Monster Dash Halloween Run

The Monster Dash is a 5km 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 24 happenings 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 5KM Run in Burnaby

The Monster Dash 5KM 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 5km run.

The Monster Dash main race is a timed event, though 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 2024 Monster Dash happened at Swangard Stadium on October 20th last year. While the date for the 2025 event is yet to be confirmed, it will most likely happen around this same time frame in 2025. Details are to be confirmed.

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.

Early bird registration for the event last year 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 was $45. After that it was $55. The Mini Monster Dash cost $10 until September 5th and then $15 every day after that. You can expect this tiered pricing again in 2025. Details are to be confirmed.

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 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 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.