25 Best Events, Vancouver to Whistler, Fall 2026
The rain comes back, the lights go up and the calendar fills fast. Between now and the shortest day of the year, the stretch from Vancouver to Whistler runs markets, light walks, film, craft fairs, eagle counts and the first chairs of the ski season.
This is the countdown, 25 to 1. Every date here comes from the organizer’s own page, checked October 20, 2026. Book the timed-entry ones early.
Want it as a magazine? The same countdown is a free 21-page PDF. Download the PDF guide.
25. Whistler Writers Festival
Nov 5 to 8 · Fairmont Chateau Whistler and more · In-person workshops from $32
Four days of readings, panels and workshops in Whistler, mostly at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. Online workshops cover the business end too, with publishing staff from Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House Canada and Douglas & McIntyre. The Whistler Independent Book Awards winners are announced on the Friday night.
Details at whistlerwritersfest.com →
24. Got Craft Holiday Market
Nov 21 to 22 · Croatian Cultural Centre · About $6 to $10
Got Craft bills itself as Vancouver’s largest indie craft fair, and it’s a curated one. Makers sell small-batch goods at the Croatian Cultural Centre on Commercial Drive, 10am to 5pm both days, for the first of two holiday weekends (the second is Nov 28 to 29). It’s the crowd that skips the mall. Go early on Saturday if you want first pick.
Know before you go: Free swag bags go to the first 50 people through the doors each day.
23. Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week
Nov 18 to 21 · Queen Elizabeth Theatre · $45 to $85 per night, Elders $30, VIP package $1,000
Four nights of runway built around this year’s theme, Earth. The nights are Red Dress, All My Relations Couture, Indigenous Futures and Spirit of the West Coast, with Earth as the thread. The organizers employ hundreds of Indigenous people to stage the shows, and each night is ticketed separately.
Know before you go: Each night is ticketed separately on Showpass. Shows start at 6pm. Elders tickets are $30.
22. Messiah with the Vancouver Bach Choir
Dec 12 · Orpheum Theatre · $20 to $65
The Vancouver Bach Choir’s Messiah is one of the city’s steadier December traditions. One night only, Saturday, December 12, at 7:30pm. If Hallelujah is part of how you know it’s Christmas, book this one. The same choir family does a family-friendly Christmas concert at the Orpheum on December 6.
Details at vancouverbachchoir.com →
21. The Big Elf Run
Dec 12 · Lumberman’s Arch, Stanley Park · 1km Wee Elf from $28.44, 5km from $54.68, 10km from $60.16, under 18 $29 (5km or 10km)
The 12th Big Elf Run loops Stanley Park from Lumberman’s Arch. The 5km and 10km run or walk starts at 2pm, and the 1km Wee Elf goes at 1pm for small legs. It raises money for the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau. Registration includes an elf toque. Dogs on leash and strollers are welcome but start in the last wave.
Know before you go: Donate $100 or more to the Christmas Bureau and your entry is free.
20. Diwali in Vancouver
Nov 7 · Roundhouse Community Centre · Free
Diwali Fest’s Vancouver celebration lands at the Roundhouse in Yaletown on a Saturday afternoon. Classical and contemporary music and dance, a warm cup of chai, and an invitation to come in your festive best. Listed at no cost. It’s one of a string of Diwali Fest events around Metro Vancouver this fall.
19. Vancouver Asian Film Festival
Nov 5 to 15 · International Village and Scotiabank Theatre, Vancouver
Canada’s longest-running Asian film festival turns 30. Opening night brings back Shopping for Fangs, by Quentin Lee and Justin Lin, three decades on. There are narrative, documentary and international spotlights, a WestCoast Tales program for local Asian Canadian filmmakers, and an industry week from November 7 to 14.
Know before you go: In-theatre screenings run Nov 5 to 8 and Nov 14. A virtual program runs Nov 9 to 14 and is available Canada-wide.
18. Arts Whistler Holiday Market
Nov 28 to 29 · Whistler Conference Centre · $5, kids under 16 free
Arts Whistler’s holiday market moves back into the Whistler Conference Centre for a weekend of local makers, with more than 100 artisan stalls. Saturday runs 11am to 7pm and Sunday 10am to 6pm, about a week after Whistler Blackcomb’s targeted November 20 opening. Five dollars, kids under 16 free. Good for gifts that weren’t made in a factory.
