From the Polar Bear Swim on January 1 to the Festival of Lights in late December, festivals and other exciting events are happening all the time in Vancouver.
Remember that things do change, so be sure to confirm dates and times before making travel plans.
Vive les voyageurs Winter Festival January 28-29 Historic Boot Camp & Historic Half Marathon February 18-19 Spring Break March 10-25 Easter Egg Hunt April 8; Easter Egg Hunt 1 pm Victoria Day May 21 Learn to Camp Weekend June 16 (pre-registration required) Aboriginal Day at Fort Langley June 23 Canada Day July 1 Parks Day July 21 The 2012 Prospera Valley Granfondo July 22 Ride into History Jul...
By Philip Grecian, based on the classic film by Frank Capra Director Dean Paul Gibson The Holiday Heart-Warmer Returns "Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings." In this holiday favourite, George Bailey's guardian angel swoops in to remind him that faith, hope, and family make life truly wonderful. Returning for a fifth year, our production has delighted over 70,000 audience m...
-
Thursday, November 22, 2012 - Saturday, December 22, 2012
(Every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday)
- Venue: Revue Theatre
- Location: Revue Theatre
-
Add to Itinerary
From the popular humourist David Sedaris comes this merrily wicked tale of his tour of duty as an elf at Macy's SantaLand. From posts as Vomit Corner Elf to Water Cooler Elf to Cash Register Elf, Sedaris works his way up the candy-cane ladder and lives to share his hysterical, behind-the-scenes anecdotes. Both outlandish and illuminating, this sardonic comedy is a holiday treat for adults.
-
Thursday, November 29, 2012 - Sunday, December 23, 2012
(Every Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)
- Location: Arts Club Theatre Company - Stanley Alliance Industrial Stage
-
Add to Itinerary
White Christmas: The Musical Music and lyrics by Irving Berlin Book by David Ives and Paul Blake The musical you've been dreaming of Your beloved holiday favourite is back! Make your days merry and bright by warming to this unforgettable musical about love and friendship. Based on the classic holiday film, this tap-dancing delight brims with tunes—including “Blue Skies,” &l...
Sea/Life Photographs by David Ellingsen November 15, 2012 - February 3, 2013 In this portrait series of creatures from the deep, Sea/Life addresses the troubled relationship between humans and the oceans. Many specimens from the Beaty Biodiversity Museum Fish Collection are featured in this award-winning series. Also on display will be an essay by Rex Weyler, co-founder of Greenpeace Internati...
-
Friday, November 30, 2012 - Wednesday, January 02, 2013
(Recurring daily)
- Venue: Stanley Park
- Time: Matinees Times TBA; Nightly from 3PM-10PM
- Location: Stanley Park
-
Add to Itinerary
During the holiday season the Miniature Train goes through a festive transformation and turns into the Bright Nights Train. Stanley Park is illuminated by two million twinkling lights, and visitors see animated displays and listen to holiday classics while sipping on hot chocolate and enjoying fresh popcorn or roasted nuts. Partial proceeds from the sale of Bright Nights tickets go to the BC Pr...
-
Friday, November 23, 2012 - Sunday, January 20, 2013
(Every Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)
- Venue: Cirque Du Soleil
- Location: Under the Big Top at Concord Pacific Place
-
Add to Itinerary

Amaluna invites the audience to a mysterious island governed by Goddesses and guided by the cycles of the moon. Their queen, Prospera, directs her daughter's coming-of-age ceremony in a rite that honours femininity, renewal, rebirth and balance which marks the passing of these insights and values from one generation to the next. In the wake of a storm caused by Prospera, a group of young me...
HOTEL BETHLEHEM December 11 to 22 A Ruby Slippers Theatre Production Have you ever wondered why The Inn was full? Who would turn away a VERY pregnant woman? What kind of characters and shenanigans were they up to that this could happen? Surprisingly, no one has asked these questions UNTIL NOW. Award winning playwright Drew McCreadie takes an inside look at what was going on at the inn that ...
The Burnaby Village Museum illuminates this festive season with spectacular displays of lights that are sure to put you and your family into the holiday spirit! Lights in our parking lot are a teaser of what’s to see inside. Delight in the shimmering Winter Wonderland near the Love Farmhouse, an Angel-Crossing at the bridge, a Holiday Lane and be wowed by the gigantic multi-coloured Christma...
-
Thursday, November 15, 2012 - Thursday, January 10, 2013
(Recurring daily)
- Time: Evenings
- Location: St. Paul's Hospital
-
Add to Itinerary
Join us in celebrating an annual holiday tradition, when the Lights of Hope display returns to St. Paul's Hospital for a 15th year! We will kick off this year’s campaign with a special Lighting Celebration on Nov. 15, which will culminate in fireworks and a festive outdoor community celebration for the entire family. Every year, the Lights of Hope campaign illuminates the exterior of ...
Come in out of the cold and enjoy a unique experience of aquatic light that will lift those winter blues. Discover the incredible world of fluorescent and bioluminescent light that exists in the dark depths of the ocean through special exhibits and shows. Find out why and how aquatic animals like anemones, cuttlefish, jellies and corals glow in the deep. Note: Luminescence is a day time program t...
