No tickets to events? You can still get that "Olympic Feeling".
Go skating in downtown Vancouver at Robson Square. Opening November 24th GE, free public skating will operate noon to 9:00 pm daily. Rentals are $3.00.
Take a sleigh ride or go skating at Grouse Mountain. Morag and I did both last year, it was a lot of fun. You can also go snow shoeing or skiing. Grouse Mountain will be open 24/7 throughout the Olympics. The NBC's Today Show will be broadcast from the top of the mountain at 4:00am. So if you're inclined to be an early bird you can go up and watch the live broadcast.
Morag Dec 2008
You can also go snowtubing, snow shoeing or skiing at Mt Seymour.
Hang out at the O Zone in Richmond. There'll be outdoor skating, exhibits, athlete appearances, ice carvers, ice art, entertainment, food and fireworks. You can try out (virtual) bobsledding and ice hockey at The BCLC Winter Games Dome. Don't forget this is home to Holland Heineken House too.
Four Host First Nations Pavilion - located on the plaza of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, the pavilion will open in February 2010 and run throughout the Olympic Winter Games. Not yet complete, the pavilion will include a 3000 sq ft sphere surrounded by a Coast Salish Long House. It will showcase Aboriginal art, sport, business, and culture from across Canada.
The 2010 Cultural Olympiad presented by Bell will bring art, theatre, dance, and music to Vancouver and the Sea to Sky corridor from January 22nd to March 21st 2010. Checkout the event listings here. I won't be able to make it, but some events that caught my attention:
Feist - February 17th at the Orpheum
Blue Rodeo- February 28th in Whistler
Fear of Flight- February 9th to 13th. I don't think I'd actually want to to see this, but the aviation thing is large in our household to I had to mention it.
Cirque Eloize: Rain- March 18th to 20th. Because I like the circus.
The Only Animal: Nix- January 22nd to February 22nd. Because I never seen snow and ice theatre before.
Livecity Vancouver - Livecity Yaletown (B David Lam Park) will be open during the Olympic Winter Games. Livecity Downtown (A) will be opening during the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. From the Livecity Vancouver website:
- High-quality, secure, family-friendly environment that showcases the arts, culture, entertainment and Olympic sponsors
- Schedules and content built around Games-time events
- Events that are open, accessible and free of charge
- Planned on-screen programming on large LED screens showing Olympic and Paralympic events and track the progress of Canadian athletes
- Live programming featuring the very best local, national and international performing artists, as well as special appearances by past and present Olympians, Paralympians and other special guests
Whistler Live! - I posted about the Whistler Live! sites a few days back. You can read it here.
And finally don't forget to go shopping for all your souvenirs at the Olympic Superstore.