Rain on the windows, lights on Robson Street, and suddenly Vancouver feels ready for December. This city takes Christmas seriously, and the calendar fills up fast with Christmas shows and holiday events that turn a grey week into something worth dressing up for. Candles flicker inside Christ Church Cathedral for Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings, the Goh Ballet's Nutcracker brings full orchestral grandeur to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet arrives with its own take on the same beloved story just days earlier. If you want a night out that actually feels like the holidays, these are the ones to circle first.
But Vancouver, BC does not stop at concert halls and theatre seats. There are things to do at Christmas for every kind of family and every kind of mood: a karaoke trolley rolling past the best light displays in town, a dinner cruise gliding across the harbour with the city glowing on both sides, a walking tour that pairs local history with hot chocolate in hand. Add a proper Breakfast with Santa for the kids and you have a season packed with options that go well beyond another mall photo line.
Here is the honest advice: December dates go quickly, especially the weekends right before Christmas. If you have a specific night in mind, book it now rather than later. Scroll down and browse the full list of 11 Christmas shows and holiday events happening across Vancouver, BC this season.
Christ Church Cathedral - Vancouver · Vancouver, BC
Candlelight concert at Christ Church Cathedral in downtown Vancouver. A live string ensemble plays the great Christmas carols — Silent Night, Carol of the Bells, O Holy Night, Jingle Bells — in the nave of this historic…
Kerrisdale Presbyterian Church · Vancouver, BC
Candlelight: Christmas Classics concert at Kerrisdale Presbyterian Church in Vancouver. A live string quartet performs beloved holiday favourites — from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker to 'Feliz Navidad' — bathed in the glow…
Queen Elizabeth Theatre - Vancouver · Vancouver, BC
The Nutcracker ballet presented by Goh Ballet at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver. This holiday tradition brings together more than 200 dancers, international guest stars and Tchaikovsky's score played live by…
Queen Elizabeth Theatre - Vancouver · Vancouver, BC
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet presents The Nutcracker at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver. This distinctly Canadian staging, set to Tchaikovsky's score, opens on a pond-hockey game and slides into a Mouse King…
501 Denman St · Vancouver, BC
Open the holiday season with an unforgettable family adventure aboard our Breakfast with Santa Cruise. This festive experience is a wonderful fit for children, and for the young at heart, who want to celebrate the…
999 Canada Pl · Vancouver, BC
Ring in the holiday season with Vancouver's Christmas Karaoke Trolley Tour, a merry ride through the city's most magical light displays! Belt out holiday classics aboard a festive, motorized trolley, with stops at two…
501 Denman St · Vancouver, BC
Take in all the magic of the festive season aboard this 2.5-hour festive dinner cruise offered with Harbour Cruises, for an evening to remember. Treat yourself to a generous selection from our signature buffet spread…
738 Granville St · Vancouver, BC
During the holiday season, step through the doors of downtown's grandest heritage buildings and lend an ear to the tales of intrigue, jealousy and murder that haunt their walls. Your adventure begins with a hot…
1199 W Hastings St · Vancouver, BC
Skip the crowds: this is a private tour for your group only. Experience the magic of the holiday season with 'Vancouver's Festive Shoreline: A Private Christmas Walking Tour'. The evening begins at scenic Coal Harbour,…
Harbour Cruises Ltd · Vancouver, BC
The ultimate holiday party sets sail! Celebrate the season in a festive, high-energy atmosphere. You savour a mouthwatering buffet dinner, then head to the dancefloor while the live DJ runs through the latest hits and…
999 Canada Pl · Vancouver, BC
A land-and-sea day trip out of Vancouver that pairs a ferry crossing with a visit to Victoria and to Butchart Gardens in its holiday dress. Guests are collected from their hotel at no extra charge, then sail with BC…
