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There’s holiday lights, concerts, theatre, and more to do on Boxing Day. Here are seven things to do in Vancouver on Thursday, December 26.
For more things happening around town, be sure to check out our events section.
Five Alarm Funk – Hometown Holiday Blowout Bash
Five Alarm Funk/Live Nation
What: Vancouver-based Five Alarm Funk are celebrating the holidays with a Boxing Day show at Commodore Ballroom with guests Small Town Artillery and Rain City.
When:
Time: Doors 8 pm, show 8:30 pm
Where: Commodore Ballroom – 867 Granville Street, Vancouver
Tickets: Online
Bright Nights at Stanley Park 2019
What: Bright Nights at Stanley Park features over three million dazzling lights decorating acres of the dark forest, reaching as high as the forest canopy for all to see and enjoy. The attraction in the heart of the park is also accompanied by a train ride, music, snacks, entertainment, and even visits with Santa and his elves.
The annual tradition, now in its 22nd year, is operated and installed by 800 firefighters – a task that requires 8,000 hours of set-up over three months. Bright Nights attracts 200,000 visitors every year, with all proceeds benefiting the Burn Fund, which provides life-saving, life-supporting, and life-enriching services to people in BC.
When: Now until January 1 (Closed on Christmas Day)
Time: Various times
Where: Stanley Park Miniature Railway – Pipeline Road, Stanley Park
Admission: $8.40 – 12.60, available online
Shipyards Brewery District Boxing Day Crawl
What: The Shipyards Brewery District is hosting its first-ever Boxing Day beer crawl. On December 26 four breweries from the new beer district in North Vancouver will be participating in the crawl. Folks who purchase $24 tickets can enjoy one 16oz pour at three of the district’s breweries — Beere Brewing, House of Funk Brewing, and North Point Brewing — as well as a flight at Streetcar Brewing.
When: December 26, 2019
Time: 12 to 7 pm
Where: North Vancouver (Beere Brewing, House of Funk Brewing, North Point Brewing, Streetcar Brewing)
Price: $24; buy online
East Van Panto: Pinocchio
What: East Van Panto returns for their seventh year with Pinocchio, created by playwright Marcus Youssef, composer Veda Hille, and director Stephen Drover. When a lonely old ice-cream seller named Gelato is given a puppet by the mysterious Beckwoman of Commercial Drive, his dreams of having a child suddenly come true. Join a locally famous cricket, an angry orca, and a dastardly fox as poor Pinocchio does his best to tell everyone the truth and become a real boy. But why are Pinocchio’s limbs always growing?
When: Now until January 5, 2020
Time: Various times
Where: York Theatre – 639 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Tickets: Online
VanDusen Festival of Lights 2019
VanDusen Festival of Lights (Farhan Mohamed/Daily Hive)
What: The dazzling botanical garden will be covered in more than a million lights to help ring in the Christmas season. Visitors can stroll through interactive themed areas, watch the famous dancing lights show on Livingstone Lake, take a photo with Santa, light a candle at the Make-A-Wish candle grotto, or simply warm up with a specialty beverage at the licensed fireside lounge. All tickets, which can be purchased online or at the gate, include a free ride on the carousel.
When: Now until January 5, 2020 (closed Christmas Day)
Where: VanDusen Botanical Garden – 5251 Oak Street, Vancouver
Time: 4 pm to 9:30 pm (closed Christmas Day)
Admission: Adults: $19 online and $21 at the gate. Youth and seniors: $14.50 online and $16 at the gate.
Aurora Winter Festival 2019
What: The Aurora Winter Festival, now one of the largest events of its kind in Western Canada, is returning for the 2019 holiday season. The six-week, North Pole-inspired festival will be expanding its event to fifteen acres in size and relocating to Hastings Park.
Upgrades from last year include a larger surface for ice skating, a longer tube park, and double the number of rides and games. Other attractions include a light tunnel showcasing the Aurora Borealis, a story-time theatre with Santa for kids, a giant tube park, ice skating on a frozen pond, six amusement park rides, games, some of Vancouver’s best food trucks, and a market with 40 holiday-inspired vendors.
When: Now until January 5, 2020 (closed Christmas)
Time: Various times
Where: Hastings Park – 2901 East Hastings Street, Vancouver
Tickets: Online, General Admission passes start at $17.99 / Senior and Child passes start at $12.99 / Family passes start at $49.99
Ellie King’s Snow White
What: Enjoy the tale of Snow White told in classic British Pantomime at Surrey Arts Centre. The interactive show is fun for the whole family, and written by Ellie King with music by Geoff King. Guests can also get autographs from the cast after the show.
When: December 26 to 29, 2019
Time: Various times
Where: Main Stage at Surrey Arts Centre — 13750 88 Avenue, Surrey
Tickets: Online