13 Free Festive Things to Do in Vancouver This December

December in Metro Vancouver gets expensive fast. Light shows sell timed tickets, and markets charge at the gate. This list is the other side of the season. Every item here is free to walk into (one, Langley’s market, is new this year), most are confirmed free again, and each one has 2026 dates checked against an official page wherever one exists.

You’ll find a lakeside light loop in Coquitlam, a 1920s village lit up in Burnaby, two Christmas markets, three rinks, two of them confirmed free with your own skates (Robson Square hasn’t posted 2026/27 pricing), and a lantern procession on the longest night of the year. Hanukkah 2026 starts the evening of Friday, December 4 and runs through Saturday, December 12, so the first half of the month is a full one.

A couple of notes before you plan. Christmas at Canada Place, home of the old Woodward’s windows, was cancelled in 2025 because of construction on the west promenade, and there’s no word on 2026, so it isn’t here. And 2026 is the last year the Lights of Hope go up on St. Paul’s Hospital on Burrard Street.

13. Langley Christmas Village (Langley City)

This one is new for 2026. The company behind the Shipyards Christmas Market is running it in partnership with Langley City. The organizer describes it as a free, family-friendly holiday event that rotates small local vendors through the season.

It runs November 26 to December 24, 2026. Langley City lists hours of 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday (and December 21 to 23), and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on December 24. That’s nearly the same schedule as the Shipyards market, which also stays open to 10 p.m. on December 20.

The official listing puts it in downtown Langley City but didn’t confirm the exact site. Check the Langley City events listing before you go. If you live south of the Fraser, this is the same idea as the North Van market without crossing a bridge.

12. Robson Square Ice Rink (Downtown Vancouver)

The rink opened in 1982. The provincial government calls it Vancouver’s only outdoor public skating rink, and says it gets more than 100,000 skaters a year. It sits below street level under the covered plaza next to the Vancouver Art Gallery. That roof means you can skate when it rains, which in December is most of the point.

Robson Square says it plans to reopen in December 2026. The exact date and hours aren’t posted yet. Pricing for 2026/27 hasn’t been officially posted, so check before you go.

Teachers should know about the school program. Grade 4 to 7 classes from anywhere in BC can book free skating, and it runs December 2, 2026 to February 26, 2027.

The rink is at Robson and Howe, a short walk from Vancouver City Centre Station. Check robsonsquare.com for the opening date before you go.

11. Gingerbread Lane at the Hyatt Regency (Downtown Vancouver)

The lobby of the Hyatt Regency fills with gingerbread houses each December. Pastry chefs build them, and so do amateur bakers, and schools. That mix is what makes it fun. A professional showpiece can sit next to something a high-school class glued together.

The display raises money for Make-A-Wish. For 2026, entries were chosen by draw.

It’s open to the public December 3 to December 28, 2026. The December 3 opening reception is invitation only. Admission was free in 2025, according to Destination Vancouver. The 2026 page on the Gingerbread Lane site doesn’t mention a price, and donations are encouraged.

The hotel is on Burrard Street near Burrard Station. Pair it with the Lights of Hope on the same street.

10. Christmas at Historic Stewart Farm (South Surrey)

The City of Surrey runs this Victorian farmhouse in Elgin Heritage Park, and it decorates the place for Christmas. The free weekend drop-ins include a scavenger hunt through the farmhouse, old-fashioned parlour games, chestnut-roasting demos and crafts in Stewart Hall. It’s a slower, smaller outing than a market, which suits younger kids.

Drop-ins run noon to 4:30 p.m. on December 5 and 6, December 12 and 13, and December 19 and 20. On December 5 the farm also holds a Victorian Christmas Evening from 4 to 7 p.m.

The weekend drop-ins are free. The Victorian Christmas Evening is free too. The one paid event is Spectral Stories on December 11, which is adults only and costs $29.50. Surrey lists each weekend as a separately named event (Deck the Halls, Homemade Holidays and Let’s Celebrate), but the hours and format are the same. Start at the City of Surrey’s event page.

The farm is on Crescent Road in South Surrey.

9. Skating at Surrey Civic Plaza (Surrey)

Surrey opened its first free outdoor rink in 2025. It’s 4,000 square feet of real ice under a tent beside City Hall. The city says the rink returns in winter 2026.

