Pride, light and chillin' in the park: Things to do in Vancouver this weekend

A moment from Team Malaysia's display in the 2024 Honda Celebration of Light is shown. (CTV News)

The last weekend of July brings with it the end of a fireworks festival and the beginning of annual Pride festivities. Here are some of the events happening in Vancouver over the next few days.

Canada Pride Opening Ceremony

The parade and festival are happening next weekend, but the Vancouver Pride Society is kicking off what it has dubbed "Canada Pride 2024" with an opening ceremony Friday evening.

The Canada Pride Opening Ceremony will feature Indigenous and drag performances at the Bubly Davie Street Lounge, 1207 Bute St., from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Additional events and performances will be held at the lounge and around the city throughout the week. A full schedule can be found on the Vancouver Pride website.

Celebration of Light concludes

Saturday is the final night of the 2024 Honda Celebration of Light. Teams from Portugal and Malaysia dazzled the crowds on July 20 and 24, respectively. Now it's the United Kingdom's turn.

Hundreds of thousands of spectators are expected to make their way to English Bay once again for the annual fireworks tradition.

The winner of the fireworks competition is typically announced during the week following the final performance.

Wrexham vs. Whitecaps

The Vancouver Whitecaps will host an international friendly match with Wrexham AFC, the Welsh club co-owned by Ryan Reynolds and fellow actor Rob McElhenney, at BC Place on Saturday.

“Last year Rob got to bring Wrexham to Philly. This year it's my turn,” Reynolds said in a statement when the friendly was announced earlier this year.

Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

Beverage festivals at the PNE

A pair of ticketed events at the PNE this weekend will celebrate food and drink.

On Saturday, it's "Punchbowl" – a "festival of cocktails and tacos," where more than 200 spirits, beers, cocktails, ciders and wines will be on offer.

Then, on Sunday, it's "Rosé Disco," a wine tasting and dance party featuring more than 30 rosé wines and live DJs playing house music.

Chillin' in the Park

A free event with a similar aesthetic will unfold in Mount Pleasant on Saturday, when the local business improvement association hosts the "Chillin' in the Park Music & Beer Festival" in Dude Chilling Park.

Live music, "local restaurant pop-ups," and craft beer from local breweries will all be on offer from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Chinatown Mini Night Market and Film Night

Chinatown Together will host a mini night market and film screening on Sunday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Local food vendors, live performances and a beyblade competition are all on the agenda for the event at Chinatown Memorial Plaza, 135 to 137 Keefer St.

The film portion of the event will begin with a screening of the first episode of "In Chinatown," followed by the cult classic "Shaolin Soccer."

With files from MOVE 103.5's Leanne McLaren and The Canadian Press