Home The City of Surrey BC

The City of Surrey BC

Surrey Library and City Hall

Surrey is Metro Vancouver’s second largest municipality and home to a large East Indian population, the Cloverdale Rodeo, Bear Creek Park and Crescent Beach.

With a population of 500,000, Surrey is also one of the fastest growing cities in Canada.

 


In this article you’ll find information about the following topics:

Surrey’s Best Places | Surrey Festivals and Events | Surrey in the Summer | Surrey Restaurants | Surrey Hotels | Other Information


 

Surrey, British Columbia

Surrey has one of the most ethnically diverse populations anywhere, with over 40% of residents speaking a first language other than English.

With its very large East Indian population, Surrey is home to numerous East Indian restaurants and hosts the giant Surrey Vaisakhi Parade & Celebration held annually in April.

Surrey is a fast-growing and increasingly dynamic place to do business in, but not a major tourist destination to visit (although we think it could be as it’s home to some wonderful places and events).

Surrey has a number of large shopping malls including Guildford Town Centre (with over 200 stores at 10355 152nd Street) and Central City (with over 130 stores as well as an SFU Campus at 10153 King George Boulevard).

 

Surrey’s Best Places

Some of the most interesting places to visit in the city include the following.

 

Surrey Parks and Gardens

 

Surrey's Holland Park
Holland Park

 

Other Attractions and Places of Interest

  • Art Knapp Plantland – a garden centre with a fun and easy mini-golf course, along with a train ride for young children.
  • Barnston Island – a rural island between Surrey and Pitt Meadows which is a good, flat place for cycling.
  • Bose Corn Maze – an autumn attraction at Bose and Sons Farms.
  • Central City Fun Park – the largest indoor amusement park in Metro Vancouver, featuring roller skating, mini-golf, arcade games and more.
  • Clayton Community Farmers Market – a market that is really more artisanal than anything else, taking place bi-weekly at Clayton Heights Secondary School in the summer.
  • Cloverdale Flea Market – a giant yard and garage-sale-style market selling everything imaginable on Sundays throughout the year.

 

Shoppers and Vendors at Cloverdale Market
Cloverdale Flea Market

 

 

Northview Golf Course
Northview Golf Course

 

Surrey Festivals and Events

Surrey hosts a number of great festivals and events, including some of the Lower Mainland’s largest and most impressive festivals. Below is a list of some of the best.

 

Holidays and Seasonal Events

  • Canada Day – major Canada Day celebrations on July 1st at the Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds.
  • Easter, Halloween and Christmas Trains – seasonal-themed miniature train rides at Bear Creek Park.
  • Lumagica – a Christmas lights attraction in Cloverdale (in December of 2021 but not necessarily in other years too).
  • Diwali Fest – an East Indian festival with events in both Surrey and Vancouver in October.
  • Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch – Gabriel Farms hosts a pumpkin patch and corn maze in October.
  • Rondriso Farms – a family-run farm with a pumpkin patch and hayrides in October.
  • Remembrance Day – the city’s main Remembrance Day ceremonies take place in Cloverdale on November 11th each year.
  • Surrey Holiday Lights – a Christmas-themed attraction in the plaza outside Surrey City Hall in December of 2021 (and maybe or maybe not other years too).
  • Surrey Tree Lighting Festival – festivities at the Plaza at City Hall at 13450-104th Avenue in late November, with the official lighting of the 55-foot Christmas tree in the evening.

 

Car Free Day Surrey in Newton
Car Free Day Surrey

 

Food & Drink-Related Events

 

Other Surrey Festivals and Events

  • Car Free Day Surrey – a new event in June 2022 with free entertainment and activities along 137th Street in Newton.
  • Party for the Planet – a free event around Earth Day in April every year that includes concerts, family-friendly entertainment and environmentally-themed activities and things to see at the Surrey City Hall Plaza.
  • Surrey Vaisakhi Parade – a major East Indian festival held annually in mid-April that features free food, colourful traditional costumes and hundreds of thousands of participants.
  • Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair – a major event with cowboys and cowgirls, bucking broncos, farm animals, rides and carnival entertainment on the May long weekend.
  • Surrey International Children’s Festival – a festival for kids and their families at the Surrey Arts Centre and Bear Creek Park in late May. (NOTE: This event no longer happens. In its place is a smaller Surrey SPARK Stages series of events.)
  • National Indigenous People’s Day – an event showcasing First Nation’s culture at Holland Park on or around June 21st.
  • Surrey Pride Festival – various events celebrating Pride Month in June.
  • Surrey Fest Downtown – a small community festival at Holland Park in June.
  • FVDED in the Park a large music festival taking place at Holland Park in July.
  • Surrey Fusion Festival – a celebration of music, food and culture at Holland Park in July.
  • Surrey Latin Festival – a cultural event with Latin American music, food and market vendors in July.
  • Sounds of Summer Music Series – free outdoor concerts at different Surrey parks on various evenings in July and August.
  • Salmon Sessions Salmon Festival – a music festival at the Semiahmoo Fish & Game Club in Surrey that’s also a fundraiser for the Little Campbell Salmon Hatchery in the summer.
  • Garden Light Festival – a free event with child-friendly activities and illuminations at Bear Creek Park in November.

 

Crescent Beach at Low Tide
Crescent Beach at Low Tide

 

Surrey in the Summer

Surrey has a number of attractive parks, including Bear Creek, Darts Hill, Holland Park (near Central City mall), and Glades Garden. Throughout July and August, different parks in Surrey feature free outdoor music concerts on Wednesday evenings. See Sounds of Summer Music Series for details.

As far as regular weekly events, the Surrey Urban Farmers Market takes place on Saturdays from early June until early October. It’s a medium-sized market with live music in the afternoons.

 

Surrey Restaurants

Surrey is home to some amazing places to eat. From Indian to Western, Asian and everything in between.

Click Surrey’s Best Restaurants to find recommended places to eat.

 

Surrey Hotels

Surrey has a number of hotels. One of the most well-known is the Sheraton Guildford Vancouver Hotel. It’s where a lot of conferences take place. To learn about this and other places to stay see our article about Surrey Hotels.

 

Other Information

The City of Surrey is on the traditional unceded territories of the Katzie, Kwantlen and Semiahmoo Nations.

Other articles that might be of interest include the following: