There are many places in Metro Vancouver to see sparkling Christmas lights, admire seasonal decorations and enjoy the festive winter holiday season.

This article contains information about most of the Lower Mainland’s main holiday attractions. First though, below is a summary of what’s still happening.

Top Holiday Season Activities

Below are some of the top places in Metro Vancouver to see Christmas lights, holiday decorations and get into the festive spirit (in our opinion).

(Note: Since a “best place” for one person is different from a “best place” for someone else, our list is not in order or any form of ranking. In addition to the top places, we also list a few extras at the bottom.)

1. VanDusen Festival of Lights 

This festival takes place between November 29th, 2024 and January 9th, 2025.

Interested in seeing amazing light displays in Vancouver’s finest botanical garden? This is a must-see attraction!

At the event there are hundreds of thousands of sparkling Christmas lights and other fun stuff! It’s one of our favourite places for getting into a festive Christmas spirit! In normal years, the attraction also offers carousel rides and visits with Santa.

The event runs from November 29th, 2024 until January 9th, 2025 this winter. Except for on Christmas Day, the attraction is open daily from 4:00 to 10:00 pm.

Click VanDusen Festival of Lights for more information.

2. Martini Town Merry & Bright

This event takes place between December 4th and January 5th this season.

Martini Town Merry & Bright was a new Christmas attraction in 2023. The event returns for its second year in 2024. The venue’s address is 1123 272 Street (which is near Aldergrove). Martini Town Merry & Bright features holiday decorations at an outdoor film studio set as well as live entertainment, food trucks and market vendors.

To learn more about the holiday attraction, see our article about Martini Town Merry & Bright.

3. Canyon Lights at Capilano

This event runs from November 22nd in 2024 until January 19th in 2025. The following year it runs from November 21st, 2025, until January 18th, 2026.

Canyon Lights at the Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver is amazing. Their Christmas lights win top prize for being tastefully displayed, and the bridges and unique walkways make this a one-of-a-kind Christmas experience.

This winter the event runs from November 22nd, 2024, until January 19th, 2025. It’s a must-see attraction!

See our article about Canyon Lights for more information.

4. Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours

The Holiday History & Hot Chocolate Tour runs on most dates between November 15th and January 10th this season.

Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours run throughout the year. The experiences in downtown Vancouver are full of storytelling and learning about the city’s past. During the Christmas season, the company offers a special Holiday History & Hot Chocolate Tour.

The holiday tour runs almost daily from November 15th in 2024 until January 10th in 2025. Between these dates, it’s only not available on December 25th and January 1st.

For more information about the tours, see our article about the Holiday History & Hot Chocolate Tours article.

5. Christmas Glow in Langley

This event runs from November 20th until December 28th in 2024.

Christmas Glow is an attraction with hundreds of thousands of lights and numerous family-friendly things to see and do. There are Christmas light displays, activities for children and live music.

In 2024 the popular attraction runs from November 20th until December 28th. This year it has an enchanted forest theme!

To learn more click Christmas Glow Langley.

6. Christmas at FlyOver

Soar With Santa shows from November 21st until January 1st this season.

FlyOver is an exceptional multi-dimensional movie theatre attraction at Canada Place where you get to “fly over” Canada from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific and then up to the Arctic. The attraction adopts a wonderful winter holiday theme during the Christmas season.

In the Christmas version of the experience, guests are entertained by elves and get to follow Santa on his travels across the country.

This attraction is exceptional for a number of reasons. One is because the experience is both unique and really cool. It’s also entertaining and educational at the same time. The film is an indoor event, which makes it good regardless of the weather.

Click FlyOver Canada at Christmas for details.

7. Bah! Humbug at Fort Langley

There are holiday decorations and craft activities at the national historic site most days between December 16th and 30th.

Bah! Humbug isn’t a huge or elaborate event, but it’s still fun and Christmas-y. It’s also educational. The historic site is open most days in the second half of December except for the 24th, 25th, 26th and 31st as well as on New Year’s Day. There’s an almost Scrooge-like Chief Trader roaming around on site and craft activities for people to do.

To learn more, see our article about Fort Langley National Historic Site.

8. New Year’s Eve Boat Parties

There are multiple parties on New Year’s Eve in 2024

Popular holiday activities for young adults are boat parties out in the waters around the City of Vancouver. Vancouver Boat Parties hosts two events on December 31st in 2024. There’s the Hip Hop X Latin New Year’s Eve Boat Party as well as the Night on the Waves New Year’s Eve Boat Party. Unlike in years past, there are no Christmas events in 2024.

The boat parties are like extra-special night club events. There is music, a bar and lots of people partying, but they take place on chartered yachts in the waters of English Bay and Burrard Inlet.

Visit the Vancouver Boat Parties website for more information about the above December cruises.

9. Forest of Miracles & Dundarave Festival of Lights

This festival runs from November 30th until January 7th this season.

The Dundarave Festival of Lights is an event that takes place at the waterfront in West Vancouver. It normally involves live entertainment and family-friendly activities on the four Saturdays leading up to Christmas. It also features decorated Christmas trees throughout December in the form of the Forest of Miracles.

West Vancouver’s waterfront at Dundarave is a beautiful spot. The seawall there, in fact, is one of our favourite places to walk on Vancouver’s North Shore. The area is beautiful any time of the year. In the late afternoon and evening in December, it’s especially pretty with all the Christmas lights.

The Christmas trees are up from November 30th, 2024, until January 7th, 2025. Special events with live entertainment also happen on the Saturdays of November 30th, December 7th, December 14th and December 21st.

To learn more see our article about the Dundarave Festival of Lights.

10. Cirque du Soleil in Vancouver

Shows take place between October 9th, 2024, and January 5th, 2025.

The world-famous circus company Cirque du Soleil hosts fabulous shows in Vancouver each year. In 2024 they bring ECHO to a giant structure at Concord Pacific Place. The show’s story is about evolution, animals and nature, along with our influence on the world. Performances include acrobatics, dancing, live music, and more.

ECHO isn’t a Christmas-themed show, but performances run during the Christmas season. In 2024/25 there are ECHO shows on select dates between October 9th and January 5th.

For more details see our Cirque du Soleil article.

11. Bright Nights at Stanley Park

This event runs from November 29th, 2024 until January 4th, 2025.

Vancouver’s Stanley Park hosts one of the most amazing presentations of child-friendly Christmas lights and festive-themed displays in the Lower Mainland, with over three million sparkling lights viewed by gazillions of people in normal years.

Admission to Bright Nights is by donation, with funds going to the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund. The attraction also includes train rides (which you have to pay for).

Click Bright Nights at Stanley Park for more information.

12. Lights by the Lake (at Harrison Hot Springs)

In 2024/25 the lights are up from November 23rd until January 6th.

Christmas Lights by the Lake is an annual event at Harrison Hot Springs in the Fraser Valley. From late November until around the middle of January the waterfront in the resort town gets lit up with holiday lights and illuminations. Most years there is also a small ice rink for people to skate on.

To learn more see our article about Lights by the Lake.

13. Lights at Lafarge in Coquitlam

The lights are up from November 22nd until the end of February this winter.

Lights at Lafarge is a Christmas attraction that features holiday lights and illuminations around the lake at Town Centre Park in Coquitlam.

The decorations are beautiful, the walk around the lake is most pleasant, the scenery is wonderful and the attraction is completely free! The venue is also conveniently located near the Lafarge Lake-Douglas SkyTrain Station. If you live in the area or have never been, we highly recommend it.

This season the event runs from November 22nd, 2024, until the end of February, 2025.

For more information, click Lights at Lafarge.

14. Holiday Hi-Light Festival

This event happens daily from November 29th to December 31st in 2024

If you plan to be in North Vancouver and want to see some good free Christmas lights, then check out the displays at Park and Tilford mall when they’re up. Admission is by donation, with funds raised going to the City and District of North Vancouver Fire Fighter Societies.

The Holiday Hi-Light Festival illuminations aren’t as impressive as the lights at Stanley Park, or at more exotic places like VanDusen Garden or Capilano Suspension Bridge. Considering that they’re free though, they are actually quite impressive and well worth checking out, especially during Family Nights.

This year this attraction was open nightly from November 29th to December 31st. There are special events on opening night as well as December 13th.

Click Park and Tilford Holiday Hi-Light Festival for more information.

15. Peak of Christmas at Grouse

This event runs from November 22nd to Christmas Eve in 2024.

Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver offers some of the best Christmas-time activities in the Lower Mainland.

At the Peak of Christmas in typical years, there are holiday movies in the theatre, visits with Santa and illuminations on display. There are also ice skating opportunities, trails for snowshoeing, fine dining and of course the great ski slopes with their amazing views of Vancouver below.

