Fort Langley’s May Day celebrations include a pancake breakfast and a parade on Victoria Day. In the afternoon, there are also family-friendly activities in the park.
The May Day event takes place on May 18th in 2026. On that day, in addition to the parade and family-friendly event at the park, there are special activities at the Fort Langley National Historic Site. Be sure to visit the fort too when you’re in Fort Langley for the parade and fair.
For details about the activities at the national historic site, visit the parks.canada.ca website. To learn about the parade and activities in town, continue reading.
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About May Day in Fort Langley | Fort Langley Parade | Parade Tips & Advice | May Day in the Park | Victoria Day at the Fort | Other Information
May Day in Fort Langley
The May Day events in Fort Langley take place on the statutory holiday Monday before May 25th each year. In other words, they happen on the last day of the May Long Weekend. The parade and event in the park attract several thousand people, including many young families.
In 2026 the 104th edition of May Day in Fort Langley happens on Monday, May 18th.
May Day Schedule in 2026Â
Before the parade, from around 8:00 am until 10:30 am, there’s a pancake breakfast hosted by the local Lions Club. The breakfast takes place at Lions Hall at 88th Avenue and Glover Road. It costs $8 per person and is cash-only.
The parade starts at 11:00 am and runs until about 12:30 pm. Roads along the parade route are closed from around 10:45 am until about 12:30 pm.
After the parade, the Family Fun Festival in the Park runs from noon until 4:00 pm at Fort Langley Park, at the corner of St. Andrews Avenue and Nash Street. That’s where you’ll see the May Queen, the May Pole, and activities for kids. There are also food trucks and live entertainment at the event.
JAZZ CONCERTS IN JULY
Another exceptional event that features in the summer is the Fort Langley Jazz and Arts Festival. It’s a terrific event featuring live music, art displays, and other fun activities (many of which are free)! There is arguably no better time to be in Fort Langley than in the summer when the Jazz festival takes place!
In 2026, the Jazz festival runs from Thursday, July 23rd, until Sunday, July 26th.
About May Day in Fort Langley
The parade is impressive for a small community and worth the trip out to see, especially if you have young children. The May Day event at the fort is small, simple, and of greatest interest to locals and to people with children taking part in the performances, but still worth a look if you’re in the area.
Activities at Fort Langley National Historic Site in 2026 include hands-on family programs, barrel-making with the cooper, special talks, a children’s scavenger hunt and blacksmithing demonstrations.
Together with the parade and the park festival, the fort activities make Fort Langley a great place to visit on the Victoria Day Long Weekend. The town is one of Vancouver’s best places any time of the year, but especially on special occasions like this.
Fort Langley Parade
The annual May Day Parade in Fort Langley is pretty good. Taking place in the historic town since 1922, the parade lasts for over an hour and includes marching bands, a few floats and lots of antique cars and tractors.
The Parade Route
The parade begins at 11:00 am on Church Street and lasts for about an hour and a half. The street runs parallel to Glover Road, the town’s main street, located just a few blocks from the Fort Langley National Historic Site.
Processions then go west along Mavis Avenue in the direction of the town and away from the fort. From there, they go south along Glover, west on 88th Avenue, north on Trattle Street, and then east on St. Andrews Avenue. The parade finishes at the Fort Langley Community Park, where the May Day in the Park event takes place.
Where to Be and What to Expect at the Parade
Some of the best places to watch the parade are in the heart of the town along Mavis Street between Church Street and Glover Road, or anywhere along Glover, especially between Mavis and a few blocks past the cemetery.
Near the cemetery and just past it on Glover, there are trees with considerable foliage, so it’s an especially good area if there’s a chance of rain and you don’t have an umbrella.
At the parade, expect some entries handing out free candy, a few marching bands, and community group trucks and floats. There are also the Fort Langley May Day Queen and runner-up contestants, local politicians waving from their cars and numerous classic and antique vehicles. There are more tractors and heritage farm equipment than almost any other Lower Mainland parade.
From start to finish, the parade lasts for about 90 minutes most years.
Parade Tips & Advice
The following are a couple of tips to help you maximize your parade-time enjoyment.
TIP #1: Arrive early to claim a vacant spot at the side of the road and take a lawn chair or blanket to sit on.
TIP #2: While waiting for the parade to start, get your friend or a family member to save your spot and then head over to 9025 Glover Road and the Fort Langley Village Farmers Market. This normally takes place on Saturdays outside the town’s historic church but runs for an extra session most years on Victoria Day.
VISIT THE HISTORIC SITE TOO!
In addition to attending the parade and post-parade festivities in the park, be sure to also visit the Fort Langley National Historic Site. It’s an amazing place. Admission is always free for children ages 17 and younger. The attraction also usually has special events and activities happening throughout the Victoria Day long weekend. Visit the Parks Canada website for details about events at the fort.
May Day in the Park
After the May Day Parade, the holiday celebrations continue in nearby Fort Langley Community Park. The park is off Trattle Street, behind the Fine Arts School and west of the cemetery off Glover Road.
In 2026, May Day in the Park runs from noon until 4:00 pm. Admission is free. Activities include May Queen speeches, Maypole dancing by students from Willoughby Elementary School, vendors, food trucks, kids’ activities, free face painting and live music in the gazebo.
The May Queen Royal Party and Maypole dancing are scheduled from 12:30 pm to 12:50 pm. Music in the gazebo runs from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
Food options include food trucks, as well as the Lions’ usual BBQ chicken, hot dogs and fries. Kids’ activity wristbands cost $10 each and give children access to all activities.
It’s a simple but popular community event. It is especially good for families and people who want to stay in Fort Langley after the parade.
TIP: If you pack a picnic, head to the park as soon as you can before the crowds build. That gives you a better chance of finding a table or a good place to sit.
Victoria Day at the Fort
In addition to the free events in town on Victoria Day Monday, special activities also take place at Fort Langley National Historic Site.
Located just a few blocks from the heart of downtown, Fort Langley is a historic Hudson’s Bay Company fort that’s open to the public. The fort is a great place to visit and experience a bit of British Columbia’s history.
On the holiday Monday in 2026, activities at the fort run from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm. Regular admission applies to adults. Kids and teens under age 17 enter for free.
Activities at the fort include family activities, barrel-making, talks, a scavenger hunt and tool demonstrations. This year’s programming focuses on the men, women and children whose labour kept the fort running back in the old days.
Other Information
See our articles about the Fort Langley Fort or Special Events at the Fort to learn more about the historic site, or visit the Parks Canada Calendar of Fort Events web page.
Click Fort Langley May Day for further details about the Fort Langley May Day Parade and other activities. See our article about Fort Langley to learn more about the town of Fort Langley.
Similar events include Port Coquitlam May Days and Ladner May Days. See our Victoria Day page or Vancouver’s Calendar of Festivals and Events for other events taking place in the Lower Mainland.
Visit the website VictoriasBestPlaces.com for information about the largest May long weekend parade in British Columbia, and one of the largest parades of any kind in Canada, in fact.
