👁️‍🗨️ subculture scoop 👁️‍🗨️

where i usually spend my v-day -- happy af in some backstage basement

WHY HELLO THERE! Welcome to our Valentine's Edition, where everyone can sample what paid subscribers receive TWICE every single month.

Join us for just $3/issue. Paid subscribers also receive access to our event Gmail calendar that updates automatically (no hunting in your inbox after the blast)!

Next freebie is our Summer Festival Guide in a few months <3

Thank you so much to all our subscribers for continuing to make this list possible!


So ummkay. BIGGEST NEWS by far this week is that Vancouver Mural Festival announced its dissolution after what has seemed, from an outsider’s view, like a few tumultuous years behind the scenes (full announcement below).

As to be expected, this news has been met by the arts community with genuine sadness as well as newly enlarged eyeballs pointed in the direction of the city's arts funding.

Seeing how there's also been some new grant announcements, as well as posts from former DIY venues like Dolly saying that they will be starting back up in a new space (!) as a non-profit, I thought I’d take this opportunity to gently remind everyone that the classic non-profit story arc almost always begins underground.

I guarantee you've heard it: a grass roots organization starts amassing funding and power, and quickly realizes that both come hand in hand with perilous levels of scrutiny. Suddenly, finger-pointing runs the risk of becoming an art form in itself, justified by inevitable complaints, ambitious agendas, or whatever bottom-line figure is presented to board members that week without adequate context.

DON’T GET ME WRONG – I'm NOT saying don't become an NPO. Funding is helpful af, and of course they lend validity to what might otherwise look like a bunch of wild ravers dancing to techno while doing drugs in the back of a post office. (RIP Letterbox, BTW, they got busted.)

I'm just saying... be smart about it. ;) As VMF proved without a doubt, there's more than one way to paint the town.

OH!! Here's fifty ways to do just that over the next two weeks... scroll to "holiday hoopla" for the special V-day section, although there are plenty of fun heart-shaped listings throughout.

MUCH MUCH LOVE, xoxo <3 <3

Crystal Precious

📆 event calendar

TL;DR

every event featured in this issue chronologically:

use 'Ctrl+F' / '⌘+ F' / 'find in page' search functions to jump to an event's details & ticket links

