CityFood Events presents the 10th annual Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival, partnering with some of the city’s best chocolatiers, pastry shops, bakeries, cafes, gelato and ice cream makers to offer up delicious drinks and snacks that will warm you up this season.

Vancover Hot Chocolate Festival

When: January 18 to February 14, 2020
Where: Various locations throughout the city

When it launched in 2011, the Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival was the first city-wide festival of its kind in the world.  Last year, participating eateries, cafes, and bakeries served up over 70 flavours with proceeds from sales supporting local causes.

In 2019 we had flavours like Great Balls of Fire from Glenburn Soda with spicy cinnamon Callebaut milk chocolate infused with Fireball liqueur served with “fried” ice cream, and the Almond Joy from Baggio Gelateria & Pizzeria with dark chocolate with Baileys Liqueur, vanilla-infused cream and shaved almonds.

For 2020, the participants and flavours have yet to be announced so stay tuned to the newly re-launched website for details on January 9th. On Instagram the festival has confirmed 114 flavours at over 50 locations about the city. Details of a contest will also be released on the website and Instagram #VHCFphotocontest.

UPDATE The flavours are here! There’s Scent of Spring from Koko Monk (vegan wild sage dark chocolate with mint and orange), Split Personality from Glenburn Soda (banana-infused Callebaut milk hot chocolate, strawberry whipped cream), Diwali’s Dream from Caffe Cittadella (India-inspired hot chocolate made from a home made mix of spices blended with almond milk and dark chocolate) and over 100 more »

The Vancouver Motorcycle Show is bringing the best and newest motorcycles, scooters, ATV’s and side-by-sides to Tradex in Abbotsford January 24-26. Powersports fans from across BC and the Pacific Northwest have long considered the Vancouver Motorcycle Show to be a can’t-miss event thanks to its reputation of showcasing the industry’s best vehicles, accessories, technology and expertise.

Vancouver Motorcycle Show

• Where: Tradex (1190 Cornell St, Abbotsford)
• When: January 24-26, 2020
  Friday 12:00pm-9:00pm; Saturday 10:00am-8:00pm; Sunday 10:00am-5:00pm
• Tickets: Available online now. Adults $15; Youth (6-14) $11.00; Seniors (65+) $12.00; Children (5 and under) free with adult ticket purchase. A family pass is $42 (2 adult & 2 junior passes) and on Friday it’s Ladies Night with half price admission. Free parking for all motorcycles!

Whether you’re looking for two, three or four wheels, are a hardcore rider or a newcomer to the sport, or a curious fan, the Vancouver Motorcycle Show is the ultimate get-together for riders and future riders. See all the new motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and side-by-sides, all under one roof.  Meet tons of experts, check out the latest gear and apparel, and get all-revved up for your next adventure.

Back again this year to thrill, excite and amaze crowds are the Seattle Cossacks Motorcycle Stunt and Drill Team and attendees will have the opportunity to see a very special customized 2014 military-themed Harley Davidson™ Street Bob® motorcycle, presented by Konquer® Motorcycles, on display at the Parts Canada Drag Specialities booth for the first time this year.

NEW to the show this year is the Vintage & Café Racer Show N’ Shine sponsored by Class6Cycles and the West Coast Classics and Café Racers riding club. Back by popular demand, local stunt group VanCity Stunters. Group founder and Langley resident Matt Bush says the group of riders, which includes none other than Maple Ridge favorite Bill Hitchon, famous for his ATV one-of-a-kind tricks, will have a new show featuring new surprising stunts.

On display this year is Honda’s Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) demo featuring the latest technology of Honda’s Goldwing with cruise control. Speaking of technology, Harley Davidson’s fully electric 2020 Livewire™ bikes will be on display to let attendees and riding fans catch a glimpse of the future of powersports.

Find all this and much more (including the Strider Adventure Zone for kids) at this year’s show. Follow the Vancouver Motorcycle Show on Instagram and Facebook for more info.

Win Tickets

I have 4 pairs of tickets to give away! Here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Click below to post your entry on Twitter (1 entry)

I will draw 4 winners at 9:00am on Tuesday, January 14, 2020. UPDATE the winners are: Alan, Jeffrey, and Sarah!

Vancouver’s street food festival is back for the ninth year outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, presented by Tourism Vancouver, Street Food Vancouver Society, and the Downtown Vancouver BIA.

