37 things to do in Vancouver in January

Make the most of the first month of the year with a variety of activities in Vancouver. (Image: (Josef Hanus/Shutterstock)

Happy 2017! Here we are, at the very beginning of a fresh new year.

And while the December Christmas craziness may be behind us, there’s is still plenty of things that take place in January to help you kick of the next 12 months with a bang.

So, from comedy shows to concerts, food festivals to outdoor pursuits, here are 37 things to do in Vancouver this month.

Light up your life

Be in awe at Capilano Canyon Lights

What: Experience a North Vancouver tradition, as thousands of twinkling lights illuminate the iconic suspension bridge, Treetops Adventure, Cliffwalk, and other areas of the park, during Capilani Canyon Lights.
Where: Capilano Suspension Bridge – 3735 Capilano Road, North Vancouver
When: Until January 8.
Tickets: $13.95 to $39.95; admission is free for kids under 6

Check out a Chalet Place Light Display in North Vancouver

What: A North Vancouver has been lighting up with over 100,000 lights each Christmas for a few years, all for a good cause. The homeowners welcome visitors but encourage a donation to the Harvest Project in return.
Where: 4967 Chalet Place, North Vancouver
When: Until January 6. The house is illuminated nightly at 5:30 pm.

Lose yourself in the Lights at Lafarge Lake

What: See more than 100,000 twinkling lights light up Coquitlam’s Lafarge Lake, in a magical, free, outdoor display for visitors of all ages.
When: Town Centre Park – 1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam
When: Nightly from dusk to 11 pm, until January 22

Stay active, even in the cold

Go for a skate at Robson Square

Image: Robson Square

What: The Robson Square Ice Rink brings free skating (with your own skates) to downtown until the end of February. If you don’t have skates, rentals are available. The rink also features a concession stand with snacks and warm drinks.
Where: Robson Square – 800 Robson Square
When: Daily, from 9 am to 9 pm Sunday to Thursday, and from 9 am to 11 pm, Fridays and Saturdays.

Hit the slopes at a local mountain

Go tubing or tobogganing

When there’s snow on the ground, there are numerous mountains in Metro Vancouver to try your hand at snow tubing and tobogganing:

Go snowshoeing

Whether you’re a regular or a beginner, snowshoeing is a fun and easy way to get outside in the winter, see some marvelous scenery, and have some exercise. See our list of snowshoeing trails near Vancouver, or places to snowshoe with your dog if you want to bring your best friend out.

Go for a run

Don’t let winter weather slow you down. Two organized running event this month – the Vancouver Chilly Chase and the MEC Vancouver Road Race One encourage people to come out and show their hustle.

Snowshoe to fondue at Grouse Mountain

What: Up your winter wonderland game with a private group snowshoe tour and evening of fondue at Grouse Mountain.
Where: Grouse Mountain Resort.
When: Available six days a week (Thursday to Saturday), throughout the winter season. Reservations are required three business days in advance, and tours start at 7 pm.

Eat, drink and be merry

Choose your flavour favourite at the Hot Chocolate Festival

Hot chocolate/Shutterstock

What: Back for its seventh year, chocoholics will love this cocoa-fueled festival, which features an unbelievable array of exotic and specialty hot chocolates.
Where: Various locations throughout the city.
When: January 19 to February 14.

#openexperience Bug Protein- Tasting Menu

What: Have you ever wondered about bug protein? Bugs are a more ecologically viable protein but they give us the heebie jeebies! Join Nicole Aleong, an amateur bug protein enthusiast! She’ll take you through a bug tasting menu experience and show you that maybe crickets aren’t such a scary snack!
Where: SFU Harbour Centre Campus- 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver
When: Thursday, January 26, from 7 to 9 pm
Cost: Free with registration on Eventbrite

Find deliciousness at Dine Out Vancouver

What: Presented by Tourism Vancouver, the Dine Out Vancouver festival comes complete with a full 17-day schedule of delicious events that provide festivalgoers with unique culinary experiences to please their palate.
Where: Various locations throughout the city
When: January 20 to February 5

Savour the street at Street Food City VI

What: Celebrating its sixth anniversary, Dine Out Vancouver’s Street Food City brings the chance to try a bunch of Vancouver’s Street Food carts all in one place.
Where: Robson Street and South Plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery
When: January 23 to 29, 11 am to 3 pm on weekdays, 11 am to 5 pm on weekends.

Get the goods at the Gluten Free Expo

What: Discover and sample hundreds of gluten-free products while learning from leading experts, at Canada’s largest gluten free event.
Where: Canada Place – 999 Canada Place
When: January 14 to 15, from 10 am to 4 pm
Tickets: Available online, or at the box office (cash only)

Find out who’s the best Sommelier in BC

What: The third annual Best Sommelier of BC competition sees 16 competitors going head to head to see who’s the best in the BC wine world. Whether you’re a wine connoisseur or not, this is one competition you don’t want to miss.
Where: Centre Ice Club at Rogers Arena – 800 Griffiths Way
When: January 9

Check out a concert, or see a show

Get those Canadian feels at Blue Rodeo

Image: Blue Rodeo / Facebook

What: Toronto’s Blue Rodeo makes their way to the West Coat for a pair of shows.
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre – 650 Hamilton Street
When: Friday, January 27, and Saturday, January 28. Doors open at 7 pm, shows start at 8 pm
Tickets: $33.50 – $83.50, available via livenation

Go see The Boys are Back in Town!

