Ukuleles and latte art: What to do in January

Congratulations. You made it to 2024.

For your reward, you get to survive January, an infamously chilly and dark month. While the days are (slowly) getting longer, the winter cold might be just starting to set in.

To escape the chilly rain for a while, check out some of the workshops, classes, and play-groups throughout the Fraser Valley—for both kids and grown-ups.

Today, Grace writes about places to have some fun this January. 

Fun for Kids

Winters in the Fraser Valley are pretty mild, but there are some cold days when parks and playgrounds just aren’t as fun.

Libraries are great resources for kid, toddler, and baby outings. Storytimes and playtimes abound throughout the Fraser Valley, and so do other fun and unique events. On Saturdays in Chilliwack and on Thursdays in Abbotsford, kids can practice reading aloud by reading to trained therapy dogs. Whether or not the dogs are trained to read back to them, correct pronunciation, or help sound out words is unclear.

The Mission Library runs a ukulele circle on Thursdays for kids and teens to practice making music. Participants can either bring their own ukulele or borrow one from the library. Adult drop in is also available.

Several game and craft drop-in sessions also welcome kids and teenagers in different FVRL locations in the valley. Chess clubs, Dungeons and Dragons sessions, and needlework groups are just a few of the options available. Find event schedules at a library location near you here.  

Libraries aren’t the only option. In Chilliwack, the Great Blue Heron Reserve is a great place for a short walk before checking out the interpretive centre and its craft opportunities for kids. The Chilliwack Cultural Centre offers a Toddle-Art class, where kids can get creative (and messy!) without needing their grown-ups to clean up after them. Toddle-Art classes will run for six sessions on Tuesdays, starting Jan. 16. 

In Langley, the Children’s Science Society of Canada is running a workshop on all things flight. The Liftoff Workshop will take place on Sunday, Jan. 21 and bring kids from ages 6 to 12 on a wild ride through the science of flight at the McLeod Athletic Park. 

Fun for Grown-ups

Kids aren’t the only ones who might need amusement to stave off the winter cold and mild-to-severe existential dread that can accompany the arrival of a new year. 

Luckily, plenty of classes, workshops, and opportunities to play exist for grown-ups in the Fraser Valley, too, if you know where to look. 

A Langley cafe is offering classes in coffee-making. Check out some of their courses in latte art, espresso-making, and pour over coffee. Learn to craft the perfect steamed-milk-foam heart and master (or, at least, improve) your bean-beverage skills. Courses are offered in either English or Korean. 

If you prefer to get creative in art forms that are a little more conventional (and maybe less edible), the Chilliwack Cultural Centre offers classes for adults. These workshops usually have a cost for a series of sessions where one can build skills and gain confidence—whether that’s with a pencil, paintbrush, or sewing machine. Painting, drawing, sewing, and a very cool looking glass mosaic class will all be on offer this January.

In Langley, a company called PaintNite runs one-off painting classes where participants follow along with an instructor to complete a painting and can get a little artsy without committing several weeks to the endeavor. Their courses—and the types of paintings one can try—are listed on their website (some are held in 19+ venues).

Local libraries also offer plenty of programming for interested adults. There are social circles for seniors, board game groups, and technology classes in locations throughout the Fraser Valley. Mission runs a Scrabble Club on Thursdays. The Sardis library hosts a knitting group on Sundays. There are also, of course, plenty of book clubs like this one in Agassiz that meets monthly on Thursday evenings.

The Abbotsford Quilter’s Guild meets on some Tuesday mornings at 10am at the Ross Road Community Church. Contact Donna Zimmermann at [email protected] for more information

If you’re more in the mood to survive January with laughter than with art or books, the Fraser Valley has a few options for fun comedy events. The Highwayman Pub in Abbotsford holds weekly open mic events on Fridays. Five Roads Brewing in Langley holds monthly shows—this month’s show will be on Jan. 27.

Finally, it can be hard to have fun throughout the winter if your garage is full of broken toys. Bring busted bicycles or struggling computers to a Repair Cafe held by the Mission Library on Jan. 20 to get them all in working order again.