Music
Diego El Cigala Multiple Latin Grammy Award winner who has been called “one of the most beautiful flamenco voices of our time.” 7pm on Nov. 20 at Chan Shun Concert Hall. Tickets at ChanCentre.com
Vetta Chamber Music: Quintets Journey back in time with two great works from the Austro-Hungarian Empire: Dohnányi in the lush tradition of Brahms, and folk elements in Dvorák the nationalist. Nov. 24-25 at West Point Grey United Church. Tickets from VettaMusic.com
Chez Nous: Christmas with Elektra The Elektra Women’s Choir rings in the season in style with a treasured holiday tradition, this year welcoming superb concert pianist Jane Copp to perform beloved Christmas melodies. 7:30pm on Nov. 26-27 at Ryerson United Church. Tickets at Elektra.ca
The Revelers A Louisiana supergroup hits the Rogue Folk stage, combining swamp-pop, Cajun, country, blues and Zydeco into a powerful tonic of roots music. 8pm on Dec. 1 at St. James Hall. Tickets at Arts-People.com
Yuel Duel 2016 Choirs from across the Lower Mainland sing Christmas carols loud and proud from the sidewalks of Gastown, with the best in show going head-to-head in a series of sing-offs on the main stage. Proceeds benefit May’s Place. 5:30pm on Dec. 1 throughout Gastown.
The Modelos’ 10th Annual Food Bank Fundraiser The annual holiday fundraiser features live music from the Modelos, Daniel Wesley, Rodney DeCroo, Buckman Coe, Slip Ons, Ana Bon-Bon & Taylor Little, and more. 8pm on Dec. 2 at Fairview Pub. Cover is $10 plus a non-perishable food item.
Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir The choir’s annual series of Christmas performances, with guest choir Burnaby Central Secondary. 7:30pm on Dec. 3 at St. Andrew’s Wesley United Church. Tickets at VWMC.ca
Christmas with the Bach Choir Herald the festive season and celebrate the warmth of the holidays with this beloved annual showcase of the glorious voices of the entire Bach Choir family, as more than 400 singers raise their voices in cherished carols to illuminate the true spirit of the season. 2-4pm on Dec. 4 at Orpheum Theatre. Tickets at TicketForce.com
A Traditional Christmas It’s the city’s holiday music tradition as the VSO, hosted by Christopher Gaze, accompanies the UBC Opera Ensemble and EnChor in a program of traditional, classical holiday song. Dec. 8-11 at St. Andrew’s Wesley Church. Tickets at VancouverSymphony.ca
Stevie Nicks American pop-rock legend performs on the 24 Karat Gold Tour with special guests the Pretenders. 7pm on Dec. 9 at Rogers Arena. Tickets at Ticketmaster.ca
Handel’s Messiah: The Christmas Masterpiece Experience the power and the glory of the world’s favourite choral masterwork given a unique performance from Jon Washburn, Vancouver Chamber Choir, Pacifica Singers and the Vancouver Chamber Orchestra. 8pm on Dec. 9 at Orpheum Theatre. Tickets at Ticketmaster.ca
Something to Treasure: A Good Noise Christmas Good Noise Gospel Choir presents its cherished holiday concert with special guests the Alumni Project, performing gospel hits and stirring new arrangements. Dec. 9-11 at Christ Church Cathedral. Tickets at BrownPaperTickets.com
Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir The choir’s annual series of Christmas performances, with guest choir Magee Secondary. 7:30pm on Dec. 10 at Shaughnessy Heights United Church. Tickets at VWMC.ca
A Touch of Brass Quintet The “Music in the Morning” series presents the acclaimed quintet performing a program of traditional brass music and holiday cheer. 10:30am on Dec. 14-16 at Koerner Hall at the Vancouver Academy of Music. Info: MusicInTheMorning.org
Keithmas is Coming For the seventh consecutive year, the good people of Vancouver gather to honour the birthday of the riff-master himself with live performances raising funds for the Vancouver Food Bank. 7pm on Dec. 16 at Rickshaw Theatre. Tickets at TicketWeb.ca
The Christmas Story Kevin Zakresky leads the Vancouver Chamber Choir in a banquet of familiar seasonal music, with a cameo appearance from Fino Blackburn of the BC Girls Choir. 8pm on Dec. 16 at Ryerson United Church. Tickets at VancouverChamberChoir.com
Christmas/Chor Leoni The men’s chorus presents new choral works with fun twists on well-known favourites and sing-along carols wrapped in the irresistible warmth and beauty of Chor Leoni’s sound. Dec. 16-18 at St. Andrew’s Wesley United Church. Tickets at ChorLeoni.org
Christmas Reprise XIV This cherished Christmastime performance evokes the true warmth and pure magic of the holiday season with the Vancouver Cantata Singers. 2pm on Dec. 17 at Holy Rosary Cathedral. Tickets at BrownPaperTickets.com
J.S. Bach’s Magnificat Early Music Vancouver (EMV), in collaboration with the Pacific Baroque Orchestra (PBO), present Festive Cantatas: J.S. Bach. Hailed as one of J.S. Bach’s greatest masterpieces for choir and orchestra, and written for Christmas Vespers in 1723, this concert includes four rarely heard and delightful inserts that illuminate the Nativity. 3pm on Dec. 18 at Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. Tickets at tickets.ubc.ca
Cool Yule with Van Django Vancouver’s swinging gypsy jazz band perform their innovative, festive mix of nostalgic favourites, standards, pop tunes and even a few surprises. 8pm on Dec. 18 at St. James Hall. Tickets at Arts-People.com
Funk the Halls Local DJ duo Nick Middleton and Duncan Smith (AKA the Funk Hunters) headline their annual two-day holiday celebration. 8pm on Dec. 21-22 at Commodore Ballroom. Tickets LiveNation.com
Contact The annual electronic music festival returns for a two-day affair with performances from Flume, Disclosure DJ, Marshmello, Zeds Dead, Baauer, Gareth Emery, W&W, Hucci, Getter, Slushii, Big Wild and more. Dec. 26-27 at BC Place Stadium. Tickets at Contact-Festival.com
Winterlude: Super SundayJean-Guihen Queyras (cello) and Alexander Melnikov (piano) perform a program of Schumann, Beethoven, Webern and Chopin. 7:30pm on Jan. 22 at Vancouver Playhouse. Tickets at VanRecital.com
Theatre/Dance
Ghosts United Players’ production of the classic 19th-century stage drama by Henrik Ibsen. To Nov. 27 at Jericho Arts Centre. Tickets at UnitedPlayers.com
East Van Panto: Little Red Riding Hood Little Red is bombing down the Adanac bike trail to deliver a basket of goodies to Granny, battling everything from bike thieves to distracted drivers to the Big Bad Wolf. Nov. 23-Dec. 31 at Vancouver East Cultural Centre. Tickets at TheCultch.com
Christmas Queen 3: The Bachelorette Edition Vancouver TheatreSports League present their annual holiday improv show, in which a bachelorette stars in her own reality TV show, looking for love with Elf on a Shelf, Jack Frost, Scrooge, the Grinch, and even Santa. 7:30pm at the Improv Centre. Tickets at VTSL.com Runs until Dec. 23.
Hansel & Gretel This family-friendly production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s classic is a larger-than-life production from Old Trout Puppet, Vancouver Opera and their orchestra. Nov. 24-Dec. 11 at Vancouver Playhouse. Tickets at VancouverOpera.ca
The Response Artistic director Amber Funk Barton leads a blend of contemporary dance techniques with the physicality and attitude of urban culture. 12pm on Nov. 24 at Scotiabank Dance Centre. Tickets at TicketsTonight.Ticketforce.com
The Day Before Christmas In this infectious comedy, Alex is a perfectionist who is desperately holding fast to her Christmas traditions. But while juggling family, work and a movie star, she loses control of her holiday plans. Nov. 24-Dec. 24 at Goldcorp Stage at the BMO Centre. Tickets at ArtsClub.com
A Charlie Brown Christmas The cherished holiday classic, in which Charlie Brown attempts to direct the school Christmas pageant, comes to the stage in a lively, family-friendly musical adaptation with a live jazz trio. Nov. 26-Dec. 28 at Waterfront Theatre. Tickets at CarouselTheatre.ca
Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol A journey of laughter and terror, redemption and renewal in which Scrooge’s heart is opened. Dec. 2-18 at Jericho Arts Centre. Tickets at BrownPaperTickets.com
Holy Mo! A Christmas Show! A “reverently irreverent” reimagining of the Nativity story told with gusto and a questionable commitment to accuracy featuring Lucia Frangione, Anita Wittenberg and Jess Amy Shead. Dec 2-31 at Pacific Theatre. Tickets at PacificTheatre.org
Mary Poppins The classic family musical is back to make you feel like a kid again as Mary flies over the rooftops of London to unforgettable songs like “Chim Chim Cher-ee” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”. Dec. 3-Jan. 1 at Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage. Tickets at ArtsClub.com
A Christmas Carol in Gay Apparel Eight actors tackle 30 roles in this parody of Dickens’ classic tale that tells the story of Eleanor S. Crooge, who must come out of the closet before it’s too late. Dec 6-11 at Vancouver East Cultural Centre. Tickets at LeapingThespians.com
Albatross This driving dance duet pulls apart a single moment, enabling us to dissect and experience its contents in expanded time as two bodies inhabit a single person’s trajectory through a test of endurance. Dec. 7-10 at Firehall Arts Centre. Tickets at FirehallArtsCentre.com
Bah! Humbug! Juno Award-winning musician Jim Byrnes is back as Ebenezer Scrooge in a modern-day reconceived version of the classic where Scrooge is a sushi-loving pawn-shop owner on Hastings Street timing Bob Cratchit’s late arrival to work on his iPhone. 7:30pm on Dec. 8-17 at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts. Tickets at SFU.ca
Nutcracker Ballet BC brings the Royal Winnipeg Ballet back to light up the holidays in a charming Canadian retelling of the beloved holiday classic. Dec. 8-11 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Tickets Ticketmaster.ca
A Peter N’ Chris-tmas Carol! The masters of parody and theatrical comedy perform this hilarious retake on the classic Dickens’ tale in their signature smart, fast-paced, hilarious style. Dec. 9-10 at Performance Works. Tickets at TheatreWire.com
Goh’s The Nutcracker Goh Ballet presents the holiday dance classic with principal dancers from the National Ballet of Canada and live music from the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. Dec. 15-20 at the Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts. Tickets at GohNutcracker.com
Robin Hood and Marion An annual traditional Christmas pantomime written by Cathy Morrison. Dec. 15-Jan. 7 at Metro Theatre. Tickets at Tickets.MetroTheatre.com
Global Dance Connections 2: Jan Martens Maverick Flemish choreographer Jan Martens follows up his Vancouver debut last season with a signature work which has toured all over the world. 8pm from Jan. 18-20 at Scotiabank Dance Centre. Tickets from TicketsTonight.Ticketforce.com
PuSh International Performing Arts Festival Music, theatre, dance and much more at this world-renowned 20-day festival. Jan. 19-Feb. 7. Schedule forthcoming. Info: PushFestival.ca
Sunday in the Park with GeorgeUnited Players’ production of the acclaimed 1984 musical with songs by Stephen Sondheim. Jan. 20-Feb. 12 at Jericho Arts Centre. Tickets at UnitedPlayers.com
Festivals/Markets
The Eastside Flea More than 50 local vendors, artisan showrooms, food trucks, bar, outdoor courtyard, pinball and more. Nov. 18-20, Dec. 2-4 and 16-18 at the Ellis Building (1024 Main). EastsideFlea.com
Circle Craft The B.C.-run artist co-operative begins the holidays with its annual gathering of over 300 artisans with local performers, craft technique demos and contests. Nov. 9-13 at Vancouver Convention Centre West. Tickets at CircleCraft.net
Eastside Culture Crawl Celebrating 20 years as one of Vancouver’s most popular visual arts festivals, inspiring conversations and dialogue around art and creativity. For four straight days, East Vancouver painters, jewelry makers, potters, sculptors, furniture designers and more will open their artist studios, garages and other hideaways to invite visitors to better understand art and the art-making process. Nov. 17-20. Free. CultureCrawl.ca
European Union Film Festival Experience "Europe Without the Jetlag!" The Cinematheque's 19th Annual European Union Film Festival is a showcase of acclaimed new and recent films from across greater Europe and includes award winners, domestic blockbusters, festival circuit faves, and official Oscar submissions. The festival opens with Slovakia's film Eva Nová and screens films from Denmark, Latvia, Cyprus, Sweden and more. Nov. 18-30 at The Cinematheque. Tickets at TheCinematheque.ca
Holiday Craft Fair Browse and buy original handcrafted items by more than 50 local artisans. 10am-4pm on Nov. 19-20 at West End Community Centre. Free admission.
