Toronto is known as a year-round cultural destination, as the following holiday events running over the Christmas season attest.
Holiday Shows in Toronto
Many live theatre events offer special Christmas and New Year’s Day shows, often with discount prices. A popular and well-reviewed show, Rock of Ages, playing at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in downtown Toronto, still has good seats available for Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day shows at 8 pm.
The musical comedy Priscilla Queen of the Dessert runs at the Princess of Wales Theatre until January 2, 2011 while the comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum plays at the Canon Theatre until January 16 and offers “non-stop screaming fun!’ according to one reviewer.
Soul Pepper Theatre presents Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol over the holidays, with good seats and family packages available from December 27 to 30.
Museums in Toronto at Christmas
The Royal Ontario Museum, simply known as the ROM, offers special extended hours and half-price general admission entry after 4:30 pm from December 26, 2010 to January 1, 2011. A special exhibit of the stunning archaeological discovery The Warrior Emperor and China’s Terracotta Army closes January 2, 2011, though visitors to this show must buy separate tickets.
Most historic houses and venues in Toronto are decorated for Christmas and host special events in keeping with the holiday season. At Black Creek Pioneer Village, a living museum situated just north of the city, fires roar and mantles are decorated with evergreen boughs and wreaths, all collected from the 30 acre site, and real Christmas trees boast hand-made ornaments typical of the mid-1800s. Black Creek Pioneer Village is open this year until December 23, with a featured children’s’ lunch with Santa Claus.
The Nutcracker Ballet in Toronto
Always a popular Christmas tradition in Toronto, the National Ballet of Canada presents the Nutcracker from December 11 through to January 2, 2011. Some shows are already sold out, but good seats may be available for matinée and evening performances December 21, 22, 23 and for a matinée only on December 24.
Holiday Symphony and Opera
The Strauss Symphony of Canada will perform a Salute to Vienna at Roy Thompson Hall in downtown Toronto, with concerts on New Year’s Eve at 7 pm and New Year’s Day January 1, 2011 at 2:30 pm.
Fans of Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus will want to buy tickets for the Toronto Operetta Theatre concert at St. Lawrence Centre for the Performing Arts, with shows running after Christmas on December 28, 29 and 31, with a matinée on January 2, 2011.
Quick Christmas Recipes
With so many wonderful Christmas events to experience in Toronto this year, you might run of of time for baking. Try these shortcut recipes for easy gourmet desserts, like decadent chocolate truffles.
Heather Zorzini - Heather Zorzini's stories, essays and photographs have appeared in the Globe and Mail, National Post, Toronto's NOW Magazine and ...
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