Month: December 2018

Vancouver Area January 2019 Free Events

Posted on by graceyanfreevancouverevents

Remember to check back often for updates!  Please let me know if I’ve missed a free event. There doesn’t seem to be much happening this month.

Dec 31  Free transit 5pm to 5am, but please check which routes have late nights.  https://www.translink.ca/Schedules-and-Maps/Holiday-Service.aspx

Dec 31  Concord’s New Year’s Eve Vancouver. 7pm-12:15 am Free Outdoor Street Party at Jack Poole Plaza and surroundings. Ticketed Indoor Party: 7:00pm to late.  9pm: 5-min Family Fireworks; midnight: 10-min Countdown Fireworks.   http://www.nyevan.com/whats-on

Jan 1  Polar Bear Swims at various municipalities: https://vancouversbestplaces.com/events-calendar/festivals-and-events/new-year-polar-bear-swims/

  • 2:30pm, English Bay Beach, Vancouver. Join thousands of brave souls in this 100 yard icy cold race which has become the world’s largest and oldest event of its kind. Feel free to dress up in costume! Free registration:  http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/polar-bear-swim.aspx
  • Boundary Bay Regional Park, 541 Centennial Parkway, Tsawwassen. 12pm Registration begins, 1pm swim starts.

to Jan 1  Festival of Trees, Four Seasons Hotel, 791 W. Georgia St, Vancouver.  Open 24 hours over 2 floors, with overflow into upper level of CF Pacific Centre Mall (overflow area open until 11pm). Donate and vote for your favourite decorated tree.  http://www.bcchf.ca/events/event-calendar/festival-of-trees/vancouver

to Jan 3  Christmas at Canada Place 8am – 11pm, The Canadian Trail, West Promenade – 999 Canada Pl, Vancouver. Giant light installations, historic Woodward’s Windows, & the festive Avenue of Trees. https://www.canadaplace.ca/about-us/news-and-media/news/christmas-at-canada-place-runs-from-december-7-to-january-3/

to Jan 4  Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village Museum, 6501 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby. Free admission, $2.65 carousel rides. Illuminated displays all over the village, live music, crafts, storytelling, baking, and Twelve Days of Christmas Scavenger Hunt! http://www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca/EN/main/visit/events/events/heritage-christmas.html

to Jan 20  Lights at Lafarge, Coquitlam, dusk till 11pm.  Lower Mainland’s largest free outdoor light display. Over 100,000 lights surround Lafarge Lake in a 1.2 km route with 10 themed zones.  Nov 24 opening day festivities from 6:00-8:30pm: live entertainment, buskers, family crafts & more.  http://www.coquitlam.ca/parks-recreation-and-culture/arts-and-culture/special-events-calendar/LightsatLafarge.aspx

to Feb 28  Free Ice Skating at Robson Square. Bring own skates or rentals $5. For hours:  http://www.robsonsquare.com/

Jan 3  Para Ice Hockey–Try It Day, 6-8pm, Surrey Sport and Leisure Complex Arena, 16555 Fraser Highway, Surrey. Learn how to move your sled, shoot the puck and play fun games! Free registration required: https://www.surrey.ca/culture-recreation/28159.aspx?startDate=Dec-25-2018

Jan 13  “Meditation Park” 6-9pm, Britannia Community Services Centre, 1661 Napier Street, Vancouver. Great Movies Series happens almost every Sunday evening in the 55+ Centre and includes free popcorn! This 2017 movie filmed in Vancouver features Pei-Pei Cheng, Tzi Ma, and Sandra Oh.  https://www.britanniacentre.org/community/events/events_calendar/events/1196/2019-01.php

Jan 13  Behind the Scenes at Dead Frog Brewery, 12-6pm. On-the-hour brewery tours include a guided walk through the brewing process and a Q&A period. Nutty Uncle Beer Floats available in the tasting room all day. Local artist Patrick Gavigan will be performing in the tasting room 2:30-6pm. Free registration required: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/behind-the-scenes-sunday-at-dead-frog-brewery-brewery-tours-and-qa-tickets

Jan 19  East Vancouver Community Science Celebration 10:30am-4pm, Britannia Community Services Centre, Gym D, 1661 Napier Street. Family science event hosted by Science World.  https://www.scienceworld.ca/vancouver

Jan 20  Super Blood Wolf Moon Total Lunar Eclipse 8:41-9:43pm. Next total lunar eclipse will happen 2021.

