Home Vancouver Events Calendar Festivals and Events in Vancouver Surrey Christmas Tree Lighting Festival

Surrey Christmas Tree Lighting Festival

Surrey Tree Lighting at City Hall

The Surrey Tree Lighting Festival is a family event marking the start of the winter season with the lighting of a giant Christmas tree at Surrey City Hall.

In addition to the Christmas tree and various activities for children, highlights of the event include a market and free concerts. The festival runs over two days.

 


This article includes the following information about the festival:

Surrey Tree Lighting Festival Location | Entertainment Schedule | Festival Activities | Tips & Advice | Other Information


 

Surrey Tree Lighting Festival

In 2024 the Surrey Tree Lighting Festival takes place on the Saturday and Sunday of November 23rd and 24th. The event usually runs from 12:00 pm until 8:00 pm each day. As always, admission is free.

The festival includes family-friendly activities for children, as well as holiday crafts, food trucks, live entertainment and the lighting of a 60-foot Christmas tree in the plaza outside Surrey City Hall.

At the event, there are market vendors in a giant indoor tent area. Outside on the street there are food trucks. Inside City Hall there are craft activities for children.

 

Festival Location

The Surrey Tree Lighting Festival takes place in the Civic Plaza at Surrey City Hall and in the City Hall Atrium at 13450-104 Avenue in Surrey. Some activities also take place next door in the Surrey City Centre Public Library.

Both venues are conveniently located right by the Surrey Central SkyTrain Station.

 

Surrey Christmas Tree Lighting Festival

 

Festival Entertainment Schedule

The 2024 festival takes place on the weekend of November 23rd and 24th. Performers that hit the stage each day during last year’s event are listed below. Details were subject to change and exact performance times were to be confirmed. Performers for the event in 2024 are to be confirmed.

 

Saturday, November 25th, 2023

The tree lighting ceremony happened at 6:00 pm. Entertainment throughout the rest of the event on the Main Stage included the following:

  • 12:00 pm – Westcoast Harmony Chorus
  • 12:50 pm – Indigenous Welcome with Kwantlen First Nation
  • 1:00 pm – Murray Porter
  • 2:00 pm – Kara-Kata Afrobeat Group
  • 3:00 pm – Beauty Shop Dolls
  • 4:00 pm – Josh Bogert
  • 5:00 pm – Come Fly with Me: Michael Buble Tribute with Dane Warren
  • 5:55 pm – Speeches & Tree Lighting Ceremony
  • 7:00 pm – Warren Dean Flandez

Other performers elsewhere on the site this day included the following:

  • Cinderella and Beauty’s Holiday Show
  • DJ Miko.so
  • DJ Takeover
  • Fergus Dalton
  • Harmeet Kaur Virdee Duo
  • Harmoneve
  • Higher Ground Dance Company
  • Jani Jakovac
  • Kwantlen Park Glee Club
  • Marie Hui
  • Matt Henry
  • Panorama Youth Company
  • Salish Secondary Dance
  • Shelley
  • Surrey City Orchestra
  • Table Tutors
  • The Rambling Gentlemen
  • The UppaTones

 

Sunday, November 26th, 2023

Performers on this day on the Main Stage included the following:

  • 12:00 pm – Los Parranderos de Vancouver
  • 1:00 pm – YVR Pop Choir
  • 2:00 pm – Darren Harry & James Buddy Rogers
  • 3:00 pm – Pat Chessell & Friends
  • 4:00 pm – Phat Santa Swing!
  • 5:00 pm – Glisha
  • 6:00 pm – Merry & Bright
  • 7:00 pm – Unite for Light: Keep Surrey’s Christmas Tree Shining Bright! (featuring the Grinch, The Snow Sisters, and LED Dance Show)
  • 7:15 pm – Holiday Dance Hits with DJ Marvel

Other performers elsewhere on the site this day included the following:

  • Angels On High
  • DJ J’aded
  • DJ Marvel
  • DJ Swayzee
  • Gary Abbott
  • Ivan Hartle
  • Johnston Heights Secondary Choir
  • La Trompette de Noel
  • Leanne and Connor Page
  • Lorita Leung Dance Academy
  • Fraser Valley Academy of Dance
  • North Surrey Dance
  • Ranj Singh
  • Sax with Eric
  • The Langley Ukulele Ensemble
  • The Wee Drams
  • White Thunder Dance Theatre
  • YVR Pop Choir

 

Surrey Christmas Market

 

Festival Activities

In addition to the live entertainment and market vendors, activities at the Surrey Tree Lighting Festival typically include free Ferris Wheel rides, a couple of smaller rides for kids, light displays, photos with Santa Claus, and crafts for children.

Also at the event most years are food trucks in the Enchanted Eats zone. A couple of years ago there were about 10 different trucks serving everything from popcorn and coffee to mini donuts, burgers and pizza.

 

Festival Tips & Advice

Below are suggestions on how to make the most of your festival experience.

TIP #1: The concerts with headliner bands are especially popular. Head to the stage area well before their performances if you want a good view of some of the more well-known musicians and their shows.

TIP #2: Take public transit. Parking in the area will be a challenge. Surrey Central SkyTrain Station is right next door, and being a Saturday, a single zone transit ticket will get you there from anywhere within Metro Vancouver.

TIP #3: If you want to take photos with Santa Claus, be sure to make a reservation at surreytreelighting.ca. The booking system is usually live in early November.

 

Best Christmas Activities

 

Other Information

For more information about the Surrey Christmas event in November, see the Surrey Tree Lighting Festival website.

For other events going on this time of year in other parts of the Lower Mainland, click any of the following: