13 BC Small Towns That Go All Out for Christmas

Small-town Christmas in BC isn’t one thing. It’s Santa arriving by canoe in Fort Langley and by boat in Steveston. It’s about two kilometres of lit lakefront in Harrison Hot Springs, free every night from November 21 to January 10. It’s more than 22,000 people on First Avenue in Ladysmith on a single Thursday night.

It’s also worth the longer drives. Revelstoke has a parade and the CPKC Holiday Train. Barkerville, the gold-rush townsite in the Cariboo, opens for one weekend of a Christmas it first held in 1987.

Every town here has posted 2026 dates for its main events. Each section covers what happens, when, what it costs where that’s posted, how to get there, and the small detail that makes the trip easier. Where a time or date isn’t posted yet, that’s noted.

13. Kimberley (East Kootenay)

Kimberley’s Platzl is a Bavarian-themed pedestrian square downtown, and the Chamber of Commerce lights it for the season at an evening event. There are carols, Santa’s arrival and a countdown led by Santa and the Mayor. The lights go on at 6 pm.

After the lighting, Santa takes family photos at the Platzl’s cuckoo clock; the Kimberley Bulletin lists photos at $10, with half going to the Kimberley Food Bank. Shops stay open late. The Grinch turns up, and so does Happy Hans, the town’s yodelling mascot.

The 2026 Light Up is Friday, November 13, from about 5 to 8 pm, in the Platzl. No admission fee is posted. It’s one of the earliest dates in this roundup, so it may be over by the time you read this. Check with the Kimberley Chamber before planning a later visit.

12. Nelson (West Kootenay)

Nelson does Christmas through its craft markets near heritage Baker Street. The Baker Street Christmas Craft Faire brings together potters, knitters, jewellers, bakers and decorations. It runs November 13 to 15 at the Nelson Rod and Gun Club, 801 Railway Street: 10 am to 6 pm Friday, 10 am to 5 pm Saturday and 10 am to 3 pm Sunday.

The juried Kootenay Artisan Fair follows with a three-day Holiday Market at the Prestige Lakeside, 701 Lakeside Drive. Hours are 10 am to 7 pm on November 20, 10 am to 6 pm on November 21 and 10 am to 4 pm on November 22. A smaller December event on December 18 and 19 is aimed at last-minute shopping.

The 2026 date for the downtown tree light-up isn’t posted yet. Neither market has posted 2026 admission prices. Updates are on the Kootenay Artisan Fair site.

11. Revelstoke (Columbia Shuswap)

Revelstoke spreads Christmas across four events. The indoor Farmers’ Market Christmas Market comes first, on Saturday, November 21, 10 am to 3 pm at Revelstoke Community Centre, 600 Campbell Ave.

Moonlight Madness is in its 45th year. It’s a late-night downtown shopping night with deals and food, on Friday, November 27 from 6 to 10 pm. The Chamber bills it as the town’s kickoff to holiday shopping.

The Santa Claus Parade is Saturday, December 12, from 4 pm. It runs from the Courthouse down 1st Street and along Mackenzie Avenue to Mackenzie and Third, passing Grizzly Plaza around 4:30 pm. The community choir sings carols at the plaza from 4 pm, and from 5 to 6:30 pm there’s the community band, free hot chocolate and face painting.

The CPKC Holiday Train stops on Victoria Road on Wednesday, December 16, 6:30 to 7 pm. It only stays about half an hour, so get there early and bring a food bank donation. Revelstoke in December means mountain highways, so check DriveBC before you go.

10. Kaslo (North Kootenay Lake)

Kaslo’s Light Up fills a full day in a small village. The Kaslo & Area Chamber of Commerce runs it on the first Saturday of December, which this year is December 5.

The day includes a craft fair, a children’s scavenger hunt, a hot chocolate and hot food sale, Santa photos and a community bonfire. It ends with an evening Light Up Parade and the village tree lighting.

The Chamber has posted a 2026 schedule and says more events may be added: the Kaslo Christmas Faire runs 10 am to 3 pm at the Legion, the scavenger hunt 3 to 5 pm, the parade starts at 6 pm sharp, the tree lighting follows in Front Street Park, Santa’s Workshop opens at 6:30 pm and the bonfire runs until 8:30 pm. Check the Kaslo Chamber page closer to the day. No cost is posted.

Kaslo and Nelson make a natural Kootenay pairing, though their posted 2026 dates don’t share a weekend.

9. Barkerville (Cariboo)

Barkerville is a gold-rush townsite with more than 125 heritage buildings. In winter there’s no programming, and the shops and restaurants are closed, except for Christmas weekend (plus a by-donation Friday, December 11, with some businesses and programs open). Olde-Fashioned Christmas was first held in 1987.

This year it’s Saturday, December 12 and Sunday, December 13, 9:30 am to 5 pm. There are carols on Main Street, guided town tours, Indigenous drum circles and storytelling, and a reading of a Sherlock Holmes Christmas story. Barnard’s Express runs horse-drawn sleigh rides from 10 am to 4 pm, with the last ride at 3:30 pm.

Admission is $12 plus GST for ages 17 to 64 and $10 plus GST for 65 and up. Youth 6 to 16 get in free with a non-perishable donation to the Wells Christmas Hamper, and kids 0 to 5 are free. Sleigh rides are extra: $12 adult, $10 senior, $8 youth (4 to 12), free for ages 0 to 3. Advance admission is available through the Barkerville Christmas page.

From Quesnel on Highway 97, take Highway 26 east 82 km. It’s a long winter drive from Vancouver, so check DriveBC and pack winter gear. Leave the dog at home. Barkerville says no pets on the townsite during the event to protect visitors, livestock and wildlife, and its outdoor kennels won’t be open.

8. Hope (Fraser Canyon)

Fog Fest is Hope’s three-weekend festival, running November 20 to December 6. The last weekend, December 4 to 6, is The Foggy Little Christmas. The program lists a winter market, Grinch meet-and-greets, a Celtic Christmas concert, a Christmas train ride fundraiser and carolling.

The newest tradition is the parade. Hope held its first-ever Christmas parade in 2025, with a fireworks show alongside it. In 2026 the parade is on Saturday, December 5, on Wallace Street at 6:30 pm, and the fireworks go up at the 6th Avenue Fairgrounds at 7:45 pm.

Both are on Saturday, December 5. Tourism Hope says more details are still being added, so check tourismhcc.ca/fog-fest the week before. No official cost is posted, and some activities are fundraisers.

Everything centres on downtown Hope, along Wallace Street and Memorial Park.

7. Chemainus (Vancouver Island)

Chemainus is known for its murals, but the Christmas draw is the theatre. Chemainus Theatre has been a major local attraction since it opened in 1993. This year’s holiday show is The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley, a holiday sequel to Pride and Prejudice set in the servants’ quarters.

The run is November 13 to December 23, according to the theatre’s season calendar. Tourism Cowichan lists December 24, so confirm the closing date if you’re aiming late. A relaxed performance is on Thursday, November 19 at 2 pm. Tourism Cowichan lists tickets from $24 to $90.

Earlier in the season, Sip & Shop takes over Willow Street on Saturday, November 14, 3 to 7:30 pm. It’s a free holiday night market with live music, food trucks and late shop hours. New in 2026 is an open-consumption area for adults 19 and older.

The theatre is at 9737 Chemainus Road. Ladysmith is the next town south, so a matinee here pairs with Ladysmith’s lights in the same trip.

6. Ladner Village (Delta)

The Ladner Village tree lighting used to be a Ladner Business Association event. The City of Delta runs it now, and it fills a whole evening. Expect an artisan market, face painting, crafts, cookie decorating, letters to Santa and live music.

At 7 pm, Delta Council and Santa light the village tree. Photos with Santa are also part of the evening; check the city’s event page for the schedule.

