Home Vancouver Events Calendar Festivals and Events in Vancouver in 2025 Vancouver PuSh Festival in 2025

Vancouver PuSh Festival in 2025

PuSh Festival

The PuSh Festival is a performing arts festival that showcases local, Canadian and international artists at Vancouver theatres in January and February.

In 2025 the festival runs from January 23rd until February 9th.

To see what shows in 2025 in this article, click PuSh Lineup, or visit the Vancouver PuSh Festival‘s official website.

(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


 

2025 PuSh Festival

 

PuSh International Performing Arts Festival

Celebrating its 20th season in 2025, the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival features around two dozen 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 in 2025 start at just $15 for some shows. Others cost around $40 to $50. To purchase tickets, visit the pushfestival.ca website or call the PuSh Festival Audience Services info line at 604-449-6000.

 

Lasa Ng Imperyo Photo by Emily Cooper
Lasa Ng Imperyo Photo by Emily Cooper

 

PuSh Festival Dates

In 2025, the PuSh Festival starts on Thursday, January 23rd and then runs until Sunday, February 9th. The only date during the run of the festival where there aren’t any shows on is Monday, January 27th. There are usually multiple productions in action on any given day.

 

2025 Festival

In 2025 the festival features 25 different works from 13 countries. On top of that, there are also 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.

 


For tickets and full details about the performances, see the official PuSh Festival website.


 

Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island

 

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 range from about $15 to $39 per ticket. There are also a couple free events.

To purchase tickets for the 2025 season, visit the pushfestival.ca website or call 604-449-6000.

 

PuSh Passes

In 2025 PuSh Passes come in either four or six-show packages. A four-show pass costs $120 and a six-show pass costs $165. That means you can save up to 25% when buying one of those passes! All passes also include 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 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.

 


For tickets and full details about the performances, see the official PuSh Festival website.


 

Vancouver Push Festival

 

PuSh Festival Shows

The PuSh Performing Arts Festival features around two dozen productions of all kinds. Some events are free, but most 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 are subject to change. See the official PuSh Festival website for the most up-to-date schedule of events.)

 

Opening Party

At the Fox Cabaret (Jan. 23, 2025)

The Opening Party for the PuSh Festival in 2025 takes place on Thursday, January 23rd, at the Fox Cabaret at 2321 Main Street. Admission is free. The night features music ranging from Turkish funk to Bollywood disco, R&B house and Afro beats with DJ Dovecake.

To learn more about this event, click 2025 Opening Party.

 

The History of Korean Western Theatre (South Korea / Belgium)

Jaha Koo / CAMPO (Jan. 23 & 24, 2025)

Jaha Koo returns to the PuSh Festival for the third time, with a documentary theatre production. His show explores how Western imperialism has shaped Korean theatre culture and by extension the culture of Korea as a whole.

The production takes the stage at the Roundhouse Community Centre at 181 Roundhouse Mews in Vancouver. It runs on January 23rd and 24th. The performances are at 7:30 pm on both nights and tickets cost $39.

To learn more about this event click The History of Korean Western Theatre.

 

All That Remains (Denmark / Italy)

Mirko Guido (Jan. 23 & 24, 2025)

A dance production set in a desolate environment. There are multimedia elements and an emphasis on sound and how it intersects with physical performance.

The show takes place at the SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts at 149 West Hastings Street. Shows start at 7:30 pm on January 23rd and 24th with tickets costing $39.

For full details click All That Remains.

 

Géométrie de vies (Democratic Republic of Congo)

Collectif d’Art d’Art / STUDIOS KABAKO (Jan. 25 & 26, 2025, plus online on other dates)

This show is a narrative poem whose performance is accompanied by song, dance and other theatrical elements. It tells the story of two young people trying to make their way through hardships in the Congo.

There are live performances on January 25th and 26th at Performance Works on Granville Island (located at 1218 Cartwright Street). Tickets cost $39. The show is also available to watch online from January 25th to February 9th.

For more click Géométrie de vies.

 

Performance Works at Granville Island
Performance Works at Granville Island

 

L’addition (United Kingdom / France)

Tim Etchells / Bert & Nasi (Jan. 25 & 26, 2025)

Presented with Alliance Française Vancouver, this comedic, introspective performance consists of a single scene that starts with a waiter pouring a drink for a customer. The show runs at the Alliance Française Vancouver building at 6161 Cambie Street on January 25th and 26th. The performances are at 7:30 pm and tickets are $39.

To learn more about this event click L’addition.

 

Habitat (Uruguay / Tiohtià:ke Moonniyang)

Petrikor Danse (Jan. 28 & 29, 2025, plus online on other dates)

An abstract, soundscape-filled dance production, Habitat is inspired by the ability of hermit crabs to make new homes out of any objects they fancy.

This event is held at the Scotiabank Dance Centre at 677 Davie Street. Tickets cost $39 and it runs at 7:00 pm on January 28th and 29th. The show is also available to watch online from January 29th to February 9th.

For full details click Habitat.

 

Bijuriya (Canada)

Gabriel Dharmoo (Jan. 28 & 29, 2025, plus a free event on Feb. 1, 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 include Bollywood tracks, original songs and more. The show runs at the Annex at 823 Seymour Street, beginning at 7:30 pm on both nights. Tickets cost $49.

To learn more about this event click Bijuriya.

In addition to the above, there is also a free workshop at The Post at 750 on Saturday, February 1st. For details about it, click Slow Social: Around Sound (and Music and Drag).

 


For tickets and full details about the performances, see the official PuSh Festival website.


 

PLI. Papier-Travail (c) Domitille Martin - Lucie Brosset
(PLI. Papier-Travail (c) Domitille Martin – Lucie Brosset)

 

BLEU NÉON (Canada)

Châu Kim-Sanh / MIDLAND (Jan. 28 & 29, 2025)

A show that features choreography, music and rap from Vietnamese-Canadian artist Châu Kim-Sanh. The performances take place at 8:30 pm on January 28th and 29th at Left of Main, located at 211 Keefer Street. Tickets are $39.

For full details click Sound of the Beast.

Note: Kim-Sanh also runs a free event called Vietnamese Rap Concert for Babies along with Chittakone Baccam on January 29th. It takes place at 2:00 at the Roundhouse Community Centre.

 

SWIM (Canada)

Theatre Conspiracy / Pandemic Theatre (Jan. 30 & Feb. 1 & 2, 2025)

An immersive, primarily audio experience set up at the Vancity Culture Lab at 1895 Venables Street. Audience members imagine  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 runs from January 30th to February 2nd at different times each day. Tickets cost $39 and those in the audience are in the dark for the majority of the production.

To learn more about this event click SWIM.

 

Lasa Ng Imperyo (Canada)

rice & beans theatre (Jan. 30 & 31 and Feb. 4, 5, 6 & 8, 2025)

An adaptation of the play A Taste of Empire, this show is presented in Tagalog accompanied by English subtitles. The live cooking demonstration of a Filipino stuffed milkfish dish includes an exploration of culture and the global food market.

The performances are on January 30th & 31st, February 4th to 6th and February 8th, and cost $39 to attend. They take place at The Nest, located at 1398 Cartwright Street on Granville Island.

To learn more about this event click Lasa Ng Imperyo.

 

The Goldberg Variations (Canada / United Kingdom)

Clayton Lee (Jan. 30, 2025)

A highly personal performance, Lee takes his audience on a journey through his own queer sexual awakening and discovery. There is just a single performance on January 30th at 9:00 pm. It’s at Granville Island’s Waterfront Theatre at 1412 Cartwright Street, and tickets cost $39.

For full details click The Goldberg Variations.

 


For tickets and full details about the performances, see the official PuSh Festival website.


 

Vancouver PuSh Festival

 

De glace (From Ice) (Canada)

L’eau du bain (Jan. 31, 2025)

Inspired by Nordic literature, this dream-like production tells the story of two young girls who are bound by some sort of otherworldly connection to each other.

The show takes place at the Roundhouse Community Centre at 181 Roundhouse Mews from January 31st to February 2nd. There are 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 are in French and the other three shows are in English. Tickets for all five cost $38.

For full details click De glace.

 

BOGOTÁ (Canada)

Andrea Peña & Artists (Jan. 31 & Feb. 1, 2025)

This is a highly physical, choreographed dance performance that represents the political and spiritual history of Colombia. It features nine performers who create brutalist imagery.

The event is at the Vancouver Playhouse, located at 600 Hamilton Street. Admission is $39 and the performances are at 8:00 pm on January 31st and February 1st. This show is sold out as of mid-January.

To learn more about this event click BOGOTÁ.

 

SEEING DOUBLE –  Walking at Night by Myself & K BODY AND MIND (Unceded Coast Salish Territories)

A Wake of Vultures (Feb. 1 & 2, 2025, plus online on other dates)

Presented as a double feature, Walking at Night by Myself and K BODY AND MIND are two separate shows that intend 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 is a psychological horror and the latter is a dystopian sci-fi tale.

There are two double features. The first is on February 1st at 7:00 pm and 8:30 pm. On February 2nd the times are 7:00 pm and 9:00 pm. Tickets for just one of the shows cost $39, while seeing both on the same night costs $58.50. K BODY AND MIND is also available to watch online from February 1st to 9th, but Walking at Night by Myself is not. The in-person screenings happen at the Scotiabank Dance Centre at 677 Davie Street.

For full details click Walking at Night by Myself or K BODY AND MIND.

