy bath, and a closet that could double as a runway.
Porcelain countertops, travertine floors, and a butler’s pantry make the main level equal parts glam and functional. Over 1,000 square feet of walk-in storage means there’s finally room for every hobby, holiday, and impulse Costco buy.
