Things to Do in Vancouver: Finding Fun Things to Do in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

**This is an archived page.  For current special events click here**
 

 

Special Events for January 2012
Dates may change, or events may be cancelled. Please confirm dates, times, and other particulars before attending by calling phone number and checking website listed.
 
Does your organization, club, or business have a family friendly event planned? For your free listing, send particulars to Kelmar.

 

January 1, 2012
Polar Bear Swim 2012 (92nd Annual). The Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club is one of the largest and oldest Polar Bear Clubs in the world. Its initial swim was in 1920 when a small number of hardy swimmers took the plunge into English Bay on New Year's Day. Led by their founder, Peter Pantages, the swim has grown from around 10 swimmers in that year to the new record of 2,246 official entries set in 2011. Today, the swim takes place at 2:30pm on the first day of each new year. Costumes and the Peter Pantages Memorial 100 yard swim race are the highlights of this event. To be a club member you must register before the swim -- it's free. Registration takes place in front of the English Bay Bathhouse from 12:30pm - 2:30pm each New Year's Day. You may also register by clipping out the coupon in The Province and presenting it at the registration desk the day of the swim. Prizes are drawn from all registrations.

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January 1, 2011 to February 26, 2012
Public Ice Skating at Robson Square - Vancouver.  Located in the heart of downtown Vancouver, Robson Square was British Columbia's home for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. This winter, Robson Square Ice Rink will be open for free public skating from Noon to 9 pm every day. Rentals are available. https://robsonsquare.ca

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January 4 to February 29, 2012
Creature Curiosity.  David Camisa. David takes something real and infuses it with a taste of the fantastical, allowing viewers to see something they will most likely never see in real life.  He has always been intrigued by people and all of their complex ways;therefore they are the inspiration in his paintings.  To give an earthy feel he paints on wood panels, thus grounding an otherwise unrealistic scene.  He uses a graphic style that aims to emphasize each character’s traits and personalities, allowing each to convey varying emotions to an onlooker. District Library Gallery, Lynn Valley Main Library, 1277 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver

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January 6, 2012
Call for Submissions: Diversity and Employment in Metro Vancouver.  CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: Due 4:30 January 6, 2012. Open call for Working World: Diversity and Employment in Metro Vancouver, an exhibit of local photography put on by SPARC BC at the Museum of Vancouver In April 2012, SPARC BC and the Museum of Vancouver will launch an exhibit of photographs that explore work and diversity in Metro Vancouver. Show us what Metro Vancouvers working world looks like to you. Submit your photojournalistic style image, photo description, CV and artist statement by January 6, 2012 to have your work selected for display. Selected artists will be awarded for their contributions (from $100 to $1,500). Find more info, including the call for submissions and guidelines, at www.sparc.bc.ca.

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January 6, 2012
Nonna's Kitchen.  Nonna's Kitchen: An evening of authentic Italian comfort food for the whole family! Doors open 6pm Dinner served 6:30pm Tickets on sale now! Italian Cultural Centre, 604.430.3337, www.iccvancouver.ca

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January 7 - 8, 2012
Lions Club Chipping Event.  Drop off your live, cut tree at a Lions Club Chipping Event: Kerrisdale Community Ice Rink parking lot, East Boulevard north of 41st Avenue; Kitsilano Beach parking lot, Cornwall Avenue and Arbutus Street; Sunset Beach upper parking lot, Beach Avenue and Broughton Street; Rona Home & Garden, Grandview Store at 2727 East 12th Avenue overflow parking lot south of 12th Avenue.Donations of cash and non-perishable food items for local charities are also welcome and will be collected.

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January 8, 2012
Tree Chipping for Charity.   Bring your beloved Christmas tree to this Mount Pleasant BIA community event and have it chipped up and safely disposed of while helping the children at Mount Pleasant Elementary School! This anticipated, family-friendly event will celebrate this years holidays with tree chipping by donation, and FREE cookies and hot chocolate courtesy of the Mount Pleasant BIA! ALL proceeds will go to the Mount Pleasant Elementary School to help them raise the very much needed funds to purchase hands-on technology for their classrooms. We look forward to Tree Chipping for Charity with you! 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Kingsgate Mall (370 East Broadway, lower east side parking lot).

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January 8, 2012
2012 Way Cool Biodiversity Series.  Come listen to a family-friendly lecture each month as a different biodiversity researcher competes for public affection for their groups! At the end of the year, cast your vote for the coolest organism. First Sunday of every month at 1:00 p.m., included with museum admission or membership. www.beatymuseum.ubc.ca/events

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January 12, 2012
Grace Li Xiu Woo: Ghost Dancing with Colonialism.  Is Canada post-colonial? Not according to the Indigenous people caught in endless struggles for political and territorial recognition. Join Grace Li Xiu Woo, author of "Ghost Dancing with Colonialism: Decolonization and Indigenous Rights at the Supreme Court of Canada", as she casts light on some of the reasons for the stalemate and suggests new ways to bridge the cultural divide and arrive at a truly postcolonial justice system. (Admission is free. Seating is limited. Co-sponsored by Lawyer's Rights Watch Canada). Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch 350 W. Georgia Street, 604-331-4040, www.vpl.ca

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January 12, 2012
Modern Buddhism The Path of Compassion and Wisdom for Everyday Life.  Everyone is welcome to a public talk with Gen-la Dekyong. We are extremely fortunate to welcome this international Teacher to Vancouver. At this special event on Thursday, January 12th she will give a talk on the book Modern Buddhism. This book, by renowned author and meditation master, Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, is a special presentation of Buddhas teachings on compassion and wisdom that communicates their essence in a way that is easy to understand and put into practice. Gen-la Dekyong is an inspiring and engaging Teacher whose teachings are of interest to everyone; Buddhist and non-Buddhist, young and old. We look forward to welcoming you to this special event in January. After the talk please join us at Tilopa Buddhist Centre, less than a 5 minute walk from the Croatian Cultural Centre for a tour of our meditation room, cafe and bookstore.  www.TalksOnModernBuddhism.ca

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January 13 to March 24, 2012
Japanese Canadian National Museum presents Tenugui: Design Excellence in Japanese Daily Life.  olourful cloths combine practicality and aesthetics. Tenugui: Design Excellence in Japanese Daily Life showcases the roots of this unique art form. It's the original multi-purpose textile. While tenugui literally means ‘hand towel’ in Japanese, these colourful cotton cloths are also used as headbands or scarves, for cleaning, for wrapping gifts, and even for advertising. With over 200 cloths on display, visitors to this special exhibit will be dazzled by the rich colours and endless variety of patterns found in this unique art form. www.jcnm.ca

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January 14, 2012
Winter Watershed Snowshoe Tour. Enjoy a Saturday afternoon with a moderately strenuous (two hours of hiking) snowhoe tour around First Lake and on to Dog Mountain. Learn about local ecology, winter adaptations of wildlife, and the connection between snow and our drinking water supply. After the hike, we'll head indoors for a cup of hot cocoa and an opportunity to discuss the importance of protected watersheds and the future of water management.
Mount Seymour. Registration required, call 604 432-6359 or email watershed.ed@metrovancouver.org

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January 14 to February 4, 2012
RED.  Under the watchful gaze of his young assistant and the threatening presence of a new generation of artists, Mark Rothko takes on his greatest challenge yet: to create a definitive work for an extraordinary settling. Red is a moving and compelling account of one of the greatest artists of the 20th century whose struggle to accept his growing riches and praise became his ultimate undoing. Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company, 600 Hamilton Street. https://www.vancouverplayhouse.com/current-season/2011/red.php

