Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver this week, January 1 to 5

The Abyss screens at the Rio

By Steve Newton

MONDAY: screenings at the VIFF Centre and the Rio Theatre of Joel and Ethan Coen’s 1998 comedy The Big Lebowski, starring Jeff Bridges as The Dude.

MONDAY: American hardcore-punk pioneers Black Flag, featuring founding guitarist Greg Ginn, play the Fortune Sound Club.

Denyse Thomasos exhibit at the VAG

MONDAY & WEDNESDAY TO FRIDAY: the work of late Trinidadian-Canadian artist Denyse Thomasos is featured in the career retrospective Denyse Thomasos: just beyond, running until March of 2024 at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

MONDAY TO FRIDAY: Bright Nights in Stanley Park is a family-oriented fundraiser for the BC Professional Firefighters’ Burn Fund that features rides on the Christmas train, holiday lights display, live entertainment, and food trucks. Please note: tickets for the popular Stanley Park Christmas Train are completely SOLD OUT.

MONDAY TO FRIDAY: the annual Festival of Lights features 15 acres of trees, plants, and pathways adorned with over one-million twinkling lights at VanDusen Botanical Garden.

Canyon Lights at Capilano Bridge Park

MONDAY TO FRIDAY: running until January 21, Canyon Lights features a dazzling Christmas-light display on the trees, bridges, and pathways of North Vancouver’s Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.

TUESDAY: the red-hot Vancouver Canucks take on the Ottawa Senators in National Hockey League action at Rogers Arena.

TUESDAY TO FRIDAY: Theatre Replacement presents playwrights Jivesh Parasram and Christine Quintana’s family show East Van Panto: Beauty and the Beast, with music by Veda Hille, running until January 7 at the York Theatre.

THURSDAY: screening at the Rio Theatre of a 4K restoration of writer-director James Cameron’s 1989 sci-fi thriller The Abyss.

Jerry Seinfeld performs at the Queen E

FRIDAY: legendary standup comedian and actor Jerry Seinfeld performs the first of two nights at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre.

If you’re a concert promoter, arts organization, music store, or just somebody wanting to support my work, I’m looking for an exclusive sponsor of my twice-weekly Newt’s top 10 things to do in Vancouver blogs. If interested, please contact me at steve@earofnewt.com.