Jan 21 – Feb 10 Chinese New Year Celebrations. Most events free. Chinatown Parade Feb 10, 11am-2pm. https://lunarfestival.com/events/

Jan 26  VSO’s 100th Anniversary Day of Music 9:30am-9:30pm 100+ musical acts, workshops, activities for families, and opportunities to interact with musicians at the Orpheum, Tom Lee Music Granville, VSO School of Music, & Annex.   https://www.vancouversymphony.ca/dayofmusic/

Jan 27  Mineral Exploration Roundup: Discovery Day, 10am-2pm, Vancouver Conventional Centre East, Ballroom A. Interactive and educational displays to educate families and the public about minerals and metals in our daily lives:   https://roundup.amebc.ca/events/discovery-day/

Jan 31  American Dippers Lecture 6:30-7:30, Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop, 1302 W. Broadway (& Birch), Vancouver. Some free parking at back. Come learn about the only songbird that swims underwater from Dr. Christine Bishop, wildlife research scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. Wild Birds Unlimited

Ongoing Free Events:

 Britannia Shipyards, 5180 Westwater Drive, Richmond, offer free admission year round. Some buildings from 1885. Oct 1-Apr 30: 12-5pm; May 1-Sep 30: 10am-5pm. https://britanniashipyard.ca/

Gulf of Georgia Cannery, 12138 Fourth Avenue, Steveston, Richmond. Free admission to this National Historic Site during Farmers Market Days: http://gulfofgeorgiacannery.org/farmers-market

  • Feb 3 & 17; March 3, 17, 31; April 14 & 28

Vancouver Art Gallery  Sundays: children 12 and under free.

Kids See Free, Loblaw stores (eg. Superstore) offer children aged 4 to 10 yrs a free pair of glasses once a year with a prescription dated within the last 90 days. Valid for any frame up to $49 with single vision, polycarbonate ‘kids safe’ lenses. Pay the difference for more expensive frames or lenses. (Last verified Aug 31, 2018)

Bill Reid Gallery, first Friday of the month, 2-5pm, free admission thanks to partnership of Vancouver Airport.  SFU students are always free with student card.  http://www.billreidgallery.ca/PlanVisit/GalleryHoursTicketPrices.php

Home Depot Workshops for adults and kids. Kids build & take home monthly workshops fill up quickly. Register in advance of 2nd Sat each month.   https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/ideas-how-to/workshop/workshops.html

Toys R Us has free family events where children make and take their creations. Check out the event(s):  http://www.toysrus.ca/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=3373022

Free Geek Vancouver: Open Night Help Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 pm, 1820 Pandora St, Vancouver. Free 1st come, 1st serve drop-in tech-support workshops. Entry via back door. Indoor bike parking. No volunteers Jan 2, 2019.   http://freegeekvancouver.org/learn.html

For daily free events:  https://vancouversbestplaces.com/free-january-events-in-vancouver/

Other:

Ongoing Inexpensive Events:

Star gazing by donation every Sat, 7-11 pm weather permitting,1100 Chestnut St, Vancouver. Southam Observatory at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. http://www.spacecentre.ca/gordon-southam-observatory

Starry Nights at SFU’s Trottier Observatory and Science Courtyard. Starts one hour after sunset. Weather dependent. Join their email list to be notified of events and on-the-day cancellations. Children/families can earn a free telescope with a 50mm objective lens, a finderscope, tripod, and two eyepieces by attending workshops and starry nights. https://www.sfu.ca/science/alumni-community/trottierobservatory/starrynights/parties.html

Saturday 11 am Cineplex $2.99 Family Favourites: http://www.cineplex.com/Events/FamilyFavourites/

Vancouver Art Gallery, Tuesdays, 5-9 pm, admission is by donation (but check to see if there’s a posted minimum).  http://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/visit_the_gallery/plan_your_visit.html

Maritime Museum, Thursdays, 5-8 pm, admission by donation.  https://www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com/visit

Museum of Vancouver, last Thurs of every month, 5-8 pm, admission by donation.  http://www.museumofvancouver.ca/

Beaty Biodiversity Museum, 3rd Thurs of every month, Nocturnal Beaty 5:00-8:30 pm. Admission by donation, all ages welcome. Activities include:

  • Raising Big Blue showing
  • Guided Museum Tour at 7 pm
  • Hands-on activities where you can learn more about specimens in the museum and our current exhibitions.

Capilano Suspension Bridge.  If you’re a BC resident, show your photo ID and get an annual pass for just the price of a regular daily ticket (discounted tickets do not apply).  Annual pass provides you with 10%-15% off regular prices at site gift shops and eateries plus more!   https://www.capbridge.com/visit/bc-residents/

BC Sports Hall of Fame  1/2 Price Admission “Be sure to save that ticket stub for all BC Place events, Vancouver Whitecaps, BC Lions and Vancouver Canucks games! Show it at the front desk for 1/2 price admission to the BC Sports Hall of Fame valid 2 weeks before or after the game day.” http://www.bcsportshalloffame.com/visit/admission/

Other Info:

Well, so many of my friends are either approaching or in the seniors category that I feel compelled to share this info:

https://starcanada.ca/transportation-options-for-seniors-metro-vancouver