Looking for holiday events in Metro Vancouver? There are so many amazing holiday events in Vancouver & across the Lower Mainland for families this time of year! We have rounded up some of our favourites for 2019 in our annual Metro Vancouver Holiday Events Guide below, and we're also giving away family passes to select events at our online Holiday Facebook Party on November 14th at 8 pm PST.
To ENTER to win, go to our Healthy Family Expo 2019 Facebook Event and click "GOING" or "INTERESTED". Then join in the party on November 14th from the comfort of your home when we'll be giving away family admission passes to great holiday events, and over $5,000 in gifts from our 2019 Holiday Gift Guide (including a Springfree Trampoline, your own Maplelea doll, an Instant Pot and so much more!).
We are all about taking the stress off during the holidays so that you can focus on making magical memories with friends & family. Nothing makes gift giving easier than Whole Foods Market Gift cards, not to mention using them to plan for your own holiday feast. Buy yours now for friends, family, co-workers, or the mail man, and enter to win a $100 Whole Foods Market gift card for yourself at our November 14th Facebook Party!
RSVP BY MARKING YOURSELF AS "GOING" OR "INTERESTED" IN THE 2020 EXPO FACEBOOK EVENT.
FAMILY HOLIDAY EVENTS
IN METRO VANCOUVER
PEAK OF CHRISTMAS
AT GROUSE MOUNTAIN
(North Vancouver)
Experience the magic of a white Christmas at Grouse Mountain‘s Peak of Christmas. See how magical elves have transformed Grouse Mountain into Vancouver’s North Pole where you can have breakfast with Santa, visit him in his workshop or write him a letter, meet his real reindeer, vote for your favourite creation in the Gingerbread Village or take a spin on the mountaintop skating pond. Other highlights include the forest Light Walk, sliding zone, sleigh rides, Christmas movies and live entertainment! Visiting the Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain is on our must-do list of family-friendly fun this holiday season.
Dates: November 22, 2019 – January 5, 2020
Hours: Hours vary for different activities, see website for times.
Website: www.grousemountain.com
Click HERE to buy tickets
Connect: Facebook; Twitter; Instagram
THE POLAR EXPRESS
AT WCRHP
(Squamish)
Polar Express is a magical Christmas event for the whole family! Get your golden ticket and board an actual passenger train to the North Pole. Includes characters from the movie, your golden ticket stamped by the conductor, hot chocolate, cookies & Christmas carols! At the North Pole enjoy a mini-rail ride, craft stations, photos with Mr. & Mrs. Claus who will give you a silver bell, and a letter to Santa station (where Santa himself will write you back). Food and beverages are also available & families are encouraged to wear their pajamas. It’s truly a magical holiday experience for the whole family!
Dates: Nov 23 – Dec 15 (weekends only). Sensory friendly ride Nov 24th at 10am.
Hours: Various hours
Website: www.wcra.org
Click HERE to buy tickets
Connect: Facebook; Twitter; Instagram
WHOLE FOODS MARKET
HOLIDAY MENU SAMPLING EVENT
(All British Columbia Stores)
The entire month of December is an excuse to celebrate, spend time with friends and family and indulge in the flavours of the season. Visit any one of Whole Foods Market’s British Columbia stores on December 7th to taste a little of what they’re bringing to your table this holiday season. Try some of their holiday favourites or discover new dishes to add to your holiday table!
Dates: December 7, 2019
Hours: 12:00 – 4:00 pm
Website: www.wholefoodsmarket.com
Connect: Facebook; Instagram
SANTA COMES TO
BRITANNIA MINE MUSEUM
(Squamish)
Cue the holiday magic! Make memories along the Sea-to-Sky this holiday season with Britannia Mine Museum. Cozy up on a train ride through the Underground to get a sneaky peek of Santa and his elves. He is making a list and checking it twice, but this fella won’t be around long, so be sure to tell him your holiday wishes and have a photo taken. Warm up with a mug of hot cocoa and get into the festive spirit while testing your skills in the Machine Shop at a special Pop-Up Winter Toolbox session. You’ll workshop a miniature wooden rocking chair that’s just the right size for mini teddybears available for purchase in the gift shop! And don’t miss counting the teddy bears hidden among the trees & entering to win a prize, and enjoying a viewing of BOOM! that’s included with admission! The Britannia mine experience is a gift all by itself this holiday season.
Dates: December 7th & 14th
Hours: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Website: www.britanniaminemuseum.ca
Click HERE to buy tickets
Connect: Facebook; Twitter; Instagram
CHRISTMAS GLOW
(Vancouver & Abbotsford)
Laugh, stroll and play under the twinkle of a million lights as your family explores light gardens and illuminated structures. Christmas Glow is such a fun indoor event for families that’s a blast no matter the weather! Let the playgrounds entertain the kids for hours, while you kick back at their licensed bar and enjoy some seasonal beverages, delicious food, and live music. Shop the vendor market, showcasing the best local artisans and boutique businesses, alongside delicious food and drink options. Now with two convenient locations in Vancouver & Abbotsford. At Glow, there’s something for everyone!
Dates:
Abbotsford: December 5, 2019 – January 4, 2020
Vancouver: November 21, 2019 – January 5, 2020
Hours: Times vary & are subject to availability.
Website: www.glowgardens.com
Click HERE to book your tickets
Connect: Facebook; Twitter; Instagram
SNOWSHOEING
AT CYPRESS MOUNTAIN
(West Vancouver)
Nothing brings out the holiday spirit like crisp snow & comfort food. Get out and enjoy both on snowshoes at Cypress Mountain! For families with kids aged 6+, try the Winter Wanderer Tour or the Hollyburn Meadows Tour. Adults looking for a longer tour should definitely try the Cheese & Chocolate Fondue Snowshoe Tour. Read about our team’s experience with a snowshoe fondue date night at Cypress Mountain. We had a blast and we’re excited to take our kids this season!
Dates: Dec 17 – mid-April (based on conditions)
Hours: Times vary & are subject to availability.
Website: www.cypressmountain.com
Click HERE to book a tour
Connect: Facebook; Twitter; Instagram
CANYON LIGHTS
(North Vancouver)
Embark on a magical adventure of visual enchantment with fun for the whole family. Named one of the most spectacular holiday light displays in the world, Canyon Lights is an event set to dazzle and amaze, high above the forest floor. Experience the popular attraction in a whole new light while you explore the park as it transforms the suspension bridge, Cliffwalk, Treetops Adventure, canyon and rainforest into a twinkling West Coast winter wonderland. Along with these and other interactive light displays, the 250-year-old Douglas-firs at Treetops Adventure are lit up from top to bottom, making them the eight tallest Christmas trees in the world. The family fun doesn’t stop there as Canyon Lights also includes a Snowy Owl Prowl scavenger hunt, festive live music and children’s activities. Due to popular demand, dates have again been extended until Sunday, January 26, 2020, making it the perfect way to start the new year!
Dates: November 22, 2019 to January 26, 2020
Hours: 11:00am – 9:00pm
Website: www.capbridge.com/explore/canyon-lights
Click HERE to buy your tickets
Connect: Facebook; Twitter; Instagram
VANCOUVER
CHRISTMAS MARKET
(Vancouver)
Celebrating its 10th anniversary season, Vancouver’s authentic German market amplifies its festive offerings this year with more than 80 huts stuffed with sweets, treats and treasures. Wander the market’s winding alleys and discover German delicacies: sizzling sausages, warming Glühwein (mulled wine), handcrafted gifts, and so much more. Share food and drink in the cozy Alpine Lounge, indulge in winter cocktails and holiday-inspired bites in the WunderBAR’s winter oasis, and venture down Lovers’ Lane — an Instagram-worthy, newly extended 40-foot long tunnel adorned with 20,000 twinkling lights and mistletoe. Don’t miss everyone’s favourite glittering carousel, and a multitude of festive family activities, including daily seasonal entertainment performed on the Christmas Pyramid’s Flying Stage.
Dates: November 20 – December 24, 2019
Hours: 11:30am to 9:30pm
Website: www.vancouverchristmasmarket.com
Click HERE to book your tickets
Connect: Facebook; Twitter; Instagram
BRIGHT NIGHTS
IN STANLEY PARK
(Vancouver)
Bright Nights is an annual holiday tradition for many families in the Lower Mainland and is a partnership between the Vancouver Park Board and the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund. This festive event features the Bright Nights Christmas Train, Stanley Park Train Plaza display sparkling with three million twinkling lights, live entertainment and magical displays. You must buy a ticket to ride the train. Entry to the plaza to view the lights is by donation to the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund.
Dates: November 28 – January 1, closed on December 25, evening train only December 30th – January 1
Hours: 11 am-2:30 pm & 3-10 pm
Website: www.brightnights.ca
Connect: Facebook; Twitter; Instagram
CHRISTMAS AT
FLYOVER CANADA
(Vancouver)
Fly like Santa this Christmas on a magical flight across Canada! After meeting some of Santa’s elves, Chestnut and Pinecone, you’ll join them as they take flight across Canada looking for their fellow elves. You may even get a sneak peek of Santa’s Workshop as you soar over the North Pole. The complete FlyOver Canada Christmas experience includes a Winter Wonderland themed preshow, FlyOver Canada – a thrilling 8-minute flight ride experience across Canada, and an extended, animated final scene over Santa’s magical North Pole. Note that children must be at least 40″ tall to ride!
Dates: November 21 – January 5
Hours: Generally 10 AM – 9 PM (see exceptions online)
Website: www.flyovercanada.com/events-promotions/christmas/
Click HERE to book your tickets
Connect: Facebook; Twitter; Instagram
Wondering what to do with the kids in Metro Vancouver this weekend, or what to make for dinner? You can find it at HealthyFamilyLiving.com! From the Sunshine Coast to the Fraser Valley, we’re the best online resource for busy parents looking for practical tips for healthy, active, sustainable living. For the latest on family events, outdoor adventures, birthday parties, camps & classes and kid-approved recipes, follow us on Facebook and sign-up for our parent-approved e-newsletter!