The Peak of Christmas isn’t cheap. However, admission is included with a ski ticket, which makes all the attractions at the resort suddenly become a pretty good deal (especially for people with season’s ski passes).

Click Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain for more information.

16. Heritage Christmas in Burnaby

This event runs from November 23rd, 2024, until January 3rd, 2025.

Burnaby Village’s Heritage Christmas is one of the best holiday festive deals in Metro Vancouver – not only is it a great place to get into the Christmas mood, but it’s also free! It doesn’t have the best or largest displays of Christmas lights and decorations, but for the price they charge it’s still impressive, plus you get interesting pieces of history thrown in to boot!

Click Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village for more information.

17. Christmas at Canada Place

This decorations are up from November 29th until January 1st this season.

If you plan to be in downtown Vancouver in December, then check out The Canadian Trail along Canada Place‘s West Promenade. It’s just a few blocks from Waterfront Station, next door to the new Vancouver Convention Centre building, and only a few blocks from Gastown and the Vancouver Lookout at Harbour Centre.

Click Christmas at Canada Place for more details.

18. Hyatt Gingerbread Lane

The event takes place from November 28th until December 27th in 2024.

For one of the best displays of gingerbread houses in Vancouver, check out Gingerbread Lane downtown at the Hyatt Regency on Burrard Street near Georgia. The hotel’s foyer becomes home to dozens of beautiful and delicious-looking gingerbread creations. It’s not necessarily a destination of its own, but if you are in the area it’s worth a visit.

For more information, click Gingerbread Lane at the Hyatt Regency.

19. Vancouver Christmas Market

In 2024 this event runs from November 13th until Christmas Eve.

The Vancouver Christmas Market is Vancouver’s original German-themed outdoor holiday market. It’s home to dozens of artisan vendors and food stalls selling a wide range of festive products. Located at Jack Poole Plaza beside the Convention Centre, it also features a carousel ride and live entertainment.

The market is interesting and of high quality, there’s a nice festive atmosphere to it, and the event is about as authentic a German Christmas market as you can get in a place like Vancouver.

If you are looking for an outdoor market with interesting knick-knacks to see while enjoying mulled wine or cider with friends, then this can be a great place to be.

Visit vancouverchristmasmarket.com or see our article about the Vancouver Christmas Market for more information.

20. Noel Holiday Light Festival

The Noel Holiday Light Festival runs on select dates between November 28th and December 23rd in 2024.

New for 2024. the Noel Holiday Light Festival is a massive Christmas celebration held at Surrey’s Cloverdale Fairgrounds. The event features tons of lights, a market, live entertainment and an LED Igloo Bar. There are also food trucks, a Ferris Wheel, photo opportunities with Santa, and so much more.

The event takes place at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds from November 28th to December 1st, from December 5th to 8th, and again from December 12th to 23rd.

To learn more see our article about the Noel Holiday Light Festival.

21. PNE Winter Fair

This event runs on select dates from December 6th until December 23rd in 2024.

The PNE Winter Fair returns in 2024. It runs on December 6th, 7th and 8th, and then every day between December 12th and 23rd. The event features Christmas decorations, ice skating, live entertainment, artisan vendors and more.

To learn more, see our article about PNE Winter Fair or click pne.ca.

22. Goh Ballet Nutcracker

Performances take place between December 19th and 22nd in 2024.

Goh Ballet is a prestigious dance company that hosts an annual performance of The Nutcracker during the Christmas season. The shows usually take place at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver.

The production is based on the original ballet and follows a character’s magical journey to the Kingdom of Sweets. The story features toys, children, heroes and evil mice. Expect to see over 200 dancers and performers take the stage. The music is also performed live by the Vancouver Opera Orchestra most years.

See our article about Goh Ballet Nutcracker for more information.

23. Big Elf Run at Stanley Park

The running event happens on December 14th in 2024.

The Big Elf Run is a fun running race that takes place at Vancouver’s Stanley Park. Unlike many other runs, this event isn’t super competitive. Instead, it’s a fun social event where people walk, jog or run in Christmas-themed costumes. There are different distances to choose from between 1 and 15 km. All participants just have to finish their run in two hours.

The 2024 event takes place on Saturday, December 14th. Early bird entry fees start at $23, $40 and $45 depending on the distance you want to run.

Click Big Elf Run for more information about the event.

24. Photos with Santa (at Britannia Mine Museum)

The event runs on December 7th, 8th, 14th and 15th this year.

Photos with Santa is a special event at the Britannia Mine Museum between West Vancouver and Squamish. On the weekends of December 7th & 8th and 14th & 15th in 2024, Santa Claus is on site for photos.

To learn more click Britannia Mine at Christmas.

25. North Pole Express (at the Railway Museum)

The event takes place on select dates between November 23rd and December 21st in 2024.

The West Coast Railway Museum in Squamish hosts their popular North Pole Express event during the holiday season each year. Based on the film The Polar Express, the magical train ride features hot chocolate, cookies, chefs, and live entertainment. Pajamas are encouraged for kids!

In 2024 the train operates on November 23rd, 24th and 30th, as well as on December 1st, 7th, 8th, 14th, 15th, and 21st.

For more information see our North Pole Express article.

26. Squamish at Dusk

The event runs on select evenings between November 28th and December 14th in 2024.

Squamish at Dusk is a newer event that takes place in Rose Park. The outdoor venue is about an hour’s drive away from Vancouver. Squamish at Dusk is a festive holiday display with plenty of light installations to admire. It’s open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays for a few weeks.

In 2024 the attraction operates from November 28th to 30th, and again from December 5th to 7th and December 12th to 14th.

To learn more click Squamish at Dusk.

27. WinterFest at MOS

This event runs from November 23rd to December 21st in 2024.

The Museum of Surrey hosts their annual WinterFest event throughout the holiday season. Formerly known as the Cloverdale Christmas Tree Festival, the event features decorated Christmas trees, special scavenger hunts, and other family-friendly activities until the last Saturday before Christmas. Admission is free!

To learn more about the event, see our article about WinterFest at MOS.

28. Christmas Lights at Williams Park

This event operates between December 9th and the 23rd in 2024.

Christmas Lights at Williams Park is a drive-thru holiday light attraction at a park in Langley. It used to be run by a group of volunteers. In 2024, however, it was taken over by the municipality. Admission is by donation with funds raised benefiting the local food bank.

29. Christmas Craft Fairs

November and December are the months for Christmas crafts fairs, and there are usually lots of them in Metro Vancouver. For a list of craft fairs click Lower Mainland Christmas Craft Fairs.

30. Christmas Music

The Christmas season is usually a great time of year for music and the performing arts. There are choirs and orchestras performing throughout the Lower Mainland.

Some of our favourite music any time of the year is offered by the following groups:

• Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (the city’s world-famous orchestra)
• Chor Leoni Men’s Choir (an exceptional group made up of largely professional singers).
• Vancouver Oratorio Choir (a 90 or so member choir of Christian vocalists and musicians).
• Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir (an excellent male voice choir).
• Pacific Baroque Orchestra (which is part of Early Music Vancouver).
• Goh Ballet (which presents the Nutcracker each year).
• United Voices Choir (who host a holiday singalong concert).
• Music on Main (which hosts a number of concerts including a Winter Solstice).
• The Singing Christmas Tree (a series of free concerts at Vancouver’s Broadway Church).
• Vancouver Chamber Choir (a professional ensemble with multiple Christmas concerts).
• Vancouver Christmas Market (home to a series of concerts throughout the season).
• Songs Strings & Steps (an annual event featuring the Abbotsford Youth Orchestra).

Click Christmas Concerts for a sample list of performances and dates in the Lower Mainland.

31. Christmas Tea Lights at Camp Howdy

In 2024 the event runs on select dates from November 15th to December 22nd.

Christmas Tea Lights is an annual event at Camp Howdy. Over the holiday season, the event venue near Belcarra Park features light displays, boat rides, domed dining experiences and more.

This year, the event takes place on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between November 15th and December 22nd.

See our article about Christmas Tea Lights to learn more.

32. Shipyards Christmas Market

In 2024 the event takes place from November 29th until December 24th.

The Shipyards Christmas Market is a new event debuting in 2024. It’s a European-style market with about 75 different vendors. Admission is free.

The first edition of the market offers food and drinks to buy, as well as live music to entertain crowds. The city’s main Christmas tree is on site and there are other displays and photo opportunities too.

To learn more about the event, see our Shipyards Christmas Market article.

Other Information

Other articles that might be of interest include the following:

• Vancouver’s December Calendar
• Vancouver’s November and January Calendars
• Best Christmas Activities
• Lower Mainland Christmas Craft Fairs
• Vancouver Theatre in December
• Vancouver Christmas Concerts
• Lower Mainland Santa Claus Parades
• Vancouver Winter Activities
• Lower Mainland Ski Hills
• Vancouver Rainy Day Activities