The PuSh Festival is a performing arts festival that showcases local, Canadian and international artists at Vancouver theatres in January and February.
In 2026 the festival runs from January 22nd until February 8th.
Click PuSh Lineup or visit the Vancouver PuSh Festival‘s official website to see what showed in 2025.
(The above photo is Residencies with Andréane Leclerc by Marc-André Goulet.)
Below you’ll find information about the following topics:
Admission Rates | Festival Shows | Club PuSh | Tips & Advice | Video Trailer | About the Festival | Other Information
PuSh International Performing Arts Festival
Celebrating its 21st season in 2026, the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival features around 24 original works at various venues between mid to late January and early February. There is also select programming available online.
The festival typically attracts over 20,000 attendees. It also includes free events in addition to its regular ticketed shows.
The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival (PuSh) delivers ground-breaking, contemporary works of dance, theatre, multimedia and music by artists from Vancouver, across Canada and around the world.
Tickets for events are typically at around $15 for some shows. Others cost around $40 to $50. Visit the pushfestival.ca website or call the PuSh Festival Audience Services info line at 604-449-6000 to purchase tickets.
PuSh Festival Dates
In 2026, the PuSh Festival starts on Thursday, January 22nd and runs until Sunday, February 8th. This year, the only day the festival did not run was on Monday, January 27th. Whether that’s the case again in 2026 is to be confirmed. There are usually multiple productions in action on any given day.
2025 Festival
In 2025 the festival featured 25 different works from 13 countries. In addition, there were performances at the more casual and interactive Club PuSh on Granville Island.
As always, the festival lineup is dedicated to creative risk-taking and dynamic interdisciplinary collaboration. There is an emphasis on spotlighting Canadian artists. There are, however, works by British, American, Italian and other artists as well.
See the official PuSh Festival website for tickets and full details about the performances.
Performance Admission Rates
Both individual single-performance tickets and multi-show passes are available at PuSh Festival productions most years.
Single Tickets
Single tickets are sold both online and through various box offices. In 2025 most shows ranged from about $15 to $39 per ticket. There are also a couple free events.
Visit the pushfestival.ca website or call 604-449-6000 to purchase tickets for the 2026 season.
PuSh Passes
PuSh Passes usually come in either four or six-show packages. A four-show pass in 2025 cost $120 and a six-show pass cost $165. That meant you could save up to 25% when buying one of those passes. All passes this year also includes free admission to the Club PuSh event on January 29th. There’s a youth four-show pass available for just $20 for those ages 16 to 24, with a limited number available.
There are also multi-show packages such as the Dance Trio, Theatre Trio, and a couple of Double Feature options that give you tickets to select shows for a 25% to 30% discount. These packages don’t include admission to Club PuSh, however.
See the official PuSh Festival website for tickets and full details about the performances.
PuSh Festival Shows
The PuSh Performing Arts Festival features around 24 productions of all kinds. Some events are free. Most, though, are ticketed. Many are Canadian productions, several are international, and some are from local Vancouver theatre companies.
Listed below are the details about the various performances in 2025.
(Note: Times, locations and other details were subject to change. See the official PuSh Festival website for the most up-to-date schedule of events.)
Opening Party
At the Fox Cabaret (January 23rd, 2025)
The Opening Party for the PuSh Festival in 2025 took place on Thursday, January 23rd, at the Fox Cabaret at 2321 Main Street. Admission was free. The night featured music ranging from Turkish funk to Bollywood disco, R&B house and Afro beats with DJ Dovecake.
Click 2025 Opening Party to learn more about this event.
The History of Korean Western Theatre (South Korea/Belgium)
Jaha Koo/CAMPO (January 23rd and 24th, 2025)
Jaha Koo returnd to the PuSh Festival for the third time, with a documentary theatre production. His show explored how Western imperialism has shaped Korean theatre culture and by extension the culture of Korea as a whole.
The production took to the stage at the Roundhouse Community Centre at 181 Roundhouse Mews in Vancouver. It ran on January 23rd and 24th. The performances were at 7:30 pm on both nights and tickets cost $39.
Click The History of Korean Western Theatre to learn more about this event.
All That Remains (Denmark/Italy)
Mirko Guido (January 23rd and 24th, 2025)
A dance production set in a desolate environment. There were multimedia elements and an emphasis on sound and how it intersects with physical performance.
The show took place at the SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts at 149 West Hastings Street. Shows started at 7:30 pm on January 23rd and 24th with tickets costing $39.
Click All That Remains for full details.
Géométrie de vies (Democratic Republic of Congo)
Collectif d’Art d’Art/STUDIOS KABAKO (January 25th and 26th, 2025, plus online on other dates)
This show was a narrative poem whose performance was accompanied by song, dance and other theatrical elements. It told the story of two young people trying to make their way through hardships in the Congo.
There were live performances on January 25th and 26th at Performance Works on Granville Island (located at 1218 Cartwright Street). Tickets cost $39. The show was also available to watch online from January 25th to February 9th.
Click Géométrie de vies for more details.
L’addition (United Kingdom/France)
Tim Etchells/Bert & Nasi (January 25th and 26th, 2025)
Presented with Alliance Française Vancouver, this comedic, introspective performance consisted of a single scene that started with a waiter pouring a drink for a customer. The show ran at the Alliance Française Vancouver building at 6161 Cambie Street on January 25th and 26th. The performances were at 7:30 pm and tickets cost $39.
Click L’addition to learn more about this event.
Habitat (Uruguay/Tiohtià:ke Moonniyang)
Petrikor Danse (January 28th and 29th, 2025, plus online on other dates)
An abstract, soundscape-filled dance production, Habitat was inspired by the ability of hermit crabs to make new homes out of any objects they fancy.
This event was held at the Scotiabank Dance Centre at 677 Davie Street. Tickets cost $39 and it ran at 7:00 pm on January 28th and 29th. The show was also available to watch online from January 29th to February 9th.
Click Habitat for full details.
Bijuriya (Canada)
Gabriel Dharmoo (January 28th and 29th, 2025, plus a free event on February 1st, 2025)
Dharmoo is of South Asian descent and uses his drag persona Bijuriya as a way to champion his culture. His shows on January 28th and 29th included Bollywood tracks, original songs and more. The show ran at the Annex at 823 Seymour Street, beginning at 7:30 pm on both nights. Tickets cost $49.
Click Bijuriya to learn more about this event.
In addition to the above, there was also a free workshop at The Post at 750 on Saturday, February 1st. Click Slow Social: Around Sound (and Music and Drag) for details about it.
See the official PuSh Festival website for tickets and full details about the performances.
BLEU NÉON (Canada)
Châu Kim-Sanh/MIDLAND (January 28th and 29th, 2025)
A show that featured choreography, music and rap from Vietnamese-Canadian artist Châu Kim-Sanh. The performances took place at 8:30 pm on January 28th and 29th at Left of Main, located at 211 Keefer Street. Tickets are $39.
Click Sound of the Beast for full details
Note: Kim-Sanh also ran a free event called Vietnamese Rap Concert for Babies along with Chittakone Baccam on January 29th. It takes place at 2:00 pm at the Roundhouse Community Centre.
SWIM (Canada)
Theatre Conspiracy/Pandemic Theatre (January 30th and February 1st and 2nd, 2025)
An immersive, primarily audio experience set up at the Vancity Culture Lab at 1895 Venables Street. Audience members imagined the immense challenge of swimming eight kilometres from Turkey to the Greek island of Samos, which many refugees do to seek asylum in Europe.
The experience ran from January 30th to February 2nd at different times each day. Tickets cost $39 and those in the audience were in the dark for the majority of the production.
Click SWIM to learn more about this event.
Lasa Ng Imperyo (Canada)
rice & beans theatre (January 30th and 31st and February 4th, 5th, 6th and 8th, 2025)
An adaptation of the play A Taste of Empire, this show was presented in Tagalog accompanied by English subtitles. The live cooking demonstration of a Filipino stuffed milkfish dish included an exploration of culture and the global food market.
The performances were on January 30th and 31st, February 4th to 6th and February 8th, and cost $39 to attend. They took place at The Nest, located at 1398 Cartwright Street on Granville Island.
Click Lasa Ng Imperyo to learn more about this event.
The Goldberg Variations (Canada/United Kingdom)
Clayton Lee (January 30th, 2025)
A highly personal performance, Lee took his audience on a journey through his own queer sexual awakening and discovery. There was just a single performance on January 30th at 9:00 pm. It was at Granville Island’s Waterfront Theatre at 1412 Cartwright Street, and tickets cost $39.
Click The Goldberg Variations for full details.
See the official PuSh Festival website for tickets and full details about the performances.
De glace (From Ice) (Canada)
L’eau du bain (January 31st, 2025)
Inspired by Nordic literature, this dream-like production told the story of two young girls who were bound by some sort of otherworldly connection to each other.
The show took place at the Roundhouse Community Centre at 181 Roundhouse Mews from January 31st to February 2nd. There were performances at 7:30 pm on each night and also at 2:00 pm on the two February dates. The show on the 31st as well as at 2:00 pm on the 2nd was in French and the other three shows were in English. Tickets for all five cost $38.
Click De glace for full details.
BOGOTÁ (Canada)
Andrea Peña & Artists (January 31st and February 1st, 2025)
This was a highly physical, choreographed dance performance that represented the political and spiritual history of Colombia. It featured nine performers who create brutalist imagery.
The event was at the Vancouver Playhouse, located at 600 Hamilton Street. Admission was $39 and the performances were at 8:00 pm on January 31st and February 1st. This show sold out as of mid-January.
Click BOGOTÁ to learn more about this event.
SEEING DOUBLE – Walking at Night by Myself & K BODY AND MIND (Unceded Coast Salish Territories)
A Wake of Vultures (February 1st and 2nd, 2025, plus online on other dates)
Presented as a double feature, Walking at Night by Myself and K BODY AND MIND were two separate shows that intended to replicate the feeling of watching a spooky late-night double feature in the movie theatre or on TV at home. Both theatrical productions, the former was a psychological horror and the latter was a dystopian sci-fi tale.
There were two double features. The first was on February 1st at 7:00 pm and 8:30 pm. On February 2nd the times were 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm. Tickets for just one of the shows cost $39, while seeing both on the same night cost $58.50. K BODY AND MIND was also available to watch online from February 1st to 9th, but Walking at Night by Myself was not. The in-person screenings happened at the Scotiabank Dance Centre at 677 Davie Street.
Click Walking at Night by Myself or K BODY AND MIND for full details.
Dune Wars Kiki Ball (Canada)
Van Vogue Jam (February 2nd, 2025)
A Dune and Star Wars themed ball that happened on February 2nd at The Birdhouse, located at 44 West 4th Avenue. A celebration of queer, trans and BIPOC expression, the event featured a runway and plenty of music and dance.
Admission was $20 when purchased in advance or $30 at the door. The event ran from 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm and there were re-entry privileges for anyone who wanted to step outside for a bit.
Click Dune Wars Kiki Ball to learn more about this event.
Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun and The Rite of Spring (Canada)
Compagnie Marie Chouinard (February 3rd, 2025)
This show was composed of back-to-back ballet pieces, both choreographed by Marie Chouinard. They took place at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre, located at 9201 Courbould Street, Chilliwack.
The show happened on February 3rd at 7:30 pm. Tickets cost $49.
Click Marie Chouinard for more details.
Dances for a Small Stage (Canada)
Julie-anne Saroyan (February 4th and 5th, 2025)
A collection of 12 dance pieces that ranged from ballet to jazz, flamenco, musical theatre and more. They were all less than 10 minutes long and performed in a smaller, more intimate venue.
The show happened on February 4th and 5th at Please! Beverage Co at 222 West 5th Avenue. They began at 6:30 pm and tickets cost $31.
Click Dances for a Small Stage for full details.
Born in Flames (United States)
Lizzie Borden (February 6th, 2025)
A screening of the 1983 docufiction film Born in Flames, followed by a Q&A with director and producer Lizzie Borden. The film played at the SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts (located at 149 West Hastings Street) at 6:00 pm on February 6th. Tickets to the screening and Q&A cost just $10.
Click Born in Flames to learn more about this event.
Dimanche (Belgium)
Focus & Chaliwaté Companies (February 6th, 7th and 8th, 2025)
The story of a family who continues about their daily routines despite the clear collapse of the world around them, convinced that everything will return to normal at some point soon.
The performances ran at 7:30 pm on February 6th, 7th and 8th at the Vancouver Playhouse at 600 Hamilton Street. Tickets started at $25.
Click Dimanche for full details.
See the official PuSh Festival website for tickets and full details about the performances.
Transpofagic Manifesto (Brazil)
Renata Carvalho (February 7th and 8th, 2025)
Carvalho is a human rights activist who created this show to challenge stereotypes surrounding gender diversity. A trans woman, she puts forward her experiences to her audience.
The shows began at 8:00 pm on February 7th and then at 7:00 pm on February 8th, at the Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island. Admission was $39.
Click Transpofagic Manifesto to learn more about this event.
Inner Sublimity (Canada/Taiwan United Kingdom)
Chimerik (February 7th, 8th and 9th, 2025)
A dance performance that incorporated elements of both Western and Eastern philosophy. It began with a meditation ritual and a poem, and then included multimedia elements like visual projections.
The shows took place from February 7th to 9th at the Vancouver Art Gallery. The venue is located at 750 Hornby Street. Tickets were $39.
Click Inner Sublimity for full details.
OUT (United Kingdom)
Ray Young (February 8th and 9th, 2025)
A queer-focused dance and theatrical performance at Performance Works (1218 Cartwright Street on Granville Island). OUT was set in a nightclub where two performers worked through a night of flirting and intimacy.
The production showed at 9:00 pm on February 8th and at 5:00 pm on February 9th. Tickets cost $39.
Click OUT to learn more details about this event.
Renata Carvalho Film Marathon (Brazil)
Renata Carvalho (February 9th, 2025)
Taking place on the final day of the festival, this free marathon film screening featured a series of movies that each featured Renata Carvalho. Carvalho herself hosted an audience talkback about her film Body Your Autobiography, and focused on queer representation and homophobic and transphobic oppression in Brazil.
The screenings happened at the SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts from noon until 7:30 pm on February 9th.
Click Renata Carvalho Film Marathon for full details.
See the official PuSh Festival website for tickets and full details about the performances.
Club PuSh
On top of the above shows, festival goers could spend time at Club PuSh. Held at the Fox Cabaret on January 29th, 2025, this venue was home to a casual party for those who wanted to enjoy some drag, dance and bumping music in a fun atmosphere.
Admission to Club PuSh is free for PuSh Pass holders. You can still enter if you didn’t go to any other PuSh shows, but it costs $10 at the door.
Click Club PuSh in 2025 to learn more about the above two events.
Tips & Advice
Below are some suggestions to help you make the most of your experience at the PuSh Festival.
TIP #1: Book your PuSh Pass early, before they sell out.
TIP #2: Arrive at your show well before start time. In all but a few cases, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
TIP #3: The Dine Out Vancouver Festival conveniently runs during similar dates as the PuSh Festival most years. Combine your night out for a show with a fabulous and affordably-priced three-course dinner. Click Downtown Dine Out Venues for a list of some of the best festival restaurants in Vancouver’s downtown core, or Dine Out Vancouver for a list of some of the top participating restaurants in the Lower Mainland.
See the official PuSh Festival website for tickets and full details about the various shows.
2025 PuSh Festival Trailer Video
To give you a rough idea of what to expect at the festival, check out the following 2025 trailer video.
About the PuSh Festival
The PuSh Festival has grown to become a signature performing arts festival in Vancouver since its humble beginnings in 2003.
Today the mission of the organization is to “engage and enrich audiences with adventurous contemporary works in a spirit of innovation and dialogue.” The festival showcases local, Canadian and international contemporary artists and performances, and it works in partnership with other organizations to develop new and ground-breaking artistic work.
According to the festival’s website, the organization values “transformative experiences, risk-taking, respectful collaboration and dialogue, … inspiration, innovation, and diversity in arts and peoples.” Consequently, you can expect shows that are amazing, unique, cross-cultural and both traditional and different.
Other Information
See the PuSh Festival website to learn about the series of performances.
Click Vancouver Festivals & Events Calendar for a list of other major Lower Mainland festivals throughout the year.
Check out any of the following for ideas on other things to do this time of year:
- January Calendar of Events
- February Calendar of Events
- Vancouver Winter Activities
- Lower Mainland Rainy Day Activities
- Vancouver Shows & Entertainment
