City of Burnaby | Vancouver's Best Places

Located just east of Vancouver, Burnaby is the third largest city in Metro Vancouver and home to Burnaby Village, Metrotown and Burnaby Mountain.

With a population of over 220,000, Burnaby is also the third largest city in British Columbia, behind Vancouver and Surrey, and home to Swangard Stadium, Simon Fraser University (SFU) and the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT).

Burnaby’s Best Places

The best places to visit in Burnaby include Metrotown (for shopping), Burnaby Village (for its history), Burnaby Mountain (for its views and parkland) and the Michael J Fox Theatre (for live community performances). A modern new mall in the city is The Amazing Brentwood.

Other great parks in Burnaby include Central Park (which is home to Swangard Stadium), Deer Lake Park, Burnaby Lake, Barnet Marine Park and Confederation Park (which has great forested walking trails). Moreover, as of June 23rd in 2023, alcoholic beverages are allowed at Confederation Park, Central Park, Keswick Park, and Edmonds Park for the summer.

Also of interest is the Burnaby Artisan Farmers Market that happens every Saturday from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm from May until October. The farmers market takes place in the north parking lot at Burnaby City Hall (at 4949 Canada Way) and is a great place to pick up fresh produce and meet the farmers who grow the food.

Burnaby Central Railway is a miniature railway open from the Easter Weekend until Thanksgiving from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Located at Confederation Park at 120 North Willingdon Avenue, rides cost about $4.50 or so and last for about 10 minutes.

The Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre is a place that showcases Japanese-Canadian culture and history. It hosts a number of events over the course of the year including the Nikkei Matsuri on the first weekend in September.

Burnaby is a great place to be during October! Each year the city offers up a number of fun Halloween events and activities to enjoy. Click Burnaby Halloween Festival to learn more.

Burnaby Festivals & Events

Big 80s Run – a fun, non-competitive running event at Central Park.
Bite of Burnaby – a month of special restaurant deals in March.
Shamrock ‘N Race – a running race around Burnaby Lake in March.
Burnaby Block Party – an event hosted by the Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival some (but not all) years.
Hats off Day – a large street festival with a parade along Hastings Street in June.
Foodstock Festival – a one-day fundraiser for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank with live music, food and more at Swangard Stadium in June.
Nikkei Garden Farmers Market – a Japanese-themed market at the Nikkei Centre on select Sundays from June to October.
Canada Day – Burnaby celebrates July 1st each year with festivities at Edmonds Community Centre, Burnaby Village Museum and Swangard Stadium.
Symphony in the Park – a free outdoor concert by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra at Deer Lake Park in the summer.
Fiji Festival – a cultural celebration at Swangard Stadium in July.

Hats Off Day in Burnaby — Hats Off Day on Hastings Street in Burnaby

More Festivals & Events in Burnaby

Opera in the Park – a free show featuring the Vancouver Opera at Deer Lake Park in July.
Nikkei Matsuri – a Japanese festival during the Labour Day weekend in September.
Burnaby Summer Cinema – free outdoor movies at Civic Plaza in the summer.
Colombian Independence Picnic – a small free community festival in Central Park in the summer. (NOTE: It takes place some years, but not every year.)
Safe & Sound Music Festival – a music festival at Swangard Stadium.
Burnaby Blues + Roots Festival – a music festival at Deer Lake in Burnaby in the summer.
Burnaby Artisan Farmers Market – a medium-sized weekly farmers market taking place outside Burnaby City Hall on Saturdays from late spring until the fall.
Pumpkins After Dark – a Halloween-themed event at Central Park with lights and pumpkin displays.
Monster Dash 5K – an October running event at Swangard Stadium with a shorter route option for children. Halloween costumes are encouraged.
Central Spark – a one-day Halloween celebration with free activities and a fireworks display at Central Park.
Rubber Ducky Race – a running race around Burnaby Lake Regional Park in October.

Deer Lake Lily Pads — Deer Lake View from the Boardwalk

Other Information

Did you know that Burnaby is one of Canada’s cities with the most parkland per resident? As much as a quarter of its land, in fact, is either parkland or some other form of open space. There are over 200 parks in the city. Some are small but others are really big. Four of the largest and most well-known are Burnaby Lake, the Burnaby Mountain Conservation Area, Central Park and Deer Lake Park.

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