🌱 DEADLINE: Feb 10 | APPLICATIONS FOR MUSICIANS AND PERFORMERS - Arts in the Garden Jun 14+15 @ North Van Arts
🌱 DEADLINE: Feb 28 | Active / Passive Vol. 7: Call for Artists Aug 8-10 @ Galiano Island
🌱 DEADLINE: Mar 15 & May 1 | APPLICATIONS FOR ARTISTS, VENDORS, VOLUNTEERS - Deep Roots Music Festival May 30-Jun 2 @ Kamloops
🍽️ Jan 22-Feb 9 | Dine Out Vancouver Festival @ 430 Restaurants
🛁 Jan 23-Feb 9 | THIRST TRAP - PuSh Festival @ Online
🎵 Jan 31 | AMBIENT/ETC 010 @ The Deli
😹 Jan 31 | Bear All Productions presents: Roots Country Music and Comedy Vol. 1 @ Wise Hall
😹 Jan 31 | Swipe Right, a Comedy Show about Dating @ Chill Pill Comedy
🌹 Feb 1, 4, 5, 6, 8 | Valentine's Crafty Classes with Janet @ 4747 Quebec St
📽️ Feb 3 | Echo - A Short Film & Eating Disorder Awareness Fundraiser @ La Fabrique St-George Winery
🍽️ Feb 5 | Progressive Indigenous Cuisine: An evening with Chefs Shane Chartrand & Dino Renaerts @ Bill Reid Gallery
🎨 Feb 5-28 | Black History and Futures Month Group Art Exhibition @ BAG
🌹 Feb 6 | Plz Date My Friend | Queer Dating Event @ R&B Ale & Pizza House
🎨 Feb 8 | The SSF Art Party + Fundraiser Launch @ InterUrban Gallery
🎤 Feb 8 | Quit While You’re Ahead: The Quitters Singing and Talent Show @ Commercial Dr Legion
🌹 Feb 8 & 9 | Valentine's Market! @ Eastside Flea
✒️ Feb 10 | Neko Case: The Harder I Fight the More I Love You | Vancouver Writers Fest @ Performance Works
🍜 Feb 12 | Noodle Mania Fest @ Vancouver
🌹 Feb 12 | [Valentine's Themed] DRAG BINGO @ Cider House
🌹 Feb 12 | Bloom connections - Valentines edition @ Cavo Bar+Kitchen
🌹 Feb 13+14 | Cuffing with Cupid @ Tightrope Improv Theatre
🌹 Feb 13, 14, 15 | A Hint of Romance: Dating & Mating in Victorian Times @ Roedde House Museum 
🌹 Feb 13-16 | Join Our LOVE IN ~ Art Meets Emotion @ Jig Space
😹 Feb 13-23 | Just For Laughs Comedy Festival @ Multiple Locations - Vancouver
🌱 Feb 14-16 | Song & Surf Music Festival @ Port Renfrew
🌹 Feb 14 | Valentine Day celebration with SOLOHA Singles Leisure Club (30+) @ Browns Socialhouse - Brentwood
🌹 Feb 14 | Valentine's Day: Burlesque Duos @ Rio Theatre
🌹 Feb 14 | Lonely Hearts Club: MadebyRunners Vol. 4 @ ANZA
🌹 Feb 14 | Passion Portal ~ Enchanted Valentine's Party! @ Waldorf
🌹 Feb 14 | The Rattle presents -LOVE LIFE- ❤️‍🔥Mr. Wu❤️‍🔥Biishop❤️‍🔥Sundog❤️‍🔥EZ Naive❤️‍🔥Sweet Anomaly❤️‍🔥 @ HYPHA ARTS
🌹 Feb 14 | Slumber Party @ Birdhouse
🌹 Feb 14 | With Love From Montréal @ Letterbox
🌹 Feb 14 | Call Super & Donna Crooner @ Paradise
🌹 Feb 14 | DOLLY Valentine's with Carlos Souffront (The Bunker NY - SF) + Syd Woz, John Lotman @ Vantek Warehouse
🇵🇸 Feb 15 | Palestine Fundraiser Show @ Take Your Time
🌹 Feb 15 | Valentines Dance Party @ Club Eden
🌹 Feb 15 | SIN CITY – Valentine's Fetish Ball @ Hollywood Theatre
🌹 Feb 15 | GHOST: CUPIDS CASTLE with Beau Bonez, Xiumei, EtOH, VioletNoise @ Gorg-O-Mish
🌹 Feb 15 | Homo Therapy part 1 Love Therapy! @ 1216 Bute St (fka XY)
🎵 Feb 16 | Big Bang! (Children's) Festival @ Roundhouse Community Centre
🍽️ Feb 16 | JE T'AIME - A French Valentine's Dinner with Chef Bruno Feldeisen @ Swallow Tail
🎵 Feb 16 | Babes On Babes // Queer Long Weekend Jam // Happy 2025 ;) @ Fortune Sound
🎵 Feb 18 | Stephlon Pine 01 @ The Cobalt
👟 Feb 22-24 | OBSIDIAN Vol. 2 @ The Post & Beaumont Studios
🍽️ Feb 23 | Dine and Donate Local - A Community Dinner for a Cause @ 4 Seasons Chaat & Curry House - New West
🎵 Feb 28 | DJ LAG - Njoki Njoki - Drac - Rammie @ Vantek Warehouse
🌱 Mar 21-23 | Salty Hearts Festival @ Bamfield

⚠ NO FOMO ⚠

top picks from previous issues:

💎 CP's Top Ten










💌 t.he.picks












✨ holiday hoopla














🍔 food & bevvies 🍻






👪 fam jams 🐕



⚠️ com munity action ☮️