The last week of February is here, and it brings a bevy of fun activities to check out Vancouver!
From T. rex: The Ultimate Predator to National Ocean Wise Seafood Festival and more, here are 15 things to do from February 21 to 27.
T. rex: The Ultimate Predator at Science World
Visitors to T. rex The Ultimate Predator will encounter a massive life-sized model of T. rex with patches of feathers—the most scientifically accurate representation of T. rex to date. (© AMNH/D. Finnin)
What: T. rex: The Ultimate Predator is a massive feature exhibit that will introduce visitors to the entire tyrannosaur family through life-sized models, fossil casts, and interactive experiences.
Visitors will also discover how the Tyrannosaurus rex may have looked and behaved over 66 million years ago. From a young, furry baby, to a massive, fully grown apex predator through its 100 million years of evolution, the enormous reptile comes to life in the exhibit.
When: February 26, 2022, to January 22, 2023
Time: 10 am to 5 pm
Where: Science World – 1455 Quebec Street, Vancouver
Tickets: Available online
The Big Top: Scene VS Emo pt 2
What: This beloved monthly online show hosted by Satanix showcases drag performers of all genders and expressions as well as artists of other specialties such as burlesque and poetry. The Bip Top: Scene vs Emo pt 2 will have Vancouver’s favourite kings, things, and queens pulling out the black eyeliner and back-combing their hair to the scene and emo gods above on this Twitch livestreamed extravaganza.
When: February 25, 2022
Time: 9 pm
Where: Online via Twitch.tv/s4t4nix
Cost: Free
Kalabanté: Afrique en Cirque
What: Montreal-based troupe Kalabanté Productions presents Afrique en Cirque, an evening of theatre, dance, music, and astonishing physical feats. Led by acrobat, musician, aerialist, choreographer, and artistic director Yamoussa Bangoura, the 11-person performance is a high-flying feast for the senses.
When: February 24, 2022
Time: 8 pm
Where: Chan Shun Concert Hall at Chan Centre for the Performing Arts – 6265 Crescent Rd, Vancouver
Tickets: Purchase online
Through the Nurses’ Lens Photo Exhibit
Through the Nurses’ Lens/Submitted
What: Through the Nurses’ Lens, featuring photos and quotes from 12 nurses who worked in patient care during the ongoing public health crisis, is being showcased at Amelia Douglas Gallery.
Visitors will see deeply personal photographs and read thought-provoking quotes from the 12 nurses who volunteered to be part of Through the Nurses’ Lens. Some images show the photographer’s resilience and hope for the future, while others tell a story of great fatigue. There are photos expressing frustration with miscommunication and quotes sharing battles with burnout.
When: Now until May 3, 2022
Time: 10 am to 7:30 pm (Monday to Friday), 11 am to 4 pm (Saturdays). Closed Sundays
Where: Amelia Douglas Gallery – Fourth Floor North, Douglas College – 700 Royal Avenue New Westminster
Cost: Free
The Da Vinci Experience
What: The Da Vinci Experience is described as a visual and sensory celebration that highlights Da Vinci’s life and work as a renowned artist, inventor, engineer, and innovator. The exhibition includes a 4,000 sq ft immersive experience room that uses 360-degree projections to show off Da Vinci’s original works. Projections will also be used to create a virtual reality experience inside Da Vinci’s studio. Additionally, there will be replicas of the unique inventions and machines he created based on original drawings.
Visits will take approximately one hour, and timed entry takes place every 30 minutes. The experience is open to visitors of all ages, is wheelchair friendly, and organizers stress that they’ll be following all recommendations from the Ministry of Health.
When: Now until February 28, 2022
Time: Various times from 10 am to 6:30 pm
Where: Tsawwassen Mills Shopping Mall (Entrance #3 by Restaurant Row)
Tickets: Online
Whistler Sliding Centre
What: You don’t have to be an Olympian to ride like one in Whistler. Try your hand at passenger bobsleigh, and public skeleton rides at the Whistler Sliding Centre.
You can slide in a four-person bobsleigh driven by a trained pilot through 10 corners of the track at speeds of up to 125 km/hr. For public skeleton, guests can whip through the track’s final six corners, reaching speeds of up to 100 km/hr on their own individual skeleton sled. Participants have to be at least 16 years old. No experience is required.
When: Now until March 27, 2022
Time: Various times
Where: 4910 Glacier Lane, Whistler
Cost: Each ride is $199 per person, with all proceeds going to support sliding sports and athletes who train at the non-profit organization. Book online.
Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Society – Legacy Collection Exhibit
What: Parq Vancouver and Dragon Boat BC present an exhibit of artwork from the vault of the Legacy Collection of the Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Society. It is only the second time that many of these one-of-a-kind artifacts have been available for viewing in the last few decades. The pieces can be seen at the casino on level 3 near the Luna High Limit Slots Salon for a limited time.
When: Now until February 22, 2022
Time: Regular Parq Vancouver hours
Where: Park Vancouver –39 Smithe St, Vancouver,
Cost: Free
National Ocean Wise Seafood Festival
@oceanwiseseafood/Instagram
What: The National Ocean Wise Seafood Festival is underway across the country, and seafood lovers in Vancouver are in heaven with the amount and variety of delicious dishes to enjoy. Until February 28, make plans to discover some of the city’s top restaurants while supporting the sustainable seafood fundraiser for Ocean Wise Seafood program.
When: Various days of operation
Time: Various hours of operation
Where: Various restaurants across Vancouver. See the list online.
The Value and Creativity of Queer Stories, presented by Roar Cat Reads
What: Roar Cat Reads, a queer nerdy blog that has grown into a community of queer nerds in their neighbourhood and the internet, hosts a discussion of the value of queer stories for queer, straight, and questioning audiences.
The Twitch-livestreamed event is also a celebration of queer creativity across genre, and includes celebrated local authors Danny Ramadan, Tonya Boteju, and Michelle Osgood conversing about their works and offering reading lists of their favourite 2SLGBTQAI+ books.
When: February 23, 2022
Time: starting at 7 pm
Where: Online via Twitch.tv/RoarCatReads
Cost: Free
Treat yourself to tasty meal bowls
What: Is it just us, or does food just taste better when it’s in a bowl?! Layer rice or noodles with some fresh and tasty ingredients, and you have the perfect lunch, dinner, or anytime meal, literally in the palm of your hand. And that’s not even talking about smoothie bowls or salads. Vancouver has some mighty delicious bowls to discover.
When: Various days of operation
Time: Various hours of operation
Where: Various restaurants across Vancouver. See the list online.
Love Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge
What: This February, Valentine’s-themed lighting experiences will be lighting up Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. Expect the suspension bridge, Treetops Adventure, and the Cliffwalk’s Arc de Lumina to be glowing brighter than your love for your sweetheart.
When: Now until February 28, 2022
Time: 10 am to 6 pm
Where: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park – 3735 Capilano Road, North Vancouver
Tickets: Available online
VMF Winter Arts Closing Night presented by Vancouver Pride Society
Vancouver Pride Society/Submitted
What: The closing celebration of VMF Winter Arts 2022 is a Pop-Up Pride party not to be missed. The free, all-ages event at šxwƛ ̓ ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square features art installations, live performances by 2SLGBTQAI+ artists, hot drinks and food trucks. Enjoy it all in the comfort of a welcoming, heated and airy covered space with a licensed area.
When: February 27, 2022
Time: starting at 4 pm
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
Family Day at Vancouver Art Gallery
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 chidren 12 and under, when accompanied by an adult. Free for Gallery Members or with admission. Purchase online
Canuck Place Cookie Club
What: The annual Canuck Place Cookie Club campaign is happening until the end of March, with bakeries and businesses throughout Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley donating partial proceeds from the sale of special baked goods to the children’s hospice.
The club is a fundraiser for Cookies for Canuck Place, and is just one way to support BC and the Yukon’s only pediatric palliative care provider, caring for more than 800 children with life-threatening illnesses and the families who love them.
When: Various days of operation
Time: Various hours of operation
Where: Various restaurants across Vancouver. See the list online.
Winter Arts Talk Series
What: A virtual series of talks presented by Electronic Arts and hosted by the Vancouver Public Library. Hear industry experts from EA and Relic discuss a crucial topic facing the gaming industry: how to fight disruptive behaviour and build inclusive experiences (Bonus: meet a rep from EA to learn tips on how to break into the industry).
Plus, hear from VR artists and designers on how their creations foster human connection and understanding, a particularly important topic during this isolating pandemic.
When: February 22 and 23, 2022
Time: 7 pm
Where: Online
Cost: Free, register online
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