Candytown The holiday festival is back for its annual celebration, transforming Mainland Street into a winter wonderland with lights, candy canes, costumed characters, a specialty market for unique gifts and holiday treats, and street performers with live music. Nov. 26 at Yaletown Mainland Street. Admission is free.
Vancouver Christmas Market The treasured holiday tradition is back, but brighter and merrier in a new seaside location with delicious German food and culture, live entertainment and a special kids area with Vancouver’s only Christmas carousel. Nov. 26-Dec. 31 at Jack Poole Plaza. Tickets at VancouverChristmasMarket.com
TOQUE Western Front’s annual fundraiser and curated craft fair returns this year with a showcase of 25-plus Vancouver- and Vancouver Island-based artists and designers with wares ranging from textiles, ceramics and jewelry to books, bags and candles. Partial proceeds support Western Front’s year-round art and music programs.Dec. 2-4 at the Western Front. Admission by donation.
Kitsilano Winter Market The first annual Kitsilano Winter Market features local and sustainable products from food and craft vendors, with a clothing pop-up, free workshops, live music and photos with Santa. 10am-4pm on Dec. 3 at Kitsilano Neighbourhood House. Admission is $3.
Retro Design and Antiques Fair Up to 175 tables and booths offering vintage jewelry, toys, kitchenware, art and much more. 10am-3pm on Dec. 4 at Croatian Cultural Centre. Admission $5 (under-13s free). 21CPromotions.com
Make It! The Handmade Revolution Unique, ethically made items from top artisans from all over Canada. Dec. 8-11 at PNE Forum. MakeItShow.ca
Shiny Fuzzy Muddy A curated collection and show of fine art, crafts and design in a two-day affair presenting over 30 local artists to meet and share their craftsmanship in an intimate environment. Dec. 10-11 at Heritage Hall. Admission $3.
Got Craft? Vancouver’s largest indie craft fair returns. Shop local and discover some of the best handmade designers in the city. Dec. 10-11 at the Pipe Shop. Tickets at GotCraft.com
Events
Fear Hope and Longing III: Painting of the Pacific Northwest Paintings by renowned Vancouver artist David Haughton. Nov. 23-Dec. 8 at Visual Space Gallery. Info: VisualSpace.ca
Enchant Christmas Light Maze & Market The world’s largest Christmas light maze – made up of over 55,000 square feet of illuminated sculptures – plus over 40 local vendors, 12 food trucks and a licensed eating area. 4-10pm from Nov.25-New Year’s Eve at 1st Ave. & Crowe St. EnchantChristmas.com
Bright Nights Christmas Train in Stanley Park Ride the train while taking in over three million lights, plus live performers. Various times from Nov. 28-Jan. 1. Tickets and info: Vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/bright-nights-train
Festival of Lights A magical winter wonderland with over one million lights decorating VanDusen Botanical Garden. Various times, Dec. 1-Jan 2 at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Tickets at Vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/festival-of-lights
Carol Ships Parade of Lights A spectacular sailpast each evening visiting the different marine communities of False Creek, Burrard Inlet, West Vancouver, Lighthouse Park, Fisherman's Cove, Eagel Harbour, Coal Harbour, Port Moody, Deep Cove, Woodlands, Brighton Beach, Bedwell Bay, Bellcara Park, Indian Arm and Bowen Island. Dec. 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 18. Info: CarolShips.org
Chanukah Party Get ready for Chanukah with live entertainment, a food fair, arts and crafts, a science show, bouncy castles and holiday shopping. 10:30am-1pm on Dec. 4 at Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver. Info: JCCGV.com
Santa Claus Parade The 13th-annual Santa Claus Parade winds its way through downtown, and don’t forget to come early to join spectators at Christmas Square for family-friendly activities where you can decorate Christmas ornaments and write a letter to Santa. 10am on Dec. 4 at Christmas Square (south side of Vancouver Art Gallery); parade starts at 12noon.
Christmas at Canada Place Enjoy a variety of family-friendly attractions including theatre, arts and crafts, holiday-themed window displays and much more. Noon-6pm on Dec. 16-30 (closed Dec. 24-25). Free. Info: CanadaPlace.ca
The Big Elf Run Tour picturesque Stanley Park on a route for all ages and abilities – dashing through winter forest trails, looping the seawall with hallmark views of the harbor, and hot chocolate stations – before finishing at the Winter Wonderland Park for post-run family-friendly activities. 12pm on Dec. 18 at Lumberman’s Arch (Stanley Park). Tickets at EventBrite.ca
