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Festive fun in New West: Markets, live performances, and light installations

Whether you're in the mood for an evening of holiday entertainment, on the hunt for unique gifts or items for holiday parties, or want to check out festive lights, New West is the place to be this season.
Theresa McManus
Theresa McManus
nutcracker-gallery-4
Royal City Youth Ballet performs Nutcracker at the Massey Theatre this holiday season.Jennifer Gauthier/The Record

Whether you're in the mood for an evening of holiday entertainment, on the hunt for unique gifts or items for holiday parties, or want to check out festive lights, New West is the place to be this season.

We've rounded up some of the winter and Christmas markets, live performances, and light installations coming up in New Westminster in November and December.

Friday, Nov. 15 and Saturday, Nov. 16

Royal City Gogos’ Artisan Craft Sale

Royal City Gogos’ Artisan Craft Sale features locally-made handcrafts in 15 “departments,” food and baking, a thrift department with fashion accessories, and a vintage and collectibles department. All proceeds go to the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers Campaign in support of African grandmothers who are caring for children orphaned by AIDS.

  • When: Friday, Nov. 15 (3 to 7:30 p.m.) and Saturday, Nov. 16 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
  • Where: Unifor Hall, 326 12th St.
  • Details: Free admission, free parking, wheelchair accessible. You can see a preview here.

Saturday, Nov. 23

Queensborough Winter Market

The Queensborough Winter Market provides a place for small businesses and crafters to sell their works – and for folks to do a bit of shopping.

  • When: Saturday, Nov. 23, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Where: Queensborough Community Centre, 920 Ewen Ave.
  • Details: Free admission.

Herbert Spencer Christmas Craft Fair

The Herbert Spencer Christmas Craft Fair showcases the offerings of more than 60 professional artisans and vendors. It also features a bake sale, a bistro serving food, drinks and sweets, and Candy Cane Lane, where Herbert Spencer students hand craft and sell their own items.

  • When: Saturday, Nov. 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Where: École Herbert Spencer Elementary School, 605 Second St.
  • Details: Free admission.

Nov. 28 to Dec. 15

Vagabond Players

The Vagabond Players are taking a bit of a different approach to the 2024 holiday season and presenting Tick, Tick ... Boom!, a musical by Jonathan Larson, the creator of RENT. Instead of a pantomime or holiday-focused show, Vagabond Players decided to put on a musical, written in 1990, that tells a story of turning 30 years old and having to make choices for the future.

Sunday, Dec. 1

Let It Snow

Let It Snow is a special joint production featuring the Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir and Winter Harp. Winter Harp will enchant and transport audiences to Christmases past with its ethereal, medieval-inspired music, stunning period costumes, and rare instruments including Celtic harps, flutes, and the Swedish nyckelharpa. The Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir brings its passion for singing to town with a repertoire featuring traditional and contemporary choral pieces.

Sunday, Dec. 1 to Tuesday, Dec. 31

Shine Bright New West 20224

Shine Bright New West 2024 kicks off with an event featuring live performances, food trucks, community booths, and fire pits to keep you warm. It’s happening in the foyer and out front of New Westminster City Hall, 511 Royal Ave., on Sunday, Dec. 1 from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

The City of New Westminster is inviting community members to celebrate the season at the fifth annual Shine Bright New West. This year’s event, running from Dec. 1 to 31, includes light installations and many festive events, including musical performances, workshops (including holiday lantern making), holiday ukulele tune-ups, recreational offerings (including a family skate), an intergenerational holiday card making event, a holiday youth dance, a meet and greet with Santa Claus, Breakfast with Santa events, a winter solstice event and more.

This year’s Shine Bright event features a new interactive light display map on shinebrightnw.ca, where community members can submit their own display and – and vote for their favourites.

  • When: Dec. 1 to 31
  • Where: Locations across New West. Details about Shine Bright New West can be found at newwestcity.ca/shinebright.

Dance Into Christmas

Richmond Academy of Dance’s festive Dance into Christmas evening features specially choreographed works, live musicians, and soprano Sheila Christie performing alongside the academy’s dancers.

Saturday, Dec. 7

Buddy’s Holly Jolly Christmas 2024

Zachary Stevenson, the leading man from the musical The Buddy Holly Story, is featured in this special Christmas concert, Buddy’s Holly Jolly Christmas. He’ll be joined on stage by the Chicago-based trio, The Lovettes who’ll entertain with their salute to the female icons and girl groups of the 1950s and 1960s. Audiences will hear some chart-topping hits of the past and as well as some seasonal tunes performed by the cast, with backing provided by the Legends All-Star Band.

New West Craft Holiday Night Market

The New West Craft Holiday Night Market, now in its seventh year, features more than 45 artisans, food, music and more.

  • When: Saturday, Dec. 7, 3 to 9 p.m.
  • Where: River Market, 810 Quayside Dr.
  • Details: Free admission.

Thursday, Dec. 12

ABBA Christmas with ABRA Cadabra

The ABBA Christmas with ABRA Cadabra features an interactive stage show, including a live band, singers, dancers and multi-media. It aims to get folks moving, laughing and singing along to ABBA hits, as well as some holiday favourites. Attendees are invited to dress in their best holiday sparkle and bring the whole family to this all-ages stage extravaganza.

Friday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 14

A WONDERHEADS Christmas Carol

The WONDERHEADS, who have spent more than a decade touring the world to critical acclaim and sold-out audiences, bring their signature reimagining of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol to cities across B.C. A WONDERHEADS Christmas Carol features giant masks, whimsical puppets and more. It’s described as being “a feast for the eyes, ears, and heart, with a generous kick to the funny bone.”

  • When: Friday, Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m.
  • Where: Massey Theatre, 735 Eighth Ave.
  • Details: Tickets are available online.

Saturday, Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 15

Holiday Market

New Westminster Farmers Market’s annual Holiday Market is an outdoor market featuring more than 80 local artisans and food vendors, as well as food trucks, live music, and entertainment. The Sprout Club tent will be offering free kids crafts and activities all weekend. It’s a family- and dog-friendly accessible event.

  • When: Saturday, Dec. 14 and Sunday, Dec. 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Where: In front of New Westminster City Hall, 511 Royal Ave.
  • Details: By donation; organizers recommend a minimum of $5. Proceeds will be split between the New Westminster Farmers Market Society and the B.C. Association of Farmers Market’s nutrition coupon program.

Tuesday, Dec. 17

Angela Kelman’s Have a Holly Jazzy Christmas

Piva Presents Jazz at the Anvil features an encore performance of Have A Holly Jolly Jazzy Christmas with the Tom Keenlyside Quartet and featured vocalist, Angela Kelman. This show will include some swinging Christmas songs and traditional classics with the all-star band of Tom Keenlyside on sax, flute and clarinet, Michael Creber on piano, Nino Di Pasquale on drums and Brent Gubbels on bass.

Saturday, Dec. 21

The Nutcracker

Royal City Youth Ballet performs it full-length ballet, The Nutcracker, with a cast of 100 dancers performing to music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The production features, beautiful sets and colourful costumes.

Ukrainian Christmas Market

Holy Eucharist Catholic Church is hosting a Ukrainian Christmas Market, featuring arts and crafts, authentic Ukrainian food and festive drinks (including hot chocolate and mulled wine), a holiday photo booth, and workshops where folks can engage in hands-on experiences and explore Ukrainian holiday traditions.

  • When: Saturday, Dec. 21, noon to 7 p.m.
  • Where: Holy Eucharist Catholic Church, 501 Fourth Ave.