What: Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo perform high-brow hilarity.
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre – 650 Hamilton Street
When: January 20 and 21

Share a laugh with Dino Archie

What: Comedian Dino Archiw performs solo shows
Where: Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club – 2837 Cambie Street
When: Thursday, January 5 to Saturday, January 7

Enjoy toe-tapping’ country at Tim Hicks and Chad Brownlee

What: Canadian country music artist Tim Hicks performs with fellow Canadian country music artist, Chad Brownlee
Where: The Commodore Ballroom – 868 Granville Street
When: Saturday, January 7 and Sunday, January 8. Doors open at 8 pm, shows start at 9 pm.
Tickets: $40, available at Ticketmaster

Do ‘Whatever You Like’ and catch T.I live

What: American rapper TI brings his music to Vancouver for one night only.
Where: The Commodore Ballroom – 868 Granville Street
When: Thursday, January 12, at 9 pm. (Doors open at 8)
Tickets: Available online at Ticketmaster

Keep it heavy at High on Fire

What: Californian heavy metal band High on Fire performs.
Where: The Rickshaw Theatre – 254 East Hastings Street
When: Friday, January 20. Doors open at 7 pm, show starts at 8 pm.
Tickets: $25, available at Ticketmaster

Venture into the Bear’s Den

What: British folk-rock band Bear’s Den performs
Where: The Imperial – 319 Main Street
When: Saturday, January 21. Doors open at 7 pm, show starts at 8 pm.

Indulge your inner ’80s child at Steel Panther

What: American comedy rock/glam metal band Steel Panther plays a pair of shows.
Where: The Commodore Ballroom – 868 Granville Street
When: Friday, January 20 and Saturday, January 21. Doors open at 8pm, show starts at 9 pm.
Tickets: $35, available at Ticketmaster

‘Miss Murder’ and more at AFI

What: California-based punk rock band AFI performs a weeknight show.
Where: The Commodore Ballroom – 868 Granville Street
When: Tuesday, January 24 at 8 pm (doors open at 7 pm)
Tickets: $36.50, available at Ticketmaster

Get into the groove at Talib Kweli

What: American hip hop recording artist, entrepreneur, and social activist, Talib Kweli performs
Where: Venue Nightclub – 881 Granville Street
When: Wednesday, January 25
Tickets: $35, available online

Satisfy your soul with VSO Pops: Ellis Hall Soul Unlimited

What: John Morris Russell conducts vocalist-pianist Ellis Hall, the Ellis Hall Singers, and the VSO in a program of classics by Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, Earth, Wind & Fire, Otis Redding, and Ray Charles.
Where: The Orpheum Theatre – 601 Smithe Street
When: Friday, January 6 at 8 pm, and Saturday, January 7, at 8 pm
Tickets: Available online

Rock out with Big Wreck

What: Formed in Boston and led by Canadian frontman Ian Thornley, Big Wreck performs two shows.
Where: The Commodore Ballroom – 868 Granville Street
When: Friday, January 27 and Saturday, January 28. Doors open at 8 pm, shows start at 9:30 pm.
Tickets: $38.50, available at Ticketmaster

Keep the beat at STOMP

What: The international percussion sensation STOMP makes it much-anticipated return to Vancouver.
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre – 650 Hamilton Street
When: Friday, January 13, at 8 pm, Saturday, January 14, at 2 pm and 8 pm, Sunday, January 15, at 3 pm
Tickets: $55- $82, available online

Enjoy some festival fun

Give yourself a PuSh

What: The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival returns to Vancouver fro three weeks, beginning in mid-sanuaury.
Where: Various venues around the city
When: Monday, January 16 to Monday, February 5
Tickets: $10 -$103, depending on the performance

Have a look at LunarFest

What: Started in 2009 and built to be a Vancouver Winter Olympics Legacy event, LunarFest is Canada’s premier presenter of contemporary expression in Asian arts and culture.
Where: Oakridge Centre, Vancouver
When: Saturday, January 28 to February 15

Celebrate the Chinese New Year

What: Vancouver’s Chinese New Year’s celebration isn’t something to be missed, and the free, annual parade is one of the celebrations biggest draws. In 2017, the Year of the Rooster begins on January 28.
Where: The parade route begins at the Millenium Gate on Pender Street between Shanghai Alley and Taylor Street). See map here.
When: Sunday, January 29 at 11 am.

Check out the Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival- Cultural Fair

What: This festive fair will feature multicultural performances, special lion dance grand finale, martial arts demonstration and more.
Where: Sun Yat-Sen Plaza- 50 East Pender Street, Vancouver
When: Saturday, January 28, from 1 to 4 pm and Sunday, January 29, from 2 to 4 pm.

Eat fresh at the Farmers Markets

Keep it healthy at Hastings Park

Farmers Market / Shutterstock

What: Find a great selection of local produce, fish, meat, dairy, artisan prepared foods, baked goods, local crafts, and food trucks.
Where: Hastings Park Centregrounds – 2901 E Hastings Street, Vancouver
When: Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm, January 8 to April 30

Find everything you need at Nat Bailey Stadium

What: Find local produce, meat, seafood, artisan cheese, bread, herbs, baked goods, artisanal crafts, and more.
Where: Nat Bailey Stadium – 4601 Ontario Street, Vancouver
When: Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm, January 7 to April 22

Other events

Lose your pants on the Skytrain

No Pants SkyTrain Ride/Shutterstock

What: Take off your pants and get on the Skytrain for an annual ride event.
Where: Southside of Commercial-Broadway Skytrain station by the ticket machines
When: Sunday, January 8 at 2:30 pm

Cheer on the Canucks

What better way to enjoy the winter season then by cheering on the Vancouver Canucks? Get the full schedule of home games here.

Be puzzled

What: Fan of puzzles? This event is for you!
Where: Gordon Neighbourhood House – 1019 Broughton Street Vancouver
When: Sunday, January 15, from 10 am to 1:30 pm