On themed weekend evenings the city adds live music to free skating. The holiday edition is Holiday Memories, on December 4 from 3:30 to 6 p.m. and December 5 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The rink is open daily from November 26, 2026 to February 15, 2027. Public skating runs 3 to 9 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 9 p.m. on weekends, with shorter 1 to 4 p.m. hours on December 24, 25, 26 and 31 and January 1. Skating is in 40-minute sessions with ice cleaning in between, so check the city’s page before you go.

Bring your own skates and it’s free. Rentals are $5 a pair. You need a free wristband from the skate shop for a time slot. Helmets are required for kids 12 and under, and they’re free to borrow. The details sit on the City of Surrey’s Holiday Memories page.

Civic Plaza is in Surrey City Centre, next to City Hall and the City Centre Library.

8. Shipyards Skate Plaza (North Vancouver)

The City of North Vancouver says this is the largest outdoor rink in the region. It’s 12,000 square feet, it has a roof over the ice, and it holds up to 300 skaters. You look across at downtown Vancouver with the North Shore mountains behind you.

Look down, too. The curved lines under the ice trace the outlines of ship hulls that were once cut on this site. It’s a small nod to what the Shipyards were before the restaurants and the market arrived.

Bring your own skates and the ice is free. Rentals cost $8 for adults and $5.50 for kids. Helmets and skate aids are free, and helmets are mandatory for kids 12 and under. The rink reopens for the 2026/27 season in late November. The exact date and daily hours aren’t posted yet, so check the City of North Vancouver’s Skate Plaza page.

House rules are simple. No food or drinks on the ice, and no hockey or figure skating.

7. Winter in the Village and the Steveston Tram (Richmond)

Tourism Richmond’s Winter in the Village fills Steveston with lights, decorations and free family events from November 19 to December 31, 2026. The 2026 event calendar hasn’t been posted yet. Wandering the village costs nothing, though some partner events do.

The Steveston Tram is the anchor. It’s always free to visit, at 4011 Moncton Street. The interurban tram car inside ran in Richmond from 1913 to 1958, back when you could ride rails between Steveston and the rest of the region. It’s a good ten minutes of local history between festive stops.

The tram is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. until November 26 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from November 27 to December 31, and closed on statutory holidays. That means no Mondays and no Christmas Day. Hours are on the Steveston Heritage plan-your-visit page.

The village has three-hour free street parking. There’s also the Steveston Community Centre lot, 150 m from the tram.

6. Winter Solstice Lantern Festival (Granville Island and Yaletown)

The Secret Lantern Society marks the longest night of the year with lantern processions, music and performances. 2026 is its 33rd festival. On the Granville Island side, the False Creek Community Association runs it with the society.

The date is Monday, December 21, 2026. At False Creek, workshops run 5 to 9:30 p.m., the procession starts at 6:30 p.m., and performances run 7 to 10 p.m. Program details are on the False Creek Community Centre festival page and the Secret Lantern Society site.

In 2025 the festival itself was free, but the labyrinths cost $20 and lantern-making workshops cost money too. 2026 pricing hasn’t been officially posted. Watching the procession is the free part.

If you want to carry a lantern, make one ahead of time at a December workshop at False Creek Community Centre. Those are paid.

5. CPKC Holiday Train (Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam)

A freight train wrapped in lights pulls up, a side drops open, and a stage built into one of the cars hosts a free half-hour concert. The 2026 BC performers are the Sam Roberts Band and Owen Riegling. It’s a food bank fundraiser now in its 28th year, and CPKC says every donation stays in the community where it’s given.

Four stops fall in the Tri-Cities and the Ridge Meadows area. On Saturday, December 19, it’s Maple Ridge from 8 to 8:30 p.m., across from the Billy Miner Pub, then Pitt Meadows from 9:05 to 9:35 p.m. at Harris Road and Advent Road. On Sunday, December 20, it’s Port Moody from 5:15 to 5:45 p.m. at 300 Ioco Road, then Port Coquitlam from 6:45 to 7:15 p.m. on Kingsway Avenue between Mary Hill Road and Wilson Avenue.

Train times can shift, so check the CPKC Holiday Train schedule the week of the show.

You can’t ride the train. It’s a short trackside show, so arrive early for a spot. Bring cash or non-perishable food for the local food bank.

4. St. Paul’s Lights of Hope (West End)

Every star on the front of St. Paul’s Hospital stands for a donation to St. Paul’s Foundation. The stars run from 3 ft up to 15 ft for the top Platinum level. Seen from the street, the building reads as a giant tally of who gave.

This is the final year. The foundation says 2026 is the last Lights of Hope on Burrard before the hospital moves to its new campus. If it’s been part of your December for years, this is the one to go see.