It’s Thursday, November 26, 5 to 8 pm, at Delta Street and 48th Avenue, and it’s free. The city suggests dinner in the village before or after. Details are on the City of Delta event page.

If Thursday doesn’t work, Delta runs a separate North Delta tree lighting on Saturday, November 28, at North Delta Recreation Centre, also 5 to 8 pm.

5. Fort Langley (Township of Langley)

Fort Langley lights its community tree on the front grounds of the Community Hall on Glover Road. The part people come for happens first. Santa arrives by canoe in Bedford Channel, and volunteers walk him from the dock up to the tree.

The hall has its own history. The Fort Langley Community Improvement Society, which runs it, formed in 1924. The society marked its 100th anniversary at the 2024 tree lighting. Closer to Christmas, the hall hosts the Fort Langley Village Farmers’ Market’s Christmas in the Village, a three-day festive market from December 18 to 20, 10 am to 6 pm daily.

The 2026 lighting is Saturday, November 28, confirmed by Tourism Langley. The official start time isn’t posted yet. A church volunteer listing has helpers on site from 4:30 to 6 pm, which gives you a rough window, not a schedule.

Wait near the Bedford Channel waterfront for the canoe, then follow the crowd up Glover Road to the hall. If you come by day, Fort Langley National Historic Site is open daily from 10 am to 4:30 pm. It’s closed December 24, 25, 26 and 31, and January 1.

4. Whistler Village (Sea to Sky)

Whistler opens the season with Winterlight at Olympic Plaza, November 27 to 29. Expect light installations, live music, activities and a Ferris wheel lit up after dark.

The BC Parks Foundation’s Wishing Tree stands at the plaza from November 4 to December 31. Share a wish and it lights up. Over Christmas, Wintersphere moves things indoors at the Whistler Conference Centre. It’s a free family event running December 19 to January 2, 10 am to 5 pm, closed December 25.

Winterlight is free to attend. Ferris wheel rides are $5 (proceeds go to local charities) and skating costs extra. Details are on the Whistler.com Winterlight page. Whistler Blackcomb’s opening day is November 20, so Winterlight weekend lines up with early-season skiing. More on Wintersphere is on the Whistler Christmas page.

This is a late-November drive on the Sea to Sky. Check DriveBC for Highway 99 conditions before you leave.

3. Steveston Village (Richmond)

Tourism Richmond’s Winter in the Village runs November 19 to December 31 and fills the old fishing village with light displays. Local merchants pour holiday drinks and sell treats under the Steveston Sips banner. The family events are free.

The day to circle is Sunday, November 29. Santa arrives by boat at Fisherman’s Wharf at 1 pm, then walks to the Gulf of Georgia Cannery for photos from 2 to 4 pm. The Cannery is free that day from 10 am to 5 pm. Entertainment starts at 4 pm in front of the Steveston Tram, and the big tree is lit at 4:45 pm. Horse-and-carriage rides run 12 to 4 pm that day and again on December 6.

The day before, Saturday, November 28, the Steveston Christmas Craft Fair puts more than 100 vendors in the Net Shed at Steveston Community Centre from 10 am to 4 pm. Admission is by donation, cash or card.

Plan on 1 pm to about 5 pm on the 29th. The wharf on First Avenue, the Cannery at 12138 Fourth Avenue and the Tram at 4011 Moncton Street are all a short walk apart. The full schedule is on the Winter in the Village calendar.

2. Ladysmith (Vancouver Island)

Ladysmith’s Light Up is one of the biggest Christmas nights on Vancouver Island, and the numbers back that up. Organizers count more than 300,000 lights. More than 22,000 visitors fill First Avenue every year.

The night brings the Kinsmen Light Up Parade on First Avenue, live music, food trucks, Santa’s House and a drone show after the parade. A craft fair runs at Aggie Hall from 3 pm until after the fireworks, around 9 pm. The festival dates to 1987. The lights stay up from the last Thursday in November until the second Sunday in January, so you can come back on a slower night.

