Formerly called Heritage Christmas, Festive Village is when at Burnaby Village Museum comes alive with Christmas lights and decorations in December.
This holiday season, the Festive Village event takes place from November 22nd, 2025, to January 2, 2026. Admission is free.
This article contains the following information about Heritage Christmas:
About Burnaby Village | About Festive Christmas | Hours and Dates | Activities | Schedule | Video | Tips & Advice | Other Information
Burnaby Village Museum at Christmas
During Christmas time, Burnaby’s open-air heritage museum transforms into a sparkling winter attraction filled with lights, decorations, and seasonal entertainment.
An especially good time to visit Burnaby Village Museum is from late November to early January, during its Festive Village season. The 10-acre area is decorated with thousands of lights and traditional Christmas displays. There are roving performers and themed exhibits. Admission is free, which makes Burnaby Village one of the best Christmas deals in town.
Other exceptional Christmas-themed attractions that happen in the Lower Mainland include the Vancouver Christmas Market, Christmas Glow in Langley, Noel Holiday Light Festival in Surrey, and Canyon Lights at Capilano Suspension Bridge. There are also Christmas activities at the Festival of Lights at VanDusen Garden.
In addition to the above, there are lots of free places to see Christmas lights. They include Lights at Lafarge in Coquitlam, Lights by the Lake at Harrison Hot Springs and the Dundarave Festival of Lights in West Vancouver, among other venues.
See our article about Best Vancouver Christmas Activities to learn about the above attractions, or continue reading to learn about this free attraction in Burnaby.
About Burnaby Village
Burnaby Village Museum is at 6501 Deer Lake Avenue. The museum prides itself on being “Where History Comes to Life.” This outdoor attraction includes old-fashioned streets, period-costumed townsfolk, and a blacksmith. Historic buildings such as a school, a church, and old homes are also included, along with a historic Vancouver streetcar and an ice-cream parlour, among other stores.
Want to see a place with historical value and Christmas lights? Then be sure to check out Festive Christmas at Burnaby Village!
About Festive Christmas
Festive Village fills Burnaby Village Museum with sparkling light displays, seasonal decorations and entertainment at certain times. Visitors can enjoy carol singers, roving performers, scavenger hunts and holiday cheer across the museum’s historic streets.
Burnaby Village is an excellent place for people of all ages. Even if it wasn’t free, this attraction would still be recommended. Don’t miss it!
Christmas Hours & Dates
Festive Village takes place at the museum from November 22nd, 2025, to January 2nd, 2026. The attraction is closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Hours of operation from November 22nd to December 15th, 2025, are 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm Tuesday to Friday. On the weekend, the attraction operates from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm. It is closed on Mondays.
The hours between December 16th, 2025, and January 2nd, 2026, are slightly different. Festive Christmas is then open daily from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm. It is also open on New Year’s Day.
Festive Christmas Activities
Festive Village includes Christmas lights, decorated heritage buildings and Santa. Expect to see roving performers and an all-ages scavenger hunt. Food is available at Mai’s Cafe (formerly the Ice Cream Parlour) and from some other food trucks available on site. Most activities are free, except for carousel rides, which cost around $3 or so per person.
Festive Christmas Schedule
Every year at the Festive Christmas event, entertainers perform at various times on different days, but mostly on the weekends.
Bright in Burnaby Launch Event
Bright in Burnaby is the official launch celebration for Festive Village. The 2025 event happens on Saturday, November 29th, from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The tree-lighting ceremony happens at 6:30 pm. Guests can enjoy the lights, entertainment, and festive spirit.
Money collected from carousel rides between 5:00 pm and 9:00 pm supports the Burnaby Christmas Bureau, and the presenting partner Concord Pacific is matching donations!
Activities Schedule on Other Days
Festive Village features carol singers, roving performers, crafts and family-friendly entertainment on select days throughout the season, especially on the weekends leading up to Christmas. Visitors can view the full event schedule on the Burnaby Village Museum website.
Festive Christmas Video
Below is a video of the Festive Christmas event in 2019. The attraction features all kinds of beautiful exhibits and illuminations. There is also live entertainment, with carolers singing pretty much every night.
The place looks magical at night and makes for a wonderful family-friendly activity.
Note: Every year the place looks a little bit different. In 2021, for example, there wasn’t the scene with the white maids that appears in this video and that has been part of the attraction for the last few years. Instead, there was a display featuring a couple of giant blue herons inside a large blue cage of lights.
Tips & Advice
Below are some tips and suggestions to help you make the most of your visit to the Heritage Village event.
TIP #1: Check the event schedule and take in as much of the entertainment and free activities as you can.
TIP #2: Dress warmly if you’re going at night. It can get pretty cold in December (although not as cold as other parts of Canada).
TIP #3: The venue is at its busiest on weekends leading up to Christmas, in the evenings and on days without rain.
TIP #4: Parking can be a challenge. Be prepared to walk a decent distance (like from other parts of Deer Lake Park).
Other Information
Click Burnaby Village Museum to learn more about the venue at other times of the year.
See the official Burnaby Village website for more information on Heritage Christmas.
Check out Top Things to do at Christmas or Vancouver’s December Calendar for more ideas on places to see Christmas lights in the Lower Mainland.
