Bard on the Beach is a very popular Shakespearean theatre festival in Vancouver. It normally takes place at Vanier Park from June until early autumn.

In 2026 the festival celebrates its 37th season.

This past year’s productions were the two comedies Much Ado About Nothing and The Two Gentlemen of Verona. The two modern productions were the internationally-beloved The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again] and the Canadian play The Dark Lady. In 2026 the plays are The Merry Wives of Windsor, Macbeth, Goblin:Oedipus and Antigone.

This past year’s shows ran between June 10th and September 20th. The dates for 2026 will likely be similar, but with exact details to be confirmed. Each of the four productions has a different schedule.

Visit the bardonthebeach.org website for the most up-to-date details.

The information in this article includes the following topics:

Click on any of the above links to jump to details on a specific topic, or see below for all information.

Bard on the Beach at Vanier Park

The Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival takes place in an outdoor tent theatre every year from early June until the end of September. It’s a world-class series of Shakespearean productions that has been going on for over 30 years.

If you like Shakespeare, then it’s a festival you won’t want to miss!

Bard on the Beach Venue

Bard on the Beach performances happen in the Bard Festival Site at Vanier Park in Kitsilano in two separate tent theatres. One is the 733-seat BMO Mainstage Theatre and the other is the smaller 240-seat Howard Family Theatre. Two productions take place in each theatre over the course of the summer, with the four shows alternating over different evenings.

Parking for the Bard is at the nearby H.R. MacMillan Space Centre at 1100 Chestnut Street. The cost there is about $7 (or at least it has been in past years) for the evening after 6:00 pm.

Click Bard on the Beach for the festival’s official website.

2025 Bard Summer Program Lineup

The 2025 Bard on the Beach program featured four plays – The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again], Much Ado About Nothing, and The Dark Lady. Details about each of the plays are below.

Continue reading below or see the Bard on the Beach website for more details about the 2025 season.

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA

The Two Gentlemen of Verona is considered by some Shakespeare historians to be the first play he ever published. It also has the smallest cast of any Shakespeare play.

The show starred Proteus and Valentine, two young gentlemen from Verona who travelled to Milan. Valentine, who arrived in the city first, fell in love with Silvia, the daughter of the local duke. Proteus also fell in love with her when he arrived, despite the fact that he already had a lover back home in Verona (Julia). Proteus connivingly got Valentine banished from Milan so he could pursue Silvia himself, and his friend ended up becoming the leader of a nearby band of outlaws.

Meanwhile, Julia arrived at Milan, and disguised herself as a male servant hired by Proteus in order to spy on his advances towards Silvia. Silvia ended up running away from Proteus, who chased her along with Julia, and all three of them ended up meeting Valentine’s band of outlaws in the woods. There, everyone’s truths came to light.

This production was the second that took place on the BMO Mainstage. The show ran from June 13th to September 19th and was directed by Dean Paul Gibson.

Visit the Bard on the Beach website to learn more about this show.

(The photo below features Jacob Leonard as Proteus and Matthew Ip Shaw as Valentine in The Two Gentlemen of Verona in 2025. The photo and image design are by Emily Cooper.)

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) [REVISED] [AGAIN]

This modern-day play was a satirical romp through the entirety of Shakespeare’s works. Performed by just three actors, the show ripped through every single one of the Bard’s plays (as well as his sonnets). Each of the plays “performed” was done so in a dramatically condensed and often parodied way, to great comedic effect.

There was no fourth wall barrier between actor and audience in this show. The actors talked directly to those in the crowd throughout the performance and even included audience members in some of their scenes. There were elements of improvisation included as well, meaning that no two nights of the show were fully the same.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again] played at the Douglas Campbell Theatre from July 1st to September 20th, and was directed by Mark Chavez.

Click Bard on the Beach website to learn more about this play.

(The photo below features Tess Degenstein. The photo and image design are by Emily Cooper.)

The Complete Works at Bard on the Beach — The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Much Ado About Nothing is a Shakespearean comedy that features convoluted love plots and quick-witted, banter-filled laughs. In the show, two soldiers arrived in a city after a battle. One of them (Claudio) fell for a local girl (Hero) and declared that he intended to woo her. His friend (Benedick) scoffed at the thought of marriage and bickered with Hero’s cousin (Beatrice).

To stir up trouble, the evil Don John caused a rift between Claudio and Hero after they’d fallen in love with each other. At the same time, other soldiers decided to have some fun by convincing Benedick and Beatrice that the other was madly in love with them. Plenty of hijinks ensued from there.

In 2025 the show ran from June 10th to September 20th and was directed by Johnna Wright. It was one of the two BMO Mainstage productions.

Visit the Bard on the Beach website to learn more about this show.

(The photo below features Sheldon Elter as Benedick and Jennifer Lines as Beatrice from Bard’s Much Ado About Nothing in 2025. The photo and image design are by Emily Cooper.)

THE DARK LADY

Composed by Canadian playwright Jessica B. Hill, The Dark Lady featured Emilia Bassano, England’s first known published female poet. She was also a contemporary of Shakespeare, and theorized by some to be a candidate as to the identity of the mysterious “Dark Lady” referred to in his sonnets.

In this piece of historical fiction that was also a musical, Bassano and Shakespeare’s lives became intertwined in a love story that explored both of their artistic desires and ambitions.

