Olympic festivities: Our insider picks

Credit: Ian Mitchell

OK, the squabbling is over. The Olympics are here. Now, let’s party!

For those of you who never wanted the Olympics, who decried the commercial appropriation of an ancient Inuit symbol, who erupted in outrage at each new budget overrun, who protested the clearing of Eagle Ridge for a superhighway: you put up a good fight, but you voted No and you lost.

The Olympics are here. No temper tantrum, no matter how spectacular, will keep the party at bay.

You could spend the Olympics cocooned in your home, curtains drawn, seething with impotent rage and occasionally shaking a fist and yelling obscenities at the cheery blatherings of NBC’s Today Show gang, broadcasting live daily from the top of Grouse Mountain. You could mumble “I told you so” at every hint of a glitch or misstep. You could be a sore loser and do your best to make the party a flop.

Or you could get out and take part in the most fun Vancouver has seen in a long time – and is unlikely to see again for years to come, given the prospect of what promises to be a long hangover of debts and funding cuts.
 

For a couple of weeks around those 17 days in February, the Vancouver region will transform itself into party central as we play host to the world. Hundreds of cultural exhibitions and performances will be staged around town – many of them free – under the Cultural Olympiad banner.

In a battle of the beers, Heineken will be sponsoring Holland’s revelry at the Richmond end of the Canada Line, while Molson ensures festivities are well lubricated at the downtown Vancouver end. And to ensure you don’t lose your spot in the beer queue, giant public TV screens will be available for one and all, should you want to catch any actual sporting events.

Sure, maybe you’re one of the lucky few who scored hockey gold in the ticket lottery, or maybe you’re a golfing buddy of one of the corporate sponsors that booked blocks of prime seats. But for the rest of us, don’t despair; the whole city is a party, and everyone’s invited. And to help you make sure you don’t miss out on the fun, here’s Granville’s insider’s guide to the festivities.

	Crosstown traffic: The Canada Line
	Richmond: Into the zone
	Hot Town: Winter in the city
	Island Getaway: Granville Island
	Southeast False Creek: Free ride
	The Art Part: Vancouver’s public art project
	In the Spotlight: Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad events
	Victory is Yours: The nightly medal ceremonies
	For Hockey Fans: The puck drops here