January isn’t known for its heavy events calendar in Metro Vancouver but during this wet and dreary time there are ways to add a little light – and fun – to your weekend. Canyon Lights is still on, there’s free skating at a few outdoor rinks, and the 12th annual hot chocolate festival is kicking off as well. Find these activities and more things to do around Vancouver this weekend listed below:
It’s that time of year! You can send a CandyGram with a fun, sweet treat to your favourite people while also supporting a very worthy local cause.
CandyGrams for A Loving Spoonful
For just $10 your CandyGram includes:
A specially designed Valentine’s Day gift pouch (that is re-usable)
Gummies by Spoonful’s Candy Creations
McDonalds Coupon for a Big Mac or another Entrée
TELUS face mask
Postage for anywhere in Canada (sent using Canada Post)
All you have to do is visit the website, select a message, and they’ll do the rest. Here are some important deadlines for sending your A Loving Spoonful CandyGrams:
On Sale:Monday January 17th, 2022 East Coast* Deadline:February 3rd, 2022 West Coast** Deadline:February 4th, 2022 Metro Vancouver Deadline:February 7th, 2022 *For Mailing Purposes we categorize East Coast as: SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, PEI, YT, NU, NT **For Mailing Purposes we categorize West Coast as: AB and BC outside of Metro Vancouver.
Each CandyGram purchased means 2 meals can be provided for individuals and families in need, and all additional donations made with CandyGram purchases will be used to purchase meals, produce, milk, yogurt, juice and bread for people in need.
A Loving Spoonful is a Metro Vancouver charity that supports individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS and in many cases co-existing illnesses. They deliver ready-made and nutritious meals to men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS who are unable to provide food for themselves because of medical or health conditions.
The University of British Columbia has acquired a complete first edition of William Shakespeare’s Comedies Histories and Tragedies—an extremely rare book published seven years after Shakespeare’s death and credited with preserving almost half of his plays. Known as the First Folio, it will be on display at the Vancouver Art Gallery from January 15 to March, 2022 along with three subsequent seventeenth-century Folio editions of Shakespeare’s plays, marking the first time all four Folios have been displayed in Vancouver.
Photo of William Shakespeare’s First Folio, published in 1623, and gifted to the UBC Library
Shakespeare’s First Folio in Vancouver
UBC acquired the First Folio, formerly owned by a private collector in the U.S., through Christie’s New York with funding provided by a consortium of donors from across North America and with the generous support of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
The First Folio includes 36 of Shakespeare’s 38 known plays, edited by his close friends, fellow writers and actors. It is the first collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays and the foundation of his enduring legacy and reputation. When Shakespeare died in 1616, only about half of his works had appeared in print. Eighteen plays—including The Tempest,Macbeth, As You Like It, The Winter’s Tale, and Julius Caesar— remained unpublished in any form. The First Folio thus not only gave their first appearance in print but was also the means by which they were preserved and passed on to posterity
“In comparison to many of our peer institutions, we are a relatively young university library,” said University Librarian Dr. Susan E. Parker. “We are deeply grateful to the many foundations and individual donors who have been essential in making an acquisition like this possible for a place like UBC Library and we are honoured to be its caretakers.”
The opportunity to purchase a First Folio arose in early 2021. Katherine Kalsbeek, head of rare books and special collections (RBSC) at UBC Library, knew that with so few copies left in private hands the library had to act.
“The First Folio is a cornerstone of English literature and with this donation, we are able to bring this cultural treasure into public ownership,” Kalsbeek said. “Adding a First Folio to the UBC Library collection represents a milestone in terms of our development as both a library and as a university.” Only 235 copies of the First Folio remain around the world, mostly in the U.K. and U.S. The nine copies in public collections on the west coast are all in California. This cultural treasure is only the second copy in Canada.
“Preserving this precious book in UBC Library makes it accessible for future generations, inspires new knowledge, and furthers our commitment to engage in world-class research in the arts and humanities,” said Santa J. Ono, UBC president and vice-chancellor.
Cultural properties of the First Folio’s magnitude and capacity to engage the public’s imagination are not evenly distributed around the world. Of the estimated 235 copies that remain worldwide, there is only one other copy in Toronto, Canada. UBC’s acquisition of a First Folio, now on display at the Vancouver Art Gallery, provides public access to one of the world’s greatest English language cultural treasures.
The Burrard Arts Foundation (“BAF”) has announced two new artist exhibitions by local artists Karin Jones and Sara Khan between January 13th and March 19th of this year. These exhibitions are the culmination of the artists’ studio residencies at BAF during fall 2021.
Karin Jones and Sara Khan Burrard Arts Foundation Exhibitions
When: January 13th to March 19th, 2022
Admission: Complimentary
Where: Burrard Arts Foundation (#2 – 258 East 1st Ave, Vancouver)
Street parking is available in the surrounding area.
BAF aims to promote the development of local artists, sparking important conversations on social and cultural matters – and these new exhibitions are no exception.
Karin Jones, The Golden Section
Karin Jones, The Golden Section features geometric arrangements made from human hair extensions that Jones purchased from a local beauty supply shop. Borrowing from traditional wig-making methods, the result is intricately arranged hair compositions that continue Jones’ longstanding exploration of identity and race through fine craft; an arresting contemplation of the artists’ own desires and the ramifications of bleached blonde hair.
Sara Khan, Sanda Rd Key Dhund – Mists of Sanda Rd
Sara Khan, Sanda Rd Key Dhund – Mists of Sanda Rd consists of the artist’s reflections on her home in Lahore, Pakistan, before moving to Vancouver in 2014. The project combines memory and fantasy, creating other worlds where loved ones and mythical beings converge within a shared landscape. Having primarily worked with watercolour in recent years, the artist took her residency at BAF as an opportunity to explore new material strategies, using charcoal, graphite, and acrylic paint to soften the viewers’ efforts to differentiate between person and creature.
Christian Chan, Founder and Director of the Burrard Arts Foundation said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for us all, and has drastically impacted the ability for artists to share their work with the world. The new year is a great opportunity for Vancouverites to support local up-and-coming artists that are seeking exposure to new audiences.”
BAF will also shortly announce the selection of multiple local artists awarded residency and exhibition space as part of their 2022 Residency Program. More information on the artists awarded residency this year will be shared in the coming weeks. Winners are selected by a diverse committee representing the local arts, media, and business communities.
The Burrard Arts Foundation has a COVID-19 safety plan in place to ensure gallery visitors are safe. The safety plan is inclusive of the following considerations: Quantified and monitored visitor capacity, provincial health standards in accordance with Workplace BC, and onsite BAF staff available for communication.
Now in its 12th year, CityFood Media presents the Greater Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival, which will feature over 100 hot chocolate designs featured at 67 locations. Try out some new neighbourhoods, and experience as many of these exciting, time-limited flavours as you can.
Hot Chocolate photo from Artigiano (2021) Photo submitted
Greater Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival
January 15 to February 14, 2022
When it launched in 2011, The Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival was the first city-wide initiative in the world to use hot chocolate beverage as a way to support small, local business. Now bigger and better than ever, it features the region’s best chocolatiers, pastry shops, bakeries, cafes and ice cream makers joining forces to make the humble hot chocolate hotter than it has ever been before.
Try the BERRY BERRY GOOD HOT CHOCOLATE from Butter Baked Goods, a rich and creamy hot chocolate with whipped cream and a dollop of raspberry jam with a raspberry marshmallow on top. Or perhaps GONE BANANAS from Boba Run, which is a rich and creamy medley made with a blend of 54.5% dark hot chocolate and house made banana puree served with a petite sponge cake for dipping. Then there’s SAFFRON NOUGATINE from La Glace, it’s a saffron-infused, burnt honey, white hot chocolate with a hint of orange blossom served with a pistachio meringue rosette.
Honolulu Cafe is serving up a dairy free SOYLY GUÌHUĀ, a special concoction using 70% dark chocolate, house-made Guìhuā (osmanthus fragrans) sauce with soy milk, paired with an Oat Guìhuā cookie. Glenburn Soda will have a VIOLET UNDERGROUND. This violet-infused, dark hot chocolate is accompanied by a gluten-free, and dairy-free, iced fudgey brownie. Thomas Haas Chocolates is creating CHERRY NUTTERS, an extra dark hot chocolate with an intense pistachio marshmallow, served with a pistachio and cherry financier.
Sort your search by gluten free, dairy free, vegan option, and by which places are open late or have takeout/dine-in. View the full List of 100+ Flavours & Location Map »
Charity partners this year include the Vancouver Farmers Markets’ Fresh to Families Program and Growing Chefs.
Instagram Online Photo Contest
Enter into the festival’s Instagram contest for sweet, sweet prizes, consisting of gift certificates valued at $1,125 from participating chocolate makers and cafes. Tag your hot chocolate photos with #HCFphotocontest on Instagram and you could be enjoying chocolatey treats all year long. Winners will be drawn and announced on Valentine’s Day.
