Vancouver Adventures: Our Picks for January 20 to 26

This week: sample haggis, sip hot chocolate, say namaste on a mountaintop + more

1. Cartoon Cabaret – Saturday, January 20

You’ll never look at Bart Simpson in the same way again! Vancouver’s top burlesque and cabaret performers offer raunchy tributes to your favourite animated personalities from shows like Family Guy, Sailor Moon, The Simpsons, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Futurama.
Rio Theatre, 1660 East Broadway, Vancouver; Doors 8 p.m. with show at 9 p.m.; Tickets $20 in advance online or $25 at door

2. Hot Chocolate Festival – Saturday, January 20 to Wednesday, February 14

Chocoholics can warm up at the 8th annual Hot Chocolate Festival with a choice of 75 flavours from 35 outlets, each of which will be creating a crazy hot chocolate concoction to celebrate the festival.
Various locations and prices

3. Pancakes and Jam – Sunday, January 21

Dance, listen to local singer/songwriters and have a musical jam at Beaumont Studios this weekend. Chow down on griddle pancakes, bacon, eggs and treats, then burn it off at a dance workshop at 11:30 a.m. Volunteer in advance or on the day to help out.
The Beaumont Studios, 316 & 326 West 5th Avenue, Vancouver; 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

4. Winter Yoga Series – Sunday, January 21 to Sunday, March 4

Head up to Grouse Mountain for a mountaintop yoga session in the cozy hiwus Feasthouse. Register for one session or the whole series of eight, held every Sunday for the next three months.
Grouse Mountain, 6400 Nancy Greene Way, North Vancouver; 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.; Tickets $10, plus Grouse Mountain admission

5. Street Food City VII – Monday, January 22 to Sunday, January 28

Part of Vancouver’s extensive Dine Out Festival, Street Food City VII brings the best of the city’s food trucks to the Vancouver Art Gallery’s new plaza for a week of lunch options from a varied selection of vans.
Georgia Street North Plaza, Vancouver Art Gallery; Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Free entry

6. Nerd Nite v32 – Wednesday, January 24

Geek out at a night of scientific fun with talks ranging from Curt Da Silva’s “Machine Learning a.k.a. When Robots Attack/Speak/Recognize Cats/Drive Cars” and Michelle Kunimoto’s “A History of Planet-Hunting (And How You Can Be a Part of It)” to British-American director/producer Rachel Talalay (Doctor Who) talking about directing the episode “Twice Upon a Time”, which features the premiere of Jodie Whittaker as the first female Dr. Who.
Fox Cabaret, 2321 Main Street, Vancouver; 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Tickets $7 to 15

7. Robert Burns Night at the Cascade Room – Thursday, January 25

Cue the bagpipes! The Cascade Room will host a lively and delicious celebration in honour of Scottish poet Robert Burns, featuring live music, whisky, haggis and other delicacies from the kitchen… like decadent deep-fried Mars bars.
The Cascade Room, 2616 Main Street, Vancouver

8. Australia Day Party 2018 – Thursday, January 25 & Friday, January 26

Say g’day to Australia Day in the time zone of “down under” and then follow it up with a Canadian Australia Day celebration on January 26. Both parties will feature music, fun and meat pies for a proper Aussie knees-up.
Moose’s Down Under, 830 West Pender Street, Vancouver; 4 p.m. to 3 a.m.

9. Tyler the Creator & Vince Staples – Friday, January 26

Rapper Tyler the Creator kicks off his North American tour, with Vince Staples, in Vancouver, playing songs from their two critically acclaimed albums, Flower Boy and Big Fish Theory.
Pacific Coliseum, 2901 East Hastings Street, Vancouver; 6:30 p.m.; Tickets $47, plus fees

10. Vancouver Short Film Festival – Friday, January 26 & Saturday, January 27

Showcasing live action and animation from West Coast filmmakers, the Vancouver Short Film Festival features shorts that explore a variety of topics and genres.
Vancity Theatre, 1181 Seymour Street, Vancouver; Various times; Tickets $12 to 55