Chinese New Year, Valentine's and Family days fun in the Tri-Cities

Friday, Feb. 12

CHIRP CHIRP

Get out your checklist and pencil to document birds from the comfort of your home for The Great Backyard Bird Count, which runs from Feb. 12 to 15. Participants are asked to count birds for at least 15 minutes on one or more of the days, and enter the sightings via birdcount.org. The information is used by volunteers to help track changes in bird populations around the world. The count is supported by Birds Canada, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the Audubon Society. 

Saturday, Feb. 13

JUNO AWARD WINNER

Juno award winner Alpha Yaya Diallo gives a live performance — via Zoom — as the Coquitlam Heritage Society marks Black History Month and Family Day. His show starts at 1 p.m. and will also be streamed on the society’s Facebook. The free event is sponsored by the provincial government. To register, visit coquitlamheritage.ca.

NEW ART SHOW

Pop over to the Art Gallery at Evergreen (1205 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) where Ontario artist Erika DeFreitas will open her first solo show in B.C. called close magic. The exhibit, which runs until April 25, is an homage to her mother, told through photos, video and collages. The gallery is open Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 6 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. Visit evergreenculturalcentre.ca.

Sunday, Feb. 14

VIRTUAL ART

Cuddle up with your sweetie as you watch Visions and Vistas — four videos focusing on the work by the Art Focus Artists’ Association of Port Coquitlam. Produced by Babylon Film Studios and Tri-Cities Community TV, the videos showcase the city as well as more than 80 original artworks by the group members. Visit artfocusartistsassociation.com. You can also check out Photomotion 2020, a free slide show by members of the Port Moody-based Pacific Digital Photography Club. Visit pdpc.ca/photomotion-2020.

Monday, Feb. 15

FAMILY DAY FUN

If you’re not out hiking the trails, register for drop-in swimming and skating in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam. The City Centre Aquatic Complex (1210 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) and the Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex (633 Poirier St., Coquitlam) have 40-minute slots for swims while the city has public skates at Poirier — including free skate and helmet rentals (racket sports are also available at Pinetree community centre). To sign up, call 604-927-4386 or visit coquitlam.ca/registration. And in PoCo, there’s free swimming at the Hyde Creek recreation complex (1379 Laurier Ave.) on Family Day starting at 1 p.m., 2:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and, at the Port Coquitlam community centre (2150 Wilson Ave.), there’s free skating beginning at 11:45 a.m., 1:15 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. The weight room at PCCC is also open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. To save a space, visit portcoquitlam.ca/register.