Explainer: Family Day activities to do in B.C.
From ice skating to to paper toys, there is lots to do with our families
Check out some fun activities this family holiday. (WikiCommons)
Feb. 20 marks Family Day in British Columbia and plenty of celebratory activities will be taking place for those living in or nearby Surrey to partake in.
Multiple public skating sessions will be held with on and off the ice activities at four arenas on Family Day and the weekend leading up to it. On Feb. 19, the Cloverdale Arena will host a public skate from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm. On Feb. 20, the Surrey Sport and Leisure Complex will host a public skate from 11:45 am to 1:15 pm, and the Newton Arena will host theirs from 5:45 pm to 7:15 pm.
The Historic Stewart Farm will also be hosting free activities from 12:00 pm to 4:30 pm on Family Day. Alongside exploring the farmhouse alone or with a guide, butter-making demonstrations will take place at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. A craft station to create a traditional paper toy will also be available.
On Feb. 20 at the Museum of Surrey, attendees can play board games, participate in a scavenger hunt, take a photo with the museum mascot, Raj the Racoon, and have a family portrait drawn by caricature artists. These activities will take place from 1:00 pm. to 4:00 pm.
This weekend is also the FAN EXPO Vancouver, a comic-con style event that features comics, anime, and celebrities at the Vancouver Convention Centre.
The Beyond Van Gogh exhibit is in Surrey until March 9, an immersive experience of Van Gogh’s work projected onto the walls and floors at Cloverdale’s Agriplex.
Vancouver’s Just for Laughs festival is also running until Feb. 25, a live comedy performance from world-class comedians at several different venues.
As New Year’s Day and Good Friday are about three months apart, Family Day was implemented to give people more time off to spend with their loved ones. The holiday started in 2013, originally taking place on the second Monday of February. However, in 2018, former Premier John Horgan announced the holiday will shift to the more familiar third Monday of February to better align with the rest of Canadian families and businesses.
The holiday is also celebrated in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and New Brunswick. Other parts of Canada also have a holiday on the third Monday of February. In Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Manitoba the holiday is called Islander Day, Heritage Day, and Louis Riel Day respectively.
For more information about Family Day activities taking place in Surrey, visit the city’s website.
