Guide dog showcase, art of henna, mini horse storytime, and more. 
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: A backyard Civil War cannonball triggering a bomb squad and an art win, Californians boosting local home prices, and a guide dog showcase — catch up here.
State-level stories: Landlords pay fines for illegal rent surges, Washington teams with feds on sustainable aviation fuel, and billions sit unclaimed in state coffers — see what else is brewing.
National headlines: New SSA tech offers more reliable service, national recalls, and a housing market update — peruse the best of the rest.
Highlights this week
- Join free weekly ESL class at library
- Get 15-minute tech help Tuesday
- Join ASL conversation circle for adults
- Learn to safely forage mushrooms and plants
- Create accessible crafts for adults with disabilities
- Get $400 off Windows with Renewal By Andersen
🫶 We got your back
Decor: From indie boutiques to crystal curiosities, Vancouver’s scene is full of hidden gems you didn’t know you needed. These home decor shops will take your space from blah to beautiful.
Oddities: Ever driven down the road and stumbled on a troll hiding under a bridge? Or spotted a metal goat that literally eats your garbage? These bizarre attractions will make your next drive a story you’ll love to tell.
Cleaning: Tackling the whole house can feel like climbing Everest in flip-flops… who even has the energy for that? This cleaning checklist breaks the job into manageable bites so you can crush it room by room.
Bakery: Whether you’re in the mood for a wood-fired sourdough boule that crackles like morning toast or a croissant so flaky it practically stages a pastry uprising, The Loaf Bakery turns every carb craving into a mouthwatering masterpiece.
Finance: Ready to break up with debt for good? National can help you cut ties, pay up to 30% less than you owe, and finally get some peace. This isn’t your average debt relief advice… it’s a financial fresh start, complete with a happy cry or two when your balance hits zero.
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📆 Around town this week
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
This week
🦕 Kids Summer Playdate: Dinosaur Dig @ Vancouver Mall | Tuesday (8/12) at 11:30am – Who knew the mall could transform into a mini Jurassic Park for tiny tomb raiders? This final summer playdate is free, featuring dino crafts, fossil digs, build zones, and even a caricature artist to immortalize your kid’s triumphant “Look, I hold a T-Rex bone!” grin.
🎨 Space Painting @ Cascade Park Community Library | Tuesday (8/12) at 3:00pm – Ready to swap your latte art for lunar landscapes? Shake, rattle, and roll your way through neon nebulae, googly-eyed aliens, and textures borrowed from distant star clusters, where your clumsiest brushstroke might just become an interstellar masterpiece.
🌿 Art of Henna @ Vancouver Community Library | Wednesday (8/13) at 3:30pm – Swing by the local library for a Roving Horse Henna workshop exploring henna’s history, culture, and chemistry. You’ll leave with a beautiful design, not just a doodle. Bonus: expert aftercare tips so it lasts longer than your last fad.
🔄 Art & Sculpture Swap @ Kindred | Friday (8/15) at 10:00am – Grab your half-forgotten sculpture and dusty canvas, and swing by this art swap where finished works get traded like baseball cards, only refined. Meet fellow creatives, nab a new conversation piece without spending a cent, and pass your masterpiece along to someone who’ll appreciate it.
🐴 Mini Horse Storytime @ Cascade Park Community Library | Friday (8/15) at 11:00am – This storytime marries bedtime tales with pint-sized hoofed celebrities Mystical and Pearl. You’ll cozy up for a few themed yarns, then meet the minis, tackle a glue-stick craft, and snack like you’re reliving recess. Because who said storytime was just for grown-ups?
This weekend
⚾ Lindsey Strong Memorial Baseball Tournament @ Mountain View High School | Saturday (8/16) at 9:00am – Small-town pride peaks at a baseball jamboree that drafts your kid onto a team and raises money for families hit by life’s curveballs. With three age brackets, custom tees, and more volunteer spots than you can count, dust off your mitt and play.
🥋 We Are Kajukenbo Tum Pai Seminars @ Wilson Family Martial Arts Academy | Saturday (8/16) at 10:00am – Skip the usual brunch line and swing by Wilson Family Martial Arts for a crash course in Kajukenbo Tum Pai. Five veteran masters will demystify joint locks, footwork, and the art of staying upright. $50 gets you sweaty, $20 lets you cheer from the sidelines.
🗺️ Map Masterpieces @ Ridgefield Community Library | Saturday (8/16) at 11:00am – Let’s unleash your inner explorer in a map-making workshop that covers cartography basics, supplies every material, and sends you home with your own bespoke map. It’s a sly reminder you know those unpaved side streets better than your GPS.
🎂 VCMeet 10-Year Anniversary | Saturday (8/16) at 4:00pm – This laid-back car meet celebrates ten years of community, curated vendors, and well-mannered engines parked in the Red Lots at Clark College. Bring the kids, leave the burnouts and booze dreams at home, and bask in some good old-fashioned local camaraderie.
🎸Ramble On: Led Zeppelin tribute @ 14 Acres Vineyard and Winery | Sunday (8/17) at 6:00pm – Nothing cures Sunday scaries like a vineyard stage rocking with Stairway to Heaven. This Led Zeppelin tribute band nails the riffs, the wails, and yes, the crowd singalongs. Pack your picnic blanket, grab a glass, and pretend it’s 1971.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
🎶 Live music & entertainment
- 8/13 Creed @ Cascades Amphitheater – 7 pm
- 8/13 Wednesday Trivia @ Oakshire Beer Hall – 7 pm
- 8/14 Wiz Khalifa @ Cascades Amphitheater – 6:30 pm
- 8/15 Generator @ Billy Blues – 9 pm
- 8/15 Lamont Landers @ Polaris Hall – 9 pm
- 8/16 The NyteByrds @ Cameo – 7 pm
- 8/16 Above & Beyond @ Cascades Amphitheater – 7 pm
- 8/16 Scotty McCreery @ Ilani Casino Resort – 8 pm
- 8/16 Beach Party @ Billy Blues Bar – 9 pm
- 8/17 Cyndi Lauper @ Cascades Amphitheater – 7:30 pm
🏠️ This house is wild
Listed by: Brian Combs (Keller Williams Realty)
Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired lines meet jaw-dropping Columbia River views in this fully reimagined showpiece perched on a manicured acre along historic Evergreen Highway. The 9-foot-deep pool, complete with Cabo deck, diving board, and shooting water features, is basically a private resort, while the outdoor kitchen flips open to the sleek indoor chef’s space. A six-car garage with epoxy floors, home theater, and a glass-encased 108-bottle wine wall add a little extra swagger.
Inside, find a 9-foot-wide glass entry, custom mono staircase, and a spa-worthy primary suite with a soaking tub and walk-in closet that glows. From the infrared-heated patio to the rubber-matted gym and lighted art hallway, every corner is dialed in. Ten minutes to PDX, yet worlds apart.
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