SPREADING GOOD CHEER
A fun, festive events guide
FAMILY
the Christmas people Glow: you love Bring to stroll, together laugh of half and a million play under lights the at this twinkle seasonal magic community and wonder festival. of an outdoor It’s the festival, spacious hosted venue. inside
• Harbour a cosy Con- and vention Centre, until Jan. 5•
glowgardens.com/vancouver-christmas/
Canyon Lights: This annual holiday event is set to dazzle and amaze high above the forest floor. The park has transformed the suspension bridge, Cliffwalk, Treetops Adventure, canyon and rainforest into a twinkling West
Coast winter wonderland.• Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, until Jan. 26 • capbridge.com
Grouse Mountain: Peak of Christmas: Visit Santa and his real reindeer, wander along the enchanting Light Walk, or watch
Christmas movies in the Theatre in the Sky. Take a spin on the 8,000-square-foot Mountaintop
Skating Pond, surrounded by trees adorned with glimmering lights. • Until Jan. 5, grousemountain.com/events/peak-ofchristmas-2019
Heritage Christmas at the Burnaby Village Museum: Stroll through the streets of the village to see wreaths, cedar swags and vintage-themed displays. Special entertainment is scheduled throughout the season. • Burnaby Village Museum, until Jan. 3, 1-9 p.m. • Free admission, carousel rides $2.65/person • burnabyvillagemuseum.ca
Bright Nights Christmas Train: Experience the lights, breathtaking displays and live performers along the train route, or view the displays at the Train Plaza. • Stanley Park Miniature Railway, until Jan. 1 • Advance tickets at ticketleader.ca
Park & Tilford Holiday Hi-light
Festival: This annual event fea
tures more than 150,000 lights on display over three acres. •
Park & Tilford Gardens, North Van, until Dec. 31, 5-9 p.m. • By donation, cnv.org
Lights at Lafarge: The largest free light display in Metro Vancouver turns Lafarge Lake into a magical, dazzling display of lights. Stroll the circle route around the lake and enjoy a variety of light installations.• Lafarge Lake, Coquitlam, until Jan. 19 • Free, coquitlam.ca
Vandusen Festival of Lights:
A magical winter wonderland with more than a million lights
decorating 15 acres of the garden. Stroll through interactive themed areas, watch the dancing lights show on Livingstone Lake, and light a candle at the Make-a
Wish candle grotto. • Vandusen Botanical Garden, until Jan. 5 •
vandusenfestivaloflights.ca
Karaoke Christmas Lights
Trolley Tour: Sing your favourite holiday carols while visiting two of Vancouver’s most spectacular light displays — Bright Nights at Stanley Park, and Vandusen
Festival of Lights. Each trolley is equipped with TVS and karaoke machines. • Until Dec. 29, departs from Canada Place at 6:30 p.m. • westcoastsightseeing.com
Christmas Glow Abbotsford:
Experience a magical family-friendly indoor wonderland. Enjoy interactive light gardens, illuminated structures, delicious food, festive drinks and daily live entertainment, all under the twinkle of a million lights. • TRADEX, until Jan. 4 • glowgardens. com/abbotsford-christmas 32nd annual Christmas at Canada Place: Experience the nostalgic tradition of the Woodward’s
Windows, Canada’s north light display, the iconic Sails of Light, and the festive Avenue of Trees.
• 999 Canada Place, until Jan. 1 • canadaplace.ca
CP Holiday Train: The magical CP Holiday Train will set out once
again to entertain hundreds of thousands of people, collecting food and raising funds for food banks. This year’s performers include Terri Clark and Dallas Smith. • Agassiz, Dec. 16, 5:20-6:15 p.m. | Haney-maple Ridge, Dec. 16, 7:50-8:30 p.m. | Pitt Meadows, Dec. 16, 8:559:35 p.m. | Port Moody, Dec. 17, 5:20-6:15 p.m. | Port Coquitlam, West Coast Express Station, Dec. 17, 7-7:45 p.m. • cpr.ca/holiday-train/schedule-canada
VSO, Home Alone in Concert: A true holiday favourite, this comedy classic features composer
John Williams’ delightful score performed live to picture by the
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. • Orpheum Theatre, Dec. 18 and 20 • $31-$109.50, vancouversymphony.ca
Heritage Holidays at the Fort:
Hear stories by the fire, taste a
roasted chestnut, and join costumed interpreters for a guided,
holiday-themed tour. • Dec. 2123 and Dec. 27-30, Fort Langley National Historic Site • Included
with admission, pc.gc.ca
Winter Solstice Lantern Festival: This annual festival illuminates the darkest night of the year with
lanterns, fire, singing, drumming, music, storytelling, and dancing. Come celebrate this free community event in three Vancouver neighbourhoods: Yaletown, Granville Island and Strathcona. • Dec. 21, secretlantern.org
MUSIC
VSO, A Traditional Christmas: The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra holiday tradition returns with singing, storytelling, and plenty of holiday cheer. • Dec. 12: Kay Meek Centre, West Van | Dec. 13: Centennial Theatre, North Van | Dec. 14: Bell Performing Arts Centre, Surrey | Dec. 22: Orpheum Theatre • $39/$45, vancouversymphony.ca
Winter Harp: Classical and Celtic harps combine with flutes, vio
lin/fiddle, medieval instruments, percussion, poetry and song. • Dec. 12: Blueshore Centre, North Van | Dec. 15: The ACT, Maple Ridge | Dec. 18: Holy Trinity Cathedral, New West | Dec. 20: Christ Church Cathedral • winterharp.com
Good Tidings! A Good Noise Gospel Christmas: Soul singer Katherine Penfold joins the Good
Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir for a concert of gospel, soul and jazz arrangements of Christmas classics. • Christ Church Cathedral, Dec. 13 and 14 • $10-$30,
goodnoisevgc.com
A Phoenix Christmas: Join the Phoenix Chamber Choir for a joyous blend of sacred and secular tunes, plus a carol singalong.
• Dec. 14: Shaughnessy Heights United Church | Dec. 15: West Vancouver United Church • $15-$40, phoenixchoir.com
Cowboy Christmas: Cowboy singer and songwriter Rob Dinwoodie and his Western band
Open Range portray the classic Dickens fable in an evening of music and drama, putting a cowboy twist on the familiar tale. • Chilliwack Cultural Centre, Dec. 19 • $30-$35, chilliwackculturalcentre.ca
Christmas Reprise XVII Vancouver: Vancouver Cantata Singers present traditional carols and contemporary holiday compositions for unaccompanied choir.
Let the beauty of a cappella singing transport you at this busy time of year. • Dec. 21: Holy Rosary Cathedral | Dec. 21: Queens Avenue United Church, New West • $10-$35, vancouvercantatasingers.com
Christmas with Chor Leoni: Chor Leoni Men’s Choir is joined by the emerging professional dancers of Arts Umbrella’s Performance Research Project. Traditional holiday music from the Southwest, Appalachia, Europe, and Canada will be featured. • Orpheum Theatre, Dec. 21 • $10-$45, chorleoni.org
Christmas with Chor Leoni: Chor
Leoni presents its traditional music-only Christmas concert, accompanied by harp, marimba, guitar, and piano. • West Vancouver United Church, Dec. 22 • $20-$45, chorleoni.org
STAGE
The Sound of Music: Journey along with the spirited Maria, who takes a governess position with the von Trapp family, falling first for the children and then the widower Captain von Trapp. Presented by Arts Club. • Stanley
Industrial Alliance Stage, until Jan. 5, sing-along performances Dec 26 & Jan. 4 • From $39, artsclub.com
Merry Kissmas — A Royal Romance: This is the time of year when screens large and small are
filled with sappy, warm-hearted romantic comedies, and the stage at The Improv Centre is no exception. Vancouver Theatresports’ holiday special parodies all the inane clichés and tropes you would expect to see in any popular holiday TV special or film. • Improv Centre, Granville Island, until Dec. 24 • $12.75$29.75, vtsl.com
It’s a Wonderful Christmas-ish Holiday Miracle: It’s a Wonderful
Life meets Modern Family in this new Canadian comedy — a
play that approaches the less camera-ready aspects of the holiday season with humour and a generous helping of whimsy.
An Arts Club presentation. • Goldcorp Stage, BMO Theatre Centre, until Dec. 22 • From $29, artsclub.com
A Christmas Carol: It’s Christmas Eve and Ebenezer Scrooge is drifting off to sleep but he
cannot imagine what the night has in store for him. Ron Reed
embodies Scrooge and 43 other characters in one of the greatest Christmas stories ever written. • Pacific Theatre, until Dec. 21 • $20-$36.50, pacifictheatre.org
Bah Humbug!: An Eastside Christmas Carol celebrating the spirit and humanity of Charles
Dickens and the Downtown East Side community. Join us for the 10th annual and final season of this beloved holiday classic! Juno Award-winner Jim Byrnes leads this inspiring musical ensemble which reveals Vancouver’s pressing social issues showcased in a
riveting rendition. • Goldcorp Centre for the Arts, until Dec. 21 • $39/$24, eventbrite.com
Miss Bennet, Christmas at Pemberley: This festive Pride and Prejudice followup play is set after Lizzy Bennet has married Mr. Darcy and they come to live on his grand estate. In true Austen fashion, it is a story about family and finding love — but with a modern, subversive sensibility. • Arts Club Granville Island Stage, until Jan. 4 • From $29, artsclub.com
Mixed Nuts: Arts Umbrella puts a new twist on holiday favourite The Nutcracker. Featuring a variety of dance styles, this year’s production mixes old favourites and new pieces choreographed by leading Vancouver and Canadian dancers, including Ballet
B.C. and Kidd Pivot company members. • Vancouver Playhouse, Dec. 13-15 • $25/$30, artsumbrella.com/mixednuts
It’s A Wonderful Life: Patrick Street Productions’ artistic producer Peter Jorgensen has adapted this holiday favourite and transformed it into a musical. This heartwarming show
breathes musical life into the familiar story while it retains its warmth and humour • Anvil Centre, New West, Dec. 19-Jan. 5 • From $29, patrickstreetproductions.com
Goh Ballet’s The Nutcracker: A traditional rendition of a classical masterpiece, The Nutcracker features local and international dancers. This year’s show will feature a live choir, 16-foot Christmas tree, larger-than-life
nutcracker and sleigh, and an enchanting snow scene. • Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Dec. 20-22 • $37-$139, gohnutcracker.com
Ballet B.C., The Nutcracker: Ballet B.C. presents Alberta
Ballet’s magical production of The Nutcracker, set in turn-ofthe-century Imperial Russia. With live music from the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra this magical production is set to delight audiences young and old.
• Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Dec. 28-30 • $44-$105, balletbc.com