Vancouver’s Street Food Festival: Street Food City 9

When: January 17-19 & January 31, February 1 – 6, 2020
11:00am to 3:00pm weekdays
11:00am to 5:00pm Saturdays and Sundays
Where:  Vancouver Art Gallery, šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énk Square
Admission: Free

UPDATE Due to the snow, the first weekend of Street Food City has been cancelled and it will now begin January 31st.

Street Food City is your opportunity to sample from a collection of Vancouver’s Street Food carts all in one convenient location. Over the last nine years, Vancouver’s street food has gone through a huge transformation and now boasts a multitude of delicious cultural options from Indian to Mexican, and from pizza to grilled cheese. 

Last year over 10,000 people feasted on fare from over 20 of Vancouver’s best street food vendors.Picnic tables and music make for a festive mid-winter outdoor picnic.  Special Dine Out Vancouver Festival creations and pricing will be available.

Participating Food Trucks

About Dine Out Vancouver

Dine Out Vancouver Festival runs from January 17 to February 2, 2020 and is Canada’s largest annual celebration of food and drink. Attracting more than 100,000 locals and visitors, the festival takes over the city with 17 days of culinary events, prix fixe menus at 300-plus restaurants (at $15, $35, $25 or $45 price points), as well as “Dine and Stay” packages and special hotel rates. The festival promotes local and regional ingredients, BC VQA wines, and the city’s exceptional culinary talent.

Dine Out Vancouver key dates:

• January 9, 2020 Reservations open and menus available at dineoutvancouver.com.
• January 16, 2020 Preview festival offerings at The Great Big Taste at the Rocky Mountaineer Station, open to the public. Early-bird tickets are $89.00. 
• January 17, 2020 – Dine Out Vancouver Festival begins.

Follow Street Food City on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook #streetfoodcity #DOVF.

City Opera Vancouver presents the world premiere of the political satire BERLIN: The Last Cabaret during the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival.

BERLIN: The Last Cabaret

When: January 23 to 26, 2020 at 8:00pm
Where: Performance Works (1218 Cartwright St, Vancouver)
Tickets: Available online now through the PuSh Festival box office

Set in Nazi Germany on July 13, 1934, the darkly humorous production takes place the day of Adolf Hitler’s national broadcast claiming responsibility for the “Night of the Long Knives” — a horrific political purge and extrajudicial execution of more than 85 members of the Sturmabteilung (SA).

Directed and co-created by Alan Corbishley, in association with Sound the Alarm: Music/Theatre BERLIN follows an underground cabaret troupe as they decide whether their love of creative and social freedom is worth the ultimate price.

The production features original songs from early 20th-century cabarets in Germany, which were banned after the fall of the Republic. A popular form of entertainment, the German kabarett was distinct from the French iteration for its sharp political satire and dark humour. Although kabarett existed in the late 19th century, it wasn’t until after World War I that the genre came into its own, particularly in Berlin.

True to the type of artists found on cabaret stages at the time, BERLIN features a diverse cast of actors, rather than traditional opera singers: Julia Munčs, Meaghan Chenosky, Alen Dominguez, Brent Hirose, and Dan Deorksen.

Follow City Opera Vancouver on Facebook and Twitter for more info.

Win Tickets

I have a pair of tickets to give away to opening night on January 23rd, here’s how you can enter to win:

• Leave a comment on this post (1 entry)
• Click below to post an entry on Twitter

I will draw one winner at random from all entries at 12:00pm on Wednesday, January 8, 2020.

UPDATE The winner is TJ!

With the festivities behind us, this is a great time of year to reset, refuel and rejuvenate. From refreshing smoothies to non-alcoholic cocktails and healthy dishes, here are five reasons to move those legs to Coquitlam. 

1. Healthy Eats

Eating clean doesn’t have to be boring. Here are some ways to add some fresh, tasty goodness to your daily routine.

Café Delitzi: Nourish your body with raw, organic, vegan and gluten-free dishes. Popular items include the vegan taco wrap or organic zucchini pasta “Bolognese” with house-made vegan bread. They also serve coffee and fresh juices, located a short walk from Coquitlam Centre. 

Korean food: Coquitlam is home to one of the largest Korean communities in Canada, where you’ll find everything from cozy cafés to spacious restaurants serving homestyle recipes handed down through generations. Bone broths are boiled for hours, full of nutritional and anti-inflammatory power. Read our recent blog for recommendations.

Vietnamese food: Think steaming bowls of Pho with healthy broth or rice paper salad rolls made with fresh ingredients. Scope out your options on visitcoquitlam.ca. 

Japanese food: Sushi and sashimi are healthy choices, and Coquitlam has dozens of top-notch restaurants to try. Check them out at visitcoquitlam.ca.