Vancouver Adventures: Our Picks for February 18-24

1. JFL NorthWest Festival – Thursday, February 16 to Saturday, February 25

Headlined by Trevor Noah, Sarah Silverman and Jim Gaffigan, the Just For Laughs comedy festival brings big names and up-and-comers to Vancouver for a mixture of stand-up, improv and live podcast recording. Local comedy names like The Ryan & Amy Show will be representing the city in the Best of the West shows.
See website for full lineup and ticket info

2. Chutzpah! Festival – Thursday, February 16 to Monday, March 13

Performing arts festival Chutzpah! brings internationally-acclaimed dancers, musicians, comedians and theatrical artists to the city with performers hailing from Canada, Israel, Italy, the USA, Japan and Argentina. Highlights include the inventive dance series and many of the performances can be seen at the festival hub, the Norman and Annette Rothstein Theatre at the Jewish Community Centre.
See website for times and tickets

3. Dash for the Dogs – Saturday, February 18

Take part in a run or walk (2k, 5k or 10k) through Stanley Park to raise funds for BC and Alberta Guide Dogs. Well-behaved four-legged friends are welcome on leash and there will be a social event afterwards with pancakes, prizes and music.
Brockton Pavilion, 1151 Stanley Park Drive
10k: 9:00 am, 5k 9:15 a.m., 2k 9:30 a.m.

4. Yoga on Tap – Sunday, February 19

Start the day off right and stretch—for a beer—at Yoga on Tap with Moksha Yoga at Steamworks Taproom in Burnaby. Partial proceeds from the one-hour, all-levels class will benefit Burnaby Hospital Foundation and the class includes a flight of beer to enjoy during yoga to music from Matt Carter.
3845 William Street, Steamworks Taproom, Burnaby
$20; 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

5. VAMSO Symphonie Fantastique – Sunday, February 19

Join the Vancouver Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra (VAMSO) on a thrilling musical journey with Hector Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique. More than 100 musicians, led by music director Leslie Dala, will delve into Berlioz’s visionary world of fantasy, called “the most innovative symphony of the 19th century” (The Guardian). The concert will also premiere A Stitch in Time, Vancouver composer Benton Roark’s latest creation.
The Orpheum 601 Smithe Street
2 p.m., $15 adults, $10 students and seniors

6. Pizza Palooza – Wednesday, February 22

Get a ‘pizza the action’ and taste your way around Vancouver’s yummiest pie places with Vancouver Foodster. Pick up a passport to get tasting plates from pizza joints like Kingsway’s Straight Outta Brooklyn, Firecrust Neapolitan Pizzeria on Davie Street and Gastown’s ZeroZero Pizzeria.
6 to 10 p.m.; $45, $60 after February 19

7. BC Home & Garden Show – Wednesday, February 22 to Sunday, February 26

Get your home and garden ready for spring with inspirational seminars about spring trends, cooking and garden demos, as well as celebrity speakers such as HGTV Hosts Bryan Baeumler and Carson Arthur. Explore 5,000 square feet of greenscapes in the feature gardens.
BC Place Stadium, check website for more details

Enter now for your chance to contest to win tickets to the show!

8. Readings on the Dark – Thursday, February 23

Darkness can be interpreted in many ways—from a comforting presence to a symbol of night or death. Join the exhibiting artists of Access Gallery’s A Terrible Signal for an evening sharing favourite passages penned about the dark, including poetry, fiction, song, philosophy and children’s literature.
Access Gallery, 222 East Georgia Street; 7 to 9 p.m

9. East Van Mardi Gras – Friday, February 24

East Van becomes the Big Easy for their annual Mardi Gras, complete with jazz, funk, costumes, parades, theatre and food and drink. Celebrating the New Orleans music scene, The Big Easy Funk Ensemble mixes funk, jazz, and boogaloo with nine members, including a three-piece horn section, while Party Mania brings the funk with a 10-piece band.
The Wise Hall & Lounge, 1882 Adanac Street; 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., $15