If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind winter experience, Caravan Farm Theatre in Armstrong is the place to go this holiday season.
From Dec. 5 until Jan. 7, Caravan Farm Theatre will be presenting The Nutcracker, but it won’t be performed inside on a stage.
Instead, it’s the farm’s annual Winter Sleigh Ride Show, which means you’ll take it all in while being towed around a winter wonderland by horses.
“Now in our 35th year, the Winter Sleigh Ride Show is a beloved Okanagan holiday tradition,” says the Caravan Farm Theatre website.
“Horse drawn sleighs transport artists and audience alike over field and forest from scene to scene, where ideas are lit like flames against the darkness.”
Caravan Farm Theatre performed The Nutcracker as the Winter Sleigh Ride Show in 2019 and artistic director Estelle Shook says the team is aiming to build on that to make it a little more spectacular and magical.
“As with all revivals, it’s an opportunity to tweak what didn’t work and finesse what did,” she explained. “There will be a new final scene, a new song, and a brand-new set.”
Cirque du Soleil artist Manon Beaudoin will return to direct a team of performers that includes returnees Lili Beaudoin, Colin Heath and Ruaridh MacDonald, along with new cast members Jayke Mayne, Krystle Pederson and Elinor Holt.
Molly March’s immersive set design and Jillian White’s lighting will transform the rolling fields into a spectacular vision of Candyland, all set to Cody Cyburn’s playful revamping of Tchaikovsky’s lush score.
Before and after the sleigh ride, attendees will have the opportunity to gather around the fire and Shook encourages people to arrive early or stay late to unplug and connect under the winter night sky.
“The winter sleigh ride show is a popular event to do with others. It’s such a great way to connect with your family and with your friends in a way that’s enriching for those relationships,” Shook said.
“It can be easier to bond with others when we are engaged in parallel activity—such as walking, watching a play or enjoying a sleigh ride—something side by side.”
Tickets are on sale now, starting at $60 for adults and $45 for youth 16 and under, but they go fast so don’t wait if you’re hoping to scoop some up for a magical holiday experience.
There are also pay-what-you-can nights scheduled for the start and end of the show run, but limited tickets remain for those.
For more information or to secure your tickets, visit the Caravan Farm Theatre website. You can also call the box office at 1-866-546-8533.