 

Van Vogue Jams Dune Wars at the PuSh Festival
Van Vogue Jams Dune Wars Photo By Simone Chnarakis

 

Dune Wars Kiki Ball (Canada)

Van Vogue Jam (Feb. 2, 2025)

Dune and Star Wars themed ball that happens on February 2nd at The Birdhouse, located at 44 West 4th Avenue. A celebration of queer, trans and BIPOC expression, the event features a runway and plenty of music and dance.

Admission is $20 when purchased in advance or $30 at the door. The event runs from 3:00 to 9:00 pm and there are re-entry privileges for anyone who needs to wants to step outside for a bit.

To learn more about this event click Dune Wars Kiki Ball.

 

Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun and The Rite of Spring (Canada)

Compagnie Marie Chouinard (Feb. 3, 2025)

This show is composed of back-to-back ballet pieces, both choreographed by Marie Chouinard. They take place at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre, located at 9201 Courbould Street, Chilliwack.

The show happens on February 3rd at 7:30 pm. Tickets cost $49.

For more click Marie Chouinard.

 

Dances for a Small Stage (Canada)

Julie-anne Saroyan (Feb. 4 & 5, 2025)

A collection of 12 dance pieces that range from ballet to jazz, flamenco, musical theatre and more. They’re all less than 10 minutes long and performed in a smaller, more intimate venue.

The show happens on February 4th and 5th at Please! Beverage Co at 222 West 5th Avenue. They begin at 6:30 pm and tickets cost $31 (although they’re sold out as of mid-January).

For full details click Dances for a Small Stage.

 

Vancouver PuSh Festival

 

Born in Flames (United States)

Lizzie Borden (Feb. 6, 2025)

A screening of the 1983 docufiction film Born in Flames, followed by a Q&A with director and producer Lizzie Borden. The film plays 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.

To learn more about this event click Born in Flames.

 

Dimanche (Belgium)

Focus & Chaliwaté Companies (Feb. 6, 7 & 8, 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 run at 7:30 pm on February 6th, 7th and 8th at the Vancouver Playhouse at 600 Hamilton Street. Tickets start at $25.

For full details click Dimanche.

 


For tickets and full details about the performances, see the official PuSh Festival website.


 

Dimanche Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic
Dimanche Photo by Mihaela Bodlovic

 

Transpofagic Manifesto (Brazil)

Renata Carvalho (Feb. 7 & 8, 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 begin at 8:00 pm on February 7th and then at 7:00 pm on February 8th, at the Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island. Admission is $39.

To learn more about this event click Transpofagic Manifesto.

 

Inner Sublimity (Canada / Taiwan / United Kingdom)

Chimerik (Feb. 7, 8 & 9, 2025)

A dance performance that incorporates elements of both Western and Eastern philosophy. It begins with a meditation ritual and a poem, and then includes multimedia elements like visual projections.

The shows takes place from February 7th to 9th at the Vancouver Art Gallery. The venue is located at 750 Hornby Street. Tickets are $39.

For full details click Inner Sublimity.

 

Transpofagic Manifesto at the PuSh Festival
Transpofagic Manifesto Photo by Danilo Galvão

 

OUT (United Kingdom)

Ray Young (Feb. 8 & 9, 2025)

A queer-focused dance and theatrical performance at Performance Works (1218 Cartwright Street on Granville Island). OUT is set in a nightclub where two performers work through a night of flirting and intimacy.

The production shows at 9:00 pm on February 8th and at 5:00 pm on February 9th. Tickets cost $39.

To learn more about this event click OUT.

 

Renata Carvalho Film Marathon (Brazil)

Renata Carvalho (Feb. 9, 2025)

Taking place on the final day of the festival, this free marathon film screening features a series of movies that each feature Renata Carvalho. Carvalho herself will host an audience talkback about her film Body Your Autobiography, focusing on queer representation and homophobic and transphobic oppression in Brazil.

The screenings happen at the SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts from noon until 7:30 pm on February 9th.

For full details click Renata Carvalho Film Marathon.

 


For tickets and full details about the performances, see the official PuSh Festival website.


 

Club PuSh

On top of the above shows, festival-enjoyers can spend time at Club PuSh. Held at the Fox Cabaret on January 29th, this venue is home to a casual party for those who want 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.

To learn more about the above two events click Club PuSh in 2025.

 

Club PuSh Performance in Vancouver
Club PuSh Photo by S Race

 

Tips & Advice

Below are some suggestions to help you make the most of your experience at the PuSh Festival in more normal years.

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.

 


For tickets and full details about the various shows, see the official PuSh Festival website.


 

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.

 

Vancouver PuSh Festival

 

Other Information

To learn more about the series of performances, see the PuSh Festival website.

For a list of other major Lower Mainland festivals throughout the year, click Vancouver Festivals & Events Calendar.

For ideas on other things to do this time of year, check out any of the following: