As we move into the later half of January, the city comes out of it’s post-holiday slumber with festivals, entertainment, and more opening up in these picks of the week
Circus: The annual collaboration of The Cultch and DanceHouse brings Circa (Australia) back to Vancouver Playhouse with their production of Duck Pond, a contemporary take on Swan Lake

Dine: Make your reservations! Dine Out Vancouver Festival returns January 22 to February 9 with 350 restaurants from all across the lower mainland offering fix price menus and a host of special food inspired events
International: Opening close behind and running January 23 until February 9, PuSh International Performing Arts Festival once again brings a bounty of cutting-edge world renowned performances to venues around the city
Improv: Laugh your way into 2025 as The Improv Centre performers turn the highs, lows, and “did-that-really-happen?” moments of your year into New Year, New Me, comedy gold on Friday & Saturday nights at 9:30pm until January 25th
Lafarge: Metro Vancouver’s largest free Winter light display, Coquitlam’s Lights at Lafarge continues to illuminate the lake until late February, with the 1.2km trail glowing with even more lights, enjoy food vendors, arts activities, live entertainment and performances throughout the season.
Books: The 40th Annual Jewish Book Festival is coming in February but join in a pre-fest event January 23 for an author talk with OLGA CAMPBELL (Dear Arlo: Letters to My Grandson) at the Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery at the JCC
Chocolate: The 15th Annual Hot Chocolate Festival brings the warmth of a flavourful cup of cocoa from 80+ vendors from White Rock to Whistler until February 14
Swashbuckle: It’s all for one and one for all as The Arts Club Theatre welcomes The Three Musketeers, based on Alexander Dumas’ novel, to the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage until February 16.
Tour: The Arts Club Theatre Company’s Someone Like You is on tour, the modern comedy bringing Cyrano de Bergerac into 21st-century Vancouver visits Surrey Arts Centre until January 25, and at Burnaby’s Shadbolt Centre for Arts on January 26
Installation: Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre and Centre A: Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art present The Biting School and battery opera’s TechniCowlour, an installation and performance exploring the intersections of mythology, memory, and sensory experience at Centre A, at 205-268 Keefer Street until March 15
Prize: Until February 2nd, The Polygon Gallery presents The Lind Biennial, a showcase of new work by the finalists of the Philip B. Lind Prize for Emerging Artists, which is awarded biennially to an emerging BC-based artist working in mediums of photography, film, or video. This year’s exhibiting finalists are: Mena El Shazly, Karice Mitchell, Dion Smith-Dokkie, Parumveer Walia, and Casey Wei.
Writers: The Vancouver Writer’s Festival, Digital Festival presents a curated selection of events representing some of the most outstanding professionally-recorded offerings from the 2024 Festival, available to watch on-demand until January 31.
Canadian: On display from Jan. 25–May 18, Griffin Art Projects presents a new group exhibition, Seriously? Comedy and Satire in Canadian Art 1970s–Now, the exhibition is guest curated by Melissa E. Feldman, the groundbreaking show challenges traditional perceptions of Canadian contemporary art.
Farce: Metro Theatre starts the year with a presentation of Sinners, a rarely produced, delightful farce by Canada’s most-produced playwright, Norm Foster, January 24th to February 15th.

Ghost: Based on Tim Burton’s iconic film, Broadway Across Canada brings Beetlejuice – the ghost with the most – to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre January 21-26
Taste: With the Lunar New Year Season upon us, Taste of Chinatown features flavourful events throughout the neighbourhood, including the annual Gung Haggis Fat Choi dinner
Reading: Massey Theatre’s Reading Theatre returns on January 22nd with a reading of Oscar Wilde’s beloved comedy, The Importance of Being Earnest. Join in or sit back and enjoy Wilde’s sharp wit and timeless humour come to life in this tale of mistaken identities, love, and cucumber sandwiches.
Lacrosse: Friday January 24, Vancouver Warriors welcome Ottawa Blackbears to Rogers Arena for National Lacrosse League action
Hockey: Saturday January 25, Vancouver Canucks welcome Washington Capitals to Rogers Arena for a second night hosting a nations’ capital team
R&B: Wednesday night, Vietnamese-American R&B singer-songwriter Thuy – Wings World Tour makes a stop at Commodore Ballroom
Rock: Thursday night, American indie-rock act Bright Eyes takes to the Commodore Ballroom stage with support from Christopher Owens