Stir Cheat Sheet: 4 eye-catching acts and events at all-new Flats Fest

Live music from KALLITECHNIS and Cody Lawless, plus a Nemesis Coffee collab, community art project, and more

By Emily Lyth

KALLITECHNIS. Photo by @braysbrain

THE INAUGURAL Flats Fest on August 26 offers an array of late-summer offerings, from stellar live music to caffeinated cocktails on an outdoor patio to an artisan market. Oh, and don’t forget the well-stocked beer garden, family fun-filled kids zone, array of local food trucks, or free community workout.

Organized by Low Tide Properties and PCI Developments, the festival takes place in the South of Vancouver’s False Creek Flats area, on the plaza just outside 565 Great Northern Way.

It’s a community-oriented affair, with events planned to bring residents together. Music on the main stage is at 2 pm from Hayley Wallis, 3 pm from Cody Lawless, and 5 pm from KALLITECHNIS, all Canadian artists. There’s also multiple performances on a kids stage to check out, including the Snow Sisters’s Frozen-themed act; a live show and demonstration put on by Science World; and a Tinkerbell and Peter Pan presentation.

Additionally, the kids zone will be home to free ice cream from Rain or Shine, a VR car-racing experience put on by Vancouver Community College, a bouncy castle, arts and crafts, and more.

For the adults, a beer garden is replete with brews from Red Truck Beer Company, plus beverages from Mark Anthony Wine & Spirits and 1933 Liquor Co.

To round it all off, an artisan market curated by Made in the 604 offers jewellery and clothing from small local businesses, along with free cupcakes, hand massages, and polishing services provided by Vancouver Community College.

Here are some of the highlights:

#1

KALLITECHNIS

Montreal-born musician Cassandra Kouremenos is KALLITECHNIS, an effervescent pop-R&B act who creates using the mantra “soul over ego”. Last year, her song “Gifted” earned her a Contemporary R&B/Soul Recording of the Year nomination at the Juno Awards, and her irresistible sound has amassed millions of Spotify streams. Fresh off her latest single, July’s “Can U Make Me?” with Young Saab and Cartel Madras, KALLITECHNIS’s vivacious, feel-good songs are sure to have the crowd grooving along.

Cody Lawless. Photo by Viper Visuals

#2

Cody Lawless

Formerly making music under the pseudonym KNOWN., indie-pop artist Cody James Henn has rebranded himself—or rather, de-branded himself—with a an authentic indie sound. The Mission, B.C.-born-and-raised artist’s music falls somewhere between Foster the People’s upbeat dream-pop and Australian surf-rock band Skeggs. Listeners can expect to hear songs off Lawless’s debut album Sunshine State of a Happy Camper, replete with bongo-beat dance bops and cheery, West Coast-vibe guitar strums.

Lychee Matcha Fizz.

Hibiscus Espresso Tonic.

#3

Nemesis Coffee

Easily recognizable by their striking exterior of metallic red shingles that form a sort of inverted geometric flower, Nemesis Coffee has a new location in the heart of the fest—and is serving up three specialty drinks to celebrate (all available with alcohol or virgin). Keep it classic with a cool Iced Tea, or give the delightfully summery Hibiscus Espresso Tonic a go. Better yet, try the Lychee Matcha Fizz (it blends matcha and tonic with a house-made citrus lychee syrup, plus 1.5 ounces of gin). Nemesis’s usual signature coffee offerings are also up for grabs.

Paintillio.

#4

Paintillio collaborative art project

A true community initiative, Paintillio is a large-scale paint-by-numbers image that festival guests can collaborate on together. The custom piece onsite features Coast Salish artwork by Vancouver-born Squamish Nation member Cory Douglas, who is of Haida and Tsimshian ancestry. Douglas creates art in a style he’s coined as “Modern Formline”, which marries precise architectural details and creative visions with traditional ancestral technique.

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