The Calendar: The Best Arts and Culture Events to Check Out This December and January

1. THE MASKED ZINGER: A Wonderheads Christmas Carol

WHEN Until December 14

WHERE BMO Theatre Centre

COST From $39

It’s Dickens, but bigger—literally. Huge heads, zero dialogue and A Christmas Carol that’s more trippy than tinsel-strewn.

2. PANTOMONIUM: East Van Panto: West Van Story

WHEN Until January 11

WHERE York Theatre

COST From $35

The Panto’s back, this time flipping West Side Story into an East Van fever dream.

3. MIAMI NICE: Tribute to Miami Sound Machine and Gloria Estefan

WHEN December 5

WHERE Fox Cabaret

COST $25

The Susana Williams Band powers through Gloria Estefan’s catalogue. The rhythm is gonna get you (probably in the knees).

4. POP ROCKS: Strumbellas

WHEN December 7

WHERE Commodore Ballroom

COST From $60

Singalong indie anthems from Canada’s folk-pop sweethearts.

5. ISN’T HE LOVELY? Songs in the Key of Life: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder

WHEN December 7

WHERE Hollywood Theatre

COST From $35

Krystle Dos Santos channels her inner Stevie (complete with all his chart-toppers) for a night of soul-soaked swagger—because holiday carols are fine, but Stevie Wonder is finer.

6. HIGH-FLYING: Nitro Circus

WHEN December 18

WHERE Rogers Arena

COST From $70

Rogers Arena briefly transforms into a gravity-challenged playground—expect BMX, FMX, scooters and contraptions defying logic. Proof you can turn concussions into entertainment.

7. BUDDY COMEDY:  Elf in Concert

WHEN December 19 and 20

WHERE Orpheum Theatre

COST From $32

Watch Buddy the Elf on the big screen while the VSO supplies the sugar rush.

8. CLASSY CLAUS: A Traditional Christmas

WHEN December 21

WHERE Orpheum Theatre

COST From $52

The VSO does carols, crescendos and Christmas cheer big enough to drown out your relatives’ vocal political views.

9. CONTACT HIGH: Contact Winter Music Festival

WHEN December 26 and 27

WHERE Pacific Coliseum

COST From $210

Canada’s largest indoor EDM festival brings top electronic DJs to Van for two nights of thumping beats and noise complaints.

10. DOUBLE TROUBLE: Beverly Glenn-Copeland and Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland

WHEN January 16

WHERE Chan Centre

COST From $30

Singer-songwriter Beverly Glenn-Copeland and creative partner Elizabeth (author, theatre artist and educator) share an evening of luminous music and reflection.

11. AUSSIE FEELS: Dean Lewis: Epilogue World Tour

WHEN January 20

WHERE Orpheum Theatre

COST From $50

The Aussie hitmaker gets emotional at the Orpheum. May cause you to text your ex “just to check in.”

12. HEART AND HOME: You’re Just a Place That I Know

WHEN Starts January 21

WHERE BMO Theatre Centre

COST From $29

A new theatrical concert about memory, migration and love. Get ready for feels in real time

13. CIRCUS CIRCUS: Paradisum

WHEN January 21 to 24

WHERE Vancouver Playhouse

COST From $41

If your New Year’s resolution was to take in more ethereal new music experiences—first, weird! Second, Hungary’s cirque dance company Recirquel’s choral and dance piece that blends heavenly vocals with innovative staging should do the trick.

14. DITCH THE DISHES: Dine Out Vancouver Festival

WHEN January 21 to February 8

WHERE Various

COST $20 to $50

Three weeks of prix-fixe feasts that make Dry January bearable—and Wet February all the more delicious.

15. GREEN ROOM ANTICS: Tom Green’s Stompin’ Comedy Tour

WHEN January 23

WHERE Vogue Theatre

COST From $54

Comedy chaos courtesy of Canada’s weirdest export.

16. TALK BACK: Bijuriya

WHEN January 28 and 29

WHERE Annex

COST $49

Drag, song and theatre collide as Gabriel Dharmoo converses with his alter ego Bijuriya in this Push Festival performance. Insightful, campy, unmissable.

17. STORYTIME: Leanne Betasamosake Simpson

WHEN January 29

WHERE Chan Centre

COST From $30

Story and song from a brilliant voice in Indigenous art and activism.

18. ABOUT TIME: Catching Up to the Future of Our Past

WHEN January 30 and 31

WHERE Scotiabank Dance Centre

COST From $30

James Gnam and Natalie LeFebvre Gnam’s time-bending dance piece with a side of cosmic whiplash.

For even more fun to-dos around town this month, check  out the online events calendar at vanmag.com/events