Welcome to Family Day, our newest statutory holiday. It's great to have another day to spend time with the family and here's hoping Feb. 11 is sunny and warm. It's time to get out and enjoy some new things to do in Burnaby. We're continuing with our popular feature - our staff's Top 5 (Or More) Things To Do This Weekend, and this week, there's a good mix of activities in the city.
1 Get into Chinese New Year with four separate celebrations throughout the city this weekend. On Friday, Feb. 8, the Kensington recreation complex at 6159 Curtis St. hosts a Chinese New Year skate from 6: 30 to 9: 15 p.m. The next day, Feb. 9, Lougheed Town Centre will have a lion dance performance in its centre court and around the mall to welcome the Year of the Snake, starting at 11 a.m.
Further on down Lougheed Highway, Brentwood Town Centre will have Year of the Snake celebrations running from 1 to 4 p.m. on Feb. 9 as well. And on Sunday, Feb. 10, Burnaby's largest Chinese-Asian mall will host its Chinese New Year's celebrations. Crystal Mall, located at Kingsway and Willingdon Avenue, will have events running from noon to 4 p.m.
Scheduled events include: a lion dance performance; free Chinese calligraphy greetings; God of Fortune greetings; a lucky draw; and carnival games.
2 Get down to the Deer Lake Gallery, which is hosting a solo show featuring the work of local artist Ron Sangha. The opening reception is Saturday, Feb. 9, from 2 to 4 p.m. with Sangha in attendance. Sangha documents his own physical and spiritual journeys in his digital prints. The intense colours of his photo montages draw the viewer into illusory landscapes.
Sangha's multicultural upbringing informs his exploration of new cultures through camera, digital tablet and pen. The Deer Lake Art Gallery is located at 6584 Deer Lake Ave. and the show runs from Feb. 8 to March 2.
For more info, call 604-298-7322 or email info@ burnabyartscouncil.org.
3 Get viewing The Artist Poster Show, opening Friday, Feb. 8 at the Burnaby Art Gallery. The Artist Poster Show explores the didactic evolution of artist exhibition posters. Drawn primarily from the Burnaby Art Gallery's permanent collection, the showcase spotlights the artist's ability to communicate time, place, symbolism or space though an exhibition poster.
See a range of works from 27 different artists, including Ron Eckert, Brendan Fernandes, Rodney Graham, Guerrilla Girls, Robert Rauschenberg, Ed Ruscha, Jack Shadbolt and Ian Wallace. A contemporary selection of artist posters from Vancouver artist-run centres like Artspeak, Or Gallery and Western Front will also be on display.
The exhibition includes a special commissioned 12-poster series by Sonny Assu.
4 Get philosophical on Friday, Feb. 8 for the Burnaby Philosophers Café event, starting at 7 p.m. at the Burnaby Public Library, McGill branch at 4595 Albert St. The night's topic: Setup to fail? When asked whether they plan to be doctors, 300 of 500 first-year biology students raised their hands. How many will succeed? What happens to those who don't? How much time or money will they spent before "giving up?" We can't all be doctors, lawyers, astronauts, and CEOs: are we setting our children up to feel like failures?
Moderator Kevin Lam is a lecturer in the department of biological sciences at SFU. Please call 778-7825215 or visit www.philo sopherscafe.net for further information. Everyone welcome. Registration and experience not required. Admission is free.
5 Get fundraising for the St. Thomas More Collegiate parents association grad committee. The group is holding a dinner/ pub night on Saturday, Feb. 9 at the Firefighters' Social and Athletic Club near Metrotown. Tickets are $20 and include a buffet dinner, with vegetarian option, and a fun-filled evening featuring games, 50/50 draw, silent auction, live band and dancing.
Tickets are limited, so purchase your tickets early at the St. Thomas More head office. Attendees must be at least 19 years old.
Info: Annalisa Rossi Watters at miwatters@ yahoo.com or call 604-5211801 ext. 133.
Email your Top 5 ideas to [email protected] or send them to alau@bur nabynow.com. You can also check out our full arts and events calendar listings on our website's homepage at www.burnabynow.com.
