10 fun events to check out in Metro Vancouver this Family Day Weekend
Family time is the best time, especially when it’s also a long weekend. So gather your fam and make plans with our rundown of fun events around Metro Vancouver!
From FAN EXPO Vancouver to Chosen Family Day at VMF Winter Arts Hub, here are 10 events to check out this Family Day Weekend, February 19 to 21.
FAN EXPO Vancouver 2022
FAN EXPO Vancouver/Submitted
What: FAN EXPO Vancouver is one of British Columbia’s largest pop-culture events. The annual event brings together tens of thousands of people ranging from comic book fans, cosplay lovers, sci-fi, horror and anime aficionados, and gaming fanatics, to name a few. Plus, there are family-friendly experiences and fantastic celebrities to meet as well!
FXV will be presented within capacity limits and with an expanded floor plan and widened aisles for easy social distancing. All participants and attendees will be expected to follow all health and safety mandates, including masking (work those masks into your cosplay!) and providing proof of vaccination.
When: February 19 to 21, 2022
Time: 10 am to 7 pm (Saturday), 10 am to 5 pm (Sunday and Monday)
Where: Vancouver Convention Centre, West Building, Halls B And C – 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver
Tickets: Available online, Starting at $12 for children ages 6 to 12, $27 for youth ages 13 to 17, $37-$47 for ages 18 and up. 3-Day Pass, Premium Package, and Family packages are also available.
Black History Month Family Day
What: Mackin House celebrates African culture in Canada with a Family Day weekend event. Enjoy craft making, treats, and musical performances by tribute band Mostly Marley and steel drum pannist Kenrick Headley.
When: February 19, 2022
Time: 1 to 3 pm
Where: Mackin House – 1116 Brunette Avenue, Coquitlam
Cost: Free registration required online.
VMF Winter Arts 2022
What: The second annual VMF Winter Arts is transforming public spaces across downtown Vancouver into interactive, open-air galleries featuring augmented reality (AR) art and lights.
VMF Winter Arts 2022 is a free, all-ages outdoor festival that features interactive AR art and light installations at eight locations across the city. Download the free VMF App to find all the installations, then check out the Winter Arts Hub at šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square on the north side of the Vancouver Art Gallery. The covered outdoor space is heated and airy, perfect for guests to safely gather to enjoy food, drinks, art, and free live performances.
When: Now until February 27, 2022
Where: Public spaces across Vancouver’s core, Yaletown, and False Creek
Cost: Free
Family Day at Vancouver Art Gallery
Jan Wade Soul Power, Members Morning, July 2021 (Scott Little/vanartgallery.bc.ca)
What: Vancouver Art Gallery’s Family Day celebration includes the opportunity to spend time as a family reading and relaxing in the Young Activist Reading Room, created in response to the exhibition GROWING FREEDOM: The instructions of Yoko Ono / The art of John and Yoko. Afterwards, head to the third floor and re-purpose textiles and found objects to help create a huge weaving for the Rotunda of the Gallery.
The first 100 families to arrive will receive one Art Detective Bag with a variety of goodies, including a sketchbook that will help you search for clues as you explore the exhibition Jan Wade: Soul Power.
When: February 21, 2022
Time: 10 am to 5 pm
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery – 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver
Cost: Free for children 12 and under, when accompanied by an adult. Free for Gallery Members or with admission. Purchase Online
Family Day Toonie Skate
What: Invite the whole family to enjoy a Family Day Toonie Skate. Skates rental is included in the admission fee, and there will also be crafts to create.
When: February 21, 2022
Time: 9 to 10:15 am, 10:45 am to 12 pm, 12:30 to 1:45 pm
Where: Bill Copeland Sports Centre – 3676 Kensington Avenue, Burnaby
Cost: $2, free for children three and under.
Into the Light
What: Into the Light (在燈光之中) runs for three days only, from February 18 to 20, and is an all-ages, walk-through event created by Hong Kong-born, Vancouver-based multidisciplinary artist Stephanie Won and award-winning Richmond-based artist Marina Szijarto.
Visitors to Into the Light will step inside the ancient tale of the sea-monster Nian (年) and will be guided through the immersive experience by illuminated lanterns and bursts of sound, colour and light, thanks to the lighting arrangement by Vanka Salim and soundscape composition by Sapphire Haze. Along the way, they will learn how certain Lunar New Year rituals became traditions still celebrated today.
When: February 18 to 20, 2022
Time: 5 to 8 pm (Friday), 1 to 8 pm (Saturday and Sunday)
Where: Gateway Theatre – 6500 Gilbert Road, Richmond
Cost: $18-$28, purchase online
Chosen Family Day: Celebrating Recovery Pathways
Vancouver Pride Society/Submitted
What: Vancouver Pride Society, Last Door Recovery Society, and VMF Winter Arts come together to celebrate the joy of chosen families. Everyone is invited to bring their loved ones to the VMF Winter Arts Hub for an afternoon of drag storytime drag performances, including a kids activity space with a magician and balloon art.
The free Family Day event will also feature a Recovery Day Overdose Memorial Tree, and a Chosen Family lived experience panel. Storytellers will share their experiences with recovery from mental health issues, addiction, gender-based violence, and sexual orientation discrimination.
When: February 21, 2022
Time: starting at 10:30 am
Where: Winter Arts Hub at šxwƛ ̓ ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square on the north side of the Vancouver Art Gallery – 750 Hornby St, Vancouver
Cost: Free
The Lantern City – Forever Young
What: Inspired by the youthful spirit of Granville Island, The Society of We Are Canadians Too has created The Lantern City – Forever Young. Head to Ocean Art Works to see the giant lanterns designed by Indigenous, Rukai, Taiwanese, Filipino and Canadian artists. The artworks celebrate children from all over the world as well as their endless potential
When: Now until February 21, 2022
Where: Ocean Art Works, Granville Island
Cost: Free
Vancouver Canucks vs Seattle Kraken
Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports
What: The Canucks take on the Kraken at Rogers Arena on February 21. The Family Day game is the first regular-season matchup in Vancouver of these two teams, so it’s a historic marquee matchup in this burgeoning West Coast rivalry. Plus Rogers Arena is allowed to be at full capacity so the crowd energy will be high.
When: February 21, 2022
Time: 7 pm
Where: Rogers Arena – 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver
Cost: Various, purchase online
Virtual Family Day at Vancouver Maritime Museum
What: The Vancouver Maritime Museum is hosting a virtual Family Day celebration that will spotlight the life of a 19th-century sailor. Families will have fun learning about the skills needed to keep everything ship-shape while out at sea. There will even be a sea shanty sing-along.
When: February 21, 2022
Time: 10:30 to 11:30 am
Where: Online via Zoom
Cost: Free, register online