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Celebrate good times – and incredible drinks – at Vancouver Cocktail Week’s two signature events

Celebrate good times - and incredible drinks - at Vancouver Cocktail Week's two signature events

“No Fun City”? Nah, not anymore. It’s time to celebrate.

Spring is right around the corner, and with restrictions easing up in B.C. the mood is starting to feel downright celebratory. If you’re ready to get back in the groove of going out and raising a glass (or two), this year’s inaugural Vancouver Cocktail Week offers plenty of ways to celebrate the good times.

This first-ever week-long celebration of libations in Vancouver includes an array of tantalizing events, from seminars to up your sipping savvy to special pairing dinners, happy hours, and two signature gatherings that bookend the exciting festival.

Kicking VCW off on Sunday, March 6 is The Garden Club: A Botany of Brunch at the elegant Botanist Restaurant at the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Sit down to a five-course feast prepared by Botanist’s acclaimed Executive Chef Hector Laguna paired with cocktails made by some of Vancouver’s top bartenders. 

But this is no ordinary brunch: The drink pros are being tasked with sourcing ingredients for their creations by foraging locally, which means Vancouver-grown components in every glass to really shake things up. For example, you will be enjoying a drink called “Down the Charente” by award-winning bartender Sabrine Dhaliwal (Chickadee Room), which features Hennessy VS Cognac, Cynar, Lillet, Tamarind, Coffee Bitters, and Crabapple Bitters paired with a course of housemade duck prosciutto tatin with charred sourdough and watercress – so this is not your usual eggs Benny and mimosa situation. 

brunch-cocktails-botanist-restaurant-vancouver-bc
Brunch and cocktails are a match made in heaven at Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim, even more so for the kick-off event of Vancouver Cocktail Week. Botanist Dining / Facebook

For those who prefer to “party like it’s 1999” and toast to fun times into the evening, VCW’s epic closing party, called the Fun City Gala might be more your speed. 

Take the elevator up to one of the most storied—and newly renovated—party venues in Vancouver, The Roof at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, and prepare to forget anything you’ve heard about this being “No Fun City.”

The Fun City Gala is the marquee event of the week. It takes you on a glamorous journey through Vancouver’s tipsy traditions. Stations featuring local bar stars and global brand ambassadors will offer drinks representing different eras in Vancouver’s cocktail-culture past and present.

Plus there will be food stations and passed canapés, as well as a VIP hour, live entertainment, live music, DJ and a silent auction with proceeds going to the BC Hospitality Foundation and its scholarship program. PS: If you want to make a night of it, the hotel is offering special room rates for the evening.

The Garden Club: A Botany of Brunch

When: Sunday, March 6 from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

WhereBotanist Restaurant at the Fairmont Pacific Rim – 1028 Canada Place

View menu and get tickets; A portion of sales from each reservation will be donated to the Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House.

Fun City Gala

When: Thurs. March 10 from 7-11 p.m.

Where: The Roof at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver – 900 W. Georgia St.

Get tickets

 

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Celebrate Perseverance rover’s 1-year ‘Marsiversary’ with these events

Celebrate Perseverance rover's 1-year 'Marsiversary' with these events

The Perseverance rover is about to celebrate one year on Mars, and NASA wants you to be part of the party.

The space agency and mission team members are holding a variety of events around the country to mark the “Marsiversary” of the life-hunting, sample-caching Perseverance and the tiny helicopter Ingenuity, which touched down with the rover on Feb. 18, 2021. 

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Various events held across China to celebrate upcoming Lantern Festival

Various events held across China to celebrate upcoming Lantern Festival

Volunteers perform at Zhouzi ancient town in Peng’an County of Nanchong City, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Li Xiangyu/Xinhua)

People make Tangyuan, a kind of round and sweet dumpling made of glutinous rice flour, in Shishang Village of Renshou Township, Jing’an County in Yichun City, east China’s Jiangxi Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Xu Zhongting/Xinhua)

Tourists dance with people of Miao ethnic group at Wanda Town of Danzhai County in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua)

People select lanterns at Fuzi (Confucius) Temple scenic area in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Su Yang/Xinhua)

Children make lanterns at a community in Yangzhou City, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Meng Delong/Xinhua)

People perform dragon dance in Lizhuang Township, Yibin City of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Zhuang Geer/Xinhua)

Children make lanterns in Quanjiao County, east China’s Anhui Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Shen Guo/Xinhua)

Foreigners make lanterns in Xinqi Village of Deqing County, Huzhou City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Xie Shangguo/Xinhua)

People visit Xinanli historical culture blocks in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Li Wenbao/Xinhua)

Aerial photo taken on Feb. 13, 2022 shows folk artists performing at Zhouping Village in Zhuxi Township of Cengong County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Hu Panxue/Xinhua)

Folk artists perform dragon dance in Lianyungang City, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Wang Jianmin/Xinhua)

People select lanterns at a market of Fengcheng River scenic spot in Taizhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Tang Dehong/Xinhua)

Aerial photo shows people performing dragon dance in Lizhuang Township, Yibin City of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Zhuang Geer/Xinhua)

People of Miao ethnic group dance at Wanda Town of Danzhai County in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Huang Xiaohai/Xinhua)

People select lanterns at Fuzi (Confucius) Temple scenic area in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Su Yang/Xinhua)

People perform lion dance in Silian Village of Jinde Township, Liuzhou City, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Li Hanchi/Xinhua)

People make Tangyuan, a kind of round and sweet dumpling made of glutinous rice flour, in shape of Bing Dwen Dwen, a panda mascot for the 2022 Games, at a community in Wuhu City, east China’s Anhui Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Yang Hua/Xinhua)

A child holds a lantern at Xi’nanli historical culture blocks in Nanjing, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Li Wenbao/Xinhua)

Students solve Lantern Riddles at Pingjiang experimental school in Suzhou, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Wang Jiankang/Xinhua)

Children play at a square in Xishui County of Zunyi City, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, Feb. 13, 2022. Various events are held across China to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival. (Photo by Yang Yang/Xinhua)