The free lighting night is November 12, 6 to 8 p.m., with fireworks, choirs and photos with Santa. How long the display stays lit after the lighting has not been posted; the 2026/27 end date hasn’t been confirmed. Seeing it costs nothing. Naming a star starts at a $1,000 donation through the St. Paul’s Foundation Lights of Hope page.

The hospital is on Burrard Street at Helmcken. Go after dark, then walk up Burrard to Gingerbread Lane at the Hyatt.

3. Shipyards Christmas Market (North Vancouver)

This is a European-style Christmas market on the North Vancouver waterfront, and there’s no entry fee. The organizer lists more than 90 wooden chalets, Santa’s chalet and live music. The city’s skating rink sits next door.

A private company runs the market, not the City of North Vancouver. The city runs the rink. That matters if you have a question about one or the other. The market offers sensory-friendly kits, accessible entry and stroller parking, which makes it easier with small kids than many crowded markets.

It runs every day from November 27 to December 24, 2026. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday through December 17, then 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. from December 18 to 23 and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Santa’s chalet and the entertainment stage keep their own schedules, so check the Shipyards Christmas Market site before you go. Getting in costs nothing, but food, drinks and gifts cost extra.

The Shipyards are in Lower Lonsdale, at the foot of Lonsdale Avenue. The SeaBus is the obvious way across from downtown. Bring your skates.

2. Festive Village at Burnaby Village Museum (Burnaby)

Burnaby Village Museum is a recreated 1920s village spread over a 10-acre open-air site. For the holidays the streets are lit and decorated in old-fashioned style. Carol singers and roving entertainers work the lanes. Father Christmas is on site, and kids get a scavenger hunt.

Gate admission is free. The 1912 carousel is the one thing with a price, at $2.86 plus tax a ride. You can buy food at Mai’s Cafe and kettle corn from Cravings Kettle Corn, so it works as an early dinner outing.

The schedule takes a little attention. Festive Village runs November 25, 2026 to January 3, 2027, from 2 to 9 p.m. Until December 13 it opens Wednesday to Sunday only. From December 16 it opens every day. It’s closed December 24 and 25.

During busy times the city says entry to the site may be limited. Dates and the carousel price are on the City of Burnaby’s Festive Village page.

1. Lights at Lafarge (Coquitlam)

The City of Coquitlam calls this Metro Vancouver’s largest free outdoor winter lights display. The displays ring Lafarge Lake in Town Centre Park, and you walk them on a lit path. Nothing is fenced off or timed. You show up, do the loop, and go home.

The city describes the trail as flat and mostly paved, with one section of fine packed gravel. It says strollers and mobility devices work on it. Accessible parking spaces are close to the display. The season opens with a party on Friday, November 27, from 5 to 8 p.m., with food trucks, live entertainment and the first switch-on. Last season the lights ran from 4 to 11 p.m. every day; the city hasn’t posted 2026 hours yet. The city hasn’t posted an end date in 2027.

Take the SkyTrain if you can. Lafarge Lake-Douglas Station sits right beside the park. If you drive, the city says you can’t park at the Town Centre Park Community Centre, Evergreen Cultural Centre or City Centre Aquatic Complex for the lights. It points you to other lots, including the TransLink Park and Ride at Pinetree Way and Guildford Way.

For the lightest crowds, the city suggests weekdays, or before 6 p.m. and after 8 p.m. One more thing: emails asking vendors to pay $300 to join the 2026 kickoff are a scam, according to the city. The trail, parking and crowd details above are from the city’s guidance last season. Check the City of Coquitlam’s Lights at Lafarge page for 2026 updates.

December 2026 at a glance

• All month: Lights at Lafarge (from November 27), Festive Village (from November 25), Shipyards Christmas Market and Langley Christmas Village (to December 24), Winter in the Village (to December 31), Lights of Hope.
• December 3: Gingerbread Lane opens to the public, through December 28.
• December 4 and 5: Holiday Memories skating at Surrey Civic Plaza.
• December 4: Hanukkah begins at sundown, through December 12.
• December 5: Victorian Christmas Evening at Stewart Farm, 4 to 7 p.m.
• December 16: Festive Village opens daily from today.
• December 19 and 20: CPKC Holiday Train in Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam.
• December 21: Winter Solstice Lantern Festival.
• December 24: last day for both Christmas markets. Festive Village is closed December 24 and 25.

