This weekend (Jan. 25-26) would be a good one to go skating on Natrel Rink. You'll get the LunarFest 2014 as a bonus, launching the Chinese Year of the Horse.
I attended the event today, teased by the promise of a 2-storey hight rock horse installation and the "first ever lantern theatrical inspired by puppetry". Well... The rock horse turned out to be an 12-foot high inflated structure and the first ever lantern theatrical was 15-minute long and looked pretty much like displays from a Lantern Festival we saw years ago at Ontario Place, with a voice over which sounded more like a documentary than a play. Nevertheless, the other less advertised indoor activities are cute enough to make it a very nice addition to a skating session in the Natrel Rink (and a good excuse to come inside to warm up). The event goes on Saturday and Sunday, January 25 and 26, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Visitors can make a pretty horse lantern (the white version of the one shown in the video clip below, on how to assemble the horse craft). Those who build the craft on the premises will get a LED light to install inside their horse lantern. You can write wishes on giant paper lanterns which will be launched mid-February in Vancouver. You can write a message inside a Lucky Charm pocket to take with you to give to a friend. There's also an intriguing Fortune Telling station with numbered sticks to draw to read your fortune. They sell $5 dumplings in the restaurant.
Finally, pay a visit to Miss Lou's Room on the second floor to make a fun horse mask. Every weekend, you can expect a free craft activity in this room.
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