Tour St. James’ Anglican Church
Friday October 30, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
St. James’ Anglican Church, 303 E. Cordova Free
5:30pm – 6:30pm Tour the Historic Building
St. James’ Anglican Church is a jewel of Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. In the midst of the area’s notorious poverty, its endurance, magnificent architecture, and history of service make it a symbol of hope. Designed in 1935 by Adrian Gilbert Scott, a member of the architecturally renowned Scott family of England, the historic church is an octagon rising from a Greek Cross plan. Massive walls, tipped with Art Deco-influenced neo-Gothic, step up like a ziggurat to a pyramid belfry. Join PJ Janson for a guided tour and discover the fascinating architecture and beauty of this unique building.
6:30pm – 7:30pm Tour the Belfry
The bells of St. James’ were cast in 1936 at Taylor’s of Loughborough in Leicestershire, England. Shipped through the Panama Canal, they were installed and first rung on Christmas Eve in 1937. Since then, their sound has been part of daily life in the neighbourhood. Join tour guide PJ Janson for an unforgettable experience: climb the spiral staircase to the historic belfry, see the bells up close, and have an opportunity to play them yourself! Bring to life the words of Canadian poet and songwriter Leonard Cohen: “Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering, There is a crack in everything, That’s how the light gets in!” *This tour is not wheelchair accessible.
Stroll the Festival Neighbourhood
Saturday October 31, 2pm – 4:30pm
Meet at Woodward’s Atrium, 111 W. Hastings
Free. Stroll_the_Festival.eventbrite.ca
What is this place we call the Downtown Eastside? What is the community of the Heart of the City Festival? The Festival is grounded in this place, built upon layers and layers of time, history, people and places. How can we ever know everything about what makes this community tick? For almost thirty years, Teresa Vandertuin has lived, worked and played in the neighbourhood, and having worked with the Festival for many years, she’s eager to take folks on a stroll to see if we can see deeper than the tip of the iceberg. We’ll stop by a few Festival events along the way. Registration available, drop-ins welcome.
The Return of the Three Amigos, Chinatown Tour
Sunday November 1, 10am – 12:30pm
Register for the meeting place
$0 – $30.
Tickets: three_amigos_Chinatown_tour.eventbrite.ca
The Three Amigos Return! The Festival is excited to present a Chinatown neighbourhood exploration with the powerhouse trio of John Atkin, Bob Sung and Hayne Wai. The Three Amigos bring unique insight to Chinatown’s history, culture and architecture. Along the way, you’ll discover what’s in the herbal stores, the fight for neighbourhood preservation, BBQ’d meats, and its architecture. John is a civic historian and heritage consultant; Bob hosts cultural and culinary tours of Chinatown; and Hayne is a longtime Chinatown researcher and advocate.
Introduction to the Pipe Organ
Sunday November 1, 12pm – 1pm
St. James’ Anglican Church, 303 E. Cordova Free
How does a pipe organ work? What do those pipes, keyboards, pedals, and stops do? How can one instrument produce the smallest whisper of a sound to something that can fill the entire church? Discover the historic pipe organ at St. James’ up close. Director of Music Abraham Ross will demystify this remarkable instrument and demonstrate the range of sounds, from delicate flutes to the great, powerful sound of the full organ. Whether you know nothing about pipe organs or are already an enthusiast, come explore an instrument as fascinating to see as it is to hear. *This tour is not wheelchair accessible.
Recycling Stories: Walking with Vancouver’s Binners
Sunday November 1, 1pm – 2:30pm
Reach Room, 312 Main Free or by donation.
Tickets: Recycling_Stories.eventbrite.ca
Meet folks from the Binners’ Project, informal recyclers who transform overlooked spaces into hubs of recycling, resilience, and inclusion. This workshop shares how Binners are supported while addressing broader environmental and social challenges. Afterward, step into the laneways where their work happens daily – witness the challenges they face and the crucial role they play in waste diversion. This event highlights the power of community-driven solutions and invites you to be part of a movement that advances sustainability, strengthens networks, and uplifts the people at the heart of recycling.
Creating Gastown, A History Tour
Tuesday November 3, 10am – 12pm
Also Saturday November 7, 10:30am
Register for the meeting place
$0–$35. Tickets: www.eventbrite.ca/cc/creating-gastown-a-history-tour-487279
Gastown is one of Vancouver’s original heritage districts and one of the early points of colonial settlement on Burrard Inlet. On this tour led by civic historian John Atkin, we will look at the historic origins of the area and how, over time, what we now call ‘Gastown’ was created through abandoned development proposals, freeway threats, and real estate shenanigans.
A Day at Balmoral
Friday November 6, 11am – 4pm
Balmoral Program Space, 159 E. Hastings Free
Come to the Balmoral Space for a day of Festival activities, including the big Pow Wow drum with the Aboriginal Front Door, live painting with Jenny Hawkinson, rhythm with Yvon-Paul Chartrand, Tallulah’s Portrait Studio, Carnegie Housing Project Walking Tour, the Ayx Community Bus team, and the Carnegie Library book giveaway! Celebrate the newly painted Trey Helten and Angel Gates Tribute Mural! Spend the whole day or drop by to see what’s happening in the community.
Everyone is invited to join us!
11am – 12:30pm | Cultural Sharing with Aboriginal Front Door
The Festival is honoured to feature members of the Aboriginal Front Door who are actively engaged in cultural sharing right in the heart of the neighbourhood. Join Ian Bee for an introduction to Pow Wow, the big drum, and share protocols, with drumming and singing. With guest speaker Chris Livingstone.
12pm – 3pm | Portrait Studio Pop-Up
Join photographer and filmmaker Tallulah at the Portrait Studio, a temporary photography studio offering free, professional black-and-white portraits to residents and neighbours in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The project creates a space where individuals can be seen with dignity, clarity, and presence. Each participant receives a professionally printed portrait to take with them.
1pm – 2:30pm
How We Could End Homelessness in the DTES Walking Tour
The Carnegie Housing Project estimates that over 3500 people in Vancouver are homeless. Your hosts will lead a tour of Downtown Eastside sites that could be used to stop the loss of low-income housing, build new housing that low-income people can afford, or shelter people who have no housing in the meantime. Be part of the conversation about important policy solutions, learn about the city’s rezoning last December that could gentrify the neighbourhood, and learn how we can work to get our governments to end homelessness.
2pm | Ayx Community Bus Team Report Launch and Bus Tour
The Ayx Community Bus team aims to answer the question, “But where are we supposed to go?” in more than one way. Learn more about the Ayx Community Bus (for example, Ayx is Squamish for “crab”), and take a one-of-a-kind DTES Toilet Tour. Hop on board for a mini-tour of local washrooms and read the 2025 “Restroom Report Card” destined for City Hall — from sparkle factor to stall space! Space is limited; register early! Come meet the team, have some fun, and discover how the bus brings care and safety to the community. Bus painted by Smokey D, Sober, and Kirstine Fuhrmann.
The Carnegie Community Centre has activated the vacant lot of the Balmoral Hotel into a
culturally safe gathering place. The historic single-room occupancy building was demolished following severe structural decay and safety hazards.
Black Strathcona Neighbourhood Tour
Saturday November 7, 2pm – 5pm
Register for the meeting place
$0–$35. Tickets: black_strathcona_tour.eventbrite.ca
Join Yasin M Kiraga from the African Descent Society on a popular heritage tour of Strathcona. Spend three hours in the neighbourhoods where Black people historically settled and built vibrant communities. Learn about the displacement of the community, the construction of the Georgia Viaduct, and the revival and celebration of Black culture.
