BC Business
Celebrate the February 17 holiday (and the whole weekend) with your loved ones at these local events
Family Day is coming up this long weekend (Monday, February 17). It’s a devoted, no-excuses day to celebrate your loved ones, and plenty of local businesses are putting on events—many of them free—for you to indulge in that sweet quality time. There’s children’s theatre, crafts, outdoor activities and more.
If your family is 18-plus, don’t forget to add a happy hour to the day’s agenda: statutory holidays are the best time get the deals that regular nine-to-fivers often miss out on.
This jam-packed day on the North Shore features interactive workshops on subjects like flowers, cooking and karate, plus a kid-friendly DJ and stage shows spotlighting clowns and magicians.
Date: Saturday February 15, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Location: The Pipe Shop Cost: $9
Puppet alert! This touching kid-friendly tale created by Shizuka Kai, Randi Edmundson and Jess Amy Shead follows a young girl and her father (otosan, in Japanese) as they embark on an exciting adventure and meet owls, wolves and grizzly bears. Elmo’s got nothing on this.
Date: February 17 to 22 Location: Gateway Theatre (Richmond) Cost: From $23
The Vancouver Maritime Museum is celebrating Family Day with storytelling sessions featuring experts ranging from Canadian Coast Guards to stilt walkers (you know, the full career day spectrum). Plus, museum entry is free for everyone—donations are encouraged.
Date: Monday February 17, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Location: Vancouver Maritime Museum Cost: Free
The Invictus Games happen to be wrapping up on B.C.’s Family Day weekend. It’s a fabulous opportunity to see the Barenaked Ladies with your children and explain why “If I Had $1,000,000” no longer applies because it can’t buy a house. Other Grammy-nominated performers include Jelly Roll and The War and Treaty.
Date: Sunday February 16 at 6:00 p.m. Location: Rogers Arena Cost: From $57
This fun and fabulous drag brunch by What the Frock Productions is all-ages, superhero-themed and likely more entertaining (and shorter) than any Marvel movie that’s come out in the last half decade.
Date: Sunday February 16, 12:30 p.m. Location: Howe Sound Taphouse & Kitchen Cost: By donation
If you’re down for a day trip, Whistler has some deals on offer for the holiday: 50 percent off all cross-country ski and snowshoe day tickets at Lost Lake Park, 25 percent off cross-country ski and snowshoe trail day tickets at Whistler Olympic Park plus fun arts and culture activities at the Whistler Museum and Audain Art Museum.
Date: February 15 to 17 Location: Whistler Cost: Varies
You may go to the aquarium “for the kids,” but you know you’re going to end up just as enchanted by the jellyfish as you were in your youth. Child admission is free with adult admission until February 17 (so Family Day is actually the last day to get in on the deal, visit before if you can—the early whale gets the krill).
Date: Child admission free until Monday February 17 Location: Vancouver Aquarium Cost: Regular admission from $42
The Shipyard is offering free admission and a scavenger hunt for kids on Family Day weekend—it’s the perfect place to take your boat-obsessed kid.
Date: February 14 to 17 Location: Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site (Richmond) Cost: Free
If you’re up for the drive, Family Day weekend coincides perfectly with the Squamish Hot Chocolate festival. Flavours on offer from various local restaurants and cafes include toasted marshmallow, Mandarin olive oil, pistachio and even bacon: see the full menu here.
Date: Now through February 26 Location: Squamish Cost: Varies
The Chinese Canadian Museum is putting on a variety of hands-on events for Family Day, including Polaroid picture frame crafts (possibly the first time your child has seen a Polaroid… or a printed-out photo, for that matter), Chinese board games and educational colouring sheets that cover “the notoriously complicated Chinese family tree.”
Date: Monday February 17, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Location: Chinese Canadian Museum Cost: Free with admission ($15 for adults, $0-$10 for youth)