Heron Light Display in Coal Harbour

Vancouver’s Liven UP features illuminations and performances along the Coal Harbour Seawall during the Christmas season in December.

There are light displays to admire throughout the month and special events with live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays.

TIP: While in the neighbourhood, be sure to also check out the Vancouver Christmas Market (which runs until December 24th) as well as the Soar With Santa multidimensional film at FlyOver Canada. Both are nearby, close to the Vancouver Convention, in the Coal Harbour area. Other major events elsewhere in the City of Vancouver are the PNE Winter Fair, Bright Nights at Stanley Park and the Festival of Lights at VanDusen Garden. Goh Ballet’s The Nutcracker is also at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre around the middle of December.

Liven UP at Coal Harbour in Vancouver

Liven UP is a month-long event in the beautiful district of Coal Harbour. It runs throughout December and includes a variety of things to see and do. Family-friendly activities happen along the Coal Harbour Seawall, between Cardero Park (in front of the Westin Bayshore Hotel) and Canada Place.

There are several light installations set up for the full 30 days of the event. They provide great photo opportunities. They also make the area feel festive for the Christmas season. Plus, on Fridays and Saturdays, there’s free live entertainment at various sites along the seawall.

One of the main spots for live music is the stage at Harbour Green Park (which is just west of the Vancouver Convention Centre, not far from the Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel). At the same location is a bar serving both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Liven UP Coal Harbour is kind of similar to Lumiere which takes place in a few different places, including Vancouver’s West End, in November. You might even recognize one or two of the light sculptures.

To learn about the Liven UP light installations and live entertainment in December, continue reading below.

Light Installations

The light installations are up to admire daily from early December until end of the month. Provided by MK Illumination, the structures are quite large and easy to spot from a distance. Keep an eye out for a light tunnel, as well as bright letters and animals. There are light installations shaped like a bear, squirrel, whale, and more. The words LOVE and VANCOUVER are also set up.

Installations last year could be found at the following locations. We expect these locations to feature again in December, 2024:

Canada Place Plaza
Cardero Park
Harbour Green Park
Jack Poole Plaza
LightShed

For an interactive map including all the light installations and their exact locations, see the Liven UP Map.

Liven UP Entertainment

Live entertainment is a big component of Liven UP. There are multiple performances to enjoy on Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the event.

For starters, there are storytelling sessions and walks at the Komagata Maru Memorial. Cardero Park is where you’ll see opera performances and Christmas carolling. Fire performances by the Ember Arts Fire Society happen outside Canada Place as well.

Live music runs on a stage at Harbour Green Park each Friday and Saturday. The performances are accompanied by a drinks bar in a big tent. There’s beer, wine, coffee, tea and hot chocolate available for purchase.

Liven Up Tent at Harbour Green Park — Liven UP tent at Harbour Green Park

Entertainment Schedule

The entertainment schedule for most of last year’s Liven UP event is listed below. Exact details, however, were subject to change.

Friday, December 8th, 2023

5:30 pm: Magee All Stars Jazz Combo (Harbour Green Park)
6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
6:30 pm: Walks and Talks with Alasdair Butcher (Komagata Maru Memorial)
6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
7:00 pm: Magee All Stars Big Band (Harbour Green Park)
7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
8:30 pm: School of Rock (Harbour Green Park)

Saturday, December 9th, 2023

5:15 pm: The Angelus Singers (Canada Place Plaza)
5:30 pm: Storytelling with Ginalina (Komagata Maru Memorial)
6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
6:15 pm: The Angelus Singers (Canada Place Plaza)
6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
6:45 pm: Storytelling with Ginalina (Komagata Maru Memorial)
7:00 pm: Jess Vaira (Harbour Green Park)
7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
8:30 pm: Krystle Dos Santos Trio (Harbour Green Park)

Friday, December 15th, 2023

6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
6:30 pm: Walks and Talks with Alasdair Butcher (Komagata Maru Memorial)
6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
7:00 pm: Salish All Stars Big Band (Harbour Green Park)
7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
8:30 pm: Parlour Panther (Harbour Green Park)

Saturday, December 16th, 2023

5:15 pm: Four Calling Birds (Canada Place Plaza)
5:30 pm: Storytelling with Naomi Steinberg (Komagata Maru Memorial)
6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
6:15 pm: Four Calling Birds (Canada Place Plaza)
6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
6:45 pm: Storytelling with Naomi Steinberg (Komagata Maru Memorial)
7:00 pm: Hatim Hanafi (Harbour Green Park)
7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
8:30 pm: Laura Crema (Harbour Green Park)

Friday, December 22nd, 2023

5:30 pm: Storytelling with Carolyn Nakagawa (Komagata Maru Memorial)
6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
6:30 pm: Walks and Talks with Alasdair Butcher (Komagata Maru Memorial)
6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
6:45 pm: Storytelling with Carolyn Nakagawa (Komagata Maru Memorial)
7:00 pm: Holy Cross All Stars Big Band (Harbour Green Park)
7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
8:30 pm: School of Rock (Harbour Green Park)

Saturday, December 23rd, 2023

5:15 pm: Four Calling Birds (Canada Place Plaza)
5:30 pm: Ginalina Holiday Trio (Harbour Green Park)
5:30 pm: Storytelling with Naomi Steinberg (Komagata Maru Memorial)
6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
6:15 pm: Four Calling Birds (Canada Place Plaza)
6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
6:45 pm: Storytelling with Naomi Steinberg (Komagata Maru Memorial)
7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
7:00 pm: Keisha (Harbour Green Park)
7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
8:30 pm: Kristin Fung (Harbour Green Park)

Friday, December 29th, 2023

6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
6:30 pm: Walks and Talks with Alasdair Butcher (Komagata Maru Memorial)
6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
7:00 pm: Eric Hamber All Stars (Harbour Green Park)
7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
8:30 pm: BUNGALOW (Harbour Green Park)

Saturday, December 30th, 2023

5:30 pm: Storytelling with Naomi Steinberg (Komagata Maru Memorial)
6:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
6:30 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
6:45 pm: Storytelling with Naomi Steinberg (Komagata Maru Memorial)
7:00 pm: Ian x Ben (Harbour Green Park)
7:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
7:45 pm: Winter Serenade: Opera and Holiday Classics (Cardero Park)
8:00 pm: Ember Arts Fire Society (Canada Place Plaza)
8:30 pm: Mary Ancheta Quartet (Harbour Green Park)

TIP: There are lots of great restaurants in the region, including the P2B Bistro at the Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel and both the H2 Tasting Lounge and H2 Kitchen at the Westin Bayshore Hotel.