Festivals and Events

Guitar students of Dalhousie's Fountain School of Performing Arts play a free lunchtime recital in Room 406 of the Dalhousie Arts Centre. Wednesday, December 2, 2026, from 11:45 AM to 12:45 PM. Free and open to everyone, no reservations required, says Dalhousie.

Opening night of Metro Vancouver's largest free outdoor winter lights display, around Lafarge Lake. Friday November 27, 2026, 5 PM to 8 PM, with the opening ceremony from 7:20 PM to 7:30 PM. After that, the lights are on every night from 4 PM to 10 PM until the end of February 2027. Free.

Free outdoor holiday concert: the CPKC Holiday Train, lit up with thousands of lights, stops in London (Richmond Street and Piccadilly Street) and one of its cars opens into a stage. Magic! and MARIS perform on this part of the tour. Bring a donation for the local food bank if you can (non perishable food or money); everything collected stays in the community. Arrive early: the show lasts about 30 minutes and the train moves on right after. Saturday, November 21, 2026, 8:30 PM to 9:00 PM.

The University of Waterloo Jazz Ensemble plays its end of term concert, Jazz Music Alive and Well at UWaterloo. Sunday, December 6, 2026, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, in The Great Hall at Conrad Grebel University College. The University of Waterloo Music Department lists it as free admission.

Important: free, but you need to register for free first. A book themed bingo, Bingo Pome et Diana, with author Caroline Barber for kids 7 to 11 at Bibliothèque Saint-Luc on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Free for Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu library members ($10 for non members); registration required with the city library.

A free family holiday party with stilt walkers, a visit with Santa and holiday crafts inside the community centre. Burnaby firefighters serve hot chocolate, popcorn and hot dogs on Edmonds Plaza, and one child helps the Mayor light the big tree at 5:15 PM. Saturday November 28, 2026, 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM, rain or shine.

New works by Dalhousie composition students are performed at a free lunchtime recital in the Joseph Strug Concert Hall at the Dalhousie Arts Centre. Monday, November 30, 2026, from 11:45 AM to 12:45 PM. Free and open to everyone, no reservations required, says Dalhousie.

In the last of his five Off-Bach mini lectures, Luc Beauséjour shows how Bach drew on the French style of Lully and Couperin, the Italian style of Vivaldi and Corelli and the German organ tradition, and turned them into his own language. Free admission, like every event of the Off-Bach program of the Festival Bach Montréal. Thursday, December 3, 2026, at 3:15 PM at 3487 boulevard Saint-Laurent.

The Full House Brass Quintet, with two trumpets, horn, trombone and bass trombone, plays a free lunchtime concert called Bells Up. Wednesday, November 25, 2026, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, in the Chapel at Conrad Grebel University College. The University of Waterloo Music Department lists it as free admission.

A free lunchtime jazz concert by the Grebel Jazz Collective, with Michael Wood on percussion, Ernie Kalwa on saxophones and guest musicians. Wednesday, November 18, 2026, 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM, in the Chapel at Conrad Grebel University College. The University of Waterloo Music Department lists it as free admission.

Important: free, but you need to register for free first. Traveller and lecturer Alain Benoit presents a 90 minute illustrated talk on Tenerife and Gran Canaria, part of the Dorval Library's Discovery Series. Join in person or online. For adults. Wednesday, December 2, 2026, at 7:30 PM at the Dorval Library. Register with the library (details in the City of Dorval's fall 2026 culture brochure).

Important: free, but you need to register for free first. A Globe-trotteur travel talk about Brazil, for ages 16 and up, at Bibliothèque Saint-Luc on Sunday, November 29, 2026, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Free for Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu library members ($10 for non members); registration required with the city library.