January 23 2025 edition: The Year of the Snake approaches

Plus: Zimbabwe’s only improv troupe and a local cafe franchise expands

January 23, 2025

Music on Main Society

Hey there. It continues to be chilly in Vancouver—or, at least, what passes for chilly in a city that has a very narrow band of temperatures it usually falls within.

And that’s just one of the perks of our beautiful, strange city. Yes, everything shuts down when it snows… so we shall simply manifest a winter without any blizzards, flurries, storms, or freezing rain.

@georgia.straight

Best city in the world! 😫 #vancouver #yvr #georgiastraight #news #newspaper #housing #

— V.
Associate Editor

— FEATURE — 

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with these limited-edition treats

It’s farewell to the Year of the Dragon, and hello to the Year of the Snake. To celebrate, restaurants and bakeries across Vancouver have introduced special menus filled with festive flavours and indulgent aesthetics. From afternoon tea and at-home meal kits to cooking classes and culinary pop-ups, whatever your favourite way to eat, drink, and be merry is, here is where to enjoy it in Lunar New Year style.

— LIVING —

The world’s largest Vaisakhi parade is returning to Surrey

The annual Surrey Khalsa Day Parade is set to take place on April 19, marking the Sikh New Year and the creation of the Khalsa.

  • Huge hackathon Global Game Jam is coming to Douglas College

  • Tuesday through Saturday, improv comedians from Zimbabwe, Estonia, the Philippines, New Zealand, and Canada take stage at The Improv Centre's The Heat - and you've got to see it.*

  • Protect your rights and dispute your driving prohibition with the help of a knowledgeable lawyer. Contact Acumen Law Corporation today to start your defence.*

    *sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY MUSIC ON MAIN SOCIETY
Music on Main Society

Gabriel Dharmoo's Bijuriya

An electrifying blend of music, drag, and humour.

Gabriel Dharmoo, the innovative, award-winning composer and vocalist, is back—this time with his vibrant drag persona, Bijuriya. Together, Gabriel and Bijuriya meet on stage and blend queerness, brownness, and humor in a captivating, one-of-a-kind performance that explores identity through music and drag.

Get ready for an unforgettable night where eclectic musical styles such as original pop, Bollywood soundtracks, and experimental soundscapes meet playful lip-syncs and powerful vocals.

Gabriel’s multifaceted artistic practice encompasses musical composition, vocal performance, drag artistry, interdisciplinary arts, and research. His last sold-out performance of Anthropologies Imaginaires left Music on Main audiences spellbound.

— ARTS —

Zimbabwe’s The Impro Show is ready to wow at The Improv Centre’s The Heat

“In Zimbabwe, we are used to audiences verbally interacting with the performance, even in straight theatre,” says Kevin Hassen, founder of The Impro Show. “So it is a small step to asking audiences to give suggestions.”

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY THE DANCE CENTRE
The Dance Centre

The Dance Centre presents the internationally acclaimed choreographer Daina Ashbee

We learned a lot at our own funeral is a powerful new solo from Daina Ashbee, who is renowned for her unique creations. Through movement, breath, and sound, this extraordinary work draws us into a potent sense of ritual, to consider the body's strength and fragility.  

February 6-8 at Scotiabank Dance Centre: get tickets here.

— FOOD —

Nemesis is expanding to Surrey

The beloved Vancouver cafe is set to open its fourth location shortly—and its first in the City of Parks.

  • Crema Ice Cream food truck is setting up a brick-and-mortar shop in Burnaby

  • BC spirits clean up big time at Canadian Whisky Awards

  • Dine Around and Stay in Town Victoria returns to Victoria January 24 - February 9, 2025, with nearly 60 restaurants highlighting their top dishes through over 100 fixed-price menus.*

  • Enjoy the world-renowned flavour of AeroPress, a velvety-smooth coffee without the grit or bitterness found in other methods.  Loved globally, with 55K+ 5-star reviews.*

*sponsored listing

SPONSORED BY CHAN CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Chan Centre for The Performing Arts

A NYTimes Critic's Pick comes to Vancouver - Tap dance and classical piano collide in Counterpoint

Tap dance meets Bach, Gershwin, and more with dancer Caleb Teicher and pianist Conrad Tao. “Unexpectedly fresh and suffused with joy,” (NPR) this innovative collaboration reimagines the classical concert experience.

Don’t miss this unique offering, only at the Chan Centre on February 12. Get your tickets now!

— ICYMI —

— THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND —

PERFORMING ARTS: Legend of the Gastown Gold gives you 90 minutes for dinner and an interactive mystery. (To February 9 @ Delta Vancouver Suites) 

MUSIC: Local indie rockers Ira Hardly, Runner, and Liam Kendall & the Holy Smokes join forces. (January 23 @ The Cobalt)

COMEDY: Clip art and confusion abound in improvised PowerPoint night Slide Show. (January 24 @ Little Mountain Gallery)

FOOD & DRINK: Taste more than 140 tipples at Whisky Global festival. (January 24 to 25 @ Paradox Hotel)

MUSIC: The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra accompanies Broadway singers Julie Reiber and Bryce Ryness in Hollywood Rocks. (January 24 to 25 @ Orpheum Theatre)

VISUAL ARTS: Aiden Kirkegaard’s dreamy Stay Right Here opens. (January 24 to February 1 @ This Gallery)

THEATRE: Norm Foster’s Sinners promises screwball love-triangle laughs. (January 24 to February 15 @ Metro Theatre)

Want to know what else is happening in Vancouver? Check out our events listings.

That’s it!

You made it all the way to the bottom, and we love you for it! Readers like you are what keep us going. If you want to support free arts and culture journalism, send this newsletter to a friend.

And before you go, let us know:

What did you think of today’s newsletter?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

• Did a friend share this with you? Sign up for free.

• Want to advertise to locals? Contact our team.

• Have a cool story to share? Drop us an email.