Undersea-themed lanterns at CIBC LunarFest Vancouver. Photo: CIBC LunarFest

If you think the Chinese New Year / Lunar New Year festivities end with the annual Vancouver Chinese New Year Parade on January 29, think again. Back for its fourth year, the free CIBC LunarFest Vancouver continues the Lunar New Year celebrations with five days of food, activities, kids’ workshops, theatre, and a phenomenal lantern display from February 1 – 5, 2012.

Created in 2009 to become a Vancouver Winter Olympics Legacy event, LunarFest bills itself as “Canada’s premier presenter of contemporary expression in Asian arts and culture.” Among its many events is the return of the Lantern Aquarium—a fantastic undersea-themed art and lantern installation—to the Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza.

Coral Castle & Paper FantaSea lantern exhibit at past CIBC LunarFest. Photo: CIBC LunarFest

Here’s what’s on the schedule for the CIBC LunarFest Vancouver 2012; all events take place at the Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza:

• Lantern Aquarium – February 1 – 5, 2012 – FREE
  Walk through an amazing collection of sea-creature-themed lantern works created by both professional artists and by thousands of school children.
• The Boy, the Shark & the Sea Puppet Show – February 1 – 5, 2012 – FREE
  Audiences will love interacting with the puppets in this play from the Taiwanese Taiyuan Puppet Theatre Company.
• CIBC Pavilion – February 1 – 5, 2012 – FREE
  Grab a free hot beverage and sea dragon hat, plus a souvenir LunarFest photo, at this exhibition pavilion.
• Lunar Cafe – February 1 – 5, 2012
  Enjoy traditional foods that celebrate the Lunar New Year at this pop-up cafe.
• Lunar Kids Game Station - February 1 – 5, 2012 – FREE
  Kids play free New Year-themed games at the Game Station, including finding out what’s in store for the Year of the Dragon with the “Fortune Teller Game” and testing their ocean knowledge with the “Red Envelope Game.”

For details on event times, check the official CIBC Vancouver LunarFest 2012 site.