Stir Cheat Sheet: 5 happenings to check out at the Eastside Arts Festival’s all-day MacLean Park party

From an indie garage-pop concert by Twin River to a plant pot–decorating workshop, here are just a few of the free offerings in store

By Emily Lyth

Twin River. Photo by Grady Mitchell

The Eastside Arts Festival takes place from July 18 to 27; The Strathcona BIA sponsors a MacLean Park event on July 26 from 1 pm to 7 pm, with live music presented in partnership with the Rickshaw Theatre

THE EASTSIDE ARTS FESTIVAL is back bigger than ever for its fifth edition this year.

As Stir covered in the lineup announcement last month, of note is the return of the fest’s flagship outdoor event; this year, the free party will be at MacLean Park on July 26. Stop by anytime from 1 pm to 7 pm to participate in art-making workshops, browse a pop-up shop with handmade goods, and watch mainstage music performances by Janky Bungag, Twin River, the ReViberators, and Madelyn Read.

With such a diverse mix of offerings, here are five of our recommendations.

#1

Twin River

Garage-pop bands are arguably best suited to balmy summer days, and Vancouver-based indie duo Twin River definitely fits the bill. Vocalist-guitarist Courtney Ewan and guitarist Andy Bishop are known for feel-good instrumentals and melancholy lyrics. Take the track “I’m Alright”, for example, off Twin River’s latest collection, When We Think About Time; “I wonder if I were to ask you to stay, if you would think about it and say no anyway,” croons Ewan wistfully as the song transitions into a groovy guitar breakdown. Perfect daydreaming music, if you ask us. Catch the duo’s performance at 4:40 pm on the mainstage.

Leslie Martin.

Bubble Fight Club, Original on Canvas 002.

#2

Bubble Fight Club

Leslie Martin, an artist with bipolar disorder, works to destigmatize conversations about mental health through her business. She creates artwork using pigmented soap bubbles—a beautifully unpredictable method reflecting the fact that even though we can’t always control what happens in life, we can control our mindset.

Martin will be one of the Eastside Art Shop vendors in Tent #2 at MacLean Park. Keep an eye out for her colourful canvas originals made from popped bubbles in shades of cerulean, violet, and magenta. She also sells earrings, necklaces, keychains, and patches, as well as ear flourishes—which don’t require a piercing to wear, as they hook behind the ear—adorned with dangly neon dice and fair-trade paper beads.

Janky Bungag.

#3

Janky Bungag

Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Merle Haggard are all sources of inspiration for this Vancouver-based cowpunk artist. Bungag, who is of Filipinx-Canadian heritage, blends classic country-bluegrass twang with songwriting that’s got just the right amount of grime. Check out the lyrics on one of his latest tracks, an upbeat number called “Brandy” that’s about an ex’s dog:

“We’d roll by Robson Park, where we used to toss the ball
The memories that we shared, I wish I could forget them all
You would roll in something dead, while I lit my cigarette
I’d be wonderin’ why you smelled like mouldy bread.”

Lonesome, goofy, and a little hard-edged—it’s a track that’ll surely get the Eastside Arts Festival crowd slappin’ knees and stompin’ boots. Bungag’s set starts at 5:40 pm.

Workshop participant at last year’s Eastside Arts Festival all-day event. Photo by Wendy D Photography

#4

Alternative Creations Studio

Since 2013, this East Van studio has been supporting artists with developmental disabilities by hosting community workshops, engaging in collaborative initiatives, and offering shared work spaces.

At MacLean Park, Alternative Creations will be putting on a workshop called Let’s Grow, which involves decorating pots and planting flowers as a means of reflecting on patience, self-care, and personal growth. Stop by Tent #1 to check it out in the Eastside Art Zone.

The beer garden at last year’s Eastside Arts Festival outdoor event.

#5

Strange Fellows Brewing beer garden

What better way to enjoy an outdoor art event than by sipping an ice-cold bevvy? Over in Tent #4, choose from a selection of beer and wine by Strange Fellows Brewing, one of the companies participating in the festival-long Beer Passport—a new fundraising initiative that allows folks to embark on a self-guided craft-brewery crawl through the Eastside Arts District. On a sunny afternoon, you can’t go wrong with the golden-hued Strange Fellows Talisman, a popular West Coast pale ale with hints of tropical citrus.  

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