Home Christmas Events Vancouver Christmas Concerts

Vancouver Christmas Concerts

November 20, 2017

Lots of festive holiday Christmas concerts by area choirs and orchestras take place in December each year in Metro Vancouver.

The following choirs performed in the 2021 holiday season:

Choirs that might or might not have performed this season include the following:

Yule Duel | VOC Gospel Choir | Vancouver Oratorio Choir | Singing Christmas Tree

Concerts in Vancouver in December 2021

Some of the region’s favourite holiday performances include concerts by the Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir, VOC Sweet Soul Gospel Choir, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Chamber Choir, Chor Leoni, Vancouver Bach Choir, Vancouver Oratorio Choir, Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir and the Marcus Mosley Chorale.

Christmas Concerts in 2021

Choirs in this section are scheduled to perform over the holiday season in 2021. Details about each performance are also included below and are accurate as of mid-November.

Schedules are subject to change so check concert websites for the most up-to-date information. Also, there are numerous Christmas concerts at schools and churches throughout Metro Vancouver. Keep your eyes out for events close to your neighbourhood too.

Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir Concerts

Returning with in-person concerts for the first time since 2019, the Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir performs at the following places and dates in 2021:

December 5th, 2021 – Sing We Now of Christmas (with Winter Harp) at New Westminster’s Massey Theatre at 2:30 pm. The venue’s address is 735 Eighth Avenue.
December 7th, 2021 – Sing We Now of Christmas at the Surrey Arts Centre at 7:30 pm. This venue’s address is 13750 88th Avenue (which is right beside Bear Creek Park). (Note: As of the third weekend of November, this concert was almost already sold out!)
December 13th, 2021 – Sing We Now of Christmas (with the South Delta Secondary School Choir) at South Delta Baptist Church at 7:30 pm. The church’s address is 1988 56th Street.
December 16th, 2021 – Sing We Now of Christmas (with Argyle Secondary School Choirs) at Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver at 7:30 pm. Centennial Theatre is located at 2300 Lonsdale Avenue (so just below the Trans-Canada Highway).

(Note: Concert dates and other details are subject to change.)

Click Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir for more information about the group.

Vancouver Symphony Concerts

The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra performs its annual Traditional Christmas series of Christmas concerts at various venues throughout the Lower Mainland. This event didn’t take place in 2020. However, the Christmas-themed concerts are happening again in 2021! This year’s schedule is listed below.

(Note: Concert dates and other details are subject to change.)

Wednesday, December 1st, 2021 – at 4:00 and 7:30 pm at Centennial Theatre at 2300 Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver.
Thursday, December 2nd, 2021 – at 7:30 pm at the Bell Performing Arts Centre at 6250 144th Street in Surrey.
Friday, December 3rd, 2021 – at 4:00 and 7:30 pm at the Kay Meek Centre at 1700 Mathers Avenue in West Vancouver.
Saturday, December 4th, 2021 – at 4:00 pm at the Massey Theatre located at 735 8th Avenue in New Westminster.
Saturday, December 18th, 2021 – at 4:00 and 7:30 pm at the Orpheum Theatre at 601 Smithe Street in Vancouver.

Click Vancouver Symphony Concerts for more details.

Vancouver Chamber Choir Concerts

After not performing during the 2020 holiday season due to COVID-19, the Vancouver Chamber Choir is back in December of 2021! Information about this year’s holiday concert is below.

Friday, December 17th, 2021 – WASSAIL concert with new and classic holiday carols at the Pacific Spirit United Church at 2205 West 45th Avenue in Vancouver.

(Note: Concert date and other details are subject to change.)

The holiday concert will be recorded and released on the choir’s new digital platform as well.

Click Vancouver Chamber Choir for more details about the ensemble and for concerts at other times of the year.

Chor Leoni Choir — Chor Leoni Men’s Choir

Chor Leoni Concerts

The live in-person Chor Leoni men’s choir concerts didn’t take place in 2020. However, three concerts take place in December 2021 in downtown Vancouver!

The following concerts are happening at St. Andrew’s Wesley United Church at 1022 Nelson Street in Vancouver:

(Note: Concert dates and other details are subject to change.)

Friday, December 17th, 2021 – Christmas with Chor Leoni at 8:00 pm.
Saturday, December 18th, 2021 – Christmas with Chor Leoni at 2:00, 5:00 and 8:00 pm.
Monday, December 20th, 2021 – Christmas with Chor Leoni at 4:30 and 8:00 pm.

Click Chor Leoni Choir for more information.

Vancouver Bach Choir Concerts

Live in-person Christmas season concerts for the Vancouver Bach Choir didn’t happen in 2020 due to COVID-19. In 2021, the Vancouver Bach Choir performs at the following place and time:

(Note: Concert date and details are subject to change.)

Tuesday, November 30th, 2021 – Britten’s Saint Nicolas at 7:30 pm at the Orpheum at 601 Smithe Street in Vancouver. The concert features the Vancouver Bach Choir and Children’s Choirs, along with the VSO School of Music Sinfonietta and more.

Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir

The Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir is the choir in residence at Christ Church Anglican Cathedral in downtown Vancouver. The choir didn’t perform live during the 2020 Christmas season due to the coronavirus pandemic. Fortunately, they are performing again in 2021!

The group performs over the Christmas season at the following venues and times in 2021:

Friday, December 10th, 2021 – Good Tidings! A Good Noise Gospel Christmas at 8:00 pm at Christ Church Cathedral at 690 Burrard Street in Vancouver.
Saturday, December 11th, 2021 – Good Tidings! A Good Noise Gospel Christmas at 3:00 and 8:00 pm at Christ Church Cathedral at 690 Burrard Street in Vancouver.

For more information see the Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir website.

The Marcus Mosley Chorale

The Marcus Mosley Chorale is a choir with over 60 members. Due to COVID-19 restrictions regarding large gatherings the Marcus Mosley Chorale wasn’t able to perform live during the 2020 Christmas season.

However, the choir is set to perform in December of 2021 once again! This year’s holiday performance is as follows:

Saturday, December 11th, 2021 – a Peace on Earth concert at Central Presbyterian Church at 1155 Thurlow Street in Vancouver from 2:30 to 4:45 pm.

For more information, visit the Marcus Mosley Chorale website.

Winter Harp Concerts

Winter Harp is an amazing Christmas tradition with concerts that feature golden string instruments and others, beautiful velvet gowns, and backdrops of cathedral scenes and snow.

There were no in-person Winter Harp performances last year due to COVID-19. However, Winter Harp hosts in-person concerts once again in December of 2021.

Christmas concerts include the following dates and locations:

Sunday, December 5th, 2021 – in New Westminster at the Massey Theatre at 2:30 pm.
Tuesday, December 14th, 2021 – in the Chilliwack Cultural Centre at 7:30 pm.
Saturday, December 18th, 2021 – in Maple Ridge at the ACT Arts Centre (with performances at both 3:00 and 7:00 pm).
Sunday, December 19th, 2021 – in North Vancouver at the BlueShore Financial Centre for the Performing Arts (with shows at both 3:00 and 7:00 pm).
Tuesday, December 21st, 2021 – in Vancouver at St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church at 7:30 pm.

For details and tickets click Winter Harp Concerts.

Other Christmas Concerts

Choirs listed below performed in normal years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of them may return over the 2021 holiday season, but as of mid-November, nothing appears to be scheduled just yet. Be sure to check concert websites for the latest information.

Yuel Duel Crowds in Gastown — Yule Duel in Gastown

Yule Duel and Robson Square Concerts

Prior to listing the concert dates and details for some of Vancouver’s top choirs and musical groups, it’s important to point out that on a Thursday evening in early December Vancouver’s Yule Duel: Caroling for a Cause event takes place. During this impressive fundraising event dozens of the Lower Mainland’s top choirs perform. Don’t miss it!

In 2019 Yule Duel: Caroling for a Cause was on Thursday, December 5th. (Note: Unlike in previous years, in 2019 Yule Duel took place in the plaza outside the Vancouver Art Gallery, so not in Gastown.) Yule Duel didn’t take place in 2020 due to the spread of the coronavirus. Hopefully it will happen again in 2021, although exact details are to be confirmed.

Also, most years, for a dozen or so days in mid-December, plus on New Year’s Eve, free concerts take place at Robson Square. The performances are usually in the evenings from around 6:00 until 9:00 pm, as well as on the weekends in the afternoons.

Robson Square concert performers in recent years have included local favourites like Warren Dean Flandez, The Showstoppers, Rumba Calzada and others. Click Robson Square Ice Skating for more information.

VOC Gospel Choir — VOC Sweet Soul Gospel Choir at Grouse Mountain

VOC Sweet Soul Gospel Choir

The VOC Sweet Soul Gospel Choir is an exceptional choir with over 100 members that’s led by the charismatic Checo Tohomaso. The choir probably didn’t perform last Christmas season due to the spread of the coronavirus. 2021 details are to be confirmed.

They usually perform at various venues throughout the year, but their main Christmas concert in 2019 was the following:

Saturday, December 21st, 2019 – a Sweet Soul Gospel Celebration takes place at Shaughnessy Heights United Church at 1550 West 33rd Avenue on Saturday, December 21st, 2019. Tickets were available at the door beginning at around 6:45 pm and the show started at 7:30. Tickets were $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, $10 for youth (ages 10-15) and free for children ages 9 and under.

In addition to the above major concert, the VOC Sweet Soul Gospel Choir also performs most years at Grouse Mountain during the Peak of Christmas some Sunday afternoons in the chalet. The concerts at the ski hill are free with general admission to the ski hill.

Vancouver Oratorio Choir Concerts

The Vancouver Oratorio Choir is a group of close to 90 Christian vocalists and musicians. In 2019 they had two Christmas concerts and both were free! The concerts didn’t take place in 2020 due to COVID-19 and the restrictions around large gatherings. In-person concerts are unlikely to return in 2021 either, although exact details are to be confirmed.

For an idea of what to expect in future years, the following concerts took place in 2019:

Sunday, November 24th, 2019 – My Soul Magnifies the Lord at 7:30 pm with guest performers from the Church at 19twenty Church at 1920 Argyle Drive in Vancouver. Free!
Sunday, December 8th, 2019 – My Soul Magnifies the Lord at 7:30 pm with the VOS Chorus & Chamber Orchestra at Fraserview Mennonite Brethren Church at 11295 Mellis Drive in Richmond. Free!

See the Vancouver Oratorio Choir website for more information.

The Singing Christmas Tree Concerts

The Singing Christmas Tree is an annual event that’s been taking place for 52 years as of 2019. It features around 10 concerts that include choir, vocal ensemble, orchestra, dancing and acrobatic performances at Broadway Church at 2700 East Broadway in Vancouver.

2019 shows ran on Friday December 6th and 13th at 7:30 pm, and on the Saturdays and Sundays of December 7th & 8th and 14th & 15th at both 3:00 and 7:00 pm. This event didn’t take place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying restrictions placed on large gatherings. 2021 dates and details are to be confirmed.

Admission to the concerts is usually FREE (or by donation) and tickets are available online. The event sells out though, and tickets are oversold, so even if you have a ticket be sure to arrive at least an hour early. Also, seating is not reserved but on a first-come first-served basis.

For more details check out the Singing Christmas Tree website.