Chilliwack is a large agricultural community in the Fraser Valley. It’s located about 100 km east of Vancouver between Abbotsford and Bridal Falls.
See below for some background information about Chilliwack as well as a list of some of its most popular attractions and events (including Sweet Spring at Greendale Acres Farm which runs from April 14th until May 14th).
This article contains the following information about Chilliwack:
Chilliwack Places of Interest | Special Events | Tips & Advice | Other Information
The City of Chilliwack
Incorporated in 1873, Chilliwack is the third oldest still existing municipality in British Columbia after New Westminster (1860) and Victoria (1862). Although very rural, with close to 80,000 residents, today it is one of the province’s largest population centres. Population-wise, it’s bigger even than cities like Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam and West Vancouver.
Chilliwack is too far east to be a member municipality within Metro Vancouver, but it is still part of the Lower Mainland. Together with places like Abbotsford, Harrison Hot Springs, Langley and Mission it makes up what is known as the Fraser Valley region.
Chilliwack Places of Interest
Chilliwack is home to a number of historic sites and other places of interest including the following:
- Atchelitz Threshermen’s Association Museum – a historical site that’s also called “Pioneer Village” beside Chilliwack Heritage Park.
- Chilliwack Heritage Park – a 65-acre park with a 150,000 square-foot building used for trade shows and other events. The Chilliwack Fair takes place there in the summer and the Chilliwack Craft Market in November.
- Chilliwack Pump Track – a track where you can ride your bike or skateboard up and down over a series of little hills and dips.
- Dickens Sweets Shop – a 10,000 square-foot facility that houses a candy store, teahouse and British museum at 45945 Alexander Avenue. Admission is free.
- Greendale Acres – a farm and family-friendly attraction at 41905 Yale Road West in Chilliwack.
- Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve – a large area of wetlands on Chilliwack’s Vedder River.
- Fantasy Farms – a farm at 9423 Gibsons Road that hosts special events at Easter, in the fall, at Halloween and Christmas.
Other Attractions in the Chilliwack Region
Other places of interest near Chilliwack but not within the municipality include the following:
- Bridal Falls Waterpark – an attraction with water slides just off the Trans-Canada Highway (by the turnoff to Harrison Hot Springs).
- Bridal Veil Falls – a provincial park located 15 minutes east Chilliwack and just off the Trans-Canada Highway.
- Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park – a beautiful provincial park just under 50 km east of Chilliwack.
- Cultus Lake – a resort town about 20 minutes south of Chilliwack that’s home to the Cultus Lake Adventure Park, Cultus Lake Waterpark and a very popular provincial park.
Chilliwack Special Events
A number of annual events take place in Chilliwack including the following:
Events in Spring & Early in the Year
- A Taste of the Valley – a food and beverage-sampling event with an artisan market at Chilliwack Heritage Park in late winter.
- Chilliwack Block Party – a food truck event hosted by the Vancouver Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival. In 2022 it was at the Chilliwack Coliseum in June. In 2023 it’s at Central Community Park in April.
- Chilliwack Tulip Festival – a large flower festival in the spring.
- Easter Egg Hunt at Greendale Acres – Easter activities at Greendale Acres Farm.
- Petey’s Easter Eggstravaganza – Easter activities at Fantasy Farms.
- Chilliwack Plowing Match – an annual event that features tractor competitions, a pancake breakfast and live entertainment at Greendale Acres in the spring.
- Sweet Spring at Greendale Acres – flowers and family-friendly activities at popular farm.
Chilliwack Events in the Summer
- Chilliwack Fair & Rodeo – an annual country fair and rodeo in August.
- Chilliwack Pride Festival – an LGBTQ+ event in downtown Chilliwack in August.
- Fraser Valley Classic Car Show – an outdoor auto show in Chilliwack featuring classic cars from throughout the 20th century.
- Chilliwack Flight Fest – an air show at the Chilliwack Airport.
- Chilliwack Mural Fest – a mural-themed festival in downtown Chilliwack.
- Chilliwack Sunflower Festival – a acres of sunflowers to admire and take photos of in late August and early September.
Chilliwack Events in the Autumn
- Chilliwack Corn Maze & Pumpkin Farm – kid-friendly fall and Halloween-related activities at Greendale Acres at 41905 Yale Road West.
- Reapers Maze of Terror – a popular Halloween attraction in October that’s located at Chilliwack’s Fantasy Farms at 9423 Gibson Road.
Chilliwack Events in Winter
- Chilliwack Country Christmas Village – a winter holiday attraction in downtown Chilliwack. (It took place in 2021 and may or may not again in the future.)
- Chilliwack Christmas Craft Market – one of the Lower Mainland’s largest craft fairs takes place at Chilliwack Heritage Park in mid-November.
- Christmas Gift Expo – a giant winter holiday-themed trade show and artisan market at Chilliwack Heritage Park in December.
Tips & Advice
Metro Vancouver has a gas tax to help fund its public transit system. Municipalities in the Fraser Valley like Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Mission aren’t part of Metro Vancouver, and so stations there don’t have the gas tax.
If you’re in Chilliwack or other similar communities in the region, be sure to fill up your tank. The savings can be as high as 10 cents a litre!
Other Information
For further details about Chilliwack and the surrounding region, check out any of the following:
