The Vancouver Group Chat: What your friends are talking about this week (May 12)

Welcome back to the Vancouver Group Chat. If you’re hoping to uncover some of the city’s biggest updates of the week, you’ve come to the right place. And if you’re looking for something more niche to add to your long weekend itinerary, we’ve got you covered, too. The weather forecast might not be on your side, but we are!

Last week, we dove into Kits Pool reopening, Nick Jonas’ love of Vancouver, and where to get your pet’s portrait drawn.

This week, an exciting summer festival has announced its return, and Stanley Park might just be getting a new bus route.

You know the drill. Here’s what’s worth sending in your group chats this week (May 12).

What’s new, Vancouver?

Chillin’ in the Park is back

Mount Pleasant’s iconic free music and beer festival at Dude Chilling Park is officially back for Summer 2026. We can already feel the sun in our eyes and the grass on our feet as we sip a crisp, craft brew, listening to the sounds of talented local artists waft through the air. It’s a perfect way to spend a Saturday in the summer, and it’s one of those community events that really makes Vancouver feel like a living, breathing entity, and not just a pretty destination.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 25!

New bus around Stanley Park

The ink isn’t dry on this just yet, but TransLink recently proposed a new bus route around Stanley Park, and you can take the survey to make your voice heard. The new bus service would run seasonally on weekends only, but it would be a major step in making Vancouver’s largest urban park more accessible.

It would also reduce traffic in the area and the demand for parking.

You have until May 31 to take the online survey and help TransLink make some key decisions, including how long the service should run, hours of operation, bus stop locations, bus frequency, and where the route connects to within Stanley Park.

Laburnums, rhododendrons, and other surreal blooms

Cherry blossom season might be over, but the vibrant spring blooms are just getting started.

Speaking of, VanDusen’s golden laburnum season is now in full swing, as of a garden update issued on Instagram on May 8. If you’ve never been on the Laburnum Walk and let these stunning, honey-yellow blossoms drape over you, now is your chance.

According to the botanical garden’s bloom calendar, May is also prime time to enjoy the rhododendrons, which absolutely thrive in the rainy Pacific Northwest. You may have even noticed these large, trumpet-shaped flowers popping up on your neighbourhood streets—they’re everywhere, and some of these mostly-evergreen shrubs are taller than trees!

VanDusen is home to over 650 different varieties of rhododendrons and azaleas, making it a great spot to enjoy the peak of the season.

Your sign to do something random

And with that, we leave you to explore and discover something new until next week, when we do it all again.

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