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January 15, 2012
21st CENTURY FLEA MARKET.  Boho chic to 50's kitsch, collectibles and memorabilia to vintage kitchenalia, 175 tables of bargains on deluxe 20th century junque! Retro furnishings, books, antiques, dolls & toys, jewelry, country stuff, china & glass, records, mid-century Modern, linens & lace, postcards, garden accessories, lamps & shades, sports items, silverware, paintings & prints, advertising, collectibles & much, much more...Plus Drop-In Appraisals All Day - Call or Visit www.21cpromotions.com for Full Details - General Admission 10am-3pm $5 at Door - Special Early- Bird Admission 7am-10am $20 at Door - Children Under 13 Free with Adult Admission - Free Parking. Croatian Cultural Centre, 3250 Commercial Drive at 16th Avenue, Vancouver

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January 15, 2012
Listen! Laugh! Enjoy! stories for YOU! Theme: The Spirit Moves Me. Featuring Abegael Fisher-Lang; Mary Gavan; Larry Matier and Rita Taylor with guest teller: Lee Porteous of Victoria Storytellers Guild. Pay $6 at the alley door, alley by St Mark's, 1805 Larch/2nd Ave, Kits. Contact: Mary Gavan: mary@marycelticstory.ca Details: www.vancouverstorytellers.ca

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January 15, 2012
Family Day at PdA.  Gather up the family and tour exhibitions in clay and multi-media. Then participate in a variety of all-ages, drop-in style workshops based on these exhibits. Don’t be intimidated by art, get engaged in it! Admission by donation. Reserve your spot by calling 604.664.1636. Place des Arts | www.placedesarts.ca

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January 16, 2012
Betty Jean McHugh.  Please join Betty Jean McHugh as she reads from "My Road to Rome: The Running Times of BJ McHugh", the story of how she became the worlds fastest senior long-distance runner. Born in the 1920s on an Ontario farm, she took up the sport in her 50s in Vancouver. For the past three decades she has challenged notions of what older runners can achieve, winning hundreds of races and setting more than thirty world records. At the age of 83 she continues to run faster than any woman her age, most recently in the October 2011 Chicago Marathon. A force of nature, she says most people over 50 can also enjoy amazing health, fitness and happiness and will talk about how she did it. (Admission is free. Seating is limited.) Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch 350 W. Georgia Street, 604-331-4040, www.vpl.ca

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January 16 - 20, 2012
Chinese New Year Bazaar 2012. Huge sales. Variety of snacks, grocery, CNY merchandise, traditional Chinese clothing, used CDs/DVDs. Other Locations: January 10, 10:30 AM - 3:30 PM, 2058-1163 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam; January 11, 10:30 AM - 3:30 PM, 220-7000 Minoru Blvd, Richmond; January 12, 10:30 AM - 3:30 PM, 300-8268 Granville Street, Vancouver; January 16-20, 10:30 AM - 3:30 PM, 28 West Pender Street, Vancouver **Chance to take pictures with dragon @ Chinatown. 604-408-7260

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January 17, 2012
Michelle Demers: Introduction to Self-Publishing.  The phenomenally rapid growth of self-publishing, in particular e-publishing, has taken the world by storm. But self-publishing is also the new Wild West, full of promise and snake oil in equal measure. Join indie author Michelle A. Demers to learn about the pros and cons of doing it yourself and how you can benefit from the indie revolution. Michelle A. Demers is a freelance writer, editor, and creative consultant specializing in film and television, and a fine art photographer. In March 2011, she self-published her first mystery novel, "Baby Jane", to Amazons Kindle to immediate reader acclaim, and followed this in May with the print-on-demand trade paperback. In November she published "The Global Indie Author: How anyone can self-publish in the U.S. and worldwide markets." (Admission is free. Seating is limited).  Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch 350 W. Georgia Street, 604-331-4040, www.vpl.ca

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January 18, 2012
Deb Chaney: Illuminate the Artist Within.  Does day-to-day living get in the way of your creative dreams? Spend an evening with Deb Chaney and re-ignite your inner artist. Learn what stops you from making your vision a reality. Discover how to overcome the blocks and give priority to your creativity. Deb Chaney is an elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists. Predominantly self-taught, she has been painting and selling her contemporary abstract work for over a decade to private collectors throughout the world. Her art work has been commissioned for use in film by Rainmaker Films Inc. Deb has taught abstract painting workshops in Vancouver and California since 2007. (Free admission. Seating is limited).  Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch 350 W. Georgia Street, 604-331-4040, www.vpl.ca

