Vancouver’s Liven UP featured illuminations and performances along the Coal Harbour Seawall during the Christmas season in December.

Note: As of 2024, this event is now known as Destination Downtown. It’s similar to what Liven UP was in 2023, except it covers a larger area! Presented by StayVancouverHotels.com, the new event features light installations, a Ferris Wheel, live entertainment and more.

Liven UP at Coal Harbour in Vancouver

Liven UP used to be a month-long event in the beautiful district of Coal Harbour. It ran throughout December and included a variety of things to see and do. Family-friendly activities happened along the Coal Harbour Seawall, between Cardero Park (in front of the Westin Bayshore Hotel) and Canada Place.

There were several light installations set up for the full 30 days of the event in 2023. They provided great photo opportunities. They also made the area feel festive for the Christmas season. Plus, on Fridays and Saturdays, there was free live entertainment at various sites along the seawall.

One of the main spots for live music was the stage at Harbour Green Park (which is just west of the Vancouver Convention Centre, not far from the Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel). At the same location was a bar serving both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Liven UP Coal Harbour was fairly similar to Lumiere which takes place in a few different places, including Vancouver’s West End, in November. You might have even recognized one or two of the light sculptures.

To learn about the Liven UP light installations and live entertainment from 2023, continue reading below. For information about the new festival taking place as of 2024, see our article about Destination Downtown.

Light Installations

The light installations were up to admire daily from early December until end of the month. Provided by MK Illumination, the structures were quite large and easy to spot from a distance. There was a light tunnel as well as bright letters and animals. There were light installations shaped like a bear, squirrel, whale, and more. The words LOVE and VANCOUVER were also set up.

Installations in 2023 were at the following locations:

• Canada Place Plaza
• Cardero Park
• Harbour Green Park
• Jack Poole Plaza
• LightShed

Liven UP Entertainment

Live entertainment was a big component of Liven UP. There were multiple performances to enjoy on Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the event.

For starters, there were storytelling sessions and walks at the Komagata Maru Memorial. Cardero Park was where you could’ve seen opera performances and Christmas carolling. Fire performances by the Ember Arts Fire Society happened outside Canada Place as well.

Live music ran on a stage at Harbour Green Park each Friday and Saturday in 2023. The performances were accompanied by a drinks bar in a big tent. There was beer, wine, coffee, tea and hot chocolate available for purchase.

Entertainment Schedule

The entertainment schedule for most of Liven UP in 2023 is listed below. Exact details, however, were subject to change.

Friday, December 8th, 2023

• 5:30 pm: Magee All Stars Jazz Combo (Harbour Green Park)
• 6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 6:30 pm: Walks and Talks with Alasdair Butcher (Komagata Maru Memorial)
• 6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 7:00 pm: Magee All Stars Big Band (Harbour Green Park)
• 7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 8:30 pm: School of Rock (Harbour Green Park)

Saturday, December 9th, 2023

• 5:15 pm: The Angelus Singers (Canada Place Plaza)
• 5:30 pm: Storytelling with Ginalina (Komagata Maru Memorial)
• 6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 6:15 pm: The Angelus Singers (Canada Place Plaza)
• 6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 6:45 pm: Storytelling with Ginalina (Komagata Maru Memorial)
• 7:00 pm: Jess Vaira (Harbour Green Park)
• 7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 8:30 pm: Krystle Dos Santos Trio (Harbour Green Park)

Friday, December 15th, 2023

• 6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 6:30 pm: Walks and Talks with Alasdair Butcher (Komagata Maru Memorial)
• 6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 7:00 pm: Salish All Stars Big Band (Harbour Green Park)
• 7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 8:30 pm: Parlour Panther (Harbour Green Park)

Saturday, December 16th, 2023

• 5:15 pm: Four Calling Birds (Canada Place Plaza)
• 5:30 pm: Storytelling with Naomi Steinberg (Komagata Maru Memorial)
• 6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 6:15 pm: Four Calling Birds (Canada Place Plaza)
• 6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 6:45 pm: Storytelling with Naomi Steinberg (Komagata Maru Memorial)
• 7:00 pm: Hatim Hanafi (Harbour Green Park)
• 7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 8:30 pm: Laura Crema (Harbour Green Park)

Friday, December 22nd, 2023

• 5:30 pm: Storytelling with Carolyn Nakagawa (Komagata Maru Memorial)
• 6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 6:30 pm: Walks and Talks with Alasdair Butcher (Komagata Maru Memorial)
• 6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 6:45 pm: Storytelling with Carolyn Nakagawa (Komagata Maru Memorial)
• 7:00 pm: Holy Cross All Stars Big Band (Harbour Green Park)
• 7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 8:30 pm: School of Rock (Harbour Green Park)

Saturday, December 23rd, 2023

• 5:15 pm: Four Calling Birds (Canada Place Plaza)
• 5:30 pm: Ginalina Holiday Trio (Harbour Green Park)
• 5:30 pm: Storytelling with Naomi Steinberg (Komagata Maru Memorial)
• 6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 6:15 pm: Four Calling Birds (Canada Place Plaza)
• 6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 6:45 pm: Storytelling with Naomi Steinberg (Komagata Maru Memorial)
• 7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 7:00 pm: Keisha (Harbour Green Park)
• 7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 8:30 pm: Kristin Fung (Harbour Green Park)

Friday, December 29th, 2023

• 6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 6:30 pm: Walks and Talks with Alasdair Butcher (Komagata Maru Memorial)
• 6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 7:00 pm: Eric Hamber All Stars (Harbour Green Park)
• 7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 8:30 pm: BUNGALOW (Harbour Green Park)

Saturday, December 30th, 2023

• 5:30 pm: Storytelling with Naomi Steinberg (Komagata Maru Memorial)
• 6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 6:45 pm: Storytelling with Naomi Steinberg (Komagata Maru Memorial)
• 7:00 pm: Ian x Ben (Harbour Green Park)
• 7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
• 8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
• 8:30 pm: Mary Ancheta Quartet (Harbour Green Park)

TIP: There are lots of great restaurants in the region, including the P2B Bistro at the Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel and both the H2 Tasting Lounge and H2 Kitchen at the Westin Bayshore Hotel.

Other Information

To learn more about the new event, see our article about Destination Downtown or visit destinationdowntown.co.

Other articles that might be of interest include the following:

• Best Christmas Activities in Vancouver
• Coal Harbour District
• December Calendar of Events
• Free Events in December