Alright, now 2017 is really starting up. This weekend marks the start of the Dine Out Vancouver Festival, the PuSH Festival and the Hot Chocolate Festival. I suggest grabbing some inventive hot chocolate in the morning while you make reservations for an indulgent three-course Dine Out dinner in the evening, and then catching a show after. These festivals only happen once a year, and it’s kind of perfect timing that they all happen together.
Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Ongoing
Friday January 20
Tourism Vancouver’s Dine Out Vancouver Festival
Tourism Vancouver’s Dine Out Vancouver Festival
Where: Various locations
What: Canada’s largest food and drink festival dishes up unlimited ways to enjoy the flavours of the city. Choose from a 17-day calendar of culinary events and experiences, hundreds of restaurants throughout the city and relaxing hotel Dine & Stay packages to create delicious experiences.
Runs until: Sunday February 5, 2017
PuSh International Performing Arts Festival
Where: Various locations
What: An eclectic festival that expands the horizons of Vancouver artists and audiences with work that is visionary, genre-bending, multi-disciplined, startling and original. Showcasing acclaimed international, Canadian and local artists the festival mixes them together with an alchemy that inspires audiences, rejuvenates artists, stimulates the industry and forges relationships around the globe.
Runs until: Sunday February 5, 2017
Hot Chocolate Festival
Where: Various locations
What: Vancouver’s best chocolatiers, pastry shops, bakeries, cafes, gelato and ice cream makers across the city make the humble hot chocolate hotter than it has ever been before by releasing special flavours for a limited time.
Runs until: Tuesday February 14, 2017
Macbeth
Where: Vancouver Playhouse
What: Produced by the much-heralded South African company Third World Bunfight, this vibrant, dark and visceral interpretation sets Shakespeare’s story of greed, tyranny and remorse in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Runs until: Saturday January 21, 2017
As I Lay Dying
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: Witness this classic novel come to life in a highly imaginative production where drama and dance intersect. The Bundren family embarks on a 40-mile funeral procession to bring their mother to a final resting place and fulfill her dying wish.
Runs until: Sunday February 12, 2017
Les Ballet Trockadero| Photo Credit: Sascha Vaughan
Les Ballet Trockadero
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre
What: Brimming with breathtaking artistry and rampant sauciness, the cross-dressing company have been making audiences laugh for more than 40 years with their affectionately irreverent tributes to the classical ballet canon. In their hotly-demanded return, ‘The Trocks’ will lovingly skewer such balletic favourites as Swan Lake, La Esmeralda, and Don Quixote with all of their histrionic drama and incessant pantomime. Tickets available at Tickets Tonight.
Runs until: Saturday January 21, 2017
Goddamn Millennials Stand-Up
Where: The Biltmore
What: Featuring comedy from Roman Mancini, Jordan Ducharme, Steev Letts, Harris Anderson.
Vancouver Canucks vs. Florida Panthers
Where: Rogers Arena, 7:00pm
What: Hockey people from Vancouver play with hockey people from Florida. Ice skating and puck movement ensues.
Vancouver International Boat Show
Vancouver International Boat Show
Where: BC Place Stadium
What: Western Canada’s largest boat show – check out boats, sell boats, and buy boats.
Runs until: Sunday January 20, 2017
Neruda
Neruda
Where: VanCity Theatre
What: This suspense thriller in inspired by the period in Chilean poet and Communist senator Pablo Neruda was forced underground and into exile by an authoritarian right wing government.
Runs until: Thursday February 2, 2017
Steel Panther (show 1 of 2)
Where: Commodore Ballroom
What: A (parody?) 80s-style partyrock band, complete with big hair and tights.
Dynasty Handbag
Where: The Fox Cabaret
What: A batch of “golden oldies”—a veritable mixtape of songs from a roster of wholly invented artists. From country ballads to Euro dance, the tunes are good for a laugh and much more besides. This is caffeinated camp—a manic, celebratory send-up of gender and performativity.
By Heart
By Heart
Where: Performance Works
What: “Once 10 people know a poem by heart, there’s nothing the KGB, the CIA or the Gestapo can do about it. It will survive.” That’s writer George Steiner, in a statement that serves as an inspiration for this empowering show. In it, playwright and actor Tiago Rodrigues teaches 10 audience members a poem. All the while, he shares stories of writers, their books and characters—all connected to himself and his grandmother, a woman who in the process of going blind wanted to retain as much of the written word as she could commit to memory.
