The final weekend of January is the first weekend of two major festivals in Metro Vancouver. Here’s a look at what’s happening.
Dine Out Vancouver
Canada’s largest food and drink festival got underway Wednesday and will continue through Feb. 9.
More than 350 restaurants across the Lower Mainland are once again offering fixed-price menus for the Dine Out Vancouver Festival, which is now in its 23rd year.
In addition to the many dining experiences on offer, there are also a variety of special events, tours, tastings and workshops under the festival’s umbrella. Full lists of participating restaurants and events can be found on the Dine Out website.
Street Food City
If a fixed-price, multi-course, sit-down meal isn’t your style, you may want to head to šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énk Square – the north plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery – for “Street Food City” this weekend.
One of the events under the Dine Out umbrella, Street Food City brings together more than a dozen of Metro Vancouver’s favourite food trucks in a free-admission festival within a festival.
Food trucks will be open in the square on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
PuSh International Performing Arts Festival
Also underway this weekend is the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, described by organizers as “the Lower Mainland’s signature mid-winter cultural event delivering audacious, innovative, contemporary works of live arts by acclaimed local, national and international artists.”
Live performances of dance, theatre, music and multimedia are scheduled from Thursday through Feb. 9 at various venues around Vancouver. Schedule and ticket information can be found on the festival website.
VSO Pops present ‘Hollywood Rocks’
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra will perform two concerts of songs from popular films and TV series this weekend as part of its VSO Pops series.
“Hollywood Rocks” features music A Star Is Born, Tommy, Rocketman, Bohemian Rhapsody, Back to the Future, Rock of Ages, Love Actually, Top Gun, Elvis and Yesterday, with vocalists Julie Reiber and Bryce Ryness accompanying the orchestra.
Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre on Smithe Street. Tickets can be purchased online.
Lunar New Year Market
The UBC Botanical Garden will host its annual Lunar New Year Market this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
Guests are invited to celebrate the Year of the Snake with more than 40 local makers and food trucks, a lion dance and kung fu performance by the UBC Kung Fu Club, workshops, photo booths, a potted-plant sale and more.
Tickets can be purchased online and include admission to both the botanical garden and the Asian garden.
