BC Living
11 B.C. Restaurants Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with Food and Drink Specials
3 Seasoning Recipes You Can Make Yourself
Recipe: Prawns in a Mushroom, Tomato, Feta and Ouzo Sauce
Attention, Runners: Here are 19 Road Races Happening in B.C. in Spring 2025
Nature’s Pharmacy: 8 Herbal Boutiques in BC
How Barre Enhances Your Flexibility
Inviting the Steller’s Jay to Your Garden
6 Budget-friendly Holiday Decor Pieces
Dream Home: $8 Million for a Modern Surprise
BC’s Best-Kept Culinary Destination Secret (For Now)
Local Getaway: Relax at a Nordic-Inspired Cabin in Golden
Local Getaway: Rest and Recharge at a Rustic Cabin in Jordan River
B.C. Adventures: Things to Do in March
B.C. Adventures: Things to Do in February
5 Beautiful and Educational Nature and Wildlife Tours in BC
Sustainable Chic: A Guide to Eco-Friendly Home Decor Shops in BC
AUDI: Engineered to Make You Feel
7 Relaxing Bath and Shower Products from Canadian Brands
Christmas trains, bright lights and Santa Claus are coming to town. Sip the eggnog and sniff the evergreens – we’ve got five fun ways to celebrate
O Christmas Tree, how richly Vancouverites have decked thee. Hosted by the Four Seasons Hotel and Pacific Centre, this annual event is a tradition that stretches back to childhood for many locals – and for good reason! Over 40 stunningly decorated trees will be on display and, for the price of a donation to the BC Children’s Hospital, you can cast a vote for your favourite.
When: Nov. 20 to Jan. 4
Price: Admission is free, but don’t be a scrooge. A $2 minimum donation is recommended
There are many reasons we love the Christmas Market: you can chow down on bratwurst, sip German beer and browse handmade gifts, all to the soundtrack of a traditional European choir. But our favourite reason has to be the mulled wine. So warm up with a piping hot glass and hitch a ride on Vancouver’s only Christmas carousel.
When: Nov. 22 to Dec. 24
Price: Adults $7, Seniors (60+) $6, Youth (under 12) $3, Kids (under 7) free
We’ll take your choo-choo train and raise you a ‘ho ho ho.’ The Stanley Park Miniature Train is one of Vancouver’s most popular attractions over the holidays, as three million lights (!) are used to transform the park into a winter wonderland. Bonus: half the money raised goes to the Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund.
When: Nov. 27 to Jan. 4 (tickets on sale Nov. 3)
Price: Adult $11, children, youth and seniors $8
When Santa comes to town, he does it in a big, big way. That means choirs, marching bands, over 65 floats and the big man in red will all be dashing through the snow in this year’s parade. Arrive early to secure a spot with a view as downtown Vancouver will be packed with the holiday faithful. The Christmas Square on the corner of Georgia and Howe will host activities like gingerbread decorating and face painting for the kids.
When: Dec. 7 at 1:00 p.m.
Price: Free, but monetary or food bank donations are encouraged. (The Parade is actually one of the largest food and fundraising events for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society)
This year marks the 30th anniversary of VanDusen’s Festival of Lights. Take an evening stroll through this expansive botanical garden and enjoy more than a million twinkling lights. If that’s not enough to warm your holiday heart, other highlights of the festival include photo opps with Santa, a shadow puppet show for the kids, a dancing light show on Livingstone Lake and food trucks to warm your belly, too.
When: Dec. 10 to Jan. 4
Price: Adult $15, youth and seniors $11, children $8
