As October draws to a close, Vancouver shifts from the playful spirit of Halloween to a quieter, more reflective time leading up to Remembrance Day. The city’s streets, once filled with costumes and laughter, take on a calmer tone as people gather to honour those who served and sacrificed. Whether attending a ceremony, laying a wreath at a local memorial, or simply observing a moment of silence, it’s a season to remember the past and appreciate the peace we live in today.
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Wakey, Wakey
Now until Nov. 2
www.pacifictheatre.org/show/wakey-wakey
The Pacific Theatre is hosting a production of American playwright Will Eno’s Wakey, Wakey until Nov. 2. It’s a party for one, and the world is invited. Guy wakes in an empty room with nothing but a handful of flash cards to make sense of it all before the curtain falls. Eno’s gently disorienting meditation on life’s small joys and absurdities will lead you into the dark with a light touch and the hand of a friend. Check out the theatre’s website for tickets and more information.
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The Haunted Sea
Now until Nov. 2
www.gulfofgeorgiacannery.org/events/haunted-sea
Discover what lies beneath the waves in The Haunted Sea! Visit the seasonally spooky installation inside the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site happening now until Nov. 2. From the sandy shores to the deep sea, the coastal waters are full of life. The creatures that live in our waters are beautiful, but they can also be strange, unusual and unsettling before you get to know them. Suitable for families and children. Check out the Cannery’s website for more information.
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Myokine
Oct. 30–Nov. 1
www.firehallartscentre.ca/event/myokine
Myokine is inspired by molecules released by the muscles during physical effort, associated with the regeneration of body and mind. The piece explores the connection between movement, hope, urgency and resilience, while revealing how light and shadow respond to, oppose and nourish each other. In a world sometimes perceived as dark, the choreography draws luminous bursts that can only exist at the heart of darkness. The performers become architects, protectors and messengers of a vital breath, seeking and sharing moments of clarity that pierce the gloom. These “molecules of hope” embody the body’s and dance’s salvatory role in the face of our era’s upheavals. Movement becomes an outlet, a place to welcome our vulnerabilities and transform them into a shared strength. For tickets and more information, check out the Firehall Arts Centre website.
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Disney’s Frozen: The Broadway Musical
Oct. 30, 2025–Jan. 4, 2026
www.artsclub.com/shows/2025-2026/disneys-frozen
Experience the magic of the beloved animated movie live before your eyes! Revel in showstopping favourites such as “Let It Go,” “For the First Time in Forever” and “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and delight in enchanting new ones. Arendelle has been plunged into an eternal winter by the hidden powers of their new Queen Elsa. As the storm rages on, Princess Anna sets off to find her sister and reverse the cold. Joined by friends along the way, Anna and Elsa must learn to harness the power of true love in order to save the kingdom.
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TRILOGY
Nov. 6–8
www.balletbc.com/performance/trilogy
The Ballet BC season opens with TRILOGY at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, introducing a world premiere from an emerging voice, a poetic revival from the company’s artistic director, and the return of a worldwide hit featuring a monumental cast. Experience a new creation from Italian choreographer Sofia Nappi, Medhi Walerski’s SWAY and Shahar Binyamini’s 50-dancer BOLERO X. Please check out the Ballet BC website for tickets and more information.
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TRANSFORM Festival
Nov. 6–15
TRANSFORM Festival returns for its sixth year, featuring five nights of incredible performances all centrestage at the iconic Vancouver Playhouse! The 2025 festival continues to focus on empowering Indigenous artists and encouraging collaboration with non-Indigenous artists. Featuring local and international Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists in a variety of performance styles including theatre, music, drag, circus, comedy and everything in between. This year, their artists will be taking over the Playhouse for five explosive nights of bold, sexy and uncompromising performances that you won’t want to miss! Now, more than ever, this festival is a platform for IBPOC artists to self-determine the stories they share and how they want to share them with the world.
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Nan Goldin: Stendhal Syndrome
Nov. 6, 2025–April 12, 2026
www.vanartgallery.bc.ca/exhibitions/nan-goldin-stendhal-syndrome
Nan Goldin: Stendhal Syndrome explores the intimate and emotional force of Goldin’s photography through the moving-image format. Goldin is renowned for her slideshows, which were originally composed of 35mm slides on carousels set to music but are now presented as single-channel videos. Her moving-image works invite viewers to experience Goldin’s images not just as visual narratives, but as visceral encounters. Drawing on the metaphor of the Stendhal Syndrome – a psychosomatic condition of dizziness, confusion or even hallucinations triggered by exposure to intense beauty – Stendhal Syndrome (2024) juxtaposes Goldin’s photographs taken over the last twenty years of Classical, Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces with portraits of her friends, chosen family and lovers.
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Music on Main’s 2025 Modulus Festival
Nov. 7–10
www.musiconmain.ca/event/modulus-festival-2025
The internationally celebrated Modulus Festival returns with bold ideas, powerful stories and genre-defying music. Known as one of Canada’s most important new music events, this year’s biennial festival showcases groundbreaking performances, heartwarming storytelling and unexpected collaborations that push the boundaries of sound and experience. Be there when bold ideas, powerful stories and genre-defying music come alive. From high-energy concerts to intimate mixed-media installations, Modulus is your chance to discover future sounds, right here, right now. Check out the Music on Main’s website for festival scheduling and showtimes.
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Bear Creek Lights
Nov. 7–21
www.surrey.ca/news-events/events/bear-creek-lights
Join in on this fall tradition at Bear Creek Park! For over a decade this event has been a source of lasting memories for its visitors. Bear Creek Park is one of Surrey’s most vibrant parks. Hidden within it is one of the Lower Mainland’s finest year-round show gardens which sets the stage for Bear Creek Lights. See nature shine with a series of beautiful light displays that will dazzle you with illuminated natural landscapes, whimsically lit creatures and stunning photo opportunities. Enjoy the safe, accessible, family-friendly light display through the park’s one-kilometre garden walking loop. For free tickets, check out the City of Surrey’s website.
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The Songs Will Remain
Nov. 11, 2 & 5 p.m.
www.chorleoni.org/event/the-songs-will-remain
Join Chor Leoni for their 34th annual Remembrance Day Concerts, a moving experience that invites reflection, meditation and hope for a better world. This November 11, the soaring voices of Chor Leoni will ring out in the beautiful space at St. Andrew’s-Wesley United, honouring the fallen through a unique blend of classical, folk and pop music as well as evocative readings. Step into a thoughtful emotional space where tradition meets current perspectives, sorrow meets solace and remembrance opens the door to peace.
