Enjoy Vancouver’s arts and theatre scene with our list of 10 great shows happening in December!
This month features The Nutcracker, Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol, East Van Panto, and more happenings on stages all around the city.
And for more fun things happening around town, be sure to visit our Listed section.
Goh Ballet
What: It simply wouldn’t be the holidays without The Nutcracker. That’s why we’re excited that Vancouver’s own Goh Ballet will soon be bringing the beloved show to life along with some international stars.
Goh Ballet’s The Nutcracker is taking over the Queen Elizabeth Theatre for five performances from December 19 to 22. With its iconic musical score by Tchaikovsky played live by the Vancouver Opera Orchestra and a diverse cast of over 250 dancers, watching this ballet in December is a tradition that spans generations.
When: December 19 to 22, 2024
Time: 7:30 pm (Thursday, Friday, Saturday), 2 pm (Saturday and Sunday)
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre — 630 Hamilton Street
Tickets: Various prices starting at just $28, purchase at GohNutcracker.com
What: Cirque du Soleil is returning to Vancouver this fall with its newest big top show, and it promises to be an experience worth shouting about!
The internationally acclaimed acrobatic circus is back in the city with Echo. Described as a story about connection and intention, the production will take over Concord Pacific Place with an exploration of the “symbiotic unions between humans and the animal kingdom.
When: Now until January 5, 2025
Time: Performance times will vary based on the date
Where: Concord Pacific Place — 88 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver
Tickets: Various prices, purchase online
What: The Arts Club Theatre Company presents Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol. Based on Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, the heartwarming musical starring David M. Adams as Scrooge sees the owner of a mining company town learning important lessons to see life and love anew.
When: Now until December 24, 2024
Time: Various times
Where: Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage – 2750 Granville Street, Vancouver
Tickets: From $39, purchase online
Fleurs de Villes Noël
What: The sixth annual Fleurs de Villes Noël is happening in Vancouver from December 6 to 15. The stunning activation creates a “floral art trail” that decorates Vancouver’s downtown core, with some of the city’s top florists and local businesses being inspired by favourite holiday songs.
When: December 6 to 15, 2024
Where: Various locations in Downtown Vancouver
Cost: Free
What: Head to VIFF Centre – Vancity Theatre for encore screenings of some of the most well-received movies from the 2024 festival lineup.
Not only is it your chance to see these amazing films once again or for the first time, but you’ll also be doing it in the comfort of VIFF Centre’s newly upgraded theatre.
When: Various dates in November and December, 2024
Time: Various times. See the full schedule online.
Where: VIFF Centre – 1181 Seymour Street, Vancouver
Tickets: Various prices, including $11 for students and accessible pricing, $14 for seniors, and $16 for adults. Purchase online
What: The festive season is just around the corner, and The Polygon Gallery is making sure that your holidays are ready to shine bright.
The vibrant public art institution in North Vancouver is hosting its annual Holiday Shop until January 5. Visitors to The Polygon Gallery’s main floor throughout the season will discover a huge selection of unique gifts by independent makers and artists. There will also be weekly interactive activities for guests to enjoy.
When: Now until January 5, 2025 (closed Monday and Tuesday)
Time: 10 am to 5 pm (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), 10 am to 9 pm (Thursday)
Where: The Polygon Gallery — 101 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver
Cost: Free
Vancouver Story Slam
What: The 18th annual Vancouver Story Slam Storytelling Championship is the grand finale of the 2024 Vancouver Story Slam season. Ten storytellers bring their best stories to the longest-running storytelling event of its kind in Canada.
The winner, selected by an anonymous audience ballot, will receive a share of $2,000 in cash prizes and the title of the year’s Vancouver Story Slam Champion. Stories are not pre-screened and are as unique and entertaining as the people telling them.
When: December 12, 2024
Time: 8 pm
Where: Vogue Theatre – 918 Granville Street, Vancouver
Tickets: $25.75 plus fees. Purchase online
What: Seymour Dance invites you to help celebrate the 60th season at the Nutcracker Dream Ball. The exclusive black-tie event features live excerpts of the timeless ballet performed by the company’s dancers alongside the West Coast Symphony Orchestra. There will also be tributes to Seymour Dance’s late owner, Sonia Ellis, and proceeds will benefit the Sonia’s Dream Scholarship Fund.
When: December 7, 2024
Time: 7 pm
Where: Centennial Theatre – 2300 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver
Tickets: Various prices, purchase online
What: Tits the Season! by Helvetica Productions at the Rio Theatre is an over-the-top festive extravaganza featuring the city’s best drag, burlesque, circus, and variety performers. There are two shows hosted by Miss Kiss and headlined by global sensation Landon Cider, winner of The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula.
Other acts that will bring the holiday cheer to the stage include Batty Banks, Ariel Helvetica and Chelsea Hart, Elektra + The Soul Star, Monday Blues, Skim, Arabella Boop, Helvetica’s Follies, Misty Blue, and VBC’s Fatlesque.
When: December 14, 2024
Time: 6 pm (early show), 10 pm (late show)
Where: Rio Theatre – 1660 E Broadway, Vancouver
Cost: $40-$75, purchase online
East Van Panto
What: East Van Panto’s latest all-ages theatrical extravaganza follows Robin Hood and the Merry-Thems as they attempt to foil the Sheriff’s plans to privatize Vancouver’s parks. The grand adventure stretches from Trout Lake to Britannia as the festive crew tries to steal back the neighbourhoods from the rich and powerful.
When: Now until January 5, 2025
Time: Various times
Where: York Theatre – 639 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Tickets: Various prices, purchase online