Entertainment in Coal Harbour

A multi-faceted winter celebration, Destination Downtown features light installations, a Ferris Wheel and plenty of live entertainment in downtown Vancouver.

The event is presented by StayVancouverHotels.com which offers competitive rates and bonus perks when you book downtown Vancouver hotels through its website.

TIP: Much of Destination Downtown’s lights and entertainment happen along the Coal Harbour Seawall. While in the area, other attractions to check out include the Vancouver Christmas Market and Soar With Santa at Flyover at Canada Place. There is also Winterlust at the Westin Bayshore Hotel for a magical dining experience.

Destination Downtown Festival in Vancouver

Destination Downtown returns for winter 2025 with a Ferris wheel at the Vancouver Art Gallery, free live entertainment at Robson Square, and sparkling installations along the Coal Harbour Seawall.

The event transforms parts of downtown into a winter playground from December 2025 to February 2026. Expect large light installations, outdoor performances, and holiday photo opportunities across multiple downtown neighbourhoods.

The festival is presented by StayVancouverHotels, a great website to book downtown stays in Vancouver. Partnering with around 40 or so hotels, StayVancouverHotels offers deals you won’t find on other travel sites. The website is great for visitors and local staycations alike.

Keep reading for more details about Destination Downtown in 2025.

Westin Bayshore at Christmas at Night — Light Displays by the Westin Bayshore Hotel

Coal Harbour Light Installations

Destination Downtown lights up the Coal Harbour Seawall with over 100 illuminated trees. They are along the waterfront between Canada Place and Cardero Park in Coal Harbour.

Visitors can also find huge illuminated animals, which again appear in the 2025/26 festival. The featured animals for this season include Luna the Whale at Canada Place, Davie the Grizzly Bear at Vancouver Convention Centre Plaza, a big Squirrel, Beaver, and Heron at Cardero Park.

Guests can scan QR codes at each animal to collect digital stamps and enter to win various prizes. The Coal Harbour lighting installations operate up until February 28th, 2026.

Destination Downtown

Ferris Wheel at the Vancouver Art Gallery

The Destination Downtown Ferris wheel operates from December 2nd, 2025, to January 3rd, 2026, with rides priced at $7.00 per person on site. There are free rides for everyone on Tuesdays in December.

The ride runs Tuesdays through Thursdays from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Fridays from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm, Saturdays from noon to 10:00 pm, and Sundays from noon to 8:00 pm. It’s closed on Mondays.

On Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day, the Ferris wheel is closed. On Boxing Day, it opens from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm, and on New Year’s Eve, it runs from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Skating & Entertainment at Robson Square

From December 2nd, 2025, to February 28th, 2026, visitors can enjoy free outdoor skating at Robson Square. Skate rentals cost $5.00, or guests can bring their own.

Throughout the season, Destination Downtown also features free live entertainment on certain evenings. Entertainment includes musicians, dancers, or fire performers most weekday evenings from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm, and on weekends from 1:30 pm onwards.

Weekend afternoons feature family-friendly daytime shows, such as Vancouver Tuba Christmas, Perry Ehrlich’s ShowStoppers, and The Heartbeats, while evenings bring a diverse mix of jazz trios, cultural ensembles, and DJ sets.

Artists appearing this year include the Tamara Rhodes Trio, PK3 Jazz Trio, the British Columbia Regiment Band Society, Rumba Calzada, Top Line Vocal Collective, Deep Cutzzz, Daryle Dean Flamenco Guitar, and Marlin Ramazzini, among others. The entertainment ends with a festive New Year’s Eve performance by DJ-El-Nino. Altogether offering something unique every night, mainly between 6:00 pm and 9:00 pm.

Lit Words Installations & Contests

Scattered throughout downtown Vancouver are bright, lit word installations. They are perfect for photos. A returning highlight for the 2025/26 season is the famous “Vancouver” sign. There are new seasonal and neighborhood-specific additions. Maps and locations are available on the Destination Downtown website.

From January 5th, 2026, to February 28th, 2026, visitors can also participate in a scan-to-win contest by visiting the various Coal Harbour light installations and lit-up animals. By collecting digital stamps, visitors can earn entries into draws for big prizes.