27 things to do in Vancouver this weekend: January 24 to 26

Another winter weekend to enjoy in Vancouver! Here are 27 events to check out on Friday, January 24, Saturday, January 25, and Sunday, January 26. Lunar New Year, Towers of Tomorrow, and more.

And for more things happening around town, be sure to check out our events section.

Friday, January 24

Towers of Tomorrow

What: Towers of Tomorrow, presented by Concert Properties and White Spot Restaurants, features some of the most well-known architectural achievements in the world, all made entirely out of LEGO. The towers are constructed on a scale of 1:200 by Australia’s Ryan McNaught, the only certified LEGO professional in the Southern Hemisphere.

Some of the towers featured include Toronto’s CN Tower, Philadelphia’s Comcast Technology Center, Los Angeles’ Wilshire Grand Center, Chicago’s Willis Tower, Atlanta’s Bank of America Plaza, and New York’s Empire State Building and Chrysler Building. The exhibition also features TransLink’s Transport2050 MicroCity animated 3D model presenting the story of Metro Vancouver’s transportation and transit past, present, and future.

When: January 24 to September 7, 2020
Time: Various times
Where: TELUS World of Science — 1455 Quebec Street, Vancouver
Tickets: Online

Gramma

What: Playwright and actor Maki Yi presents the world premiere of her new one-woman show at Pacific Theatre. Gramma is a story about human connection in the loneliest of circumstances.

When: Wednesday to Saturday until February 1, 2020
Time: 8 pm (plus 2 pm on Saturdays)
Where: Pacific Theatre — 1440 W 12th Avenue, Vancouver
Tickets: Online

Dermot Kennedy

What: Rising star Dermot Kennedy kicks off his North American tour, Without Fear, at Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre on Friday, January 24. Kennedy’s debut album, Without Fear, was released in October 2019. His global streaming numbers continue to rise with over 600 million across all platforms and more than nine million listeners on Spotify alone. The artist’s work has received praise from the Los Angeles Times, TIME Magazine, The New York Times, NPR, Complex, and Billboard.

When: January 24, 2020
Time: Doors 7 pm, show 8 pm
Where: Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre — 6066 Thunderbird Boulevard, Vancouver
Tickets: Starting at $29.50 (plus service charges) — Tickets available via Ticketmaster

Chinese New Year Celebration at International Village Mall

What: International Village Mall’s celebration features traditional Chinese Spring festivities and rituals, as well as exhibition and sales booths on the Main and Upper Mall Levels. There will be Chinese New Year items, multicultural live performances and more. This three-day event includes an opening celebration with a ceremonial lion dance.

When: January 24 to 26, 2020
Time: Various times
Where: International Village Mall – 88 W Pender Street, Vancouver
Admission: Free

Australia Day 2020 + Fire Relief Fundraiser

What: The Beaver Taphouse hosts an Australia Day 2020 and Fire Relief Fundraiser on January 24. Australia Day Party. Listen to Triple J’s Hot 100 countdown and enjoy drink specials. Samesun Backpackers and The Beaver will be donating a portion of all sales made during Australia Day Party, and The Working Holiday Club will also be matching all donations made on January 24.

When: January 24, 2020
Time: 4 pm to 2 am
Where: The Beaver Taphouse – 1018 Granville Street, Vancouver (Inside the Samesun Hostel)
Admission: Free

BBQ, Fried Chicken & Brewery Tour

What: This tour takes attendees from Juke Fried Chicken to Memphis Blues to Vancouver’s newest craft brewery, Container Brewing. Part of Dine Out Vancouver 2020.

When: January 24, 25, February 1, 2020
Time: 4 to 7:30 pm
Where: 601 West Cordova Street, Vancouver (Meet Inside Waterfront Station)
Price: $105.99; buy online

Australia Day celebrations at Moose’s Down Under

What: Moose’s Down Under celebrates Australia Day with live entertainment, food and drink specials, and activities throughout the weekend. Funds will also be raised to help support efforts in the Australia Bush Fire crisis.

When: January 24 to 26, 2020
Time: Various times
Where: Moose’s Down Under – Basement, 830 W. Pender St, Vancouver
More Info: Online

Saturday, January 25

River District Lunar New Year Celebration

What: River District is hosting its second annual Lunar New Year Celebration, with traditional lion dance performances at the Town Centre starting at 11 am to bring good luck and fortune to individuals and businesses. There will be lucky red envelopes, fortune cookies, Lunar New Year-themed drinks inside Everything Wine, refreshments by Westminster Savings and more. At 1 pm the festivities will continue at the River District Neighbourhood Centre, including another lion dance and an interactive Tai Chi demonstration.

