Home Vancouver for Kids Things to do on the Family Day Long Weekend in Vancouver

Things to do on the Family Day Long Weekend in Vancouver

February 1, 2025

Looking for something to do on the BC Family Day long weekend in February in Vancouver? There are so many fun activities to choose from.

In 2026 the long weekend starts on Friday, February 13th (one day before Valentine’s Day). It then runs until the holiday Monday of February 16th.

Continue reading or see our article about What’s Happening This Weekend to learn about top Family Day activities that take place in the Lower Mainland.

Family Day activities listed in this article include events in the following municipalities:

Click any of the above locations to jump to events in a particular region, or simply continue reading to see what’s going on throughout the Lower Mainland.

Family Day Activities in Vancouver

One of the biggest events on the holiday weekend most years is FAN EXPO Vancouver. It’s a Comic-Con-style event featuring everything to do with comics, superheroes, anime and Hollywood celebrities at the Vancouver Convention Centre. (Note: In 2025 this event actually happened a week later, so on the weekend of February 21st to 23rd.) The event returns in 2026 and runs from February 14th to 16th.

If you enjoy comedy, Just For Laughs Vancouver runs over the long weekend. In 2025, the festival ran from February 13th until the 23rd. It features world-class comedians at various venues. Great comedy also takes place at The Improv Centre on Granville Island.

If you like virtual reality, especially VR games, then a place you’ll want to check out during this long weekend is Zero Latency. The VR game centre has locations in Vancouver and Langley.

The weekend also featured the final few events and closing ceremony for the Invictus Games in 2025. Jonathan Dove’s Flight was at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre with Vancouver Opera on February 13th and 16th. There were concerts with Early Music Vancouver on the 14th, 15th and 16th, as well as with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra on the 14th and 15th. There was also a concert featuring the music of Tchaikovsky with the VAM Symphony Orchestra at the Orpheum on February 16th (and tickets for it cost less than $20).

Typical Family Day Activities in the Lower Mainland

Depending on what you like to do, and who to do it with, you are sure to find something you’ll like from our list of great Family Day long weekend activities and places to visit. See below for a list of events, attractions and activities in the City of Vancouver. Then, even further below, you’ll find things to do on the North Shore and in the Fraser Valley, Maple Ridge, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, New Westminster and the Sea-to-Sky Region.

Superheroes at Vancouver Fan Expo — FAN Expo Vancouver

Vancouver Family Day Events and Attractions

Below is a list of events that took place on the Family Day long weekend in the City of Vancouver this year, followed by a list of attractions with special activities.

Family Day Events in the City of Vancouver

Just For Laughs Vancouver – the comedy festival was in town between February 13th and 23rd in 2025 with over 75 shows on the February long weekend.
Early Music Vancouver Concert – the Lumen Festival concert series happened on the long weekend in 2025. There was a classical music show at a different Vancouver venue each night from February 14th to 16th.
Metro Theatre – the theatre company presented its comedy show Sinners in South Vancouver until February 15th.
What the Frock Productions – the Bacon & L’eggs drag show and brunch event happened at the Howe Sound Taphouse on February 16th in 2025.
Vancouver Opera – the English opera production Flight took place at Queen Elizabeth Theatre on February 8th, 13th and 16th in 2025.
Vancouver Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra – the orchestra performed Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 at the Orpheum Theatre on February 16th.
Scotiabank Dance Centre – the Matriarchs Uprising 2025 dance shows ran from February 17th to 22nd.
FAN EXPO Vancouver – a comic, superhero, science fiction and pop culture convention and trade show that often happens on Family Day long weekend at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The event features a number of well-known celebrities. There are also workshops, presentations and a large vendor market where you can buy all kinds of wonderful things. (Note: In 2025 FAN EXPO happened on February 21st to 23rd, so on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday after the long weekend.) FAN EXPO returns in 2026 and runs from February 14th to 16th, so over the Family Day long weekend.

