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Christmas in Victoria
With the Christmas season right around the corner, holiday-themed plays, exhibits, concerts, and activities are popping up all over Greater Victoria and drawing you in with promises of sugar plums, roasted chestnuts, and figgy pudding.
To help you narrow your list of must-do merriment, here are a few not-to-miss events (including some freebies!) to put you and your loved ones in the holiday spirit.
Stuart McLean and the Vinyl Café Christmas
Nothing puts me more in the Christmas spirit than listening to Stuart McLean’s stories of Dave, Morley, and the crew from the Vinyl Café stumbling through another Canadian Christmas. At this unforgettable show, you’ll enjoy heartwarming and hysterical family-friendly stories about the life of a typical (or is it a-typical?) Canadian family, and hear heartfelt renditions of Christmas carols performed by Canadians musicians. The Vinyl Café Christmas looks beyond the commercial to the true meaning of the season.
Royal Theatre
November 28, 2:30pm & 7:30pm
*Tickets starting at $55; discount available for students
The Nutcracker—Alberta Ballet presented by Dance Victoria (Above Photo: Darren Makowichuk)
Since Tchaikovsky’s famous wooden soldier first graced the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg in 1892, he has grown to iconic stature, rivaling Frosty or Rudolph in many circles. Praised as "magnificent" and "triumphant," Alberta Ballet’s production is a veritable feast for the senses; the stirring score, spellbinding set design and, of course, the superb skill of the dancers will enchant young and old, leaving no doubt as to why this ballet prevails as a beloved Christmas tradition.
Royal Theatre
December 2 & 3, at 7:30pm
December 3 & 4, at 2pm
*Tickets starting at $25; discounts available for students/seniors/children 12 & under
The Victoria Operatic Society brings a White Christmas to Victoria
Photo: David Lowes, Art Studio 21 Photography
White Christmas – Victoria Operatic Society
Don’t miss Victoria’s premiere community musical theatre company perform this classic Christmas musical, based on the 1954 film that features the song "White Christmas." With music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, one of Broadway’s most beloved composers, this romantic comedy will catch you by the heartstrings and make you yearn for more than sleigh bells in the snow —it will leave you eager to set down your cell phone and have some good old fashioned fun with loved ones.
McPherson Playhouse
December 9, 10, 15, 16 & 17, at 8pm
December 11 & 18, at 2pm
*Tickets starting at $24; discounts available for students/seniors
Butchart Gardens' Sunken Garden dazzles / Photo: courtesy of Butchart Gardens
Magic of Christmas at Butchart Gardens
An outdoor skating rink, live carol music, the Twelve Days of Christmas, and tens of thousands of coloured lights interwoven through sleeping plant beds... if the polar ice cap ever melts, the North Pole would look like Butchart Gardens during the holidays! Though the blooms have long gone to sleep, Butchart’s gardens are transformed into an enchanting mêlé of the Garden of Eden and Santa’s workshop. Light posts are encircled with evergreen boughs and holly berry wreaths hang from lattices. Christmas time at Butchart Gardens is a must-see.
Tuba Christmas: you've never heard a sound like this before! / Photo: Gene Dowling
Tuba Christmas
On Dec. 3 from 1-3pm, head over to Market Square and enjoy a free carol concert performed by a group of more than 60 tubas, euphoniums, baritones, and perhaps even a sousaphone or two. For 33 years, tuba players have travelled to the capital city from all over the Pacific Northwest for this larger than life show, Victoria’s tribute to Rockefeller Center’s Tuba concert that started over 35 years ago in New York City. This free concert is a favourite in Victoria.
Market Square
December 3, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
FREE
Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus bring to life the story of The Messiah
Photo Credit: Michael Nyikes
The Messiah: Various Groups
Victoria audiences love Handel’s Messiah so much, there are a number of versions playing in town to ensure you don’t miss out!
Victoria Symphony featuring the Vox Humana chorus: If you’re looking for a large sound in a large hall, this is The Messiah for you. Dec. 16, 8:00 pm, UVic Centre Farquhar Auditorium
Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra and special guests: This concert features only Part 1 of The Messiah along with other Christmas numbers such as Vaughan Williams’ enchanting "Fantasia on Christmas Carols" and Haydn’s "Toy Symphony." Dec. 3, 7:30 pm Sooke Baptist Church, and Dec. 4, 2:30 pm at New St. Mary’s Church, Metchosin
Civic Orchestra and special guests: For the singer who has been told to stick to the shower, this is the time to step out and show the world what you can do! The Civic’s Sing-a-long Messiah is an incredible experience for both the new and seasoned singer. Everyone should experience this kind of Messiah at least once in a lifetime—and why not choose 2011? Dec. 11, 3 pm, Shawnigan Lake School Chapel and Dec. 14, 7 pm, Alix Goolden Hall
Free Horse-Drawn Trolley Rides
There may not be snow, but horse-drawn carriage tours still invoke the spirit of Christmas times past and are a lovely way to enjoy a tour of historic downtown Victoria. And better yet, they’re free this holiday season, courtesy of the Downtown Victoria Business Association. Look for carriages at the following locations:
Store Street at Chatham Street - in front of Ocean River Sports
Johnson Street near Wharf Street - in front of Willie's Bakery
Langley Street at Bastion Sq. - across from re-Bar
Government Street at Fisgard Street - in front of CRD Plaza
Nov. 26 - Dec. 18
Saturdays 11am-2pm
Sundays 12-3pm
