There are many places in Metro Vancouver to see sparkling Christmas lights, admire seasonal decorations and enjoy the festive winter holiday season.
Events this year include the PNE Winter Fair, Canyon Lights at Capilano Bridge, VanDusen Festival of Lights and the Vancouver Christmas Market. There is also a holiday-themed tour with Forbidden Vancouver. The Soar with Santa film shows at FlyOver Canada and the Dundarave Festival of Lights happens in West Vancouver. In Langley there is Christmas Glow and Martini Town Merry & Bright.
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. Vancouver Christmas Market
In 2023 this event runs from November 16th 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.
2. Christmas Glow in Langley
This event runs from November 23rd until December 30th in 2023.
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 2023 the popular attractions runs from November 23rd until December 30th. This year it has a carnival theme!
To learn more click Christmas Glow Langley.
3. Canyon Lights at Capilano
This event runs from November 17th in 2023 until January 21st in 2024.
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.
In 2022 the event ran from November 19th, 2022, until January 22nd, 2023. As always, it was amazing! In 2023 it returns from November 17th, 2023, until January 21st, 2024.
See our article about Canyon Lights for more information.
4. Christmas at FlyOver Canada
Soar With Santa shows from November 16th until January 2nd this season.
FlyOver Canada 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.
5. VanDusen Festival of Lights
This festival takes place between November 24th and January 7th this season.
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 24th until January 7th in 2024. 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.
6. Martini Town Merry & Bright
Martini Town Merry & Bright is a new Christmas attraction in 2023. It takes place in Langley between December 1st and January 1st. 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 Lower Mainland’s newest holiday attraction, see our article about Martini Town Merry & Bright.
7. PNE Winter Fair
This event runs on select dates from December 8th until December 23rd in 2023.
The Pacific National Exhibition hosted a drive-thru-style event in 2020 and 2021 where visitors got to drive around the venue and see Christmas lights, magical lands and live entertainment from their cars. PNE WinterLights also featured food trucks for people wanting a tasty holiday snack.
In 2022 the event took the form of the PNE Winter Fair which featured a market, indoor ice skating and live entertainment.
The PNE Winter Fair returns in 2023. It runs on December 8th and 9th, and every day between December 14th and 23rd. This year 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 the banner ad below.
8. Goh Ballet Nutcracker
Performances take place between December 14th and 17th in 2023.
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.
9. Christmas and New Year’s Eve Boat Parties
Popular holiday activities for young adults are boat parties out in the waters around the City of Vancouver. Vancouver Boat Parties hosts a Christmas Boat Party on Saturday, December 16th in 2023. There is also a New Year’s Eve Boat Party on December 31st.
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.
10. Forest of Miracles & Dundarave Festival of Lights
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.
In 2022 the Christmas trees were up throughout the month of December. Special events with live entertainment also happened on the Saturdays of December 3rd, 10th and 17th. 2023 details will likely be similar.
To learn more see our article about the Dundarave Festival of Lights.
11. Big Elf Run at Stanley Park
The running event happens on December 9th in 2023.
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 kilometres. All participants just have to finish their run in two hours.
The 2023 event takes place on Saturday, December 9th. Early bird entry fees start at $20, $35 and $37 depending on the distance you want to run.
Click Big Elf Run for more information about the event.
12. Photos with Santa (at Britannia Mine Museum)
The event runs on December 9th, 10th, 16th and 17th in 2023.
Photos with Santa is a special event at the Britannia Mine Museum between West Vancouver and Squamish. On the weekends of December 9th & 10th and 16th & 17th Santa Claus is on site for photos.
To learn more click Britannia Mine at Christmas.
13. Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours
The Holiday History & Hot Chocolate Tour runs on select dates between December 2nd and January 7th 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 on weekends from December 2nd in 2023 until January 7th in 2024. It also takes place on the weekdays of December 27th to 29th, and again from January 2nd to 5th.
For more information about the tours check out our Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours article.
14. 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.
15. 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)
- Vancouver Academy of Music (they have their How the Grinch Stole Christmas concert on December 10th in 2023)
- 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).
- Music on Main (which hosts a number of concerts including a Winter Solstice)
Click Christmas Concerts for a sample list of performances and dates in the Lower Mainland.
16. Steveston Festival of Lights
The Gulf of Georgia Cannery in Steveston Village is usually decorated with Christmas trees in December. The attraction is an interesting place to visit any time of the year, but especially during the winter holiday season.
The trees were on display from December 1st until the 24th in 2022. 2023 details will likely be similar.
See our article about Christmas at the Cannery to learn more.
17. Bright Nights at Stanley Park
This event runs from November 30th in 2023 until January 1st in 2024.
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). After not operating in 2022, the train is back for the 2023 holiday season.
Click Bright Nights at Stanley Park for more information.
18. Lights by the Lake (at Harrison Hot Springs)
In 2023 the lights are up from November 18th until January 7th.
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.
19. Lights at Lafarge in Coquitlam
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.
Last season the event ran November 26th until February 21st. 2023 details are to be confirmed.
For more information, click Lights at Lafarge.
20. Vallea Lumina in Whistler
The winter version of this attraction runs from mid-October until the spring.
Located on Cougar Mountain (just past Whistler), Vallea Lumina is a lights attraction that usually runs throughout the year. Guests walk through a forest filled with beautiful illuminations and multimedia decorations.
Vallea Lumina is run by The Adventure Group, which is a company that offers other outdoor activities as well, including ziplines, ropes courses, RZR motor tours, and more.
To learn more about the winter attraction, see our Vallea Lumina page.
21. Holiday Hi-Light Festival
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 most years, 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.
In 2023 this attraction was open nightly from December 1st to 31st.
Click Park and Tilford Holiday Hi-Light Festival for more information.
22. Peak of Christmas at Grouse
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 usually 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).
The Christmas event ran from November 25th, 2022 to January 2nd, 2023. It’s happening again this upcoming season. Event dates and details are to be determined.
Click Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain for more information.
23. Heritage Christmas in Burnaby
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!
Last season the event ran from November 26th until January 2nd. 2023 details will likely be similar.
Click Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village for more information.
24. Christmas Lights at Granville Island
The Christmas and Holiday Lights are free to see at Granville Island. It’s not so much an event as Vancouver’s world-famous shopping and entertainment district getting decked out for the holidays and looking extra festive. The place is beautiful, and admission is free!
If you go to Granville Island for shopping (where you’ll find amazing unique and wonderful things), be sure to wander around and admire the lights when they’re up.
For more details see our article about Granville Island at Christmas.
25. Christmas at Canada Place
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.
The lights and decorations were up to admire from December 2nd until January 2nd last year. 2023 details will likely be similar.
Click Christmas at Canada Place for more details.
26. Hyatt Gingerbread Lane
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.
This event happens in 2023 between December 1st and the 29th.
For more information, click Gingerbread Lane at the Hyatt Regency.
Other Christmas Activities
Other popular Christmas-y things to do in Vancouver include the following:
- Christmas plays and theatre throughout town – see Vancouver’s Shows and Entertainment Calendar for details.
- Robson Square Ice Skating – free ice skating from December until February.
- Lumagica – a Christmas lights attraction in Cloverdale. (TBC)
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
