Metro Vancouver events to check out on the last weekend of February

A previous year's 24 Hours of Winter event at Grouse Mountain is seen in this photo from the resort's website (grousemountain.com)

This weekend brings the last days of February, the first day of March and a whole bunch of events and activities to check out across Metro Vancouver. Here’s what’s happening.

At the convention centre

Outdoor and cycling enthusiasts will be headed to Canada Place this weekend for a pair of trade shows in the convention centre’s east building.

The Vancouver Outdoor Adventure and Travel Show bills itself as “B.C.’s largest showcase of outdoor gear and adventure travel experiences,” while the B.C. Bike Show promises “an incredible day out for cyclists.”

Both shows are on from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, featuring a combined hundreds of exhibitors, interactive demos, seminars and more. Ticket information can be found on each show’s website.

24 Hours of Winter at Grouse

For the first time since 2019, Grouse Mountain is bringing back its "24 Hours of Winter" event.

The resort will stay open from 8:30 a.m. Saturday through 9 p.m. Sunday, offering round-the-clock skiing and snowboarding, yoga sessions, skating, “Night Owl Talks” and more.

A full schedule is available on the mountain’s website.

Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival

The Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival returns this weekend, with the first in-person screenings happening Friday night.

This year, the festival features more than 20 films, which are being screened at six venues in Metro Vancouver and one in Squamish.

In-person screenings run through March 11, and the online version of the festival will run from March 14 through April 11. Schedule and ticket information can be found online.

Paper, Patch and Pin Show

Vancouver Etsy Co. is holding its first "Paper, Pin and Patch Show" at the Heritage Hall on Main Street Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Describing the event as a place “where pin collectors, patch enthusiasts and stationery lovers unite,” organizers say more than three dozen independent Canadian artists will showcase their wares.

Admission to the market is $3 and can be purchased online in advance or at the door.

Bite of Burnaby

Burnaby’s annual dining festival "Bite of Burnaby" begins Sunday and runs for the month of March.

During the event, participating restaurants offer special fixed-price menus and combos ranging in price from $10 to $60.

Chef-hosted dinners, educational workshops and other special offerings are also scheduled throughout the month. More information can be found on the festival website.

Vancouver Cocktail Week

Also kicking off Sunday is Vancouver Cocktail Week.

Now in its fifth year, the annual celebration of cocktail culture features a variety of events and seminars, including ticketed meals with cocktail pairings, “cocktail crawl” events in various neighbourhoods and more.

Vancouver Cocktail Week runs through March 8 and ticket and schedule information can be found online.

For the sports fans

The Whitecaps, Goldeneyes and Giants all have home games scheduled this weekend, while the Canucks’ next game at Rogers Arena is on Monday against Dallas.

The puck drops for the Vancouver Giants against the Seattle Thunderbirds at 7 p.m. on Friday at the Langley Events Centre and for the Goldeneyes against the Toronto Sceptres at 1 p.m. on Sunday at the Pacific Coliseum.

In between, the Whitecaps host Toronto FC at B.C. Place on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.