Top 10 UBC Events to Attend in February

From academic talks, to celebrating Lunar New Year, there are lots of events for you to check out this month.


1. Feb 1: Night Shift – Untamed

At the first Night Shift of the new year, come out for a night of Indigenous burlesque by groups Virago Nation and DJ Kookum. Look forward to a night of humour, seduction, and striptease, with themes of reclaiming and rematriating Indigenous sexuality.


2. Feb 1 – 4: La Cenerentola (UBC Opera)

If you think you know the story of Cinderella, prepare yourself for an enchanting surprise. In Rossini’s masterpiece, the evil stepmother becomes the malevolent stepfather, the fairy godmother becomes a philosopher, and the legendary glass slipper becomes a delicate bracelet. This UBC opera is presented in two acts, and sung in Italian with English surtitles.


3. Feb 2: UBC Thunderbirds Courtside

Courtside is the Thunderbird’s biggest basketball night of the year – and it’s a double-header. First, watch the women’s team at 6:00 p.m. at the War Memorial Gym. Then, catch the men’s team in action at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are inexpensive, and there are lots of giveaways and fun contests to keep the energy high throughout the evening.


4. Feb 8: šxʷʔam̓ət (home) – What does Reconciliation mean to YOU?

We welcome Cindy Charleyboy from Vancouver’s Theatre for Living to the Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health and the UBCs Learning Circle for a conversation on šxʷʔam̓ət (home), an Indigenous and non-Indigenous, audience-interactive play on Reconciliation. This discussion will touch on topics such as effectively building community health and social change through arts and the use of media.


5. Feb 8: Lind Initiative – Misha Glenny on The Unravelling of the Liberal Order

Misha Glenny has served as a visiting professor at the London School of Economics at Columbia University’s Harriman Institute. He is also a multiple award-winning writer, broadcaster and sought after keynote speaker. This free event will feature Misha speaking on the Unravelling of the Liberal Order, and what kind of global order(s) the future may hold.


6. Feb 11: Kids Takeover UBC

For too long, UBC has been run by adults. It’s time for kids to rule at this fun-filled arts festival for kids and families. Activities include poetry writing at the Belkin Art Gallery, dancing at the Museum of Anthropology, and delicious food trucks.

7. Feb 13: Where are the Nations of Immigrants?

Why did historically significant migrations, affecting many nations, produce so few self-conscious “nations of immigrants”? This lecture examines a diverse group of countries with high rates of mobility of foreigners—countries such as Switzerland, Kazakhstan, and China, among others—to try to answer that question. It also asks whether, in our own changing times, Canada might attempt to replace the United State as the twenty-first century’s paradigmatic “nation of immigrants.”

8. Feb 17: Lunar New Year Celebration 2018

Celebrate the Year of the Dog at Wesbrook Village! In order to scare away evil spirits and bring good luck to Wesbrook Village in the new lunar year, lions will leap and roar throughout the village from shop to shop – it’s a sight to behold! You can leave with a lucky red envelope of your own too. The lion dance starts in Norman Mackenzie Square (in front of BierCraft Restaurant).

9. Feb 24: Voice of Passion – Winter Music Gala 2018

Kevin Li is a 16 year-old tenor who has won numerous prestigious awards in classical singing and has sung at Carnegie Hall. This is his second benefit concert, fundraising for the Canuck Place Children Hospice. Last year, his first “Voice of Passion” concert was a huge success, having raised over 6400$ and received immense support from many influential individuals.


10. February 27 – March 4: The Coastal First Nations Dance Festival

The Dancers of Damelahamid produce the annual Coastal First Nations Dance Festival in partnership with the UBC Museum of Anthropology. The festival presents the rich artistic practices of artists from British Columbia, the Yukon, Alaska and Washington State as well as guest national and international artists and demonstrates that these practices are very much alive, vibrant and relevant today.

Photo: Chris Randle


There’s more to check out at UBC in February. To stay up-to-date with all the campus events, follow @UBCevents.