Monster Dash Halloween Run

An annual Halloween activity, the Monster Dash 5K in Burnaby is a fun event where participants dress up and go for a run in all sorts of costumes.

The Monster Dash is part of the Burnaby Halloween Festival. The festival is a collection of around two dozen events that take place throughout October.

Other top events in the Burnaby Halloween Festival include the Central Spark fireworks night, Vancouver Horror Show Film Festival, Pumpkins After Dark walkthrough light attraction, and the Haunted Village at Burnaby Village Museum.

Monster Dash 5K Run in Burnaby

The Monster Dash 5K Run began in 2023 as a fun, Halloween-themed running race in late October. The event returns in 2024, and this year it includes a new Mini Monster Dash for children. The mini dash is 400 metres and happens before the 5 km run.

While the main race is timed, the Monster Dash is not just about competing. It’s meant to be a fun, costume-filled event that gets everyone into the Halloween spirit. You don’t have to dress up if you don’t want to, but it’s strongly encouraged!

The 2024 Monster Dash happens at Swangard Stadium on Sunday, October 20th.

Metro Vancouver is home to a number of other great running races during the Halloween season. On the same day as the Monster Dash in 2024 is the Rubber Ducky Race at Burnaby Lake Regional Park. There’s also the Hallow’s Eve Trail Race in North Vancouver on Saturday, October 26th, and the inaugural Big Halloween Run on Wednesday, October 30th, in Vancouver’s Olympic Village.

For details about those events and other races in the region, check out our Vancouver Running Races article. To learn more about the Monster Dash, keep reading.

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, meaning it’s right on the border between Burnaby and Vancouver.

Early bird registration for the event in 2024 opened on June 13th. The cost to register for the Monster Dash from then until September 5th was $35. From September 6th to October 10th the price is $45. After that it’s $55. The Mini Monster Dash cost $10 until September 5th and then $15 every day after that.

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

The main race both starts and finishes at Swangard Stadium. The run begins at 9:00 am.

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 then 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 the confines of Swangard. Children simply do a lap around the stadium’s track.

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