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Remembrance Day in New Westminster

Remembrance Day in New Westminster

One of Metro Vancouver’s largest Remembrance Day ceremonies usually takes place at the Royal Westminster Regiment Armouries on November 11th.

 

November 11th in New Westminster

New Westminster is home to the Royal Westminster Regiment Armouries which is located at 530 Queens. That’s where the city’s Remembrance Day ceremonies begin most years on November 11th.

In 2023 the ceremonies happened in-person and were also livestreamed online. The parade began at 10:15 am and the outdoor service started at 10:30 am. (Note: The event at the Royal Westminster Regiment Armouries may or may not be open to the public that year. The event at City Hall, however, definitely was.)

 


City of New Westminster Ceremonies

Note: In addition to and complementing the event at the Armoury most years, the City of New Westminster has its own Remembrance Day Ceremony (which is technically a separate event). If you don’t want to join the event at the Armoury (or it’s too full and you can’t get in) you can simply wait 45 minutes or so and join the second event.

The city’s Remembrance Day ceremony usually starts at 10:15 am with a procession along Sixth Street to City Hall. (The parade is actually a continuation of the event from the Armoury where the first group simply joins the second.) It’s here that the Mayor and other dignitaries speak, there’s a two-minute silence and wreathes are laid at the Cenotaph.


 

Royal Westminster Regiment Armouries
Royal Westminster Regiment Armouries

 

The New Westminster Ceremonies

When the live in-person ceremonies take place, with the first event in New Westminster, the doors to the Armoury close at 9:45 am and the ceremonies begin shortly thereafter. Participants are, therefore, asked to be inside and get settled by around 9:30 am. Details about services at the Armoury in 2024 are to be confirmed.

Apart from starting indoors, the ceremonies in New Westminster are similar to those at Remembrance Day events in other communities. There is a band, lots of people in uniform, a prayer and a solemn speech or two.

After the formal indoor service, which is less than an hour, participants usually exit the Armoury and march in procession outside and along Royal Avenue to New Westminster’s City Hall which is located just a few blocks away at 511 Royal Avenue. There, in front of the Cenotaph, wreaths are laid and the traditional two minutes of silence are observed at 11:00 am.

 

Remembrance Day at New West City Hall
New Westminster City Hall on Remembrance Day

 

Tips and Advice

Below are some tips and suggestions to help you make the most of your November 11th experience in New Westminster.

TIP #1: Arrive early if you want to see the ceremony from within the Armoury. Space is limited and, don’t forget, the doors close at 9:45 am sharp.

TIP #2: If you don’t get in at the Armoury, or if you want to sleep in and arrive later, you can still catch the procession along Royal Avenue and the two minutes of silence at the Cenotaph in front of City Hall. That too is interesting.

TIP #3: Being one of the few major ceremonies that takes place indoors, expect the venue to be especially popular if the forecast calls for rain.

TIP #4: The Royal Westminster Regiment Armouries building is wheelchair accessible. Guide dogs for the visually impaired are also welcome.

TIP #5: If the weather is good, after the ceremonies consider going for a walk and exploring nearby Tipperary Park or enjoying a stroll along New Westminster’s waterfront.

 

Remembrance Day Weekend Activities

 

Other Information

For more information about the November 11th ceremonies in this community, see the City of New Westminster‘s website.

For a list of ceremonies in other communities in the region, click Remembrance Day in Metro Vancouver.

To learn about Canada’s November 11th national holiday and why it’s celebrated, click Remembrance Day.

For information about the surrounding area, see our article about New Westminster.

Other articles that might be of interest include the following: