Saturday November 1, 10am (approx. 90 minutes)
Meet at SW corner of Victory Square, W. Pender & Hamilton
$10, pay-what-you-can for local residents
On June 13, 1886, an out-of-control clearing fire destroyed most of the newly-incorporated city of Vancouver in less than one hour. Author Lisa Anne Smith shares stories from her newly-released bookVancouver Is Ashes: The Great Fire of 1886. Revisit the Great Fire with Lisa as she brings to life stories of numerous fire survivors: visit the sites and discover why! Learn how Vancouver rose from the ashes within weeks of the fire’s aftermath. The walking tour will progress from the east end of Gastown, through to the final commentary on the Main Street overpass leading to CRAB Park.

Friday October 31, 7pm – 9:45pm
Carnegie Theatre, 401 Main
Tonight is Hallowe’en and the spooky Carnegie Centre invites you to put on your most frightful face and join in the dance! The band, SeaSmoke, plays a wide range of dance music and rock ‘n roll! Featuring neighbourhood darlings Peggy Wilson (guitar, vocals and bass), Rose Eide (vocals and percussion), Murray Black (vocals, keyboard and bass), Russell Styles (sax), and Robert Inglis (vocals, drums and percussion). It’s all about dancing, so brush up your scary moves and join the ghouls at Carnegie for a bone-rattling good time!

Free. Everyone welcome!

Friday October 31, 1pm – 3pm
Gam Gallery, 110 E. Hastings
Exhibition October 18 to November 14 

Meet artist documentarian Louise Francis-Smith and view Window/Community, an exhibition of her photographs. For over thirty years Louise has focused her lens on the architecture and people in the streets of historic Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside. Her work captures the streets half-undressed, when morning light brings its warmth and beauty to old wood and brick buildings. The derelict and the patina, old and new, ruin and renovation, collide in images that belong to the decades-old genre of street photography, revealing the human condition below the surface of things. Her work reflects and uncovers layers of complexity in this vibrant and sometimes heartbreaking neighbourhood.

Exhibit hours: Fri and Sat, 1pm-5pm and by appointment: www.gamgallery.com.

Thursday October 30, 7pm – 9pm
Floral & Hardy Edible Plants, 688 E. Hastings

The newest and hippest flower shop ‘slash’ gallery in the Downtown Eastside opens their doors to celebrate what would have been Louis Riel’s 170th birthday. A controversial Canadian hero, Riel was founder of the province of Manitoba, a political leader of the Métis people of the Canadian prairies, and fierce advocate for Métis rights and self-determination. Forced into exile in 1870, Riel was elected a Member of Parliament three times, and upon his return to Canada he was arrested, tried and executed.

Join guest drummers Harmony of Nations, master of ceremony Bill Beauregarde, dancer Yvonne Chartrand and fiddler Kathleen Nisbet to share music, stories and history of Louis Riel and the Métis people of Canada.

Coffee and dessert by donation.