Guys We F***ed: The Experience
Guys We F***ed: The Experience
Where: The Rio Theatre
What: Join co-hosts Corinne Fisher and Krystyna Hutchinson as they bring their hit podcast to life through games, audience participation, rants, stories, stand-up comedy, and never before seen video. It’s gonna get weird.
Saturday January 21
Human
Human
Where: Vancity Theatre, 2:30pm
What: Breathtaking in its scope—just breathtaking, period—this documentary touches on love, murder, sexuality, mortality and much, much more. It also shows us our Earth as only movies shown on the big screen can: vast, beautiful landscapes, the world as seen from on high with mankind dwarfed within it.
Mouthpiece
Mouthpiece
Where: The Cultch
What: Follow one woman, for one day, as she tries to find her voice. The push and the pull, the past and the present, the progress and the regression: this is the inner conflict that exists within a modern woman’s head, interweaving a cappella harmony, text, and movement.
Runs until: Sunday February 5, 2017
Things a Person is Supposed to Wonder
Things a Person is Supposed to Wonder
Where: The Fox Cabaret
What: Bridget Moser’s work employs props, jokes and music in the service of conveying the profound. You could label what she does stand-up comedy, whimsical poetry or just plain unclassifiable, but any way you slice it she’s a great entertainer.
Harry Potter & Chill (Movies 1-4)
Where: The Rio Theatre
What: A weekend-long Harry Potterthon! Muggles of all ages welcome in the balcony, and audience costumes are both welcome and encouraged. Get ready for trivia, costumes, drink specials, and some magical surprises.
Runs until: Sunday January 22, 2017
Steel Panther
Steel Panther (show 2 of 2)
Where: Commodore Ballroom
What: A (parody?) 80s-style partyrock band, complete with big hair and tights.
Adrianne Pieczonka
Where: The Orpheum
What: Bramwell Tovey conducting the music of the great late-Romantic composer, Richard Strauss, with breathtaking Canadian soprano Adrianne Pieczonka — renowned for her interpretation of the works of Strauss, Wagner and Verdi — and the semi-autobiographical tone poem Ein Heldenleben (A Hero’s Life).
Women’s March on Washington
Where: Jack Poole Plaza
What: There will be music and speakers starting at 10:00am and then a march through prominent Vancouver streets before returning to Jack Poole Plaza for more music and speakers.
Last Night in Suburbia
Last Night in Suburbia
Where: The York Theatre
What: The story follows a group of recent grads who attempt to spend one last evening of fun and frivolity on the infamous Hell Night in their suburb of Tsawwassen before heading off in different directions to start their lives as young adults.
Vancouverite: A Comedy Show
Where: Hot Art Wet City
What: Brent Constantine and Amber Harper-Young host a comedy show featuring some of the city’s best local comedians’ stories about Vancouver, adjusting to life here, and leaving home.
Sunday January 22
Man Up: Amateur Hour
Where: The Cobalt
What: Pack it, strap it, tape it, tuck it, bind it, boost it, paint it on and then take it all off (or don’t!)… Calling all kings, queens, things, humans, and creatures. Queer performers of any gender, race, colour, size, age, ability, and experience level! Amateur Hour, the offspring of East Van’s drag spectacular.
Harry Potter & Chill (Movies 5-8)
Where: The Rio Theatre
What: A weekend-long Harry Potterthon! Muggles of all ages welcome in the balcony, and audience costumes are both welcome and encouraged. Get ready for trivia, costumes, drink specials, and some magical surprises.
Runs until: Sunday January 22, 2017
Chilly Chase
Where: Olympic Village
What: A marathon. Choose 5K, 10K, 15K or half marathon.
Stanley Park Eco Stewards
Where: Stanley Park
What: By participating in this program, you will learn firsthand about the threat invasive species pose to our native ecosystems, make an important contribution to conservation and restoration in Stanley Park, and work with a great group of people in a beautiful outdoor setting.
Winterlude | Image by Marco Borggreve
Winterlude
Where: Vancouver Playhouse
What: With his enormously diverse range of repertoire, Russian pianist Alexander Melnikov is in demand both as a soloist and chamber musician. Two Sunday performances offer the pleasure of hearing him on his own in the afternoon, and in collaboration with Jean-Guihen Queyras in the evening.
