I love to head down to Vancouver’s downtown arts district for First Friday. On the first Friday evening of every month, the streets are lively with people and shops stay open until 8pm with art shows, poetry readings, and artisan stationery.
My first stop was Art at the Cave where they partnered with Pacific Northwest Collage Collective to host a group show of collage art. The walls were filled with so much variety and creativity on display.
Photo by Carla Christian
Next, I ventured over to Aurora Gallery on Main Street. A staple in downtown Vancouver for 20 years, this gallery features the work of more than 40 local artists as well as offering all types of custom framing and art restoration. They were showing two special exhibits by local painters and one-of-a-kind paintings, photographs, ceramics, woodcraft, and more.
Photo by Carla Christian
Right next door is Eryngium Papeterie, a treasure chest of hand-printed stationery, paper crafting supplies, and unique jewelry from artisans and estate finds. There’s so much to explore here, I circled through the store several times and I still don’t think I took it all in.
Photo by Carla Christian
Tucked into a sprawling basement space at the corner of Main Street and Evergreen Boulevard is Birdhouse Books. This local bookseller specializes in vintage and used tomes with amission to “keep books and information circulating in the community and to provide a resource hub for local writers, artists, and humans seeking real world connection.” On Friday nights they host poetry readings that are free and open to anyone, and other days you’ll find writer’s workshops, art displays, and popup markets. I enjoyed poring over the eclectic collection of books and magazines in this cozy space.
Photo by Carla Christian
Make it a full evening with dinner out at one of the local downtown eateries. Behind darkened windows, Coral Club recreates a tiki bar complete with umbrella drinks and crackling thunder and lightning effects. 7 Restaurant delivers the flavors of Bosnia and Elements serves delicious cuisine that merges global flavors with locally sourced ingredients. I have to save room for dessert because I don’t want to miss a stop at Treat. Their homemade ice cream flavors and desserts are delicious; I love the Fudgy Brownie and Hothouse Rhubarb Crumble, with a scoop of ice cream of course.
Finish your night with a movie at the historic 1936 Kiggins Theatre. They show a mix of vintage films, arthouse flicks you won’t find anywhere else, and live events like comedy shows, lectures, and instrumentals. The theatre was designed by architect Day Walter Hilborn in the Art Deco style using formed concrete to create decorative motifs on both interior and exterior. The “Kiggins” neon sign is original, as are some of the interior light fixtures.
Photo by Carla Christian
