A great idea for a special festive treat for you and your family is to take in a concert, play or dance performance over the holidays and school break. The subject matter need not be related to Christmas — at any time of year, it is definitely beneficial for children to be exposed to the arts at a young age. Besides, it’s a fantastic excuse to get dressed up and hit the town! So take a seat at our Guide to Holiday Concerts and Shows in Toronto…
Music
Bloor-Yorkville Holiday Magic — Tree Lighting Ceremony Concert
When: November 26, 2022
Bloor-Yorkville toasts the festive season with the Holiday Magic festival of lights and music with the central Village of Yorkville Park.
Music & Truffles KIDS: Ensemble Caprice
When: November 27, 2022
Give your children their first taste of classical music with Music & Truffles KIDS, large open concerts for kids ages 6-11 and their families.
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” in Concert
When: December 1-3, 2022
Rediscover the magic and experience the music of the Harry Potter film series, screened in concert with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra performing Alexandre Desplat’s magical score.
Orchestra Toronto: Christmas at the Movies
When: December 4, 2022
This holiday season, Orchestra Toronto presents “Christmas at the Movies”, with music from holiday favourites from the big screen such as Home Alone, It’s a Wonderful Life, and Polar Express.
Toronto Symphony Orchestra: TSO Holiday Pops
When: December 6-8, 2022
Broadway stars Nikki Renée Daniels and Paul Alexander Nolan make the season bright with holiday hits and classic carols along with Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke, Lucas Waldin, and the TSO Orchestra.
Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO): “Elf In Concert”
When: December 9-10, 2022
TSO presents the once-in-a-lifetime musical event, “Elf in Concert”, with a live symphony orchestra playing along with this modern family classic movie.
Sean Jones: “Holiday Soul”
When: December 11, 2022
JUNO Award-winning R&B singer-songwriter Sean Jones debuts his new festive concert “Holiday Soul” for a matinée performance at Koerner Hall.
Toronto Children’s Chorus: “A Chorus Christmas: Holiday Reflections”
When: December 17, 2022
Embrace the joys of the holiday season with the angelic voices of the Toronto Children’s Chorus, performing festive hits.
Toronto Symphony Orchestra: Handel’s “Messiah”
When: December 17-21, 2022
TSO Musical Director Gustavo Gimeno leads the orchestra, four acclaimed soloists and the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir in exultant arias and joyous refrains, including the iconic “Hallelujah” Chorus.
Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra: “Stories of the Holiday Season”
When: December 17, 2022
This exciting classical music concert infused with the spirit of the holidays, storytelling through different lenses and invoking winter scenes.
Theatre
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show
When: Continuing until November 27, 2022
The family-friendly play “The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show” chews the scenery, featuring a menagerie of 75 lovable puppets.
TYT Theatre: “Wake Up, Brother Bear!”
When: Continuing until November 27, 2022
This play that takes kids on an intimate and immersive theatrical experience where even the littlest theatregoers feel part of the show.
Mirvish Productions: “Mean Girls”
When: Continuing until November 27, 2022
Mirvish Productions’ “Mean Girls” takes us back to high school with a direct-from-Broadway stage musical, based on the cult comedy film.
TYT Theatre: “Cinderella: The Family-Friendly Musical”
When: Continuing until December 18, 2022
This musical pantomime-style show, adapted from the classic Cinderella fairy tale, is a magical theatrical experience for the whole family, complete with laugh-out-loud comedy, audience sing-alongs and plenty of silliness and adventure!
Mirvish Productions: “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”
When: Continuing, Tickets currently on sale to March 19, 2023
This unique, spellbinding theatrical event features thrilling stage magic and electrifying storytelling, spectacular spells, a mind-blowing race through time and an epic battle to stop mysterious forces.
Young People’s Theatre (YPT): “Snow White”
When: November 24, 2022 – January 7, 2023
YPT presents “Snow White”, a clever twist on the beloved fairy tale offering holiday fun for the whole family.
Ross Petty Productions: “Peter’s Final Flight”
When: December 2, 2022 – January 7, 2023
Featuring show-stopping songs and side-splitting jokes for all ages, this action-packed pantomime adventure for the whole family arrives just in time for Christmas.
TYT Theatre: “One Christmas Carol”
When: December 8-23, 2022
TYT Theatre presents “One Christmas Carol”, with one actor playing over 35 distinct roles, to show the bare essence of the classic holiday tale.
Soulpepper Theatre: “Alice in Wonderland”
When: December 10-31, 2022
Soulpepper Theatre and Bad Hats Theatre brings a contemporary spin on “Alice in Wonderland” with a musical retelling of the classic tale.
Mirvish Productions: “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat”
When: December 11, 2022 – February 18, 2023
Mirvish Productions brings the London Palladium production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat” to Toronto, featuring Jac Yarrow, who was chosen by Andrew Lloyd Webber himself to play the titular role.
The Little Circus That Could
When: December 30, 2022 – January 8, 2023
The Ringmaster has lost his circus! Can you help him find it? “The Little Circus That Could” is a family-friendly interactive acrobatic comedy for all ages from the team that brought you “The Philip and Lucinda Dino-Show”.
Dance
CORPUS Dance: CORPUS in the Junction
When: Continuing until December 24, 2022
CORPUS presents a series of free unique dance street performances around the Junction, combining movement, theatrical imagery and humour.
National Ballet of Canada: “The Nutcracker”
When: December 10-31, 2022
The National Ballet of Canada’s production of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” is an unforgettable tribute to the imagination, with non-stop dancing plus magnificent sets and costumes.
More Shows
The WonderPhil Holiday Magic Show
When: December 17-18, 2022
Hosted by Toronto’s premier magician, WonderPhil amazes and delights with his brand-new seasonally themed holiday magic show that is sure to delight everyone and have the whole family going “ooh” and “ahh” while they laugh out loud.
Magic Mel at the Wychwood Theatre
When: December 28, 2022
Magic Mel performs an upbeat, hilarious and interactive experience at the Wychwood Theatre, combining comedy and storytelling with magic.
Find a sleigh-full of Christmas Events on our website here!
