Things to Do in Vancouver – May 2025

The Bachelor-ish at The Improv Centre
Fridays and Saturdays through June 28
What we love about catching an improv show is that every single performance is unique! The Bachelor-ish at The Improv Centre on Granville Island features one hopeful improvisor looking for love, complete with limo entrances and that dramatic final rose ceremony, all packed into just 90 minutes. The bachelor in question will make their final choice from an eccentric cast of contestants created by the audience.

DOXA Documentary Film Festival
May 1 – 11
A must-attend event for documentary film enthusiasts, the annual DOXA Documentary Film Festival brings together a curated selection of ground-breaking documentaries from local and international filmmakers, providing a platform for thought-provoking films that challenge viewers to reflect on the world around them. This year’s festival includes 39 full-length features, plus 30 short or mid-length documentaries, along with industry events – all happening downtown or in Gastown. Many of the screenings have the directors in attendance, with a Q&A session following the film. New for this year is the paraDOXA series of experimental films that push the boundaries of the documentary form.

West End Farmers Market
Saturdays from May 3 through October 25
Just a block over from The Burrard, the West End Farmer’s Market is one of our favourite summer weekend stops, and this year, it’s opening a couple of weeks earlier! Each Saturday morning, around 30 vendors set up from 9 am through to 2 pm along the 1100 block of Comox Street. Whether you’re picking up coffee and pastries for breakfast on the go, the freshest fruit and veggies for a picnic, or homemade pickles and jams for gifts, you won’t want to miss this community market.

Top Drop Wine Festival
May 12 & 13
If the Vancouver International Wine Festival is too overwhelming, or you just find yourself seeking out the smaller producers, the annual Top Drop festival could well be what you’re looking for. Top Drop brings together 50+ wineries producing terroir-driven, handcrafted wines from around the world. Among those pouring are Marchesi di Barolo and Istine from Italy, Champagne Roger Constant Lemaire, Australia’s John Duval Wines, and local favourites Tantalus Vineyards, Blue Grouse, and Phantom Creek. This year, the main tasting room event at The Roundhouse in Yaletown on May 13 is joined by an introductory night of wine parties around the neighbourhood on the Monday night, with themes including Wine & Swine at The Flying Pig, and Umami Tsunami at Hapa Izakaya.