17. Santa at Seymour
From Nov 28 · Mt Seymour, North Vancouver
Seymour puts Santa in a decorated nomadic yurt on the mountain. Meet him, get a photo, decorate a giant bauble in Santa’s Workshop and warm up with treats at Harold’s Cafe. Each timed slot includes a digital photo sent by email and two tobogganing tickets. Pets are welcome, though the mountain itself admits that’s a terrible idea.
Know before you go: Dress for the snow. The two tobogganing tickets must be used the same day as your Santa visit, and tobogganing runs 10am to 4pm. If tobogganing is closed, you get a voucher to use later in the season.
16. Elf: The Musical
Nov 12 to Dec 27 · Stanley BFL CANADA Stage · From $39
The Arts Club’s holiday show at the Stanley is Elf, the stage version of the film about Buddy, a human raised at the North Pole who heads to the city to find his father. A long run, from mid-November to just after Christmas. Note the content advisory for flashing lights and haze.
15. Goh Ballet’s The Nutcracker
Dec 17 to 20 · Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Goh Ballet’s annual Nutcracker is a December fixture at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, and the company calls it a favourite Vancouver tradition. The production is a showcase for the dancers Goh trains. Four days only, the week before Christmas. If there are kids in the house, this is the traditional pick.
14. Circle Craft Holiday Market
Nov 11 to 15 · Vancouver Convention Centre · Early Bird adult $12 (to Nov 4), kids 12 and under free
The long-running Circle Craft market fills the Convention Centre with 315-plus artisans from across the country. Ceramics, wooden toys, glassware, leather goods, clothing and handmade soaps. Hours run 10am to 9pm Wednesday to Friday, shorter on the weekend. One ticket covers all five days, which helps if your list is long.
Know before you go: Early Bird tickets save 25% until November 4.
13. North Pole Express
Weekends Nov 28 to Dec 20, plus Dec 21 · Railway Museum of BC, Squamish · From $48.76 per seat
The West Coast Railway Association runs a Christmas train out of the Railway Museum of BC in Squamish to meet Santa. Weekends from November 28, plus Monday, December 21, with departures at 11am, 1pm and 3pm, and a 5pm dusk run on the Platinum ticket. Every ticket includes reserved seating and free parking, with onboard entertainment and activities for kids. Gold tickets get a table in a vintage coach.
Know before you go: Book early to get your preferred dates.
12. Lights of Hope, One Last Time
Nov 12 · St. Paul’s Hospital
The giant donor stars on St. Paul’s Hospital have been a Burrard Street fixture for years. This is the last one there, since the hospital moves to its new building in early 2027. The St. Paul’s Foundation is promising fireworks, fun and fundraising on November 12. Worth a walk downtown to see it one more time.
11. Winter Solstice Lantern Festival
Dec 21
The Secret Lantern Society’s solstice festival marks its 33rd year on the longest night. Past editions have filled the Roundhouse with taiko and drumming and hung hundreds of handmade lanterns in the trees and ponds of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. It runs on volunteers and donations, and it’s a very Vancouver way to mark the dark.
Know before you go: Schedules for 2026 haven’t been posted yet, so check secretlantern.org closer to the date.
Details at secretlantern.org →
10. Brackendale EagleWatch
Nov 7 to Jan 3 · Eagle Run dike, Brackendale
Every winter Nature Squamish volunteers stand on the Eagle Run dike in Brackendale and count the wintering bald eagles. This season they will be out there from early November into the new year, posting morning and afternoon counts along with notes on weather and other sightings. Bring binoculars and a rain shell.
Know before you go: Check the posted daily counts on the Nature Squamish site before you drive up.
Details at naturesquamish.ca →
9. Shipyards Christmas Market
Nov 27 to Dec 24 · The Shipyards · Free
A European-style market on the North Van waterfront with 90-plus wooden chalets, a skating rink and Santa’s chalet. Glühwein, bratwurst, Christmas beer on tap, carollers and artisanal gifts. Santa photos are free and need no booking. Open until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and every night during Christmas week. Pets are welcome.
Know before you go: It’s a few minutes from the SeaBus terminal, so leave the car at home.
Details at shipyardschristmasmarket.com →
8. Eastside Culture Crawl
Nov 19 to 22 · Studios across the Eastside
For the 30th year, 500-plus artists open their Eastside studios for four days. The zone runs from Columbia Street to Victoria Drive, between First Avenue and the waterfront. Painters, jewellers, potters, furniture makers, glassblowers and printmakers, emerging and established. Wear good shoes and plan a route, because the buildings add up fast.
Know before you go: Thursday and Friday 5pm to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 6pm.
7. The Peak of Christmas at Grouse Mountain
Nov 20 to Dec 24 · Grouse Mountain, North Vancouver
Grouse calls itself Vancouver’s North Pole for the season. Santa’s Workshop sits behind the mountaintop skating pond, the Light Walk loops Blue Grouse Lake through a glowing tunnel, and Breakfast with Santa runs in Altitudes Bistro. Santa photos are $5 each at the Peak Chalet kiosks, with proceeds to Family Services of the North Shore.
Know before you go: Included with a Mountain Admission Ticket, Annual Pass, Winter Season Pass or Ski Lift Ticket.
Details at grousemountain.com →
6. Whistler Cornucopia
Nov 5 to 15 · Whistler Village
Whistler’s food and drink festival marks its 30th edition this year, with 11 days of tastings, winery dinners, parties and talks across the village. The anchors are the BC House Party kickoff on November 5, the CRUSH Grand Tasting on November 7, a Night Market pairing veteran chefs with new talent on November 13, and a 30th edition gala on November 14. Restaurant and bar events are ticketed too.
Know before you go: All tickets, including restaurant and bar events, are on sale now.
Details at whistlercornucopia.com →
5. Whistler Film Festival
Dec 2 to 6 · Whistler Village · 3-film pack $60 plus GST and fees
The 26th Whistler Film Festival brings five days of film to the village. The Signature Series talks feature Rick Hansen with the documentary Man in Motion: The Rick Hansen Story, Métis/Dene filmmaker Marie Clements with How We Stand, and The X-Files creator Chris Carter with screenwriter Dori Carter on Queens for a Day. All three films screen at the festival. The talks are included with an industry pass, and single tickets may be released later. Three, six and ten film packs are on sale.
Know before you go: The full lineup and schedule are announced November 3, with single tickets on sale November 4. Ticket packs don’t cover Opening Night or the Signature Series talks.
Details at whistlerfilmfestival.com →
4. Whistler Blackcomb Opening Day
Nov 20 (target) · Whistler Blackcomb
Whistler Blackcomb is aiming to spin the lifts on Friday, November 20, the same target Vail Resorts announced in August. Like every opening day, it depends on snow and the date can move. Whistler’s own winter guide repeats the November 20 target. Most lifts are planned to run 9am to 3:30pm from opening day through January 15.
Know before you go: The date is a target and subject to change, so check conditions before driving up the Sea to Sky.
3. Canyon Lights at Capilano
Nov 20 to Jan 10 · Capilano Suspension Bridge Park
The suspension bridge over the Capilano canyon gets lit up, along with Treetops Adventure and Cliffwalk. Millions of lights, hot chocolate, live holiday music and kids’ activities around the park. Canyon Lights is included with regular admission or an Annual Pass. Park hours are 11am to 9pm, closed December 25.
Know before you go: Book a timed entry online in advance; BC Annual Passholders must reserve a time before visiting.
2. Vancouver Christmas Market
Nov 16 to Dec 24 · Jack Poole Plaza · Single entry from $7.99 pre-sale
Jack Poole Plaza turns into a European-style village of handcrafted wooden huts, a market that has run since 2010. Original-recipe Glühwein, a carousel, Santa’s Workshop, alpine beats on Saturday nights and a Secret Wall Cocktail Hut. New this year, a tree-shaped collectible mug with Vancouver landmarks on it. Kids 6 and under get in free.
Know before you go: Pre-sale pricing ends November 15.
Details at vancouverchristmasmarket.com →
1. VanDusen Festival of Lights
Nov 27 to Jan 3 · VanDusen Botanical Garden · Adults $29 plus GST and fees
Fifteen acres of VanDusen Botanical Garden strung with over a million lights. The Dancing Lights display runs three different sets, with a show every 20 minutes from the top of the hour, and a number of food vendors handle the snacks. Open 4pm to 10pm nightly, last entry 9pm, closed Christmas Day. A sensory-friendly evening is set for Tuesday, December 1.
Know before you go: Timed-entry tickets are sold online only and go on sale November 4.
Dates, prices and details come from each organizer’s or operator’s official page, checked October 20, 2026. Plans change, weather happens and things sell out, so check the link before you go. Photographs are illustrative.
