If you were planning on attending an event, concert or show in Vancouver in the next few weeks, it’s most likely been cancelled, postponed or re-scheduled.
On Friday, the Vogue Theatre announced that it is “temporarily pausing operations until further notice.”
“This means that we have to postpone or cancel some of our upcoming shows,” the theatre said in a press release.
“If you have a ticket to an event affected… you will receive an e-mail notification to the e-mail address you provided upon purchase with information pertaining to the show you planned on attending.”
The theatre said it will take some time to work out the logistics of rescheduling the shows.
“[W]e request your patience as we review each event in the near future and we will provide updates via email and social media as quickly as possible.”
Carousel Theatre for Young People also announced Friday that it is cancelling all remaining performances of The House at Pooh corner at Granville Island’s Waterfront Theatre. It was slated to run until March 29.
However, at this time the theatre’s spring break day camps will continue because they are made up of smaller groups of fewer than 15 students.
“These are unprecedented times,” Carole Higgins, artists and managing director, said in a press release. “We are a non-profit charity and youth-serving organization, and the month of March is Carousel Theatre for Young People’s second busiest month of the year. The financial impact of the closure of The House at Pooh Corner is considerable.”
The organization is asking people getting a refund for tickets to consider accepting a gift certificate for the value of the tickets, or consider accepting a tax receipt from the theatre for the value of the ticket purchase.
“This will help support our organization during this challenging time.”
On Thursday provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry recommended that indoor and outdoor sporting events, conferences, meetings, religious gatherings and other events that would exceed an attendance of 250 people be cancelled.
Following Henry’s statement, the City of Vancouver announced all shows at Vancouver civic theatres being cancelled Thursday and Friday, including Shen Yun and My Dad Wrote a Porno at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and Pech Kucha Night Volume 51 and Chopin Society’s Dina Yoffe at the Vancouver Playhouse.
The Beethoven Experience: A Most Remarkable Night 1, scheduled for Friday at the Orpheum was also cancelled.
The Universal Gospel Choir (March 14) and VCC Jazz (March 16) performances at the Vancouver Public Library central branch have also been cancelled.
Other event cancellations include the annual Stanley Park Easter Train (April 9 to 13) and the Easter Eggspedition at Van Dusen Botanical Garden, which was scheduled to run April 10 to 12.
“We all have a role to play in stopping the spread of COVID-19. The City is making every effort to do just that and protect the people of Vancouver. Social distancing and event cancellation is one way we can take a proactive approach,” city manager Sadhu Johnston said in a press release. “Pandemic and business continuity plans have been reviewed and all City departments are making every effort to ensure essential services are maintained to the highest possible level.
“Vancouver is putting all of our available resources on this effort, including getting up-to-date information out to the public as conditions change.”
- With files from Mike Howell
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