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Christmas at Canada Place returns to the Port of Vancouver this December

November 16, 2023

Free outdoor experience includes the iconic Woodward’s Windows department store displays, an avenue of holiday trees, winter lights displays and more

Vancouver, B.C.: The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority invites the community to experience Christmas at Canada Place next month—including the traditional Woodward’s Windows, spectacular holiday light displays and an avenue of festive holiday trees.

The annual Christmas at Canada Place event, presented by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, takes place from December 1 to January 2, with guests of all ages invited to celebrate the season and experience the popular annual holiday tradition.

“We are excited to be hosting this holiday tradition on Vancouver’s waterfront in 2023—Christmas at Canada Place has become a special tradition each year for so many of us across the Lower Mainland,” said Jennifer Natland, Canada Place Corporation president and vice president of real estate at the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. “We want to thank all of our port community partners who help bring this fantastic celebration to Canada Place at the Port of Vancouver every year, and we wish everyone a very happy holiday season.”

Christmas at Canada Place is made possible by the generous support of partners including Avenue of Trees partners CN, CPKC, Downtown Van, DP World, Fraser River Pile and Dredge, GCT Global Container Terminals, Gray Line Westcoast Sightseeing, Helijet, Indigo Parking Canada, Neptune Terminals, Richardson International, Westshore Terminals and Viterra; and media partners Global BC, Move 103.5 and Miss604.

Christmas at Canada Place is free of charge and open to the public on December 1, 2023 through January 2, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily including Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

For additional information, please visit www.canadaplace.ca/christmas.

Christmas at Canada Place 2023

Canada’s North Light Display

Enjoy a magical holiday experience at the North Point of Canada Place with a display featuring wintery light displays and a 15-foot illuminated moose figure named “Chrismoose”.

Woodward’s Windows

Walk along the west promenade of Canada Place to enjoy this treasured part of Vancouver’s history. Originally displayed in the popular Woodward’s Department Store, the window displays feature Victorian-era holiday scenes with animatronic characters and elaborate decor.

Avenue of Trees 

The Canadian Trail along the west outdoor promenade at Canada Place will be transformed into a holiday wonderland. Guests can stroll the outdoor promenade and enjoy beautifully decorated holiday trees and lights, sponsored by community-minded organizations.

Sails of Light at Canada Place 

The night sky will be illuminated by the Sails of Light at Canada Place when the iconic white sails come alive with holiday-inspired colours starting at dusk every evening.

Media contact

Alex Munro, senior communications advisor

604.340.8617

[email protected]

About Canada Place at the Port of Vancouver

Canada Place at the Port of Vancouver is an internationally recognized landmark and venue for world-class events and inspirationally Canadian experiences. For more than 35 years Canada Place has served as a hub for national celebrations, including Canada Together and Christmas at Canada Place.

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority oversees the Port of Vancouver and is the owner and operator of Canada Place. Canada Place is home to the Vancouver Convention Centre East, Pan Pacific Hotel, FlyOver Canada, World Trade Centre and Indigo Park Canada. It serves as the largest cruise ship terminal in Canada and has been the homeport to the Vancouver-Alaska cruises for more than 30 years.

About the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority and the Port of Vancouver

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is the federal agency responsible for the shared stewardship of the Port of Vancouver. Like all Canada Port Authorities, we are accountable to the federal minister of transport, and operate pursuant to the Canada Marine Act with a mandate to enable Canada’s trade through the Port of Vancouver, while protecting the environment and considering local communities. The port authority is structured as a non-share corporation, is financially self-sufficient and does not rely on tax dollars for operations. Our revenues come from port terminals and tenants who lease port lands, and from port users who pay various fees such as harbour dues. Profits are reinvested in port infrastructure. The port authority oversees the use of port land and water, which includes more than 16,000 hectares of water, over 1,500 hectares of land, and approximately 350 kilometres of shoreline. Located on the southwest coast of British Columbia in Canada, the Port of Vancouver extends from Roberts Bank and the Fraser River up to and including Burrard Inlet, bordering 16 municipalities and intersecting the traditional territories and treaty lands of more than 35 Coast Salish Indigenous groups. The Port of Vancouver is Canada’s largest port, and the third largest in North America by tonnes of cargo. Enabling the trade of approximately $305 billion in goods with more than 170 world economies, port activities sustain 115,300 jobs, $7 billion in wages, and $11.9 billion in GDP across Canada.

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