Squamish at Dusk is a newer Christmas-season attraction with festive holiday light displays and illuminations. It calls itself a light art experience.
The event celebrated its second year on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings between November 28th and December 14th.
Squamish at Dusk is beautiful. Although it takes place during the winter holiday season, it’s not Christmas oriented. There are no Santa Claus or reindeer displays (although Santa is there on Fridays for photos). Instead there is a wide variety of pretty light installations. There is also a bit of an Indigenous and nature theme. The setting is peaceful, magical and interesting. If you’re in the Squamish area, we recommend you check it out.
Visit squamishatdusk.com for tickets and the attraction’s official website.
Squamish at Dusk
Squamish at Dusk launched in 2023 as a pilot project, and was so well-received that it was back again in 2024. It’s an immersive illumination wonderland that brings some light to the otherwise dark, drab months of the BC south coast’s rainy winter season.
The attraction tends to run from late November to mid-December. Its colourful lights are at Rose Park in Squamish. The park sets up several light installations that tell stories of the region and kick off the festive holiday season.
The holiday lights festival is coordinated by The Wilder, a group of people who love to share immersive experiences and important messages displayed through art, all in nature. They partner with Best Coast Lights who provide the lights and illuminations throughout Rose Park.
Visit the Squamish at Dusk website for tickets and full details about the attraction.
When is Squamish at Dusk
Last year’s holiday lights attraction ran on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from November 28th to December 14th in 2024. It was open on the following dates:
- November 28th to 30th
- December 5th to 7th
- December 12th to 14th
The lights display is open to visit between 4:30 pm and 9:30 pm.
It’s best to arrive 30 minutes before your ticketed time slot. It takes about 20 minutes to see everything.
Where is Squamish at Dusk
Squamish at Dusk is an experiential lights display in Rose Park. The venue’s address is 38400 Loggers Lane. It’s about an hour’s drive from Vancouver heading north along the picturesque Sea-to-Sky Highway (BC-99 N). The venue is right by the Squamish Adventure Centre which is accessed just off the highway via the intersection with Cleveland Avenue.
The Squamish Adventure Centre provides excellent information about Squamish in general. There you can learn about some of the other top attractions to visit and experiences to be enjoyed in the region, like the Britannia Mine Museum and North Pole Express at the Railway Museum of BC. The centre is open during the day, but not at night.
(TIP: If you’re driving to Squamish, ensure you have good winter tires fitted as these are mandatory when travelling along this highway and other roads leading into BC’s interior this time of year. You need winter tires, all-weather tires or good all-season tires that have the M&S symbol.)
Alternatively, you can always take a bus to Squamish, and enjoy the beautiful ride as you wind your way through mountains capped in snow to reach the Squamish Adventure Centre. The centre is very close to Rose Park. The bus ride is slightly longer than a car ride and departs from Vancouver City Centre in downtown Vancouver about five times a day.
Visit squamishatdusk.com for tickets and the attraction’s official website.
How Much Does Squamish at Dusk Cost?
Visiting the attraction on Thursdays is cheapest. On those days it costs about $15 for adults (ages 18+) and $10 for children and youth (ages 5 to 17).
If you prefer to visit Squamish at Dusk on a Friday or Saturday, it costs $20 for adults and $15 for children and youth. Kids ages 4 and under are free all three days of the week.
Photo opportunities with Santa are also available. When the attraction first opened in 2023, the photos were a formal affair and they cost $13 per family. Last year, however, Santa was simply wandering around on Fridays between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm and people could take their own photos for no charge.
Admission to Squamish at Dusk is available online from the Squamish at Dusk website.
What to Expect
Expect to be entranced by magical light displays as you feel the festive season take hold in gorgeous surroundings. This is an immersive experience in the world of light and art, out in nature.
The attraction two years ago featured a 60-foot tunnel of lights and a glowing, enchanted forest. There was also a sparkling grotto and a tree of life to enjoy. Organizers even included colourful doorways and a themed immersive installation under the water. The installations last year were all new, and were equally if not more spectacular. If you went in 2023 and went again in 2024, you would have seen an attraction that was completely new from its launch year two years ago.
Squamish at Dusk began with a nature and Indigenous theme in 2024. There was some recorded commentary near the start, and displays with written content. There were lots of flower light sculptures, but also hanging lanterns, and structures you could walk through and walk on.
There were two areas to explore in 2024. After you explored the first area, you exited the venue, walked a bit down the path, and entered a new area where you could find even more light installations to enjoy. In total, the experience takes between 20 minutes and an hour to enjoy, depending on whether you read all the written material and you stay for food and spend some time by the fires.
The Squamish at Dusk immersive festive lights display is a fantastic attraction to visit during holiday season. It’s a family-friendly event in a wonderful part of the Lower Mainland. And it’s a great way to get into the holiday spirit with family and friends while seeing nature lit up.
In addition to the light displays, at the attraction there is a covered area with snacks, drinks and food vendors, as well as warming stations in case it gets cold. There are also a couple of fire pits where you can roast marshmallows.
Squamish at Dusk Video
Check out the video below for a better idea of what to expect at Squamish at Dusk. The video features footage from the 2024 event.
(The music in this video is Christmas Magic Night by music_for_video from Pixabay.)
Tips & Advice
Below are some suggestions and extra information to help you make the most of your visit to Squamish at Dusk.
TIP #1 – Unless you live nearby, combine your trip to Squamish at Dusk with a visit to other places of interest in the area. The Britannia Mine Museum is very interesting, and on a couple of weekends in December they have their Photos With Santa event. There is also the North Pole Express at the Railway Museum of BC. There are parks to explore in the area as well during the day when it’s still light, including Alice Lake and Shannon Falls.
TIP #2 – The trail at the attraction is flat and easy to walk around. Because of the grass, occasional tree root, and possibility of muddy patches, however, the attraction is not super wheelchair accessible (unless you have a chair with good wheels and someone strong to push you). Staff at the venue, though, will help you visit as much of the venue as possible. Most kids’ strollers tend to be light and agile and don’t hinder maneuvering around the place.
TIP #3 – Wear appropriate footwear, especially after recent snow or rain as the ground will be wet amd slippery.
Other Information
See the Squamish at Dusk website to learn more about the attraction.
See our articles about Squamish and the Sea-to-Sky Region to learn about the area and other things to do nearby.
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