The Victoria Day Long Weekend is May 15-18 and there is so much to do in the Lower Mainland including a rodeo, car show, festivals and Victorian parties.
What to do during the Victoria Day Long Weekend in 2020
Top May Long Weekend activities in the Lower Mainland include the Cloverdale Rodeo, the Royal Canadian Family Circus in Surrey and the Vancouver All British Field Meet car show at VanDusen Garden.
Also on the holiday weekend is the GoFest Outdoor Festival at Whistler, the Royal Victorian Party at Stewart Farm and celebratory activities at Fort Langley.
Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair
In 2020 the Cloverdale Rodeo takes place in Surrey from Friday May 15 until Monday May 18. At the rodeo there are bucking broncos, barrel races, bull riding competitions and more.
At the fair there is also country music, midway rides and every kind of farm animal you can think of. Kids will love it!
Fireworks displays are usually on the Friday starting at around 9:30 pm, and the parade takes place on Saturday from 10:00 am until noon. 2020 details are to be confirmed.
Check out the Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair for more information.
Royal Canadian Circus
The Royal Canadian Family Circus is in Richmond over the May Long Weekend in 2020. Circus performances take place at Lansdowne Centre at 5300 No. 3 Road May 14-25 (and then later in Vancouver May 28-31 and then again in Surrey June 4-7).
The circus shows are very highly recommended, especially for families! There are no exotic animals (which is great), but there are usually horses and numerous world-class acts.
Some of the performers from the Royal Canadian Family Circus’ show a couple of years ago appeared in the Hugh Jackman film “The Greatest Showman.” The 2020 performer lineup will be equally impressive.
Tickets for the circus start at around $25 (but see below for information on how to save).
Circus Tips
TIP #1: If you use the promo code VansBestPlaces when purchasing General Admission tickets for the circus you’ll get 2-for-1 pricing! (Note: the promo code is good for General Admission, not VIP and Ringside seats.)
TIP #2: Richmond isn’t the only Lower Mainland stop for the circus in 2020. The Royal Canadian Family Circus also sets up in Vancouver at Concord Pacific Place a few days later and then again in Surrey. So if you can’t make it to a show over the Victoria Day Long Weekend, be sure to attend on another date. You won’t be disappointed!
For more information click Royal Canadian Circus, or to reserve your seats click Circus Tickets (but don’t forget to use the VansBestPlaces promo code).
Vancouver All British Field Meet
Hundreds of classic British cars are at VanDusen Garden on Saturday, May 16, in 2020.
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.
At the event there are 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. A couple of years ago Canadian artist Robert Bateman’s 1950’s “Grizzly Torque” Land Rover was on display, as was an Austin-Healey Frogeye and a Jaguar XK120.
If you like British cars and it’s a sunny day, there will be no better place you’ll want to be!
Click Vancouver All British Field Meet for more information.
Go-Fest at Whistler
All long weekend there are outdoor festival activities up at Whistler‘s Go Fest, an outdoor festival celebrating the end of winter and the start of the summer season. In 2020 the event takes place on the weekend of May 17-20.
At the resort there are concerts, films, art displays, a golf tournament, bike races and a wide range of outdoor sport activities to both watch and participate in. Free headliner concerts in 2017 included performances by 54-40 and Dear Rouge. 2020 entertainment will be comparable.
If you miss the car show at VanDusen Garden on the Saturday, in Vancouver, you can catch the cars again up at Whistler on the Sunday at the Creekside Village Plaza. There won’t be quite as many cars as there are at the VanDusen event, but there will still be lots of classic British wheels on display.
Click Whistler Go Fest for more information.
Royal Victorian Party at Stewart Farm
Stewart Farm is a historic site at Elgin Heritage Park in Surrey. On either the Saturday or Sunday of the long weekend they celebrate Victoria day with a Royal Victorian Party which features a variety of dance performances, old-fashioned ice cream making, and a visit by the Queen (or at least someone pretending to be her).
The event usually takes place on the Sunday, but 2020 details are to be confirmed.
While in the area, consider going down the road a ways and visiting the nearby seaside resort town of White Rock, or go for a stroll along nearby Crescent Beach.
For more information on the old-fashioned celebrations at Stewart Farm, check out Royal Victorian Party. And feel free to come dressed up in your favourite royalty costume – you probably won’t be the only one.
Victoria Day 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 their Victoria Day celebrations on Monday, May 18 in 2020.
Festivities in Langley include a wonderful parade, community events in the park and activities at the historic fort.
Check out Fort Langley May Long Weekend for more details.
In 2020 the Cloverdale Rodeo takes place from Friday May 15 until Monday 18. See the Cloverdale Rodeo‘s official website for full details.
Other Information
For more great activities in the month of May, check out Vancouver’s Best Places’ May Calendar.
And for even more ideas on things to do during the May long weekend, check out Vancouver’s Best Places’ in Parks and Nature. It’s spring time, so get out an enjoy Vancouver’s beautiful outdoors!
