Never one to rest, let alone sleep, its no wonder Granville Street has seen so much. And to learn the many secrets hidden under decades of plaster and paint, Forbidden Vancouver has launched a brand new walking tour: The Granville Street Reveal.
On this 90-minute tour, the curtains are thrown open on Vancouvers historic entertainment district, focusing on the evolution of entertainment on Granville Street.
Charlie Chaplin, the Marx Brothers and Fred Astaire all cut their teeth here as young vaudeville stars. But by the early 1930s Granville Street had totally re-invented itself as Theatre Row.
For the next 30 years, 10 giant movie theatres, resplendent with 20-foot neon signs, drew thousand-upon-thousand every week to catch the latest blockbusters.
In the 70s Granville Street evolved again. Thanks to some of the most liberal public decency laws in North America, stripclubs boomed. More than 40 existed in downtown Vancouver, centred around the Granville Street district.
And today Granville is still home to some of North Americas greatest live music venues, like the Commodore Ballroom and the Orpheum. Featuring countless acts every year, the street is a celebrated starting point for many musicians and bands as they tour North America.
Tours run at 11am every Wed., Sat. and Sun. from June 22, all summer. Tickets are $19/$22 plus GST and can be booked online at ForbiddenVancouver.ca.
