Pssst - wanna have a good time in Vancouver? (Special Events)

Celebrate your inner Mexican at:
Fiesta Mexico Independencia 2011 - Free
Saturday, September 10 - 12:00 to 8:30 pm
Jack Poole Plaza, New Vancouver Convention Centre
http://mexicofest.ca/events5.html

Part farmer's market, part charming dog-and-horse show, local talent to entertain. I look forward to this family- and pet-friendly event every year.
Southlands Riding Club Country Fair - by donation ($5.00 suggested)
Sunday, September 11 - 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Southlands Riding Club, 7025 Macdonald Street
http://www.southlandsridingclub.com/Country_Fair/countryfair2.htm

Keep celebrating your inner Mexican at:
MexicoFest
Currently ongoing, last day is Friday, September 16
http://mexicofest.ca/ for details, venues, and prices

Cinephile Alert!
Vancouver Latin American Film Festival - $12 per movie + 1-time $2 membership
Currently ongoing, last day is Sunday, September 11
http://www.vlaff.org/en/festival-info for movie times and venues

For the live theatre fans:
Vancouver International Fringe Festival
Currently ongoing, last day is Sunday, September 18
http://www.vancouverfringe.com/ for schedules, venues, and prices

Well-done Shakespeare, served every year on a silver platter, with creative garnishes:
Bard on the Beach
Currently ongoing, last day is Friday, September 23
http://www.bardonthebeach.org/schedule for schedules, venues, and prices

Their slogan is "Meet Your Makers" and it's true: you will think you died and went to heaven.
Vancouver Farmers Markets
Currently ongoing, last day is Sunday, October 23
http://www.eatlocal.org/ for schedules, locations, and details

Celebrate your inner German - food, Bier, Musik, Lederhosen & Dirndln, usw (German for etc.):
Das Oktoberfest - Real Oktoberfest by real Germans
Various days between Friday, September 16, and Saturday, October 8
Vancouver Alpen Club, 4875 Victoria Drive
http://www.vancouveralpenclub.ca/ for prices and details

Nerd Alert! Nerd Alert! Yes, I admit it. This is one of my ideas of fun:
Social Media Week - Free
Workshops on using social media to market yourself, your business, your ideas, your messages
Monday, September 19, to Friday, September 23
http://socialmediaweek.org/schedule/ for schedules and venues

For those who don't want to know what's going to happen next. And anything can ...
Vancouver International Improv Festival
Shows and workshops
Monday, September 26, to Saturday, October 1
http://vancouverimprovfest.com/ for schedules, venues, and prices

Cinephile Heaven. The best of the best. And sometimes the worst. Trying to decide is part of the fun.
Vancouver International Film Festival - Prices available when box office opens
Program Guide goes on sale Saturday, September 17
Festival runs Thursday, September 29, to Friday, October 14
http://www.viff.org/ for schedules, venues, and prices

Chocolate. Does anything else need to be said?
West Coast Chocolate Festival
Saturday, October 15, to Thursday, November 10
All over the Lower Mainland of British Columbia
http://www.chocolatefestival.ca/festivalmain.htm for schedules, venues, and prices

This probably isn't what Kurt Cobain had in mind when he wrote "who needs action when you've got words," but word nerds who agree with the sentiment can come here to bathe and splash about in them to their hearts' content.
Vancouver International Writers Festival
Special events from Sunday, September 18, to Wednesday, November 30
Festival runs from Tuesday, October 18, to Sunday, October 23
http://www.writersfest.bc.ca/ for schedules, venues, and prices

If I left anything out, please let me know. Blogs can be edited!

Also, I'd like to highlight constantly ongoing sources of fun, such as the Vancouver Theatresports League, Vancouver Improv Anywhere, Meetups, Arts Club Theatre Company, Drexoll Games' in-store games nights, etc. Help me out and let me know your favourites to make sure they are included!