What to bring

• Your own skates. The Shipyards and Surrey rinks are free if you bring them. Surrey charges $5 a pair to rent, and the Shipyards charges $8 for adults and $5.50 for kids.
• A helmet for kids, or borrow one. Helmets are required for 12 and under at both the Shipyards and Surrey rinks, and both lend them for free.
• Cash or non-perishable food for the Holiday Train food bank drives.
• Rain gear. The Lafarge loop is fully outdoors, and so are the trackside train stops. The Shipyards and Robson Square rinks have roofs over the ice.

Getting there and parking

Transit makes the most sense for Lafarge, where SkyTrain stops at Lafarge Lake-Douglas Station beside the park. Coquitlam doesn’t allow Lights at Lafarge parking at the Town Centre Park Community Centre, Evergreen Cultural Centre or City Centre Aquatic Complex.

Downtown, Robson Square is a short walk from Vancouver City Centre Station, and Gingerbread Lane is near Burrard Station. In Steveston, use the three-hour free street parking or the community centre lot. The Holiday Train stops are along the rail line through Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Moody and Port Coquitlam; expect possible road closures around the stops and check each city’s page before you go. Drive times from downtown weren’t verified from official sources, so they’re left out here.

Rink etiquette and safety

Common-sense rink rules apply everywhere: keep your speed to your skill level, keep food and drink off the ice, and watch your own kids rather than assuming staff are supervising. Check the operator’s posted rules on site.

Outdoor rinks can close without notice for weather or maintenance. Check the operator’s page before you load the car.

Why some favourites aren’t here

A few December regulars didn’t make the cut because 2026 details weren’t on an official page at the time of writing. The Carol Ships Parade of Lights had no 2026 sailing schedule posted. The Hanukkah menorah lighting at the Vancouver Art Gallery had no 2026 date. Bright in the Park in New Westminster’s Tipperary Park was only listed for 2025/26.

Others are good but not free. VanDusen, Canyon Lights and Bright Nights all charge admission.

Days to plan around

Place	Open	Watch for
Festive Village, Burnaby	2 to 9 p.m.	Wednesday to Sunday only until December 13; daily from December 16; closed December 24 and 25
Steveston Tram	Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (from November 27)	Closed Mondays and stat holidays, including Christmas Day
Historic Stewart Farm	Noon to 4:30 p.m.	Weekends only: December 5 and 6, 12 and 13, 19 and 20
Shipyards Christmas Market	Daily	Last day December 24 (11 a.m. to 8 p.m.); otherwise 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, to 10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and December 18 to 23
Langley Christmas Village	11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday; to 10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and December 21 to 23	Closes at 8 p.m. on December 24, its last day
Gingerbread Lane	December 3 to 28	December 3 opening reception is invitation only
Robson Square Ice Rink	December 2026	Opening date and hours not posted yet

None of these needs a ticket, but several need a calendar. The Holiday Train, the lantern festival and the Stewart Farm evening each happen once. The markets end on Christmas Eve. If you only do one thing on Burrard this year, make it the Lights of Hope, since 2026 is the last time they go up on that building. Check the linked pages the week you go, bring skates and a rain shell, and leave the wallet mostly in your pocket.

Get the weekend plan in your inbox. Burrard Bulletin is a free email on what’s actually on from Vancouver to Whistler. Sign up here.

Photo credits

• Coquitlam Lafarge Lake.jpg by Greg_Salter (talk) (Uploads), CC BY 2.5 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Church in Burnaby Village Museum (7869053454).jpg by Ruth Hartnup from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY 2.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Shipyards as seen from Lonsdale Quay – May 2018.jpg by Shaundd, CC BY-SA 4.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• North Vancouver.jpg by unknown, CC BY-SA 2.0 (combined into a montage, cropped). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Langley City Hall, Canada (April 2009).jpg by Leoboudv, CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Robson Square Ice Rink (16084528692).jpg by Mike from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Surrey City Centre skyline, June 2018.jpg by Northwest, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Vancouver – St. Paul’s Hospital 04.jpg by Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Gingerbread Lane at Hyatt Regency Vancouver (11371958385).jpg by CK Golf from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• CP Holiday Train Arriving at Union Station Kansas City, MO 12-3-18 – 02.jpg by Tyler Silvest, CC BY 2.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Stewart Farmhouse 13723 Crescent Road Surrey BC 2590.jpg by Jollycanuck, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Granville Island Vancouver 01.JPG by Xicotencatl, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.
• Steveston Tram Richmond.jpg by EHuang55, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized). Via Wikimedia Commons.