Starring some of the Rolling Stones, Jessica Biel (and her seal of the same name), Taylor Swift and Owen Wilson – who was everywhere.
In 2024, Vancouver proved once again that it is not just Hollywood North in name, but in spirit.
From surprising celebrity sightings to the city becoming a celebrity playground, this year was packed with moments that touched us deeply.
The Rolling Stones made headlines offstage with their low-key but lively nights on the town, while certain restaurants cemented their reputation as celebrity haunts.
And of course, there was no escaping the tidal wave of Swift mania that swept through Vancouver during Taylor Swift’s latest blockbuster Eras Tour stop.
Here’s a look back at the star-powered stories that made this year in Vancouver unforgettable.
Legendary rocker Daryl Hall leaves the Vancouver stage mid-performance
When a musician walks off stage in the middle of a show, something has usually gone very wrong. In Daryl Hall’s case, it was because he wasn’t feeling well.
Hall, 77, survived just three songs as part of his August 21, 2024 PNE Summer Nights concert before quickly leaving – without any explanation to the audience.
“He left the stage because he was unwell and could not return,” a PNE spokesperson explained the next day.
Prince Harry and Meghan dine at a legendary Vancouver restaurant during visit
British royalty collided with Canadian restaurant (and music!) royalty in delicious fashion this year, when visitors Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, dined at one of Vancouver’s legendary restaurants during the couple’s visit to the city in February.
The high-profile couple enjoyed dinner at Vij’s recommended by the Michelin Guideone of the city’s most beloved and enduring modern Indian restaurants.
However, Harry and Meghan did not eat alone. The royals were joined by a member of Canada’s music royalty, Burnaby’s own Michael Bublé, and his wife, Luisana Lopilato. Among the dishes served were Vij’s signature lamb ice creams, one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes.
‘Thank you, Mick, for your grace’: Rock legend stops at famous Vancouver restaurant
Did Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger get dining tips from Prince Harry in Vancouver? We’ll never know. But we do know that Jagger, 81, dined at Vij’s on July 6.
Jagger posed for a photo with Vij’s chef/owner Vikram Vij, who thanked the rocker on social media for joining him for a meal.
“Thank you, Mick, for honoring us with your presence,” the message read.
Drawing from/for Taylor Swift in Vancouver
Did you hear that pop icon Taylor Swift recently spent a few days in Vancouver?
The world watched as Swift brought her nearly two-year Eras Tour to a close with a series of epic three-night shows at BC Place in Vancouver.
To mark her arrival, and to give the giddy hordes of bejeweled fans decked out in friendship bracelets and tour merchandise from the city and abroad something fun to do, the city went a little crazy getting Swift-ified. We have actually created an entire site category for stories about Swift and the end of the Eras Tour in our beautiful city.
A giant “Vancouver” sign on the seawall was customized to read “Swiftcouver” in honor of Taylor Swift bringing her Eras Tour to the city for its final three shows in December 2024. Brendan Kergin/VIA
The top story involved one set of 13 neon signs placed around the centerall of which gleefully shout the names of Swift songs in all caps, like “Anti-Hero” and “Willow.” The one that went up first and was taken down last was the one that said ‘Swiftcouver’, lined up along the water’s edge.
Although Swift wasn’t hanging out in the city (she left YVR within an hour of her final bow at BC Place on December 8), her stay here had quite an impact on Vancouver.
Here are a few more big stories from VIA’s Taylor Swift Eras era:
Video: Rolling Stone Guitarist Declares ‘The Streets Are Rocking in Vancouver’
Mick Jagger may have enjoyed being indoors in Vancouver, but Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood enjoyed driving around the city after the show.
In a video posted on Wood’s Instagramyou see the rock legend enjoying himself in the car, clapping to music and singing.
“It’s nice to see them all leaving the concert. I think they had a good time tonight,” Wood says in the video. “We love Vancouver.”
The car window is rolled down and Wood claps, but few people seem to notice the global rock star rolling past them.
“Tonight the streets in Vancouver are rocking,” he says sings loudly in the clip.
Seth Rogen and Bowen Yang spotted at the award-winning restaurant in Vancouver
You’ve probably noticed a trend: stories about where famous people eat in Vancouver are getting a lot of attention. Over the summer, an award-winning spot in East Van received a double-take (and a year-end recall, see below) from a number of stars, including a hometown legend.
Both Vancouverite Seth Rogen and SNL star Bowen Yang visited The Lunch Lady.
A Lunch Lady employee shared staff group photos with each of the stars on her Instagram stories, noting that meeting celebrities is a “work perk.”
The Lunch Lady once again shared photos of Rogen’s visit on her social media via Instagram Stories.
Rogen, one of Vancouver’s best-known celebrities, often returns to Vancouver for work and play. This year he was part of a CBC pottery competition show filmed here on Granville Island.
Yang was in Vancouver filming a remake of the movie The wedding banquet. He will have it at the end of June shared on his Instagram that the project was completed, and shared his love for the city: “Vancouver rules!!!”
Gracie Abrams thanks Bowen Yang for restaurant recommendation in Vancouver
And here we come full circle.
Singer Gracie Abrams was the opening act for Taylor Swiftelectrifying Vancouver crowds at BC Place with a set showcasing her musical prowess and popular songs for each of the three nights of the Eras Tour.
While in Vancouver, Abrams appears to have enjoyed at least one great local meal, showing off her takeout bag from Commercial Drive’s. The Lunch Lady with a big heart around it on her Instagram stories.
The singer also posted a slide on her stories to say thank you SNL star Bowen Yang for recommending the place.
Owen Wilson eats and plays like a true Vancouverite
Actor Owen Wilson landed in Vancouver for work this spring and pretty much felt at home.
The Wedding Crashers star was here filming a new one Apple TV golf comedy about an ex-professional golfer who gets fired. Before the shoot began, Wilson donned his signature Cheshire cat grin (and a Canucks jersey) for the camera at Rogers Arena during a thrilling final game in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 20.
While exploring the city, Wilson made a few stops to eat at a few local restaurants. He enjoyed it casual Mexican food on Main in Maizal And modern Afghan cuisine in nearby Zarak.
Wilson was spotted in and around Vancouver several times, from showing up to a based in Richmond on your bike and greet a nearby audience in a friendly manner”Kachow,” to catch the BC Lions’ home opener.
Meets Jessica Biel namesake rescue ‘Jessica Seal’
Jessica Seal is a longtime resident of the Vancouver Aquarium, but until this year, actress Jessica Biel, who Jessica Seal was (sort of) named after, couldn’t visit.
This year the time has finally come.
“I was lucky enough to meet her and explore the beautiful place she now calls home,” Biel, the human, wrote on Instagram.
With files from Brendan Kergin and Elana Shepert