Bard Village at Bard on the Beach

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 with the plays The Merry Wives of Windsor, Macbeth, Goblin:Oedipus and Antigone.

Last 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.

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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 35 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 Douglas Campbell 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.

2026 Bard Summer Program Lineup

The 2026 Bard on the Beach program features four plays – The Merry Wives of Windsor, Macbeth, Goblin:Oedipus and Antigone. Details about each of the plays are below.

Continue reading below or see the Bard on the Beach website for more details about the 2026 season.

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR

The Merry Wives of Windsor is one of Shakespeare’s comedy plays, featuring the famous character of Sir John Falstaff who also appears in both Henry IV, Part 1 and Part 2.

The play follows the attempted exploits of Falstaff, who tries to get rich by wooing two rich, married women (Mistress Ford and Mistress Page) at the same time. However, the women compare notes with each other and turn the tables on Falstaff.

There are various sub-plots that take place at the same time, including the courting of Page’s daughter by three different men. Plenty of hijinks ensue as everyone tries to get the upper hand on each other.

This year’s Bard production has a modern flair, as it’s set in a fictionalized Vancouver suburb and many of the characters involved are big soccer fans. There are musical numbers throughout the show as well.

This production is one of the two that will take place on the BMO Mainstage. It’s directed by Rebecca Northan, who helmed the Bard production of The Comedy of Errors in 2024. Exact dates and other details for this year’s show are to be confirmed as of the end of December.

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

MACBETH

One of Shakespeare’s most famous works, Macbeth is also his shortest tragedy. It’s the tale of a Scottish general named Macbeth who receives a prophecy from three witches that he will one day become the King Scotland.

Upon telling his wife about this, the two of them become consumed by their desire to make the prophecy come true and murder King Duncan in their own castle. More people are murdered as Macbeth claims the throne and attempts to protect himself, and both he and Lady Macbeth appear to go insane. Meanwhile, an opposing army gathers to defeat Macbeth in battle and reclaim the throne in the name of Duncan’s son Malcolm.

Macbeth will play on the BMO Mainstage. It’s directed by Stephen Drover, who also returns to Bard after directing Hamlet in 2024.

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

GOBLIN:OEDIPUS

The goblin trio of Wug, Kragva and Moog return to Bard on the Beach, following their performance of Goblin:Macbeth in 2023. This time, the three inhuman performers tackle Oedipus Rex, the Ancient Greek tragedy written by Sophocles.

While it deals with a tragic play, the show itself is very comedic as the three goblins relay the story in a highly irreverent and unique way. Expect plenty of laughs are mischief as they perform the tale of King Oedipus’ quest to find the man who murdered his father, not knowing that it was actually he who did it.

The show is one of the two Douglas Campbell Theatre productions. Goblin:Oedipus is recommended for those who are 18 years old and up due to its strong language and mature themes.

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

ANTIGONE

Another adaption of a play written by Sophocles, Antigone is a sequel of sorts to the events in Oedipus Rex. The play begins following a civil war in Thebes, during which brothers Eteocles and Polynices (both sons of the self-exiled Oedipus) were both killed as they fought each other for the throne.

After the dust settles, Creon (the new king) declares that Eteocles will be honoured as a hero while Polynices will be posthumously shamed and left unburied. However, their sister Antigone is determined to have her brother buried properly, in the process putting herself in personal danger.

The play is directed by Ming Hudson and will run in the Douglas Campbell Theatre. Unlike Goblin:Oedipus, Antigone is fully a tragedy as it explores themes of resistance and generational divides.

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

Bard Admission Details

Ticket prices for youth (ages 6 to 22) started at about $35 each and cost up to $49 last year. Single-ticket prices for adults started at $35 and ranged up to about $98 depending on the seat. 2026 prices for single tickets are to be confirmed. Children under 6 aren’t permitted to most performances.

Season and flex packs are also available online, and will likely sell out before the summer. They include seats to multiple or all shows at one discounted price.

Regular Season Packs start at $246 in 2026, while Premium Season Packs (with access to better seats) start at $309. Flex packs allow you to buy tickets in bunches of either two, four or eight, which can be used for just about any show and in any combination. Regular Flex Packs cost $146 for two tickets, $276 for four and $520 for eight, while Premium Flex Packs cost $184, $348 and $656.

Last year there was also the Weekends at Bard program, where tickets to multiple shows on the same weekend were discounted. The more shows you attended, the more you saved.

For example, if you watched two shows over one weekend, you saved 15% on admission. Tickets for three shows on the same weekend saved you 25%, while attending four shows over the two days saved you 35%. To qualify for the Weekends at Bard program, a minimum of two tickets needed to be purchased for each show and all tickets had to be bought at the same time. Whether or not this program will return in 2026 is TBC.

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. 2026 dates should hopefully be similar, but are TBC as of the end of December.

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.