Ongoing
The Fighting Season
The Fighting Season (ends this weekend)
Where: VanCity Culture Lab
What: Inspired by his father’s deployment in Afghanistan, Sean Harris Oliver’s searing new play investigates the Afghan war through the eyes of a Canadian field medic, a doctor, and a recovery room nurse.
Runs until: Saturday January 21, 2017
Macbeth (ends this weekend)
Where: Vancouver Playhouse
What: Produced by the much-heralded South African company Third World Bunfight, this vibrant, dark and visceral interpretation sets Shakespeare’s story of greed, tyranny and remorse in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Runs until: Saturday January 21, 2017
Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival (ends this weekend)
Where: The Cinematheque
What: The year’s best Canadian films are in the spotlight in The Cinematheque’s annual presentation of the Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival. Established in 2001 by the Toronto International Film Festival, this celebration of excellence in our national cinema showcases Canadian achievements in feature-length films, short films, and student short films.
Runs until: Sunday January 22, 2017
Les Ballet Trockadero| Photo Credit: Sascha Vaughan
Les Ballet Trockadero (this weekend only)
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre
What: Brimming with breathtaking artistry and rampant sauciness, the cross-dressing company have been making audiences laugh for more than 40 years with their affectionately irreverent tributes to the classical ballet canon. In their hotly-demanded return, ‘The Trocks’ will lovingly skewer such balletic favourites as Swan Lake, La Esmeralda, and Don Quixote with all of their histrionic drama and incessant pantomime. Tickets available at Tickets Tonight.
Runs until: Saturday January 21, 2017
Walker Evans: Depth of Field
Walker Evans: Depth of Field (ends this weekend)
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: The American photographer Walker Evans (1903–1975) is among the most influential artists of the 20th century. Covering the full arc of his career, Walker Evans: Depth of Field presents the most comprehensive look at Evans’ work ever mounted in Canada.
Runs until: January 22, 2017
Strong Female Character
Where: Hot Art Wet City
What: 3 female artists look at feminine identity, both past and present, as defined within Western culture.
Runs until: Saturday January 28, 2017
Alexine McLeod
Alexine McLeod
Where: Monte Clark Gallery
What: The artist presents wall-mounted abstract compositions that combine everyday materials including plastic, fabric, found objects, and light.
Runs until: January 30, 2016
In the Footprint of the Crocodile Man
In the Footprint of the Crocodile Man
Where: UBC Museum of Anthropology
What: The Sepik River of Papua New Guinea is one of the largest river systems in the world, extraordinarily beautiful, but seldom visited. It is here that the Iatmul people, who live along its banks, have created internationally renowned works of art primarily inspired by stories of the majestic crocodile as the primordial creator. This unique exhibition will showcase the most comprehensive collection of contemporary Sepik art in North America for the first time. In addition to highlighting the exquisite carvings of Papua New Guinea’s latmul people, the exhibition will delve into their economic, cultural, and spiritual connections to the river system, drawing urgent attention to the logging and mining operations that pose environmental threats to the region.
Runs until: January 31, 2017
Herd
Where: Kimoto Gallery
What: Within the confines of a farmers field, the animals naturally form a hierarchy of responsibility in the herd. We, artist Kevin Boyle argues, also live in a controlled environment, and assume our own conditioned roles in society, though the controls are much less obvious than a barbed wire fence.
Runs until: Saturday February 4, 2017
Tourism Vancouver’s Dine Out Vancouver Festival
Tourism Vancouver’s Dine Out Vancouver Festival
Where: Various locations
What: Canada’s largest food and drink festival dishes up unlimited ways to enjoy the flavours of the city. Choose from a 17-day calendar of culinary events and experiences, hundreds of restaurants throughout the city and relaxing hotel Dine & Stay packages to create delicious experiences.
Runs until: Sunday February 5, 2017
PuSh International Performing Arts Festival
Where: Various locations
What: An eclectic festival that expands the horizons of Vancouver artists and audiences with work that is visionary, genre-bending, multi-disciplined, startling and original. Showcasing acclaimed international, Canadian and local artists the festival mixes them together with an alchemy that inspires audiences, rejuvenates artists, stimulates the industry and forges relationships around the globe.