This year’s Light Up is Thursday, November 26, and admission is free. Streets around Aggie Hall close to traffic from 2:30 pm until well after the fireworks. Arrive early and expect a walk. Parade details are on the Ladysmith Festival of Lights site.

From Metro Vancouver you need a BC Ferries crossing. Check sailings before you commit to a Thursday night on the island.

1. Harrison Hot Springs (Fraser Valley)

Lights by the Lake fills about two kilometres of lakefront promenade with displays, and many of them show Harrison’s Sasquatch doing outdoor activities. This year adds an oversized holiday train, polar bears, an igloo and giant candy canes. The Starlight Skating Rink is a synthetic rink under strings of lights. The rink is free, and skate rentals cost extra on select days.

It runs daily from dusk to 11 pm, November 21, 2026 to January 10, 2027, and admission is free. Opening night, Saturday, November 21 from 5 to 8 pm, brings photos with Santa and Sasquatch, carols, the Jingle Paws Pet Parade and fireworks over Harrison Lake. Tourism Harrison says the first 1,000 people get free hot chocolate. Two more events follow, a Festive Night and a Festive Afternoon: December 5 from 5 to 6:30 pm at Memorial Hall, and December 19 from 2 to 4 pm at the Harrison Visitor Centre.

Vancouver Is Awesome puts it at less than two hours’ drive from Vancouver. The gathering point is the Plaza, where Hot Springs Road meets Esplanade Avenue at the beach. It’s paved and open-air. Village parking is free from September 15 to May 15, and RVs can use the overflow lot at Hot Springs Road and Miami River Drive.

Get out of the car. The moving displays only work fully from the walkway. Hours and updates are on the Tourism Harrison Lights by the Lake page.

By the numbers

Stat	Value
Lights in Ladysmith’s festival	300,000+
Visitors on Ladysmith Light Up night	22,000+
Harrison promenade lit for Lights by the Lake	about 2 km
Heritage buildings at Barkerville	125+
Barkerville distance from Quesnel	82 km
Year Barkerville’s Christmas began	1987
Revelstoke Moonlight Madness edition	45th
Year Chemainus Theatre opened	1993

When to go

• Nov 13: Kimberley Platzl Light Up. Nelson’s Baker Street Christmas Craft Faire runs Nov 13 to 15, and The Wickhams opens at Chemainus Theatre.
• Nov 14: Chemainus Sip & Shop.
• Nov 19: Steveston’s Winter in the Village begins, running to Dec 31.
• Nov 20 to 22: Kootenay Artisan Fair in Nelson. Hope’s Fog Fest starts Nov 20.
• Nov 21: Revelstoke Christmas Market and opening night of Harrison’s Lights by the Lake.
• Nov 26: Ladner Village tree lighting and Ladysmith Light Up.
• Nov 27: Revelstoke Moonlight Madness. Whistler Winterlight runs Nov 27 to 29.
• Nov 28: Fort Langley tree lighting and the Steveston Craft Fair. Nov 29: Santa by boat and the tree lighting in Steveston.
• Dec 4 to 6: Hope’s Foggy Little Christmas. Dec 5: Kaslo Light Up.
• Dec 12: Revelstoke Santa Claus Parade. Dec 12 and 13: Barkerville Olde-Fashioned Christmas.
• Dec 16: CPKC Holiday Train in Revelstoke. Dec 18 to 20: Fort Langley’s Christmas in the Village market. Dec 19 to Jan 2: Whistler’s Wintersphere.

If you can only pick one weekend, the last one in November stacks Ladner, Ladysmith, Revelstoke, Whistler, Fort Langley and Steveston into four days.

Parking and street closures

• Harrison Hot Springs: village parking is free from September 15 to May 15. RVs can use the overflow lot at Hot Springs Road and Miami River Drive.
• Ladysmith: streets around Aggie Hall close to traffic from 2:30 pm on Light Up night until well after the fireworks. Park further out and walk in.

Kids, dogs and accessibility

• Ladner splits Santa photos into an earlier family block and a later teens and adults block, either side of the 7 pm tree lighting.
• Barkerville’s 2026 event page says pets aren’t allowed in the Heritage Zone during Olde-Fashioned Christmas (December 11 to 13), to protect visitors, livestock and wildlife. The outdoor kennels won’t be open, so leave the dog at home.
• Harrison’s event Plaza is paved and open-air.
• Chemainus Theatre has a relaxed performance of The Wickhams on November 19 at 2 pm.

Giving back

• At Barkerville, youth ages 6 to 16 get in free with a non-perishable donation to the Wells Christmas Hamper.
• The CPKC Holiday Train collects for local food banks, and every donation stays in the community where it’s given.
• Some of Hope’s Fog Fest activities are fundraisers, and the Steveston Craft Fair is by donation.

What to bring

• Warm layers and waterproof footwear. Ladysmith, Harrison, Ladner, Kaslo and Revelstoke’s parade are outdoor evening events in late November and December.
• A headlamp or your phone light for the walk back to the car.
• Cash or a card for donations.
• A non-perishable food item for Barkerville or the Holiday Train.

Getting there

Harrison Hot Springs is less than two hours’ drive from Vancouver. Ladysmith and Chemainus need a BC Ferries crossing, so check sailings on bcferries.com before you plan around an evening event. Whistler, Revelstoke, the Kootenays and the Cariboo all mean winter highway driving. Check DriveBC before you leave, carry winter gear, and give yourself daylight for the long stretches.

Where to find Santa, town by town

Town	How Santa shows up	Date	Time
Kimberley	Countdown with the Mayor, then photos at the cuckoo clock	Fri, Nov 13	Lights on at 6 pm
Harrison Hot Springs	Photos with Santa and Sasquatch on opening night	Sat, Nov 21	5 to 8 pm
Ladner	Lights the village tree with Delta Council	Thu, Nov 26	7 pm
Ladysmith	Santa’s House on Light Up night	Thu, Nov 26	Not posted
Fort Langley	By canoe in Bedford Channel, walked up to the tree	Sat, Nov 28	Not posted
Steveston	By boat at Fisherman’s Wharf, then photos at the Cannery	Sun, Nov 29	1 pm arrival, photos 2 to 4 pm
Kaslo	Santa photos during Light Up	Sat, Dec 5	6:30 pm at Santa’s Workshop, Kaslo Youth Centre
Revelstoke	Parade along Mackenzie Avenue to Grizzly Plaza	Sat, Dec 12	About 4:30 pm at the plaza

Many of these towns put their biggest effort into one or two nights, and most dates are set. Pick the one that fits your calendar, check the organizer’s page the week before for any final times, and dress for standing outside. The tree lights up whether you’re warm or not.

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Photo credits

• Fort Langley Community Hall.jpg by Sunray, CC BY-SA 3.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Steveston-pano.jpg by Arnold C (User:Buchanan-Hermit), Attribution (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Autumn in Whistler Village (24404000548).jpg by Ruth Hartnup from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY 2.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Chemainus Theatre, south view 20240828 1.jpg by DXR, CC BY-SA 4.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Harrisons Hot Springs Mountain by ajithrajeswari.jpg by Ajith Rajeswari, Public domain (resized; cropped for the featured image). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Barber Island, British Columbia.jpg by Canuckle, CC0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Hope, BC – municipal building.jpg by Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• 410 First Avenue Ladysmith BC – Ladysmith Trading Company 1.jpg by Average Joe Cyclist, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Grizzly Plaza Revelstoke British Columbia.jpg by unknown, CC BY-SA 2.0 ca (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• The Main Street in Nelson, BC (15552534935).jpg by Kyle Pearce from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Downtown Kaslo, British Columbia.jpg by Darren Kirby, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Kimberly Platzl, British Columbia, Canada.jpg by Ken Eckert, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• View North from Main Street in Barkerville Historic Town & Park.jpg by Bubblenymph, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.