The play was directed by Moya O’Connell and ran in the Douglas Campbell Theatre from July 3rd to September 19th.

Click Bard on the Beach website to learn more about this production.

(The photo below features Arghavan Jenati as Emilia Bassano. The photo and image design are by Emily Cooper.)

Bard Admission Details

In 2025 ticket prices for youth (ages 6 to 22) started at about $35 each and cost up to $49. Children under 6 aren’t permitted to most performances. Single-ticket prices for adults started at $35 and ranged up to about $98 depending on the seat.

Season passes are also available online (although they sell out earlier in the year). They include seats to all four shows at one discounted price. Regular Packs started at $236 in this year, while Premium Packs (with access to better seats) started at $292.

There are also the Weekends at Bard program, where tickets to multiple shows on the same weekend are discounted. The more shows you attend, the more you save. For example, if you watch two shows over one weekend, you’ll save 15% on admission. Tickets for three shows on the same weekend save you 25%, while attending four shows over the two days saves you 35%. To qualify for the Weekends at Bard program, a minimum of two tickets must be purchased for each show and all tickets have to be bought at the same time.

Visit the official Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival website for more information about tickets and pricing.

Bard Village Plaza — Inside the Bard Village

Bard Special Events

In addition to its usual Shakespearean plays, Bard on the Beach also offers a number of special events each season. These include extra evening choir and opera performances, as well as exclusive Fireworks viewing nights.

Below were the details on the special events in the 2025 season.

Bard Pride Day

To celebrate the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, Bard on the Beach hosted Bard Pride Day on Saturday, June 28th in 2025. There were special activities to enjoy before the shows kicked off for the day. This year’s event featured drag performances, a queer artisan market and more.

Family Days and Relaxed Performances

A special event that provides a way for all ages to enjoy the Bard experience happens during the Bard on the Beach season. Family Days and Relaxed Performances are when families can attend and enjoy various activities and a performance.

Dates for the Family Days in 2025 were July 13th and August 17th. They featured family-friendly activities followed by a performance of one of the shows.

The Relaxed Performance took place on June 29th this year and featured Much Ado About Nothing. On this day, the environment was more casual. Audiences were able to make noise and move around without worrying too much. This was perfect for families with young children.

Tickets for Family Days usually start at $30 for adults and youth. Special pay-as-you-like pricing is available for the Relaxed Performance.

Bard Fireworks Nights

The Bard Fireworks events usually take place during the Celebration of Light Festival on the last two Saturdays and last Wednesday prior to the BC Day long weekend. There is live entertainment each day and private views of the fireworks in English Bay.

2025 dates were July 19th and 26th. This year, people watched Much Ado About Nothing or The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again] prior to the fireworks. There was also a dessert buffet and the option to order extra snacks and meals. Everyone was welcome to bring their own food as well.

See our article about Bard Fireworks Nights or visit the Bard on the Beach website to learn more about this event.

Bard Village on Fireworks Night — Bard on the Beach on Fireworks Night

Other Special Events

Bard on the Beach offers a number of other special events as well. Talkback Tuesdays feature question and answer sessions with cast members on Tuesdays in July and August. Wine Wednesdays for adults include wine tastings and savoury bites before shows. This past year, they took place on July 2nd, August 13th and September 10th. The tastings cost an extra $55 per person.

There are also four Bard Explored sessions with Paul Budra, who talks about the plays in-depth and takes questions from the audience. The sessions’ dates were June 28th (The Two Gentlemen of Verona), July 5th (Much Ado About Nothing), August 9th (The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again]) and August 16th (The Dark Lady).

There are also Accessibility Nights in August and September for people with disabilities.

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival — Bard Festival Site

Bard Tips & Advice

Below are some tips and suggestions to help you make the most of your Vancouver Shakespearean experience.

TIP #1: Especially if seeing a show in the evening in early June, late August or September, dress warmly, and maybe even take a blanket with you. Vancouver can get cool at night, even in the summer.

TIP #2: Consider combining your trip to see a Shakespearean show with other activities in the area. The Vancouver Maritime Museum, H.R. MacMillan Space Centre and the Museum of Vancouver are all right next door, also in Vanier Park. Kitsilano Beach is also just down the way in one direction and Granville Island isn’t far in the other. The False Creek Seawall, which connects the whole area, is perfect for a pre-show stroll or cycle.

TIP #3: Unless you’re already a fan of Shakespeare and familiar with his works, consider reading up on the story before attending your show. Bard on the Beach is Shakespeare, with the original script written in Elizabethan English close to 400 years ago. If you read a synopsis in advance, it can enhance your Bard on the Beach experience and understanding of the plot and script.

TIP #4: If you have problems sitting comfortably for long periods, take a blanket or cushion to sit on. The seats are good and typical for a theatre, but some people will appreciate the extra padding.

Click Bard on the Beach for the festival’s official website.

Bard on the Beach Entrance Gate — Bard Entrance Gate (Photo by Maxine Bulloch)

About Bard on the Beach

Founded by its present Artistic Director, Christopher Gaze, Bard on the Beach has been entertaining Vancouver audiences since 1990.

As a not-for-profit theatre, the theatre company employs about 30 talented actors each year, plus a large team of theatrical wizards working behind the scenes. An army of over 200 dedicated volunteers support the staff.

Since its founding, over 1.5 million people have enjoyed the Bard on the Beach shows, including over 90,000 spectators per season in recent years.