Every summer, from June to September, Vanier Park comes alive with men in tights crossing swords—it’s the annual Shakespeare festival Bard on the Beach, and one of Vancouver’s favorite events. Each year sees four shows performed—in 2014, it’s “The Tempest,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Cymbeline,” and “Equivocation,” a new work featuring Bill Shakespeare trying to solve the Gunpowder Plot. Bring a picnic and enjoy the antics.