The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at UBC presents a rich & radiant exploration of Peruvian history and culture in its new exhibition Luminescence: The Silver of Peru. The first-of-its-kind in Canada, the exhibition traces the country’s long history of silverwork – from the pre-Columbian era to the modern age - and the fascination with the metal’s luminescent qualities. For ...
-
Wednesday, December 05, 2012 - Saturday, December 15, 2012
(Every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)
- Venue: Pacific Theatre
- Location: Pacific Theatre
-
Add to Itinerary
Our signature production of this C.S. Lewis classic is back and, like Aslan, it's on the move! A splendidly theatrical invention that captivates the adult imagination as powerfully as a child's with its rich themes and unforgettable images.
The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at UBC explores compelling new pairings of timeless treasures in Pleased to Meet You: Introductions by Gwyn Hanssen Pigott from November 3, 2012 to March 24, 2013. The internationally acclaimed potter has combed MOA's collection of artefacts and created groupings based solely on colour, form, shape, and pattern, imbuing new aesthetic perspectives by removing histor...
-
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
(Recurring daily)
- Venue: Rogers Arena
- Location: Rogers Arena
-
Add to Itinerary
For 15 years, Rogers Arena has been thrilling and entertaining fans. For 15 years, our Vancouver Canucks have battled on the ice in the race to capture the title of Stanley Cup Champions. For 15 years, we have staged the best entertainment the music industry has to offer. We have opened our doors and welcomed over 21 million people. We have even reveled in Olympic gold when the Canadian women's a...
-
Tuesday, September 25, 2012 - Friday, March 15, 2013
(Recurring every week day)
- Time: Gallery open Tuesdays to Fridays 9am to 5pm.
- Location: ArtStarts Gallery
-
Add to Itinerary

Sense of Place, a new exhibition at the ArtStarts Gallery, showcases artwork made by young people from schools across British Columbia in collaboration with professional artists. The students’ work explores themes of identity, land, community and home, fostering their sense of individuality as well as their sense of belonging. The gallery is free and open to the public from Tuesdays to Frid...
-
Monday, April 02, 2012
(Recurring daily)
- Time: 7am - 5pm
- Location: Truffles Cafe - VanDusen Botanical Gardens
-
Add to Itinerary
Truffles Café at VanDusen Botanical Garden is now serving a ‘proper' Afternoon Tea complete with three-tier tray of goodies, ceramic tea pots and cups, organic and private label teas.
-
Tuesday, December 04, 2012 - Saturday, December 15, 2012
(Every Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday)
- Venue: Cultch, The (Vancouver East Cultural Centre)
- Location: Cultch, The (Vancouver East Cultural Centre)
-
Add to Itinerary
The laws of gravity are made to be broken in this mind-boggling piece of physical theatre, reminiscent of early silent cinema films by the likes of Charlie Chaplin. Juxtaposing projected film and live performance, Leo embarks on an adventure that is triumphantly funny, witty, and full of surprises.
Damian Moppett's artistic practice uses a wide variety of media to question ideas of mastery, craftsmanship and value. Drawing on broad references from the history of modern art, Moppett uses the mediums of sculpture, painting, photography, drawing and video, often in relationship to each other, as a meditation on the activity of making art. At the Vancouver Art Gallery Offsite location West Geo...
The medium of watercolour is one of the most challenging used by artists. After the pigment has been placed on paper, change is not possible and the artist must possess considerable skill to achieve his or her artistic goal. Two major artists working in British Columbia in the first half of the twentieth century used watercolour extensively: Emily Carr and Charles John Collings. At the Vancouve...
Ian Wallace: At the Intersection of Painting and Photography is a major survey exhibition of the work of one of Canada's most significant contemporary artists. Based in Vancouver, Wallace has played a critical role in the development of contemporary art since the late 1960s. His early experiments with monochromatic painting, his production of large-scale photographic tableaux and his juxtapositio...
-
Saturday, September 29, 2012 - Sunday, January 20, 2013
(Recurring daily)
- Venue: Vancouver Art Gallery
- Time: 10:00AM - 5:00PM; Tuesdays 10:00AM-9:00PM
- Location: Vancouver Art Gallery
-
Add to Itinerary
September 29th, 2012 marks the opening day of the Vancouver Art Gallery's TRAFFIC exhibition, featuring Conceptual Art in Canada from 1965-1980. For more detailed information visit http://www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/the_exhibitions/exhibit_traffic.html
Step back in time ... Experience the Vancouver Christmas Market! The Vancouver Christmas Market is back for its third year from November 24 to December 24, 2012 on the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza! Check out our most exciting news: You pay admission once and enter the whole season for free! Sample our new delicious food items and find your unique Christmas gift! Enjoy seasonal music and a great ...
"Yule Be Singing" HARK THE IMPROV ANGELS SING! This completely improvised Holiday musical, based each night on an audience suggestion, takes a fun nostalgic look at all the good old holiday season movies and specials that we watch year after year. We love these classic shows too...and we love to do them up "TheatreSports style"! J...
During December, VanDusen Garden is decorated with hundreds of thousands of lights for the Festival of Lights. Enjoy the twinkling lights and light show, take a stroll down Candy Cane Lane, hear the sweet sounds of caroling, and get in to the spirit of the season. Highlights include Santa's Living Room (7 December to 24 December, 2012) - Santa makes an appearance at 5:30pm, 6:30pm, 7:3...