Vancouver’s Apple Festival is UBC Botanical Garden’s biggest fundraising event. It features live entertainment and lots of tasty apples to buy and sample.
The event usually happens towards the end of October.
Other events that take place in the Lower Mainland around this time of year year are Harvest Days at VanDusen Garden and Canyon Frights at Capilano Bridge. There are also Circo Osorio Circus shows in Richmond, plus an Oktoberfest event at the Austria Vancouver Club. The Vancouver Winter Extreme Ski & Board Swap takes place at the PNE Forum as well.
If you like farms and the harvest season, and you have young children, then places to visit in the Fraser Valley include the Harrison Pumpkin Festival, Petey’s Pumpkin Patch and the Farm Fall Activities at Maan Farms.
Continue reading to learn about the event at the UBC Botanical Garden in late October.
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About the Apple Festival | Admission Details | Festival Activities | Tips & Advice | Other Information
UBC Botanical Garden Apple Festival
The UBC Apple Festival happens on Saturday and Sunday in mid to late October. It takes place at the UBC Botanical Garden which is at 6804 SW Marine Drive on the main University of British Columbia campus.
The UBC Botanical Garden is a recommended place to visit in Vancouver, especially between mid-October and mid-November with all of its fall colours. There’s even more to see than usual during the Apple Festival. It’s not a huge festival, but a nice one to complement a visit to the garden.
About the Apple Festival
The annual UBC Apple Festival takes place on the weekend after Thanksgiving and can attract over 15,000 people when the weather is good. Last year’s event ran on October 19th and 20th (so the weekend after Thanksgiving) from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm each day. We expect the times to be similar for the event in 2025.
Entertainment includes child-friendly shows, dancing and all kinds of music. Additionally, there are dozens of apples to sample and buy and even apple trees for sale. All proceeds go to UBC Botanical Garden.
Admission to the Festival
In previous years, admission to the event has been about $9 each but free for children ages 7 and under. Expect the price to be similar in 2025. All tickets have to be purchased online.
Moreover, you can enter the Apple Tasting Tent and sample different varieties of the fruit for an additional $9 or so. Most other activities (outside of buying things) are included in the price of admission.
Apple Festival Activities
There is lots to see and do at the UBC Botanical Garden’s Apple Festival, not least of which is the opportunity to wander around the botanical gardens. They are especially beautiful with their fall colours.
Activities specific to the Apple Festival include the apple tasting, which features about 48 different kinds of BC-grown apples. Being a fundraiser, there are also apples for purchase as well as a variety of apple trees for sale too. There is also an interesting market with other things for sale and live entertainment.
Tips & Advice
Below are some tips and information to help you make the most of your visit to the UBC Apple Festival.
TIP #1: If you’ve never been to UBC Botanical Garden but want to, then check out this event! The fall colours are beautiful, admission is discounted and it’s a fabulous time to visit.
TIP #2: The apple sampling venue sells out so don’t wait until the end of the day to buy your tickets. Get them early!
TIP #3: Parking close by can be a challenge but a free shuttle bus is available most years starting at 9:30 am between the venue and both UBC’s Fraser River Parkade and Campus West Parkade.
Other Information
See UBC Botanical Garden for more information on the gardens.
Click Botanical Garden Events for additional details on the festival.
Click Vancouver Fall Activities or October or November in Vancouver’s Best Places’ calendar for ideas on other things to do in autumn.
