Victoria Day in 2025 is on Monday, May 19th. There is a lot to do in the Lower Mainland that weekend including a rodeo, car show and parades.
Metro Vancouver on the Victoria Day Long Weekend in 2025
Top May Long Weekend activities in the Lower Mainland most years include the Cloverdale Rodeo in Surrey and the Vancouver All British Field Meet car show at VanDusen Garden. Both of these events are happening in 2025, as are the free Engine 374 Celebrations at the Roundhouse in Yaletown. There’s also Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding show in Vancouver this year, a Victoria Day Boat Party, and the Royal Canadian International Circus hosts shows in Richmond as well.
On the North Shore there is the Shipyards Night Market, and in New Westminster there are special activities at the Fraser River Discovery Centre. This weekend also marks the first day of the season for the rides at Playland.
In addition to the above, there is a lot happening in Fort Langley every day of the long weekend. There is the Brewhalla Beer & Music Festival, and the Fort Langley May Days Festival & Parade. There are also special events at the Fort Langley National Historic Site. Further east, in Maple Ridge, the WildPlay ropes course adventure centre has a Pro-D Day Camp for kids.
Other things to do on the long weekend include outdoor adventure games with Vancouver Mysteries, walking tours with Forbidden Vancouver, and ropes course adventures with WildPlay in Maple Ridge. Exploring Lower Mainland Parks and Nature and hanging out at any of Vancouver’s Best Beaches are also popular activities. Many of the Lower Mainland’s Outdoor Swimming Pools also open for the season just in time for the holiday.
Vancouver All British Field Meet
Hundreds of classic British cars are on display at VanDusen Garden on the May Long Weekend. In 2025 the All British Field Meet car show happens on the Victoria Day Long Weekend on Saturday, May 17th.
At the event there are usually close to 500 vehicles including MGs, Jaguars, Minis and pretty much every imaginable type of British-made car. Every year there are some ultra-special editions too.
If you like British cars and it’s a sunny day, there is no other place you’ll want to be! May is one of the best times of the year to see the gardens anyway, so this weekend is a perfect time to visit VanDusen even if you aren’t a total car fanatic.
Click Vancouver All British Field Meet for more information.
Royal Canadian Circus
The Royal Canadian International Circus is in the Lower Mainland over the May Long Weekend most years, including in 2025. This year the circus is in Surrey from May 8th to 11th and in Richmond between May 15th and 19th.
The circus shows are highly recommended, especially for families! There are no exotic animals (which is great), but there are numerous world-class acts.
Tickets for the circus in 2025 start at $39.50. If you use the promo code “VansBestPlaces” when purchasing General Admission tickets for the circus, however, you receive 2-for-1 pricing. That works out to only about $26 per person after taxes and online fees. That’s a terrific deal! (Note: The promo code is good for General Admission, not VIP and Ringside seats.)
For more information see our article about the Royal Canadian Circus or visit royalcanadiancircus.ca.
Vancouver Boat Parties Event
An event that doesn’t happen every year on the long weekend (but does a lot of the time) is the Victoria Day Weekend Boat Party hosted by Vancouver Boat Parties. In 2025 it takes place on Saturday, May 17th, from 8:00 pm until midnight.
Party-goers arrive at a multi-level yacht at 760 Pacific Boulevard near BC Place and Rogers Arena. From there the boat heads out through False Creek and into English Bay while bumping music across multiple dance floors.
The event is only for those who are 19+ as it’s fully licensed and there are plenty of drinks to be had along with all the dancing. Tickets range from $40 to $60 depending on how early you buy them. Click Vancouver Boat Parties to learn more.
Engine 374 Train Celebrations
At the Roundhouse Community Centre on the Victoria Day Long Weekend are the anniversary celebrations of the arrival of the first train in Vancouver (which happened on May 23rd in 1887).
The Engine 374 Pavilion is a free museum at the Roundhouse. It’s open almost every day, although not usually on statutory holidays. On the Sunday of the May Long Weekend the museum hosts a special event celebrating the day when Engine 374 first arrived in the city. The free event includes live music. The train is also outside for people to admire and go on. In 2025 the event happens on May 18th.
See our articles about the Engine 374 Pavilion to learn more about the museum and Engine 374 Celebrations to learn more about the event.
Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair
The Cloverdale Rodeo is back again in 2025! It runs from Friday, May 16th, until Monday, May 19th.
At the rodeo there are bucking broncos, barrel races, bull riding competitions and more. At the fair there is also a parade, country music, midway rides and all kinds of farm animals. Kids love it, as do young adults and folks of all ages!
Check out our Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair article for more information.
Paw Patrol Show
PAW Patrol Live! “Heroes Unite” shows at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. In 2024 it showed on the Saturday and Sunday of May 18th and 19th. There were five shows between the two days. Show dates for 2025 are to be confirmed.
This brand-new production is an interactive live stage show, where members of the audience get to be heroes and help the pups as honorary members of the pack.
PAW Patrol Live! “Heroes Unite” follows Ryder and the PAW Patrol pups as they face their greatest challenge yet. When Mayor Humdinger clones Robo Dog, chaos ensues all over the world. It’s up to the PAW Patrol to catch the clones and rescue Robo Dog.
For tickets and to learn more, click PAW Patrol Live! “Heroes Unite” 2024.
Playland at the PNE
Vancouver’s main amusement park is Playland at the PNE. On the Victoria Day Long Weekend in 2025, it runs on select dates starting on Saturday, May 17th. The place offers rides for all ages. It’s a great attraction for families and folks wanting to spend a day outside in the summer. There are thrilling rides like AtmosFear and The Beast, along with kid-friendly rides like Balloon Explorers and Cool Cruzers.
To learn more about the attraction, see our Playland at the PNE article.
Victoria Day Weekend at Fort Langley
Fort Langley is a great place to take the family any time of the year, but especially when they have special events like on the Victoria Day Long Weekend.
In 2024, on the Saturday, the Fort Langley Historic Site had a Hawaiian Luau. The event was hosted together with The Spirit of the Pacific Cultural Society. There were Hawaiian language workshops, crafts, and presentations about the connection between the fort and the Hawaiian Islands. On Monday, May 20th, the fort also had special May Day activities. Details about the activities in 2025 are to be confirmed.
There are a couple of awesome adults-only events in town on the long weekend as well. On the Saturday there is the Brewhalla Beer & Music Festival at Fort Langley Park. At the same venue the next day, last year, there was Spirits in the Park which showcased the products of craft distilleries (like whisky, vodka, gin and other spirits). These are terrific events for people who like music, beer and other adult beverages. (Note: Details about Spirits in the Park in 2025 are to be confirmed.)
Finally, on the holiday Monday, there’s the annual Fort Langley May Day celebrations. Festivities include a parade, community events in the park and activities at the historic fort.
Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding Show
Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding is a dinner theatre show by Hammer Up Productions. The event takes place at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 179 on May 16th and 17th in 2025.
The show is a comedy about a wedding that goes wrong. It’s an immersive experience and everyone is encouraged to dress up as if they are attending an actual wedding. There are opportunities to participate in the show and there’s music and dancing as well. Tickets include dinner.
To learn more about the show, see our article about Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding Show.
Shipyards Night Market
North Vancouver’s Shipyards Night Market is always a fun event to attend. It happens every Friday between early to mid-May and early September. From 3:00 pm until 10:00 pm there is music, food trucks and artisan vendors. Indoors, in the Pipe Shop, there is also the Made in the 604 Artisan Market.
Vancouver Comic Arts Festival
The Vancouver Comic Arts Festival is a free event showcasing all kinds of comic and anime-style art. In 2024 it took place at Yaletown’s Roundhouse Community Centre on May 18th and 19th. At the event you can admire art, buy art and meet all kinds of amazing local artists. The event will likely happen on May 17th and 18th in 2025, although exact details are to be confirmed.
The event is one of the biggest comic-themed festivals in Canada. It attracts comic and graphic novel creators from across Canada and around the world. At the festival there are workshops, panel discussions and all kinds of art to see and admire, and admission is free!
Fraser River Discovery Centre
The Fraser River Discovery Centre is an educational attraction in New Westminster. Guests can learn all about the Fraser River’s ecosystems and surrounding environments.
From Saturday, May 18th, until Monday, May 20th, 2024, the facility offered additional learning opportunities for Asian Heritage Month. Visitors could learn about how Asian Canadians have had a long-lasting impact on the Fraser River Basin. All activities are included with general admission to the Fraser River Discovery Centre.
Weekend Games & Adventures
A number of attractions and adventure companies offer things to do on the May Long Weekend. WildPlay in Maple Ridge, for example, sometimes has an Anti-Gravity Day Camp for kids ages 7 to 14.
Other activities you can do on the Victoria Day Long Weekend include walking tours with Forbidden Vancouver, adventure games with Vancouver Mysteries, and virtual reality games (like Far Cry) at Zero Latency. There are also multi-dimensional films at FlyOver Canada and live comedy shows at The Improv Centre on Granville Island.
At the Roundhouse in Yaletown there are Vancouver Train Celebrations. For people who like shopping and outdoor markets, there’s the Richmond Night Market on various nights in Richmond, and farmers markets all over the Lower Mainland including at Lonsdale Quay, Burnaby and Ambleside in West Vancouver.
Vancouver and Lower Mainland Parks & Beaches
Provided the weather is good, top places to be in Metro Vancouver include city and regional parks as well as provincial parks like Alice Lake near Squamish, Bridal Veil Falls and Cultus Lake in the Fraser Valley, and Rolley Lake near Mission.
If the weather is hot (like it has been in recent years), area beaches are also popular places on the May Long Weekend.
For a list of parks in the Lower Mainland, click Vancouver Parks and Places in Nature.
For a list of places to hang out on the sand, see our article about Vancouver’s Best Beaches.
Other Information
For more great activities in the month of May, check out Vancouver’s Best Places’ May Calendar.
Other articles that may be of interest include the following:
- Vancouver Festivals & Events
- What’s Happening This Weekend
- Mother’s Day in Vancouver
- Father’s Day in Vancouver
- Vancouver on a Budget
- Best Places for Children
To learn about what’s happening on the May long weekend in BC’s capital city, see the website VictoriasBestPlaces.com.
