Vancouver’s 30 Best Family-Friendly Places to Explore the Arts: Festivals and Theatres
All this week we’ve been introducing you to the nominees for Vancouver’s best places to explore the arts with your family. Check out previous posts for even more visual arts, performing arts, and museums and galleries, and stay tuned tomorrow for the final six.
This time, we’re highlighting these six organizations:
- Arts Club Theatre
- Bard on the Beach
- Folk Music Festival
- MusicFest Vancouver
- Vancouver International Children’s Festival
- Vancouver Playhouse
Arts Club Theatre
With a wide range of offerings on both the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage and Granville Island stage, the Arts Club Theatre is a great bet for exposing families to some entertaining plays. Besides student matinees, the theatre company offers programs targeting younger audiences. Children from 12-18 can train with the Musical Theatre Intensive, while those from 16-18 can participate in the LEAP Playwriting Intensive.
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Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival
With the backdrop of magnificent mountains and water, Bard on the Beach introduces young and old to Shakespeare’s classics and lesser-known plays. More than just the performances, the festival presents workshops, downloadable resources and special events for students and adults.
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Folk Music Festival
The Vancouver Folk Music Festival boasts a diverse lineup each year, with enough variety to please every member of the family. Plus the park setting and fun atmosphere make it a great place to introduce children to music beyond the top 40. Bonus: kids 12 and under are free with an adult, and discounted rates apply for youth 13-18. This year’s festival takes place July 15-17.
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MusicFest Vancouver
- From August 5-14 this year, MusicFest Vancouver will bring internationally acclaimed classical, jazz and world musicians. Special ticket prices for kids make it more affordable for families to share a concert experience.
Website | Twitter | FacebookVancouver International Children’s Festival
Taking place on Granville Island from May 30-June 5 this year, the Vancouver International Children’s Festival has music, theatre, dance, acrobatics, puppetry and more – all geared, obviously, to young audiences, and packed with fun for parents too.
Website | Twitter | FacebookVancouver Playhouse
Student ticket prices and educational programming make a night at the theatre a possibility for families. Play guides with fun and educational activities are available for download, and the E-Stage Young Playwrights program trains talented young people with an interest in writing for the stage.
Image courtesy www.cbc.ca
Diane Wild is a writer, editor and web communications consultant, working in the solar, health care, and arts industries. She also runs the website TV, eh? about Canadian television.