🎄 Gingerbread Villages, Tree Lightings & Frozen on Stage

I know you’re not looking for a door-crasher deal today, you want a chill and interesting weekend, and that’s what we bring.

We sifted through 270+ events happening around Vancouver this week (I’ll send you the list another time) and picked only the best of the best so you don't have to.

Here's what made the cut:

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, North Vancouver

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park is transformed into a sparkling wonderland with millions of twinkling lights, festive treats, and family fun. Includes illuminated rainforest walk, cliffwalk, treetop bridges, and the new Wildlight 3D wildlife projection show.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Cloverdale Fairgrounds, Surrey

Surrey big new holiday festival at Cloverdale Fairgrounds featuring millions of lights, free rides, live entertainment, holiday characters, Santa visits, a Christmas market, and more. Kids 6 and under free.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Lafarge Lake, Town Centre Park, Coquitlam

Metro Vancouver largest free outdoor light display. Over 1 million lights sparkle around the 1.2 km Lafarge Lake loop, with multiple themed zones. Open nightly throughout the holiday season.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 North Plaza, Vancouver Art Gallery

Join the 19th annual lighting of Vancouver official Christmas tree at the Art Gallery plaza. Free family-friendly event with live music, entertainment, kid activities, free hot chocolate, and a visit from Santa.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Norman MacKenzie Square, Wesbrook Village (UBC), Vancouver

2nd annual open-air holiday market at UBC Wesbrook Village. Features local artisan vendors, festive lights, live music, and family activities. Opening night includes a tree lighting ceremony at 6 PM.

🕐 3:30 PM • 📍 Firehall Branch

Join the library for hands-on activities that engage children in science, technology, art, engineering, and math. This drop-in event is suitable for Grades K-7 and their adult companions.

🕐 3:30 PM • 📍 Firehall Branch

Connect with other kids and explore the excitement of engineering. For Grades K-7 and their accompanying adult. Drop-in.

🕐 5:00 PM • 📍 Central Library

Join us at the Central Library for a live performance by local artist Maria Gajraj, featuring experimental electronic music suitable for all ages. Happens every second Friday this winter.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Greater Vancouver Zoo, 5048 264 St, Aldergrove

Greater Vancouver Zoo first-ever holiday lights event: wander through illuminated trails of handmade lanterns, ride the Arctic Express train, and enjoy a festive marketplace. Runs nightly; free unlimited entry for zoo members.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 The Shipyards, North Vancouver

One-day festival to kick off holidays at The Shipyards. Enjoy seasonal decor, outdoor ice skating, live music and dance performances on the waterfront stage, holiday markets, and more. Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive by fire truck at 4 PM.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Edmonds Community Centre, 7433 Edmonds St, Burnaby

Community holiday celebration with free family activities. Inside: visit with Santa and kids holiday craft stations. Outside: entertainment, free hot chocolate, popcorn and hotdogs from firefighters. Mayor and one lucky child will light the big Edmonds tree at 5:15 PM.

🕐 10:12 AM • 📍 Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre

Join the one-day expo for all ages to explore the local video game scene. Families can enjoy game demos, browse vendors, and connect with fellow gaming enthusiasts.

🕐 10:12 AM • 📍 Canadian Memorial United Church

Experience a heartwarming charity Christmas concert featuring traditional Ukrainian songs performed by the Ukrainian authentic singing choir KOLO. Suitable for all ages. No knowledge of Ukrainian is needed to be moved.

🕐 10:12 AM • 📍 Kay Meek Arts Centre

Enjoy an evening of professional stand-up comedy featuring touring headliners and top Canadian comics at The Kay Meek Arts Centre. Suitable for ages 12 and up.

🕐 11:00 AM • 📍 Brighouse

If your youth is leaving you, or you're actually crafty and love this kind of stuff, this is your chance to learn how to crochet. Learn how to make a coaster using medium weight yarn, a 5 mm crochet hook, and basic crochet stitches - chain, single crochet, and many other things I have no idea what they mean. Register they're low on spots!

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Surrey Art Gallery (13750 88 Ave, Surrey)

All-ages afternoon of art and movement. Join an interactive dance performance by All Bodies Dance Project, then participate in artist-led art-making workshops that turn movement and energy into creative art. Drop-in event.

🕐 1:00 PM • 📍 Hastings Branch

This is a more flexible version of the crocheting event, and it's a drop-in, click the link for more info.

🕐 2:00 PM • 📍 Brighouse

Join fellow chess enthusiasts at the library for a friendly game. Bring your own chess set or use one provided, suitable for all skill levels.

🕐 3:30 PM • 📍 Strathcona Branch

Go experiment, craft and get creative with fun activities as we explore science, technology, art, engineering and math (S.T.E.A.M). The activity changes each week. For Grades K-7. Drop-in.

🕐 6:00 PM • 📍 Brighouse

Join fellow families for an evening of fun with board games, trading card games, and video games. Suitable for all ages, bring your favourites or choose from the library's collection.

🕐 4:00 PM • 📍 Brighouse

A Minecraft Club, kids can team up to explore the world of Minecraft, share their creations, and connect with other passionate, like-minded players! I could have stopped at "Minecraft", your kid is already sold.

🕐 6:00 PM • 📍 Brighouse

This is an 18+ movie, so just go check it out if you're a lucky parent that has a break at 6pm on a Tuesday.

🕐 12:00 AM • 📍 Science World

Get creative and get festive! Join the Science World crew after school and during the break where you can imagine, design and create your own festive watercolour card.

🕐 2:00 PM • 📍 Central Library

"Have you ever wanted to make retro Nintendo pixel art characters like the original Mario, Zelda, Stardew Valley, Pokemon or Megaman? Get started making the pixel art creations of your dreams using Adobe Photoshop!".

🕐 3:30 PM • 📍 South Hill Branch

"Do you love a challenge? Put your out-of-the-box thinking skills to the test by opening one of our mystery boxes and inventing a solution to its funny challenge. For Grades K-7. Drop-in.".

🕐 3:30 PM • 📍 Renfrew Branch

More holiday card making! Flex your creative muscles in this pop-up maker space event! This week, they will be weaving strips of paper to make holiday cards. For Grades K - 7.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Stanley BMO Theatre (2750 Granville St, Vancouver)

Live stage adaptation of Frozen that brings the magic of the beloved Disney film to life. Enjoy show-stopping songs like Let It Go and delightful new ones as Anna journeys to save Elsa and thaw an eternal winter, learning about the power of true love.

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Glow Gardens, 6690 216 St, Langley

Immersive indoor/outdoor light festival featuring over one million lights in dazzling displays and whimsical themed lands. Explore a magical toy shop world filled with oversized toys, glowing surprises, and holiday adventures for the wh

🕐 10:00 AM • 📍 Granville Island Stage, Vancouver

Heartwarming stage adaptation of Little Women with multi-generational appeal. This uplifting production blends humour, emotion, and imagination, delighting longtime fans of the classic novel and new audiences alike.

🕐 10:12 AM • 📍 Michael J Fox Theatre

This is no mellow choir concert, this is a rock show featuring a 125 piece choir accompanied by a rock band! Proceeds go to Lookout Society.

🕐 6:00 PM • 📍 Brighouse

The theme of this issue is not holiday cards... but it really is the best time for it. And if you always wanted to learn how to use Cricut machines, this is it! Ages 15+.

Guess what? It’s been 6 months that we’ve been proving, every single week, that who says “There’s nothing to do in Vancouver” is completely wrong.

Now hundreds of people like you open this weekly.

Help us get to the thousands, . How about that friend who is always stuck on Netflix and being overrun by their kids at home?

Forward them this — it might just save their weekend.

Catch you next week ✌️

Nat, from Nothing To Do