FREE outdoor lights and arts festival returns to Vancouver next month
Vancouver is finally seeing relief from the recent cold and snow, and it’s perfect timing because the Winter Arts Festival is just around the corner.
The popular Vancouver Mural Festival (VMF) event returns from February 22 to 27 for its fourth year in a row, with public spaces across downtown being transformed into interactive, open-air galleries.
Winter Arts Festival is also expanding its free, all-ages outdoor celebration to Victoria for the first time in 2024, with exciting festivities and happenings to check out in both cities.
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“The Winter Arts Festival provides a platform for artists to experiment, push boundaries, and inspire the community,” said Miriam Esquitín, VMF executive director, in a release. “Whether wandering through the illuminated streets of Victoria or experiencing the festival’s return to Vancouver, Winter Arts Festival promises an enriching and immersive cultural experience.
“We invite attendees to rediscover familiar streets and city spaces, forging connections through a diverse array of indoor and outdoor experiences.”
Victoria’s Winter Art Festival takes place from February 16 to 19. The highly anticipated VMF After Dark, a late-night ticketed 19+ pop-up party will take place in Victoria for the first time on February 17.
Winter Arts Hub will also make its Victoria debut from February 16 to 19, with live entertainment, food trucks, mulled wine bar, an artisan market, and more.
Pythagorythm by Monkey C Interactive (Carrot_ee-33/Submitted)
VMF Winter Arts in Vancouver will include laser light animation, augmented reality, sculptures, and more by local and international artists.
There will also be special programming, including a Curator Talk and the return of Blanketing The City: Lighting the Way.
VMF Winter Arts (Gabriel Martins/Submitted)
“In recognition of the United Nations’ Decade of Indigenous Languages, we’ve chosen this year’s theme to be Light and Language,” said Natalia Lebedinskaia, VMF creative director, in a statement. “Like a warm spotlight in the darkest time of year, the festival uses light as a symbol of illumination, understanding, and connection through art, communication, and technology.”
Blanketing The City is the continued evolution of the public art mural series and reconciliation process designed by renowned xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) weaver and graphic designer Debra Sparrow in collaboration with VMF. The series is also supported by the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association.
VMF Winter Arts – Blanketing The City (Gabriel Martins/Submitted)
Large-scale lighting displays featuring transformed Coast Salish weaving patterns, colours and stories will be displayed on iconic Vancouver landmarks throughout February.
New in 2024 is the addition of Thread Runner, an AR “runner” derived from Sparrow’s 2011 artwork. Visitors at each of the seven Blanketing The City locations can interact with the Coast Salish patterns on the facades of the buildings.
Winter Arts Festival Vancouver 2024
When: February 22 to 27, 2024
Time: Various times
Where: Various locations
Cost: Free and ticketed events
Daily Hive is a proud media partner of the Vancouver Mural Festival
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