When: January 25, 2020
Time: 11 am until 12:30 pm (River District Town Centre); 1 pm until 3 pm (River District Neighbourhood Centre)
Where: River District Town Centre – Corner of Sawmill Crescent and River District Crossing; River District Neighbourhood Centre — 8683 Kerr Street, Vancouver
Admission: Free

Vancouver Public Library Winter Used Book Sale

What: Vancouver Public Library is holding a huge used book sale from January 23 to January 25 at VPL’s main branch at 350 West Georgia Street. The sale will also feature DVDs, CDs and other media among the offerings. All sales are final, and attendees are asked to bring their own bags to carry their new finds home in. Prices start at just 50 cents for some items, and $2 for hardcovers. Anything that remains unsold by Saturday will be half price.

When: January 25, 2020
Time: 10 am to 5 pm
Where: Vancouver Public Library Central Branch – 350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver
Admission: Free

A Gathering of Eagles – Vancouver’s Urban Eagles

What: Learn all about the world of eagles with David Hancock of the Hancock Wildlife Foundation, biologist, conservationist, and lecturer.

When: January 25, 2019
Time: 1 to 2:30 pm
Where: Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre – 3663 Park Road, North Vancouver
Tickets: Online

LunarFest Celebrations

What: LunarFest brings cultures and traditions together in a variety of events in January and February. Check out Lunarfest Celebrations, with live performances, community booths, crafts and more, at Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza on January 25 and 26.

When: January 25 and 26, 2020
Time: Various times
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery Plaza — šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énk Square
Admission: Free

The Vancouver Coins, Stamps & Collectables Show

What: North Shore Numismatic Society hosts Vancouver Coins, Stamps & Collectables Show, with 40 tables of coins, stamps, and collectibles to peruse. Search for coins from around the world, ancient coins, bank notes, stamps, and more.

When: January 25, 2020
Time: 9 am to 3 pm
Where: Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre — 6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby
Admission: $2, ages 16 and under free

Alexisonfire with The Distillers

What: Southern Ontario–born indie band Alexisonfire is coming to Vancouver in January. Opening the shows for Alexisonfire on all dates are reunited modern-day punk icons The Distillers. Meanwhile, Montreal garage punk rockers Nobro will be opening all Canadian show dates.

When: January 25, 2020
Time: 7 pm
Where: Pacific Coliseum — 100 North Renfrew Street, Vancouver
Tickets: $80.50 (plus fees) — Available via TicketLeader

Mad Max-athon for Aussie Bushfire Relief

What: The Rio Theatre is hosting a Mad Max Movie Marathon on January 25 to benefit Aussie Bushfire Relief efforts. Enjoy screenings of Mad Max, The Road Warrior, Beyond Thunderdome, and Fury Road, with funds raised going to the Australian Red Cross. There will also be raffle prizes, trivia and costume contests, and more.

When: January 25, 2020
Time: Doors 3:30 pm. Screenings at 4:30 pm, 6:30 pm, 8:30 pm and 10:45 pm
Where: Rio Theatre – 1660 East Broadway, Vancouver
Tickets: Online

Blues for the Food Bank

What: Agent C and Top Secret host the annual Blues for the Food Bank fundraiser for the Surrey Food Bank. Enjoy live music, dancing, food and drinks, and more at Sheraton Guildford Hotel in support of the good cause.

When: January 25, 2020
Time: Doors 7 pm, music 7:30 pm
Where: Sheraton Guildford Hotel — 15269 104th Avenue Surrey
Tickets: Online

Chinese New Year Celebration at Grand Villa Casino

What: Grand Villa Casino celebrates Chinese New Year with a traditional Lion Dance Ceremony and Fortune God performance on January 25. Attendees will receive red Lai See envelopes with key chains, and provincial and municipal government leaders will also be in attendance.

When: January 25, 2020
Time: 11 am
Where: Grand Villa Casino – 4331 Dominion Street, Burnaby
Tickets: No tickets required. Guests must be 19+ to enter the casino.

Fisherman Helping Kids with Cancer Herring Sale

What: The ninth annual Fisherman Helping Kids with Cancer (FHKWC) herring sale is happening in Richmond and Maple Ridge on January 25. Each 20-pound bag of herring is $15; all of its cost to fish and bag is donated by FHKWC’s generous sponsors of commercial fishermen and volunteers. For the first time, the herring sale will also include hake. FHKWC has raised nearly $700,000 since 2011 to help improve the quality of life for kids with cancer.

When: January 25, 2020
Time: 8 am to 4 pm
Where: Steveston Harbour Authority – 12740 Trites Road, Richmond / Bruce’s Country Market – 23963 Lougheed Highway, Maple Ridge
More information: Online 

Sunday, January 26

47th Vancouver Chinatown Spring Festival Parade

What: The Chinese New Year Parade features lion dances, marching bands, cultural dancers, martial artists, and more. The annual parade winds its way through Chinatown and is expected to draw 100,000 spectators along the route.

When: January 26, 2020
Time: Begins at 11 am and will last about 2.5 hours
Where: Vancouver Chinatown. Parade starts at Millennium Gate on Pender Street, heads east along Pender Street, turns south onto Gore Street, turns west onto Keefer Street and then ends on Keefer at Abbott.
Admission: Free

Whistler Pride and Ski Festival 2020

What: Each day begins with open and inclusive guided ski and snowboarding groups, alternating between Whistler and Blackcomb. Afterwards, warm up at the free friendly après. Every night features specially curated entertainment including a game night, a comedy night featuring Pam Ann, and a variety of dance parties.

When: January 26 to February 2, 2020
Time: Various times
Where: Various locations in Whistler
Tickets: Online, tickets vary depending on event

Paw Patrol Live – The Great Pirate Adventure

What: Nickelodeon and VStar Entertainment Group present PAW Patrol Live – The Great Pirate Adventure at Rogers Arena. Bring the little ones to enjoy a pirate-themed live show with the heroic pups

When: January 26, 2020
Time: 10 am and 2 pm
Where: Rogers Arena
Tickets: Online

Family Day at PdA

What: Place des Arts hosts Family Day, where attendees can take a self-guided tour of the exhibitions. Afterwards, try the three drop-in style art activities inspired by the artwork.

When: January 26, 2020
Time: 2 to 4 pm
Where: Place des Arts – 1120 Brunette Avenue, Coquitlam
Register: Online, Free

Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story

What: Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story by 2b Theatre Company is a concert and drama hybrid that tells the true story of Chaim and Chaya, Jewish refugees from the pogroms of Romania. The wild, witty, and inventive story shows the audience how they meet in 1908 while awaiting medical inspection in Halifax’s Pier 21 immigration centre, and continues forward to their lives together in Montreal and backward to the horrors of the Continent.

When: January 24 to 26, January 28 to 30, 2020
Time: 7:30 pm (1:30 pm on January 26)
Where: Frederic Wood Theatre — University of British Columbia — 6354 Crescent Road, Vancouver
Tickets: Online

Lunar New Year Celebration at CF Richmond Centre

What: CF Richmond Centre celebrates Lunar New Year with a Lion Dance Ceremony with the God of Fortune on January 26.

When: January 26, 2020
Time: 11 am to 2 pm
Where: CF Richmond Centre — 6551 No. 3 Road, Richmond
Admission: Free

Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge

What: The Canyon Lights features thousands of sparkling lights illuminating the iconic suspension bridge and other areas of the park. The 30-ton Douglas Firs of the Treetops Adventure will also be dressed in lights. Standing at an impressive 110 feet above the forest floor, the Douglas Firs that connect the suspension bridges are the eight tallest Christmas trees in the world, according to event organizers.

When: January 26, 2020
Time: 11 am to 9 pm
Where: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, 3735 Capilano Road, North Vancouver
Tickets: Available online, with annual passes (included with admission) available for BC residents

Fortune Food Fair 2020

What: Fortune Sound Club, a Chinatown staple, will be hosting Fortune Food Fair on January 26 from 11 am to 4 pm. Entry to the one-day-only food hall is free, and attendees can expect an array of epic eats from local vendors available for purchase all day long.

When: January 26, 2020
Time: 11 am to 4 pm
Where: Fortune Sound Club — 147 E Pender Street, Vancouver
Admission: Free

Revolution of Our Times

What: An exhibition highlighting images from the Hong Kong protests – “Revolution of Our Times” – will be hosted at the Polygon Gallery in North Vancouver  on January 14 and January 26, 2020. The exhibition will feature photos, artifacts, artwork, and “human stories,” and will be travelling to other major world cities “with the goal of making the struggle of the citizens of Hong Kong real, and to put their fight into context.”

When: January 26, 2020
Time: 10 am to 5 pm
Where: The Polygon Gallery — 101 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver
Admission: By donation

Year of the Rat Temple Fair

What: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden hosts Year of the Rat Temple Fair, with live music and performances, calligraphy contest, tea tastings, and more.

When: January 26, 2020
Time: 11 am to 4 pm
Where: Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden — 578 Carrall Street, Vancouver
Admission: By donation. Suggested $5