The Deer Lake Winter Festival is a Christmas-themed artisan market at Burnaby’s Shadbolt Centre in November. It’s one of several craft fairs in Metro Vancouver.
The craft fair usually takes place over a weekend in late November. Other markets happening at the same time elsewhere in the Lower Mainland include the Shipyards Christmas Market on the North Shore and Vancouver Christmas Market outside the Vancouver Convention Centre.
This article includes the following information about the Deer Lake Winter Festival:
Dates and Hours | What to Expect | Tips & Advice | Other Information
Deer Lake Winter Festival in Burnaby
The Burnaby Arts Council hosts the Deer Lake Winter Festival, a free event that usually features more than 60 vendors. The vendors sell everything from Christmas ornaments to fancy soaps, homemade chocolates, pottery and handmade glassware.
The craft fair takes place at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts at 6450 Deer Lake Avenue (at the edge of Deer Lake Park) in Burnaby. Between about 3,000 and 4,000 people attend the event each year.
This year’s event runs from November 14th to 16th. There’s live entertainment with local performers, and admission is free.
If you like Christmas shopping and artisan markets, other events you’ll want to check out include the Vancouver Christmas Market, Shipyards Christmas Market, New West Holiday Market and Shipyards Artisan Market. There is also the All About Christmas Gifts Expo, Made in the 604 Markets, North Delta Artisan & Gift Market, Coquitlam Christmas Night Market and a variety of others.
See our article about Vancouver Christmas Craft Fairs to learn about these and other markets happening at this time of the year.
Dates and Hours
The market celebrates its 54th season in 2025, which makes it one of the Lower Mainland’s longest running events of its kind. This year the Deer Lake Winter Festival takes place on the weekend of November 14th to 16th.
Last year’s hours were from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on the Friday and from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on both the Saturday and Sunday. This will likely be the same again in 2025, although exact details are to be confirmed.
What to Expect
At the Deer Lake Winter Festival you can expect to see holiday decorations, lots of people and up to 60 local artists selling all kinds of wonderful items. It’s a great place to visit if you’re looking for Christmas gift ideas.
In addition to market vendor stalls, there is also live entertainment. There are also usually activities for children including face painting, crafts and free Christmas cookies to decorate.
Tips & Advice
Below are some tips and suggestions to help you make the most of your experience at the Deer Lake Winter Festival.
TIP #1: If you like craft markets, go to this one. It’s a good one!
TIP #2: If you want some exercise and fresh air, combine your trip with a walk around Deer Lake. It’s a beautiful spot! In good weather the park is also a great place for picnics.
TIP #3: There is a fair bit of free parking in the area (although it does fill up). There are 200 stalls both underground and right outside the building plus more along the street. There is also free parking at Burnaby City Hall just up the street, but only after 5:00 pm on the Friday and all day on the Saturday and Sunday.
TIP #4: The craft fair is a good-sized one and usually takes place in the Atrium, Room 101 and Room 103. Be sure to explore all three rooms.
Other Information
Click Deer Lake Winter Festival for further details about the event.
Check out our list of Lower Mainland Christmas Craft Fairs for information about similar events at other venues.
Click Deer Lake Park or see our article about the City of Burnaby to learn about the area.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Vancouver’s November Calendar
- Vancouver’s December Calendar
- Festivals & Events
- Best Christmas Activities