Runs until: Sunday February 5, 2017
Juxtapoz x Superflat
Juxtapoz x Superflat
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: A manifesto for new creative practices that can no longer be adequately described by the traditional categories of art and production. Presenting the work of more than 30 artists from Japan, China, Korea, Europe and the United States this remarkable exhibition offers a unique insight into contemporary art and its place in cultural life.
Runs until: February 5, 2016
Mouthpiece
Mouthpiece
Where: The Cultch
What: Follow one woman, for one day, as she tries to find her voice. The push and the pull, the past and the present, the progress and the regression: this is the inner conflict that exists within a modern woman’s head, interweaving a cappella harmony, text, and movement.
Runs until: Sunday February 5, 2017
As Heavy as a Feather
As Heavy as a Feather
Where: Centre A
What: Indigenous Taiwanese artist Chang En Man is having her first exhibition in North America. Chang’s practice is characterized by a dynamic interplay between story, tradition, and the struggles of indigenous peoples in the face of ongoing experiences of colonization.
Runs until: February 11, 2016
As I Lay Dying
Where: Arts Club Theatre
What: Witness this classic novel come to life in a highly imaginative production where drama and dance intersect. The Bundren family embarks on a 40-mile funeral procession to bring their mother to a final resting place and fulfill her dying wish.
Runs until: Sunday February 12, 2017
Robson Square Ice Rink
Robson Square Ice Rink
Where: Robson Square
What: Ice skate for free or rent a pair for $4 on this outdoor, covered public rink right downtown.
Runs until: February 14, 2017
Hot Chocolate Festival
Where: Various locations
What: Vancouver’s best chocolatiers, pastry shops, bakeries, cafes, gelato and ice cream makers across the city make the humble hot chocolate hotter than it has ever been before by releasing special flavours for a limited time.
Runs until: Tuesday February 14, 2017
Judy Chartrand, What a Wonderful World
Where: The Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
What: Her beautiful and provocative work presents her own personal history and insights into life in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, and commentary on racism and post–colonial relations between Indigenous and non–Indigenous cultures.
Runs until: February 19, 2016
Flight of the Dragon
Flight of the Dragon
Where: FlyOver Canada
What: For a limited time, FlyOver Canada presents Flight of the Dragon, a flight ride experience that takes you over the breathtaking Chinese countryside and renowned landmarks. FlyOver Canada invites all guests to come and enjoy both FlyOver Canada and Flight of the Dragon; two virtual flight rides for the regular admission price.
Runs until: Sunday February 26, 2017
Haroon Mirza
Haroon Mirza
Where: The Contemporary Art Gallery
What: The Contemporary Art Gallery presents the first solo exhibition in Canada by British artist Haroon Mirza.
Runs until: Sunday March 19, 2016
Layers of Influence
Layers of Influence
Where: UBC Museum of Anthropology
What: This stunning exhibition will explore clothing’s inherent evidence of human ingenuity, creativity and skill, drawing from MOA’s textile collection — the largest collection in Western Canada — to display a global range of materials, production techniques and adornments across different cultures and time frames.
Runs until: April 9, 2017
Vancouver Special
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery
What: The first iteration of this series and it features works by 40 artists produced within the last five years—Vancouver’s post-Olympic period. The exhibition includes many emerging artists as well as those who are more established but whose ideas were prescient. Some are recent arrivals to Vancouver, while others are long-term residents who have already made significant contributions. Others are nomadic, less settled in one place and are working energetically between several locations.
Runs until: April 17, 2016
Nat Bailey Stadium Winter Farmers Market
Nat Bailey Stadium Winter Farmers Market
Where: Nat Bailey Stadium
What: Don’t fret the summers Farmers markets packing up – winter is here, and you can still shop local for fresh produce, preserves, baked goods, and crafts.
Runs until: April 22, 2017
Hastings Park Farmers Market
Hastings Park Farmers Market
Where: Hastings Park (near the PNE)
What: The Hastings Park Farmers Market features a great selection of local produce; nursery items, fish, meat & dairy; artisan prepared foods, baking and treats; local crafts, and of course, food trucks.
Runs until: April 30, 2017
What are you up to this weekend? Tell me and the rest of Vancouver in the comments below or tweet me directly at @lextacular
