Monster Dash Halloween Run

The Monster Dash is a 5 km annual Halloween fun-run in Burnaby where participants dress up and go for a run in all sorts of costumes.

The event is part of the Burnaby Halloween Festival which is a collection of around two dozen happenings that take place throughout October.

Other events in the Burnaby Halloween Festival include the Central Spark fireworks night, Pumpkins After Dark walkthrough light attraction, and the Haunted Village at Burnaby Village Museum. Last year the Vancouver Horror Show Film Festival was also part of the Burnaby Halloween Festival. The film festival will likely be happening again in 2025, but independently from the other Burnaby events.

To learn about the region’s top seasonal events this time of year, see our articles about Top Halloween Events in Vancouver and Lower Mainland Haunted Houses. For information about a similar running event to the one in Burnaby, see our article about the Big Halloween Run. For full details about the Monster Dash, however, continue reading.

Monster Dash 5K Run in Burnaby

The Monster Dash 5K Run launched in 2023 as a fun, Halloween-themed running race in late October. The event also includes a new Mini Monster Dash for children. The mini dash is 400 metres and happens before the 5 km run.

The Monster Dash main race is a timed event, although it’s not just about competing. The organizers designed the race as a fun, costume-filled event to get everyone into the Halloween spirit. You don’t have to dress up if you don’t want to, but organizers strongly encourage it!

The 2025 Monster Dash happens at Swangard Stadium on October 26th.

Metro Vancouver is home to a number of other great running races during the Halloween season. Around the same time as the Monster Dash is the Rubber Ducky Race at Burnaby Lake Regional Park on Sunday, October 19, 2025. Also this year are the Hallow’s Eve Trail Race in North Vancouver on Saturday, October 25th, and the second annual Big Halloween Run on Thursday, October 30th, in Vancouver’s Olympic Village.

Check out our Vancouver Running Races article for details about those events and other races in the region. Keep reading to learn more about the Monster Dash.

Location and Registration

The Monster Dash starts and ends at Swangard Stadium which is located in the northwest corner of Central Park. The stadium’s address is 6100 Boundary Road; it’s right on the border between Burnaby and Vancouver.

The cost to register for the Monster Dash varies between $30 and $58 depending on when you register. Admission to the Mini Monster Dash for kids ranges between $10 and $20.

The main race kit includes a bib (with a timer), a finishing medal, and some custom souvenirs. Kids who run in the Mini Monster Dash get their own goodie bag. There are also refreshments available both before and after the run for participants.

The organizers of the Monster Dash recommend that all runners in the 5 km race be at least 10 years old.

Monster Dash Course Routes

Registration and check in for the event begins at 8:00 am. The Mini Monster Dash starts at 8:45 am and the main run sets off at 9:00.

The same as last year, participants in the Monster Dash head south from the stadium along Boundary Road before doing a loop around the park’s two ponds. The runners go east along Imperial Street, turn north up Patterson Avenue, and then cut back across the park to the stadium once they reach the Patterson Skytrain Station.

The Mini Monster Dash takes place within Swangard Stadium. Children simply do a lap around the stadium’s track.

Everyone is encouraged to dress up and wear a fun costume. Just make sure it’s one that isn’t too difficult to run in.

Monster Dash