Family Day Attractions and Activities in the City of Vancouver

Vancouver Mysteries – the games company offers outdoor adventures for people to play on the streets of downtown Vancouver. You can choose between a secret mission game, crime-solving game, ghost-busting and a superheroes game. (TIP: Using the promo code BESTPLACES10 saves you 10% on adventures any day of the year. On the holiday Monday of February 17th, 2025 however, those savings were doubled if you used the promo code FAMILY20.) Special events this time of year also include mystery dining experiences The Legend of the Gastown Gold and The Case of the Hotel Detective.
FlyOver Canada – the multisensory theatre at Canada Place had a couple of different shows in February, 2025, including ones about Canada and Hawaii.
BC Sports Hall of Fame – family passes are good for two adults and two children or youth. They usually cost $55. On the holiday Monday in 2025, however, they cost just $40.
Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours – guided walking tours in Vancouver took place on all three days of the long weekend in 2025. Tours included the Lost Souls of Gastown and Hidden History & Sweet Treats.
LunarFest – free family-friendly activities happened all weekend at various spots around downtown Vancouver.
Chinese Canadian Museum – special family-friendly activities happened at the museum in Chinatown on Monday, February 17th. They were included with general admission.
Invictus Games – February 14th to 16th were the final three days of the 2025 Games, which are for military veterans who became injured or ill during their service. On the final weekend there was swimming, sitting volleyball, indoor rowing, and then the closing ceremony at Rogers Arena.

In addition to the above, further below is a list of attractions with free admission in the City of Vancouver on the long weekend, followed by lists of things to do elsewhere in the Lower Mainland.

VANCOUVER WINE FESTIVAL

It’s not during the Family Day long weekend, and it doesn’t include kid-friendly events. An amazing festival that also happened in February this year, however, was the Vancouver International Wine Festival. Running from February 22nd to March 2nd in 2025, it started the week after the February long weekend. It’s the largest event of its kind in North America.

The festival returns in 2026 from March 7th to 14th.

Places with Free Admission

The following places in the City of Vancouver normally charge for admission, but not on one or two days on the Family Day long weekend.

Vancouver Maritime Museum – admission to the museum at Vanier Park is by donation on Family Day. There are also often a few special activities on the holiday Monday.
Queen Elizabeth Theatre – Vancouver Civic Theatres hosts a Family Day Open House on the Saturday of the long weekend most years. In 2025 it happened on February 15th and ran from 9:00 am until 12:00 pm. The event featured a Family Comedy Stage, free hot chocolate and other activities at the theatre. Visit the Vancouver Civic Theatres website for details about what happened this year.

Family Day on The North Shore

Things to do on the Family Day long weekend in North Vancouver and West Vancouver include the following:

Love Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge – the attraction was decorated with a Valentine’s Day theme from January 31st until February 23rd in 2025. The place looks so amazing at night. It’s a perfect place not just for dates, but also for families.
Presentation House Theatre – the theatre hosted Grandma. Gangsta. Guerrilla. a show about a tough grandmother from February 13th to 16th in 2025.
MONOVA – family-friendly activities take place at the Museum of North Vancouver on the holiday Monday. Admission is also “pay what you can” that day.
Fireworks at Cypress – the ski hill in West Vancouver has family-friendly activities all weekend including fireworks on the Sunday most years. This was the case again in 2025.
Grouse Mountain – in addition to skiing and snowboarding, this year there was a fireworks display at 7:00 pm on Sunday, February 16th. The fireworks are pretty good and usually last for about five minutes. Ski tickets for kids ages 12 and under are also free on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

BOAT PARTY IN VANCOUVER

February 14th to 17th in 2025 was the Family Day long weekend, which also happened to include Valentine’s Day. On the long weekend this year there was a Valentine’s Day Dinner Boat Cruise with Vancouver Boat Parties. This is a popular event, not for families, but for young adults, couples and their friends. In addition to dinner and beautiful views of the Vancouver skyline, there is DJ music and dancing.

Family Day Events in the Fraser Valley

The following events happened on the February long weekend in 2025:

Fort Langley – special family-friendly activities took place at the Fort Langley National Historic Site on the holiday Monday. Regular admission rates applied. As always, children and youth under the age of 18 entered for free.
Sasquatch Mountain – the resort was open for skiing on the long weekend this year. There were lots of fun things for families to do. Also, if you bought a ticket for the tubing, you could get a free cup of cocoa.
Goat Yoga at Maan Farms – the Abbotsford farm hosted two sessions of Goat Yoga on February 14th and 17th in 2025. They included an hour of traditional Hatha yoga surrounded by goats. The yoga was then followed by a healthy meal and wine pairing (or strawberry lemonade).
Fort Langley Historic Half Marathon – running races between 5 kms and 21 kms long usually take place in Fort Langley. This event was going to be on February 16th in 2025. It was, unfortunatley, cancelled due to icy conditions on the trails. The event will likely take place on the same weekend in 2026.

Family Day Events in New Westminster

Family Fun on the Fraser – fun activities happen at the Fraser River Discovery Centre on the holiday Monday. In 2025 there was the Love is in the Air event. Admission is free.
Time Capsule Opening in New West – outside the Fraser River Discovery Centre is the world’s largest tin soldier. In 2000, children made a time capsule to commemorate its construction. On February 14th, from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm, there were stories, craft activities, Indigenous art projections and the opening of the time capsule.

Family Day Activities in Maple Ridge

Ropes Course Adventures – one of the most fun, family-friendly attractions in the Lower Mainland is WildPlay in Maple Ridge. The outdoor centre has ropes courses, ziplines, axe-throwing opportunities and other activities. WildPlay was closed for a few weeks at the beginning of the year, but started back up again on February 14th in 2025, so just in time for the Family Day long weekend! (TIP: If you use the promo code VBP15 you can save 15% on the adventures throughout the 2025 season.)
Family Day at ACC – in 2025 a free event took place at the Albion Community Centre on Monday, February 17th. Activities between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm included Zumba, face painting and crafts. There was popcorn too.

Family Day in Burnaby

A variety of activities take place at municipal venues throughout Burnaby on the holiday Monday each year. Things to do with the family in 2025 included the following:

Special family-friendly activities usually take place at a number of Burnaby rec centres. Regular admission rates apply in most cases. At Christine Sinclair Community Centre in 2025, however, there were a series of free activities in the afternoon. At the Bill Copeland Sports Centre, meanwhile, there was a Family Day Toonie Skate at 1:00 pm.
Burnaby Village Museum – the museum offers free family-friendly activities on the Family Day Monday.

See the City of Burnaby‘s website to learn more about the above activities.

Family Day Events in Richmond

Richmond Children’s Art Festival – activities and performances both indoors and outdoors at the Richmond Cultural Centre took place on the holiday Monday in 2025. General admission is free. Creativity Classes cost around $10.
A variety of activities usually take place in Richmond on the long weekend. There’s swimming, skating, gym sports, scavenger hunts and other activities at the following places most years.
- Cambie Community Centre – at 12800 Cambie Road
- City Centre Community Centre – at 5900 Minoru Boulevard
- Hamilton Community Centre – at 5140 Smith Drive
- South Arm Community Centre – at 8880 Williams Road
- Steveston Community Centre – at 4111 Moncton Street
- Thompson Community Centre – at 5151 Granville Avenue
- Minoru Centre for Active Living – at 7191 Granville Avenue
- Minoru Arenas – at 7551 Minoru Gate
- Britannia Heritage Shipyards – at 5180 Westwater Drive
- Richmond Nature Park – at 11851 Westminster Highway

See the City of Richmond‘s website to learn more.

Family Day Events in Surrey

Family Day in Surrey – free family-friendly activities take place at various venues including recreation centres, Darts Hill Garden Park and other venues.
Museum of Surrey – the museum offers free admission year-round, including when Family Day activities take place. This year they were on Saturday, February 15th.

ADVENTURE GAMES

For people wanting to play something fun, Vancouver Mysteries offers outdoor adventure games that take place in downtown Vancouver. They are so much fun. They have secret agent, superhero, detective and ghost-hunting themes. Most games are for adults and older youth. There is a family version of their Heroes & Villains game, though, that younger children can play too.

(TIP: Normally if you use the promo code BESTPLACES10 you’ll save 10% when booking a game online. During the 2025 Family Day long weekend, however, you could save 20% with the promo code FAMILY20, but only for games played on February 17th.

Vsit the vancouvermysteries.com website to learn more.

Family Day in the Sea-to-Sky Region

Britannia Mine – the museum offers 50% off admission for residents of British Columbia during the long weekend most years, and that was the case again in 2025. If you attend over the Family Day long weekend, you have to show your BC ID to get in for half price. (NOTE: Tickets for the holiday Monday sell out fast.)
Sea to Sky Gondola – the attraction offered free tubing on the long weekend in 2025, along with a scavenger hunt, music and more.
Whistler Blackcomb – there were at least 200 ski trails open on the long weekend this year. There was also an outdoor Fire & Ice show on the Sunday evening. Plus, admission was free on Family Day at the Audain Art Museum. On the Saturday, Sunday and Monday, admission was also free for children at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre.

Other Great Places for Families

Check out Vancouver’s Top Rainy Day Activities which are great places to visit any time of year, especially if it’s a rainy weekend in February, which it normally is.
A fabulous place to spend the holiday weekend most years is up at the Lower Mainland’s Ski Hills (although they will likely be more crowded than usual because of the holiday).
If the weather is good then the Family Day long weekend can be an excellent time to enjoy the outdoors. Check out Vancouver’s Parks and Nature for a list of the best places to go. Or take a Frisbee – not your swimsuit – and spend the day hanging out at one of Vancouver’s Best Beaches.
Also, if the weather’s good and you’re looking for a bit of exercise, check out Vancouver’s Best Places to Walk, Jog or Cycle.