Things to Do in Vancouver: February 2022

Greater Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival
Through February 14
When the thermometer plunges, we love warming our hands around a mug of hot chocolate, the sweet steam fogging our glasses! And it becomes even more satisfying during the annual Greater Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival that runs from mid-January through until Valentine’s Day. With 44 cafes, bakeries, restaurants and chocolatiers bringing their hot choc A-game with 106 different creations, you can set off on foot to sample a number of these delicious mugs in a day with the excuse that you’re participating in a festival.  

LunarFest Vancouver
Through February 21
On February 1, we officially enter the Year of the Tiger, and you’ll find plenty of ways to celebrate Lunar New Year while you’re in Vancouver! Head to the LunarFest Vancouver website for a round-up of their festivities, from The Lantern City at šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énk Square (on the north side of Vancouver Art Gallery) and on Granville Island, the West End Wishes installation, and online options to participate as well.

VMF Winter Arts Fest
February 11 – 27
“Free, interactive and outdoors” sounds like the perfect combination for a festival during COVID-times, and that’s exactly what the VMF Winter Arts Festival promises. An off shoot of the summer Vancouver Mural Festival, this downtown event includes light installations, augmented reality experiences, the Dynamic Diasporas display exploring BC’s Black history, and a licensed Winter Arts Hub at šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énk Square on the north side of the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Sankofa: African Routes, Canadian Roots at Museum of Anthropology
Through March 27
A trip to UBC’s Museum of Anthropology seems especially appropriate this Black History Month thanks to the Sankofa: African Routes, Canadian Roots exhibit. The collection is focused on the work of contemporary artists from Lagos in Nigeria, and Vancouver, exploring the concept of sankofa, a term that means moving forward while reaching back to connect with one’s heritage. The exhibition draws lines between historical contributions and those of Vancouver’s vital Black community.