KOOZA is the Cirque du Soleil circus and acrobatics show at Vancouver’s Concord Pacific Place between October and December in 2023.
In 2023 Kooza shows in Vancouver from October 21st until December 31st.
Information in this article includes the following topics:
Big Top Location | Admission Details | What to Expect | KOOZA Video | Tips & Advice | About Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA at Concord Pacific Place in 2023
Each year Cirque du Soleil brings one of its world-famous circus shows to Vancouver. From opening day until the end of the season, Vancouver audiences are entertained by amazing acts. Performances include acrobatics shows, music, dance and all kinds of amazing and jaw-dropping entertainment.
In 2022, Cirque du Soleil’s Alegria performances ran from March 25th until June 5th. In 2023, Cirque du Soleil brings KOOZA to Vancouver with shows from October 21st until the end of the year.
Another very good circus is the Royal Canadian International Circus. In 2023 this other circus has shows in Surrey, Vancouver and Richmond between May 4th and May 22nd. The shows are always kid-friendly and affordable! (TIP: If you use the promo code VANSBESTPLACES you can get 2-for-1 pricing on General Admission at the circus in May.)
Big Top Location
Cirque du Soleil often sets up its trademark “Grand Chapiteau” big top tent in Concord Pacific Place. The venue is between the eastern tip of False Creek and BC Place Stadium at 88 Pacific Boulevard. 2022 was no exception, and the tent returns to the same location in the fall of 2023.
The Grand Chapiteau is a massive big-top-style structure with castle-like points supported by masts. All seats are comfortably cushioned with backs (or at least that’s been the case in past years). The venue itself is a spectacle to be seen!
Note: A few years ago the venue was in a giant blue and yellow big top at the eastern end of Concord Pacific Place (so closer to Science World). In 2019, however, the Grand Chapiteau was white and located at the western end of the site, so closer to BC Place Stadium. In 2022 it was a blue and white tent at the same western location as it was three years ago.
Admission Details
General admission tickets to KOOZA in 2023 start at $55 or $65 or so depending on the day. However, tickets go up to around $210 for those who want to be very close to the stage. They are also as much as $325 for VIP seats at premium times.
Discount rates are available including under the following situations:
(Note: Details are subject to change. See the official Cirque du Soleil website for exact details.)
- Children’s rates apply to folk ages 12 and under.
- Family Packs include a discount for families purchasing 4 to 8 tickets.
- lnfants under 2 years of age enter for free, provided that they share the same seat as a parent.
VIP packages include premium seats with the best views of the stage, along with an open bar and appetizers both before the performance and at the intermission. They also include a complimentary program to take home, in addition to free parking and access to an extra-nice restroom and special VIP areas.
What to Expect at KOOZA
KOOZA is a Cirque du Soleil show that debuted in 2007. The show’s name in Sanskrit translates to box or treasure in English. KOOZA is a story of The Innocent’s identity. The character goes on a journey to try and find his place in the world, and he encounters lots of characters along the way.
In the show there are all kinds of innovative circus and acrobatic elements, combined with the art of clowning. There are hoops, wires, lots of dancing and even a large wheel. Expect to hear subcontinental sounds with wonderful lighting and costumes to admire.
KOOZA is a 125-minute show including a 25-minute break in the middle.
More Details
Below is other information from previous years that’s good to know about Cirque du Soleil’s productions in Vancouver. 2023 details may be similar.
- The venue is heated.
- There is no coat check area most years.
- Due to space restrictions, strollers have not been allowed in the facility in past years.
- Except for service dogs for people with disabilities, animals are not permitted.
- Backpacks and other packages bigger than a briefcase or handbag are usually not permitted in the facility.
Tips and Advice
The following is a list of suggestions to help you make the most out of your circus experience.
TIP #1: If you can’t afford Cirque du Soleil, or can but want to see another really good circus anyway, be sure to check out the Royal Canadian International Circus.
TIP #2: Arrive well in advance of show time as it can take a while to find parking and get through security. The Entrance Tent and vendors open about 45 minutes before each show and guests can enter the main Grand Chapiteau area starting around 30 minutes before the performance.
TIP #3: The show starts on time and latecomers can only enter during specific short breaks. Because of logistical issues, latecomers in wheelchairs are admitted only at half time during the 25-minute intermission (or at least that’s been the case in the past). So don’t be late!
TIP #4: Make an evening (or afternoon) out of your visit and explore the area. If attending an afternoon show and the weather is good, go for a pre-performance stroll along the nearby False Creek Seawall.
TIP #5: Tickets to Cirque du Soleil shows make great gifts, especially when the performances are close to special occasions. Tickets to the Royal Canadian International Circus make exceptional gifts too!
KOOZA Video
To get even more of an idea about what to expect at the show, check out the following official Cirque du Soleil video. As you’ll see, KOOZA is quite the spectacle and something you really need to see!
About Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil is a world-famous circus and acrobatics theatre group. It offers shows under a big top tent in Vancouver’s Pacific Concord Place each year as well as at other venues across the globe.
The Montreal-based company tours the world with its shows and often visits Vancouver for a multi-week stay at some point during the year.
History of Vancouver Shows
In 2022 Alegria was at Vancouver’s Concord Pacific Place between late March and early June. It was a classic Cirque du Soleil show that also debuted in a slightly different version in 1994. The show depicted a kingdom without a king, and the power struggle that followed between the old and new movements.
Cirque du Soleil didn’t visit the Lower Mainland in 2020 or 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It visited every year for a number of years before then though, and will likely continue to tour here in the years ahead.
In 2019, Luzia was a fantasy story set in a fictitious Mexico. The name was a combination of the Spanish words light (“luz”) and rain (“lluvia”). Cirque du Soleil’s Luzia shows ran from October 3rd until December 29th.
In 2018, Cirque du Soleil was in Vancouver for only a very brief time. The production was Corteo and it showed at the Pacific Coliseum at the PNE for just five days in mid-October.
In 2017 Kurios was Cirque du Soleil’s Vancouver production. It was a science-fantasy story about a fictitious 19th-century inventor who builds a machine that defies the laws of space and time.
In December 2016 Cirque du Soleil brought Toruk – a performance based on James Cameron’s movie Avatar – to Vancouver’s Pacific Coliseum for just under a week.
In 2015 Vancouver’s Cirque du Soleil production was Kooza which took place at Concord Pacific Place from the end of October until late December.
TOTEM, a story about the evolution of mankind, was Cirque du Soleil’s show in 2014 and it played starting in mid-May under the big top at Concord Pacific Place. The performance followed the mystical evolution of the human race from amphibian form to its desire to fly.
Other Information
To buy tickets or for more information check out the Cirque du Soleil website.
For a list of other shows and events in the Lower Mainland, click any of the following:
For a list of what’s happening on different days of the month while Cirque du Soleil is in town, check out Vancouver’s March, April or May event calendars.
