Things To Do This Week - July 31 - Aug 6, 2008

While it might feel like we're on the cusp of fall thanks to our gray weather these past few days, let's not forget that we're just starting August, which means lots of outdoor festivals, family activities, and fun-filled ways to pass the time in and around Vancouver. Here's what's happening this week:

1 -Thursday, July 31, 2008 - Amp Your Game

Whether you're a serious gamer or new to the world of Wii and XBox, the Amp Your Game National Gaming Tour has something for you. The expo takes over the Richmond Centre (6666 Minoru Blvd., Richmond) until Aug. 3. Visitors can test out hundreds of well known and up and coming games on 80 gaming stations, get tips from the pros, listen to DJ's and live music, and participate in gaming experience giveaways

2 - Bard on The Beach

Tonight at Vanier Park at 8 p.m. it's Titus Andronicus (Studio Stage) and Twelfth Night (Main Stage). Twelfth Night is a comedic play about shipwrecked twins and their love interests, and takes on the romantic style of 1920's Hollywood.Titus Andronicus is a tad more serious – think bloody, dramatic and full of vengeance and hate. Titus is set in the modern world, featuring a multitude of murderous plots and schemes. Parental discretion is advised.Purchase Bard on the Beach tickets online at www.bardonthebeach.org or by phone at 604-739-0559. Ticket prices vary by performance.

3 - Saturday, August 2, 2008 – HSBC Festival of Light

It's the last night of the fireworks, bringing together the three participating countries: Canada, USA and China for a grand finale. Each set of fireworks is set to music, simulcast on Rock 101 (101.1 FM). The show starts at 10 p.m. in English Bay – rain or shine – so dress warmly and bring an umbrella as there's a good chance we'll be seeing rain on Saturday. Check out the song lineup and event info at www.celebration-of-light.com.

4 - Sunday, August 3, 2008 – Pride Parade

Vancouver's 30^th annual Pride Parade kicks off Pride Week downtown at Robson and Thurlow at 12 p.m. With over 100 parade entries, the Pride Parade brings together members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered communities and their supporters for a unique event and festival. It's one of the most popular gay and lesbian festivals in the world, due largely to Vancouver having the largest gay population in Western Canada. The procession of parade floats and performers heads west to Denman and Pacific, finishing at Sunset Beach. See the Vancouver Pride Society's site at www.vancouverpride.ca, or our page on Vancouver Pride Week at vancouver.com/community/gay_vancouver for plenty of other highlights.

5 - Monday, August 4, 2008 – Rays For Darfur

Show your opposition for the genocide in Darfur, a region in western Sudan. The 5^th Global Day for Darfur focuses on the ongoing genocide on children and youth in Darfur, and attemps to spread awareness about the hundreds of thousands of people who have been killed since 2003.

The rally in Vancouver is sponsored by Amnesty International and Canadian Students for Darfur, and features a day of sporting activities, performances, face painting, contests, a dunk tank and a barbecue to raise funds. If you'd like to volunteer or learn more about Darfur, see www.csfdarfur.net or email info@csfdarfur.net.

The rally will be held in Central Park in Burnaby from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

6 - Tuesday, August 5, 2008 – Feist

Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter Feist will be at Deer Lake Park to perform from her latest CD, The Reminder. Originally from Calgary, Feist is both a solo performer and part of the band Broken Social Scene. Her hit 1,2,3,4 propelled her to fame when it was used in an Ipod Nano commercial – taking her from small town bars to sold out concert arenas in no time flat. The show also features indie band the Weakerthans.

Tickets are $49.50 (plus fees and service charges) at www.ticketmaster.ca, and the show starts at 7 p.m.

7 - Wednesday, August 6, 2008 – Green Words, Growing The Language

Visual artist Nicole Dextras – a 1986 graduate of Emily Carr – is showcasing an eco-art installation at Van Dusen Botanical Garden (5251 Oak St). The artist will be adding to and working on the green installation at some times during the exhibition period, which runs until mid-September. Find more information at www.vandusen.org, or stop by Dextras' Granville Island studio, which is open to the public.