Surrey Holiday Lights is a Christmas-themed event at Surrey Civic Plaza. It features festive illuminations, entertainment, market vendors and more.

In 2021 the attraction ran from November 25th until December 22nd. The event didn’t happen in 2022 and it likely won’t in 2023 either (although exact details are to be confirmed).

This article contains the following information about Surrey Holiday Lights:

Surrey Holiday Lights

New for 2021, Surrey Holiday Lights was a festive event that took place most days between late November and just before Christmas. The event celebrated the winter holiday season with various indoor and outdoor activities in the plaza outside Surrey City Hall.

Surrey Holiday Lights featured live music, light displays, photos with Santa and other family-friendly things to see and do. What’s more? Much of the attraction was indoors under a giant tent (so it was warm and dry on rainy days)!

At the event there was a massive tent full of magical and picturesque Christmas lights to see. Some structures inside resembled different places from around the world, including the Taj Mahal, a Chinese Lantern Gate, and sights from the North Pole. There was also a giant Christmas ball ornament you could walk inside, and a giant golden present. The place was full of fabulous selfie opportunities!

In addition to the light displays, guests could enjoy live music and entertainment on the Snowflake and North Pole stages. Performers for the event’s inaugural year included Bobs & LoLo, Robin Reddy Show, traditional Christmas carollers and more. There was also a Christmas Musical to watch that featured Mrs. Claus and other special guests from the North Pole.

Santa Claus was at the event at specific times and available for photos from a distance. Surrey Holiday Lights also offered a small Holiday Market with Christmas-y souvenirs and artisan products for sale. The Festival Treats Zone was where folks could buy hot and cold beverages, snacks and other tasty things from a few food trucks on site.

Surrey Holiday Lights Tent — Holiday Lights Tent in Surrey Civic Plaza

Where and When?

Surrey Holiday Lights took place at Surrey Civic Plaza which is located at 13450 104 Avenue. It’s the public square outside Surrey City Hall and the main public library. The main entrance to the event was between these two buildings along University Drive.

The first day of the event was Thursday, November 25th, 2021. The last day was going to be Sunday, January 2nd, 2022. Because the attraction finished early, however, its final day ended up being December 22nd.

Surrey Holiday Lights ran daily from 4:00 to 10:00 pm on weekends and from 4:30 until 10:00 on weekdays. It was closed though on November 29th and 30th as well as on December 1st.

Note: Santa was available for photos each day between 5:30 and 6:30 pm and then again from 7:30 until 8:30 pm. Also, all dates, times and other details were subject to change. See the official Surrey Holiday Lights website for the most up-to-date information.

For those thinking about driving to the event, subject to availability, there’s underground parking available at Surrey City Hall which is one of the buildings surrounding the plaza. Parking there used to be free, but not anymore. Beside the plaza is the Surrey Central SkyTrain Station which makes the event transit-friendly and very easy to get to.

Surrey Civic Plaza is also a short walk from Central City Shopping Centre which is convenient for those looking to do some Christmas shopping on the same day.

Temple at Surrey Holiday Lights

Admission

Individual tickets for Surrey Holiday Lights cost the following (plus taxes and service fees):

Adults (ages 13 to 64) – $19.99
Seniors & Youth (ages 65+ and 6 to 12) – $14.99
Families (up to 2 adults and 3 children) – $59.99
Kids (ages 5 and under) – Free

Tickets were available online and guests had to arrive within the timeslot they selected. Everyone can stay at the event for up to two hours which is ample time for most visitors.

Due to COVID-19, proof of vaccination and ID were mandatory at the event. Masks were required when inside the main tent and recommended outdoors as well.

What You’ll See at Surrey Holiday Lights

There was a fair bit to see at Surrey Holiday Lights. There were both indoor and outdoor activities. It was a great place for families, especially those with young children.

At the event there was a massive Holiday Lights Tent. That’s where Santa hung out at set times in the evenings. One of his elves took photos of people and their friends on their own phones or cameras.

Other areas of interest at the attraction included the Gingerbread Village (where there was a cute little town made of cookies) and the North Pole (where there was a historic Woodward’s display similar to what’s at Canada Place at Christmas).

Also inside the tent was Lights Around The World which featured amazing giant light sculptures that you could walk inside. There was also the Holiday Market which featured about ten or so vendors selling art, crafts, Indigenous handmade products and other items. Not far away, in the far corner of the tent, was a set of LED swings for kids to play on (and adults liked them too).

Hot chocolate and other beverages were available inside the tent, and there were tables and chairs to sit at. The attraction also had two stages featuring live music and other entertainment. The Snowflake Stage was outdoors and the North Pole Stage was inside the tent.

The Snowflake Stage was outside near Surrey’s official giant Christmas tree. Performing on this stage were carol singers and family-friendly entertainers including Bobs & Lolo and Robin Reddy.

Outside the Holiday Lights Tent were a good number of beautiful light sculptures to admire. In addition to the Snowflake Stage featuring live entertainment, there were few food trucks to purchase treats from and tables to sit at.

Bobs and Lolo at Christmas — Bobs and Lolo on the North Pole Stage

Entertainment Schedule

On the first day of Surrey Holiday Lights, the entertainment schedule was posted to the event’s official social media accounts. The schedule from the first day is listed below.

Note: The following schedule was for November 25th, 2021. Check the Surrey Holiday Lights Facebook Page for the newest entertainment details. Performances on other dates will likely be comparable.

North Pole Stage (Indoors)

5:00 pm – Christmas Musical
5:45 pm – Bobs & LoLo
7:00 pm – Christmas Musical
8:15 pm – Bobs & LoLo
8:45 pm – Piano Men

Snowflake Stage (Outdoors)

4:30 pm – Aria Republic
5:15 pm – JJ Lavallee
6:00 pm – Christmas Carollers
6:45 pm – Aria Republic
7:30 pm – JJ Lavallee
8:15 pm – Christmas Carollers
9:00 pm – Aria Republic

Carol Singers on the Snowflake Stage — Christmas Carollers on the Snowflake Stage

Surrey Holiday Lights Video

To get a really good idea of what to expect at the attraction, check out the following video from 2021. It provides a comprehensive look at what the place looks like at night.

The video begins outside by the giant Holiday Lights Tent. What you don’t see is the beautiful light tunnel you have to walk through at the entrance. This video starts just after the light tunnel not far from the city’s giant Christmas tree in front of Surrey City Hall.

As you’ll see in the video, there are lots of pretty illuminations and light sculptures both indoors and outdoors at the venue. There is also live music on a couple of stages.

In the video you’ll see the Christmas Carollers, model Gingerbread Village, and light sculptures of scenes from around the world. You’ll also see Santa and Mrs. Claus, the market area, a historic Woodward’s Christmas display, the set of LED swings and food trucks.

Other Information

For more information about the event or to book your tickets, visit the Surrey Holiday Lights website.

If you’re looking for another exceptional place to see magical lights and get into the holiday spirit, as mentioned above, be sure to check out Christmas Glow in Langley. It’s a drive-thru-style event, highly recommended and just 20 minutes from Surrey City Hall in good traffic.

Other articles that might be of interest include the following: