Vancouver This Weekend

Wondering what to do in Vancouver this weekend? Lots of events are happening in the Lower Mainland including festivals, theatre performances and more.

See below for a list of what’s taking place this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. For a list of what’s happening on other days of the month, see our December calendar of events.

Click on any of the following to skip to a specific section:

Weekend Overview | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Other Upcoming Events

Events This Weekend in Vancouver

Highlights of the weekend of December 26th to 28th include Boxing Day sales and the Contact Winter Music Festival. There is also free admission at Fort Langley National Historic Site over the holidays thanks to the Canada Strong Pass program, plus Tropical Santa to visit at Metropolis at Metrotown.

There is also Jack & the Beanstalk at Metro Theatre, the musical Annie at Gateway Theatre, and improvisational theatre at The Improv Centre on Granville Island.

Lots of other winter holiday events and attractions are happening too. In Vancouver there is Soar With Santa at Flyover and Festival of Lights at VanDusen Garden. Elsewhere in Metro Vancouver there is Canyon Lights at Capilano Bridge and the Noel Holiday Light Festival in Surrey. In the Fraser Valley, meanwhile, there is Merry & Bright at Martini Town, Christmas Glow in Langley, and Lights by the Lake at Harrison Hot Springs.

See below for a list of what’s taking place, when and where. As you’ll see, so much is happening in the Lower Mainland!

Friday, December 26th, 2025

Boxing Day

Shows & Entertainment

Metro Theatre – the British pantomime Jack & the Beanstalk shows at the theatre in South Vancouver.
Gateway Theatre – the musical Annie shows at Gateway Theatre in Richmond.
Contact Winter Music Festival – a music festival featuring electronic dance music (EDM) by various artists at the Pacific Coliseum.

Christmas Attractions & Activities

Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge – Christmas light displays at the world-famous bridge. (TIP: BC residents can get an annual pass to the attraction for the same price as a single-day ticket!)
Noel Holiday Light Festival & Market – a large Christmas celebration at Surrey’s Cloverdale Fairgrounds with light displays, live performances, artisan vendors and more.
Soar with Santa at Flyover – a winter holiday-themed multi-dimensional film experience at Canada Place. Also showing is the film Awaken Canada.
Glow Christmas – a winter holiday festival featuring illuminations, music and festive, family-friendly activities in Langley.
Martini Town Merry & Bright – a Christmas attraction with holiday decorations and live entertainment at a movie studio in Langley.
Festival of Lights – over a million lights and decorations at beautiful VanDusen Botanical Garden.
Dundarave Festival of Lights – Christmas trees to admire in West Vancouver.
Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village – Christmas lights and decorations at the outdoor museum in Burnaby.
Lights by the Lake – Christmas illuminations at Harrison Hot Springs.
Lights at Lafarge – winter light displays around Coquitlam’s Lafarge Lake.
Bright Nights – the family-friendly fundraising Christmas lights event is happening in Surrey as part of the Noel Festival this year (instead of at its usual location at Stanley Park).
In addition to the above, for more, see our articles about Vancouver’s Best Christmas Activities or Free Events in December.

Other Events and Activities

Britannia Mine – the historic mining museum at Britannia Beach (which is half an hour north of Horseshoe Bay on the way to Squamish and Whistler).
Chinese Canadian Museum – a relatively new museum full of information and things to see in Vancouver’s Chinatown.
Vancouver Mysteries Games – outdoor adventure games in downtown Vancouver. (TIP: Use the promo code BESTPLACES and save 10% on games.)
Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours – guided tours in downtown Vancouver. Today features the Holiday History & Hot Chocolate Tour.
Vancouver Maritime Museum – the family-friendly museum at Vanier Park. (TIP: Use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER and save 25%!)
Winterlust – domed dining at the H Tasting Lounge at the Westin Bayshore Hotel for parties of 1 to 6 guests. (Minimum spend requirements apply.)
The Legend of the Gastown Gold – an indoor detective game that’s played at a hotel in downtown Vancouver.
Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience – a touring attraction that’s set up in Stanley Park.

Saturday, December 27th, 2025

Boxing Day Weekend
Santa Experience at the Met – Tropical Santa is at Burnaby’s Metropolis at Metrotown for photos today in his casual, ready-for-the-beach holiday clothes.

Shows & Entertainment

Metro Theatre – the British pantomime Jack & the Beanstalk shows at the theatre in South Vancouver.
Gateway Theatre – the musical Annie shows at Gateway Theatre in Richmond.
Contact Winter Music Festival – a music festival featuring electronic dance music (EDM) by various artists at the Pacific Coliseum.

Christmas Attractions

Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge – Christmas light displays at the world-famous bridge. (TIP: BC residents can get an annual pass to the attraction for the same price as a single-day ticket!)
Soar with Santa at Flyover – a winter holiday-themed multi-dimensional film experience at Canada Place.
Martini Town Merry & Bright – a Christmas attraction with holiday decorations and live entertainment at a movie studio in Langley.
Noel Holiday Light Festival & Market – a large Christmas celebration at Surrey’s Cloverdale Fairgrounds with light displays, live performances, artisan vendors and more.
Glow Christmas – a winter holiday festival featuring illuminations, music and festive, family-friendly activities in Langley.
Lights by the Lake – Christmas illuminations at Harrison Hot Springs.
Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village – Christmas lights and decorations at the outdoor museum in Burnaby.
Festival of Lights – over a million lights and decorations at beautiful VanDusen Botanical Garden.
Lights at Lafarge – winter light displays around Coquitlam’s Lafarge Lake.
Bright Nights – the family-friendly fundraising Christmas lights event is happening in Surrey as part of the Noel Festival this year (instead of at its usual location at Stanley Park).
In addition to the above, for more, see our articles about Vancouver’s Best Christmas Activities or Free Events in December.

Other Events and Activities

Fort Langley – the national historic site in Fort Langley is a great place to explore. (Note: Admission is free today and for the rest of this month thanks to the Canada Strong Pass program.)
Vancouver Maritime Museum – the family-friendly museum at Vanier Park. (TIP: Use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER and save 25% on admission!)
The Improv Centre – live comedy theatre at Granville Island. Today features ‘Tis the Sitcom.
Vancouver Mysteries Games – outdoor adventure games in downtown Vancouver. (TIP: Use the promo code BESTPLACES to save 10%.)
Winterlust – domed dining at the H Tasting Lounge at the Westin Bayshore Hotel for parties of 1 to 6 guests. (Minimum spend requirements apply.)
Flyover at Canada Place – the multi-dimensional theatre has a film about Canada. Also playing at the theatre for a limited time is Soar With Santa.
Britannia Mine – the historic mining museum at Britannia Beach (which is half an hour north of Horseshoe Bay on the way to Squamish and Whistler).
Chinese Canadian Museum – a relatively new museum full of information and things to see in Vancouver’s Chinatown.
Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience – a touring attraction that’s set up in Stanley Park.
Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours – guided tours in downtown Vancouver. Today features the Holiday History & Hot Chocolate Tour.
The Case of the Hotel Detective – a murder-mystery game that’s played at a hotel in downtown Vancouver near Gastown.
Museum of Surrey – the museum in Cloverdale has free admission as well as a new interactive hockey exhibit.

Sunday, December 28th, 2025

Boxing Day Weekend
Britannia Mine – the historic mining museum at Britannia Beach (which is half an hour north of Horseshoe Bay on the way to Squamish and Whistler).
Chinese Canadian Museum – a relatively new museum full of information and things to see in Vancouver’s Chinatown.
Vancouver Mysteries Games – outdoor adventure games in downtown Vancouver. (TIP: Use the promo code BESTPLACES and save 10% on games.)
Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours – guided tours in downtown Vancouver. Today features the Holiday History & Hot Chocolate Tour.
Winterlust – domed dining at the H Tasting Lounge at the Westin Bayshore Hotel for parties of 1 to 6 guests. (Minimum spend requirements apply.)
The Case of the Hotel Detective – a murder-mystery game that’s played at a hotel in downtown Vancouver near Gastown.
Museum of Surrey – the museum in Cloverdale has free admission as well as a new interactive hockey exhibit.
Fort Langley – the national historic site in Fort Langley is a great place to explore. (Note: Admission is free today and for the rest of this month thanks to the Canada Strong Pass program.)
Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience – a touring attraction that’s set up in Stanley Park.

Shows & Entertainment

Jack & the Beanstalk – the British pantomime shows at Metro Theatre in South Vancouver.
Gateway Theatre – the musical Annie shows at Gateway Theatre in Richmond. (Today’s performance features VocalEye Live Audio Description.)
The Improv Centre – live comedy theatre at Granville Island. Today features ‘Tis the Sitcom.

Christmas Attractions & Activities

Martini Town Merry & Bright – a Christmas attraction with holiday decorations and live entertainment at a movie studio in Langley.
Noel Holiday Light Festival & Market – a large Christmas celebration at Surrey’s Cloverdale Fairgrounds with light displays, live performances, artisan vendors and more.
Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge – Christmas light displays at the world-famous bridge. (TIP: BC residents can get an annual pass to the attraction for the same price as a single-day ticket!)
Soar with Santa at Flyover – a winter holiday-themed multi-dimensional film experience at Canada Place. Also showing is the film Awaken Canada.
Lights by the Lake – Christmas illuminations at Harrison Hot Springs.
Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village – Christmas lights and decorations at the outdoor museum in Burnaby.
Festival of Lights – over a million lights and decorations at beautiful VanDusen Botanical Garden.
Lights at Lafarge – winter light displays around Coquitlam’s Lafarge Lake.
Bright Nights – the family-friendly fundraising Christmas lights event is happening in Surrey as part of the Noel Festival this year (instead of at its usual location at Stanley Park).
Santa Experience at the Met – Tropical Santa is at Burnaby’s Metropolis at Metrotown for photos today in his casual, ready-for-the-beach holiday clothes.

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS

The first weekend of 2026 runs from the evening of Friday, January 2nd until the end of the day on Sunday, January 4th. Thursday, January 1st, however, is New Year’s Day. Some people, consequently, will be taking the Friday off too, and so enjoying a four-day long weekend.

Highlights of the extended long weekend of January 1st to 4th, 2026, include Polar Bear Swims in Delta, English Bay, North Vancouver, Port Moody, Squamish, White Rock and possibly even a few other locations. For folks who like live theatre, there are the final few days of Jack & the Beanstalk at Metro Theatre and the musical Annie at Gateway Theatre, plus improvisational theatre at The Improv Centre which runs all year on Granville Island.

Christmas attractions that finish for the season on the first weekend of January include the film Soar With Santa at Flyover, Heritage Christmas at Burnaby Village, and the Festival of Lights at VanDusen Garden. Also happening this weekend and continuing for a while longer, there is Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge, Lights by the Lake at Harrison Hot Springs, Bright Walk in White Rock, and Lights at Lafarge in Coquitlam.

What else is happening this time of year? There are snow sport activities at Lower Mainland Ski Hills. There is also free admission at Fort Langley National Historic Site over the holidays thanks to the Canada Strong Pass program.

Other things to do next weekend include walking tours with Forbidden Vancouver, outdoor adventure games with Vancouver Mysteries, and indoor virtual reality games with Zero Latency. There are also lots of great museums to visit including the Chinese Canadian Museum, Vancouver Maritime Museum, Fort Langley, Britannia Mine and many others.