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January 19, 2012
Force of Nature & William Shatner Sings O Canada. Movie night at the library, featuring a double bill of documentary films. "Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie": Award-winning director Sturla Gunnarsson presents a biography of ideas featuring iconic Canadian scientist, educator, broadcaster and activist David Suzuki. (93 min.) "William Shatner Sings O Canada": When he gets a Lifetime Achievement Award from Canadas Governor General, Shatner treats us to a memorable rendition of Canadas national anthem. (Admission is free. Seating is limited. Co-sponsored by The National Film Board of Canada and the David Suzuki Foundation). Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch 350 W. Georgia Street, 604-331-4040, www.vpl.ca

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January 20 to February 5, 2012
Dine Out Vancouver.  Dine Out Vancouver is a city-wide celebration of food & BC wine. Virtually every type of restaurant in the city gets involved, giving you the chance to taste Vancouver's hot restaurant digs, new hit eateries and neighbourhood favourites, all for a reasonable prix-fixe price. We hope you're hungry! Indulge in your love of food and BC VQA wine at over 200 restaurants with 3-course meals at $18, $28 or $38 (plus taxes & gratuity; not including beverages). Participating restaurants and their menus will be listed on www.tourismvancouver.com January 9th, 2012. BC VQA wine pairings are presented by the British Columbia Wine Institute.

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January 21, 2012
Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca.  Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca ignite the Chan Centre stage with fiery Latin song and dance, Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 8pm - part of the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival. Renowned as the worlds most authentic Flamenco practitioners, the group has graced the world's stages with their raw and deeply emotional performances of virtuosic guitar, cathartic song, and spectacular dance. Tickets $47-$53 (Student & Senior discounts avail) at ticketmaster.ca or in-person at the Chan Centre ticket office. More info: www.chancentre.com or 604.822.2697.

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January 22, 2012
MYTHBUSTERS TOUR. The all-new, live stage show “MythBusters Behind the Myths,” starring Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, co-hosts of the Emmy-nominated Discovery series MythBusters,” promises to be an unexpected evening of on-stage experiments, audience participation, rocking video and behind-the-scenes stories. For the first time ever, fans will join Jamie and Adam on stage and assist in their mind-twisting and not always orthodox approach to science. “MythBusters Behind the Myths” brings you face to face with the curious world of Jamie and Adam as the duo matches wits on stage with each other and members of the audience. https://www.mythbusterstour.com/

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January 23, 2012
Sedi Minachi.  Based on her PhD thesis and her on-the-ground experience in Palestine and Israel, Sedi Minachi will explore the narratives of peace educators who use dialogue among their students to create a culture of peace within the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She asks: how do they implement peace education programs in their communities? What challenges do they face? She will also outline historical aspects of the conflict, crucial to understanding the existing conflict, and in the end, improving relations between Palestinians and Israelis. Discussion will follow. (Admission is free. Seating is limited. Co-sponsored by Building Bridges Vancouver). Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch 350 W. Georgia Street, 604-331-4040, www.vpl.ca

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January 24, 2012
Taste BC 2012. Every January for 18 years, Liberty Wine Merchants hosts a fundraising event to start the bar high for the new year. Liberty is once again recruiting British Columbias finest food and beverage purveyors for Taste BC: a fundraiser for the Oak Tree Clinic at BC Childrens Hospital. The 18th annual celebration of local food and drink takes place January 24, 2012 (4:30-7:30 p.m.) at the Four Seasons Hotel in downtown Vancouver. Guests will taste, sip and experience BCs finest wine, beer and spirits accompanied by tasty fare from our best local restaurants. Along with excellent food and drink, attractions include live music, door prizes, and a silent auction. Taste BC is an event that is not to be missed. Help support the Oak Tree Clinic while enjoying the finest B.C. has to offer. Tickets are $49.99 and available at Liberty Wine Merchant stores. 604-739-7801, marketing@libertywinemerchants.com

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January 24, 2012
Vegucated: Film Screening. Join us for a screening of the new documentary, "Vegucated", which follows three meat-and-cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks. Part sociological experiment, part science class, and part adventure story, "Vegucated" showcases the rapid and at times comedic evolution of three people who share one journey and ultimately discover their own paths in creating a kinder, cleaner, greener world, one bite at a time. (Admission is free. Seating is limited. Co-sponsored by Liberation BC).  Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch 350 W. Georgia Street, 604-331-4040, www.vpl.ca

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January 25, 2012
Langara College Community Lecture series: Change.  Please join us for a lecture by Jeffrey Webster: "Change in Time and Perspective and Well Being." Our sense of time is an omnipresent component of our daily lives and recent research is beginning to demonstrate how recalling our past, and imagining our future, has both positive and negative consequences for mental health and well-being. This talk will examine how various temporal orientations (past, present, and future) are related to issues such as happiness and wisdom, as well as how such perceptions change over the course of our lives. (Admission is free. Seating is limited. Co-sponsored by Langara College). Central Library, 350 W. Georgia St., Alma VanDusen & Peter Kaye Rooms. csosnowsky@langara.bc.ca

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January 26, 2012
CBC Archives: From the Vault - Are Riots All the Same? Join us for a screening of a film from the CBC archives that looks at footage of a few notable riots throughout Vancouvers relatively short history, including sports riots (Grey Cup 63 and 66, Stanley Cup 94), music-related riots (Rolling Stones 72, Guns N Roses 04), and political riots (Post Office Riot 38, Gastown Riot 71). Panel discussion to follow the screening. Panelists include: author Michael Barnholden ("Reading the Riot Act"), experts on mob mentality and public demonstrations, Chris Mathieson (Vancouver Police Museum). (Admission is free. Seating is limited. Co-sponsored by CBC). Vancouver Public Library, Central Branch 350 W. Georgia Street, 604-331-4040, www.vpl.ca

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January 27, 2012
Critical Mass in Vancouver; Critical Mass is a grassroots reclamation of public space -- a bike ride and skate -- held the last Friday of every month. You are invited to enjoy the safety and comfort in the car-free space that we create by simply riding together! Bicycles, skateboards, rollerskates, self propelled couches, and any other form of human powered locomotion are all welcomed! We ride around the city wherever people want to go - this is decided collectively - the length of the ride depends on enthusiasm and is also collectively decided. No one who comes is forced to or needs to break the law in order to participate.  Meet 5 to 5:30 at the Vancouver Art Gallery, leave at 6pm; Critical Mass in Vancouver (https://www.bikesexual.org/cm/)

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Ongoing until January 15, 2012
Exhibition Opening - The Lights Constellating One's Internal Sky.  In this collaborative multi-media project, Richard Ibghy and Marilou Lemmens examine linguistic and pictorial representations commonly associated with economic discourse and question what is at stake in the very forms and methods used to think through and communicate socio-economic policies. In light of the current state of global economics this exhibit is very timely. Richmond Art Gallery, https://www.richmondartgallery.org

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Ongoing to February 8, 2012
The North Vancouver Community Arts Council is proud to present: District Foyer Gallery, North Vancouver District Hall, 355 West Queens Road.  Roksan is originally from Istanbul Turkey.  Herwork has been exhibited in several galleries and art shows in both Vancouver and Istanbul. She learns about life mostly through drawing and painting. However, while working she does not think but stares into the blank until lines and points appear. She transfers the imagery revealed by personal and collective subconscious. www.nvartscouncil.ca.

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Ongoing until February 15, 2012
Vancouver 2010 Legacy Collection at Museum of Vancouver.  Remember the moments, in sunny February 2010, when the city came together to celebrate and engage in friendly competition with the world in this small sample of the almost 2,000 artifacts that make up the Vancouver 2010 Legacy Collection. Visitors will enjoy reminiscing over the mascots, the Torch Relay, the Four Host First Nations, and more. https://www.museumofvancouver.ca

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Ongoing to March 30, 2012
Exhibition of Student Art Opens at ArtStarts Gallery: Artist residency leverages Vancouver 125 grant to teach kids about the Kingsway corridor. The project and exhibition celebrate the rich history of the Kingsway corridor and the deep learning that takes place through an artist in residence project. Over a three month period, photographer and media artist Anne Marie Slater, worked closely with 120 students in grades 3 to 7 and their teachers at two historic schools in the Kingsway area, Sir Guy Carleton and Charles Dickens Elementary. 808 Richards Street, Vancouver; www.artstarts.com  |  604.878.7144

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Ongoing to May 21, 2012
Chatwilh: The Craft & Culture of the Squamish Canoe. Chatwilh: The Craft and Culture of the Squamish Canoe Opens November 24 For countless generations, Squamish people hunted, fished, gathered resources, engaged in battle, and welcomed visitors from their canoes. Across the region that would become Vancouver, these were the vehicles that literally bound together life on the land and sea. This special exhibition will take visitors through the lifecycle of a Squamish canoe-from its roots in a stand of local temperate rainforest, through the hands of Squamish craftsmen, and throughout the Salish Sea. Squamish carvers are renowned for crafting seven types of specialized canoes. Discover how these watercraft continue to connect the Squamish people to each other and the wider world. Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm - Sunday Noon to 5pm - Closed Mondays to May 14 2012. Vancouver Maritime Museum - 1905 Ogden Avenue in Vanier Park.info@vancouvermaritimemuseum.com

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Ongoing until August 12, 2012
Neon Vancouver | Ugly Vancouver at Museum of Vancouver. Did Vancouver's flashing neon signs signal glamour, excitement and big city living? Or was neon part of a tawdry display that disfigured Vancouver's natural beauty? People were of two minds in Vancouver in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Neon was one highly visible sign of Vancouver's transition from a sleepy west coast port into a striving, happening city. Neon became a lightning rod for critics of change, and at the same time, became the focus of a civic conversation about values in Vancouver. https://www.museumofvancouver.ca

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Ongoing
Kids Class at Tilopa.  All parents wish for their children to be happy. In an uncertain and busy world, children and parents need a place to go together to learn how to develop harmony, confidence and methods to help calm our minds and strengthen our families. The children’s class includes a short talk, gentle meditation and arts and crafts activities related to the thought for the week. The class will be taught at the same time as Prayers for World Peace, so parents are welcome to stay with the children or enjoy Prayers for World Peace being offered in the adjacent meditation room. Tilopa Kadampa Buddhist Centre, 1829 Victoria Diversion; www.tilopa.org / 604.221.2271

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Ongoing
Arena Tours. For 15 years, Rogers Arena has been thrilling and entertaining fans. For 15 years, our Vancouver Canucks have battled on the ice in the race to capture the title of Stanley Cup Champions. For 15 years, we have staged the best entertainment the music industry has to offer. We have opened our doors and welcomed over 21 million people. We have even reveled in Olympic gold when the Canadian women's and men's hockey teams marked their moments in history during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Join their tours on Wednesdays and Fridays with tours beginning at 10:30 a.m., 12:00 noon or 1:30 p.m. https://rogersarena.ca/arena-tours/about-rogers-arena-tours

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Ongoing
MR DANCE in Vancouver - Social and ballroom dancing every Sunday and Tuesday.  We are teaching dancing since 1991.   Admission: $10 for a group lesson and a dance.  No partner required.  No membership.    FREE ADMISSION EVERY TUESDAYS IN APRIL - FREE DANCE LESSON & DANCE - APRIL 5, 12, 19 & 26.  Location: Vancouver, Astorino's Hall, 1739 Venables Street.  Visit www.MrDance.ca or call Esie at 604 436 4436 for more information.










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