UBC Apple Festival

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.

In 2024 the event happens on October 19th and 20th. In 2023 the festival took place on October 14th and 15th.

Other events taking place on the same weekend in the Lower Mainland include 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 FestivalPeteys Pumpkin Patch and the Farm Fall Activities at Maan Farms.

To learn about the event at the UBC Botanical Garden in mid-October, continue reading.

 

Circo Osorio Circus in the Lower Mainland

Harrison Pumpkin Festival

 

UBC Botanical Garden Apple Festival

In 2023 the UBC Apple Festival took place on the Saturday and Sunday of October 14th and 15th. It’s held at the UBC Botanical Garden which is located at 6804 SW Marine Drive on the 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.

 

People at UBC's Apple Festival
UBC Apple Festival (Photo by Chloe Sirges)

 

About the Apple Festival

Attracting over 15,000 people in years when the weather is good, the annual UBC Apple Festival takes place on the weekend after Thanksgiving. In 2024 the event runs on October 19th and 20th after Thanksgiving on Monday, October 14th. In 2023 the two-day festival ran from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm each day. We expect the times to be similar for the event in 2024.

Entertainment includes child-friendly shows, dancing and all kinds of music. Furthermore, there are dozens of apples to sample and buy and even apple trees for sale. All proceeds go to UBC Botanical Garden.

 

Petey's Pumpkin Patch

Halloween in the Lower Mainland

 

Admission to the Festival

In 2023 admission to the event was about $9 each but free for children ages 7 and under. 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. We expect pricing to be comparable when the festival returns in 2024.

 

UBC Apple Festival Tree Sales Station
Apple trees for sale (Photo by Chloe Sirges)

 

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.

 

Apple Festival Trees for Sale
(Photo by Chloe Sirges)

 

Entertainment Schedule

As of early October, the 2023 entertainment schedule was to be confirmed. For an idea of what to expect, performances that took place at the UBC Apple Festival in 2022 included the following.

 

West Entrance Small Stage


 

Saturday, October 15th (2022)

  • 12:00 pm to 12:45 pm – Michael Burnyeat and Kosta Borzhinov (Celtic music)
  • 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm – Tim Readman and Prairie Wolfe (mixed music styles)
  • 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm – Maria Ho and Bob York (Brazilian Jazz music)
  • 3:00 pm to 3:45 pm – Tom and Ellen (duets and sing alongs)

 

Sunday, October 16th (2022)

  • 12:00 pm to 12:45 pm – Luc LeMans (pop and rock music)
  • 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm – Sangre Morena (Latin American songs)
  • 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm – Dragonfly (Jazz and Contemporary)
  • 3:00 pm to 3:45 pm – Sangre Morena (Latin American songs)

 

Moongate Tunnel


 

Saturday, October 15th (2022)

  • 11:30 am to 3:30 pm – Rebecca Blair (harp)

 

Sunday, October 16th (2022)

  • 11:30 am to 3:30 pm – Judy Henry (harp)

 

Great Lawn Main Stage


 

Saturday, October 15th (2022)

  • 12:00 pm to 12:45 pm – JES (mixed music styles)
  • 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm – Blackthorn Blossoms (Celtic and English music)
  • 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm – Michael, Lynn and Michael (local folk music)
  • 3:00 pm to 3:45 pm – The Trout Lake Trio (folk songs)

 

Sunday, October 16th (2022)

  • 12:00 pm to 12:45 pm – The Lawless Firm (Gypsy Jazz-style music)
  • 1:00 pm to 1:45 pm – The Wheat in the Barley (mixed musical styles)
  • 2:00 pm to 2:45 pm – The Hot Teas (a cappella music)
  • 3:00 pm to 3:45 pm – The InCiders (musical storytelling)

 

Children’s Area


 

Saturday, October 15th (2022)

  • 11:30 am – Story time
  • 12:00 pm – Story time
  • 12:30 pm – Story time
  • 1:00 pm – Story time
  • 1:30 pm – Anthony Blackman (steel drums)
  • 2:30 pm – Anthony Blackman (steel drums)

 

Sunday, October 16th (2022)

  • 11:30 am – Story time
  • 12:00 pm – Anthony Blackman (steel drums)
  • 12:30 pm – Story time
  • 1:00 pm – Story time
  • 2:00 pm – Anthony Blackman (steel drums)
  • 3:00 pm – Anthony Blackman (steel drums)

 

Halloween Activities for Kids

 

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.

 

Best Places in Autumn

 

Other Information

For more information on the gardens, see UBC Botanical Garden.

Click Botanical Garden Events for additional details on the festival.

For ideas on other things to do in autumn, click Vancouver Fall Activities or October or November in Vancouver’s Best Places’ calendar.