6 Favorite Vancouver Family Events to get Festive
By: Jen Bobby
I don’t know about you, but in our household we start to put up Christmas decorations at the end of November. Once this happens it is full on excitement at home and the kids don’t sleep for a month! My favorite thing about this time of year is taking my kids to Christmas events in our area. Vancouver and the lower mainland have so many wonderful activities to get you and the family feeling festive. These are my favorite festive family events happening this month!
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Bright Nights Christmas Train in Stanley Park.
During the holiday season, the Bright Nights Christmas Train and Stanley Park Train Plaza sparkle with three million twinkling lights.
Buy tickets to ride the Bright Nights Train and experience the lights, breathtaking displays, and live performers along the train route. Or view the displays at the Train
Plaza by donation ($4.00 suggested).
Your donations and a portion of ticket sales go to the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund. $1.4 million has been raised to help burn survivors and their families since 1998.
Bright Nights is open from Thursday, November 26, 2015 to Saturday, January 2, 2016 and is closed on Friday, December 25 for Christmas.
http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/bright-nights-train.aspx
Capilano Suspension Bridge Lights
Join them this holiday season until January 3, 2016 (closed December 25th) to experience the Park illuminated with hundreds of thousands of lights. Dance to the holiday band, as they rock out to your favourite festive tunes. Look up, way up to the world’s tallest living Christmas tree! Search high and low for our glowing snowy owls in our kids scavenger hunt. Warm up in the Winter Pavilion as you take part in a wide variety of holiday activities like Christmas card and gingerbread cookie decorating. Or, just sit back, enjoy a hot beverage and listen to some holiday songs.
https://www.capbridge.com/
VanDusen Botanical Garden Festival of Lights
Experience the Festival of Lights, a magical winter wonderland with over one million lights decorating VanDusen Garden open from December 1 to 31. This year they have expanded the show and added 5 new acres to this wonderful holiday event!
Stroll with friends and family through interactive themed areas and enjoy the Dancing Lights show on Livingstone Lake, the gnome performance and the Vancouver Public Library’s Tales for a Winter’s Night. Have photos taken with Santa, savour holiday treats, and delight in much more!
http://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/festival-of-lights.aspx
Vancouver Santa Claus Parade
LOCATION:
The Parade is in downtown Vancouver, located just blocks from the Burrard, City Centre, Granville and Waterfront SkyTrain stations
Timberline Ranch Country Christmas
Leave the busy city behind, and enjoy the short trip to a 73 acre horse ranch in Maple Ridge that has been transformed into a Christmas wonderland. Here you will be enchanted by glorious lights, beautiful trees, interactive scenes, lovely music, and delightful activities that remind us of times when Christmas was a lot simpler . . . and a lot less commercial. It’s all priced so reasonably that you’ll want to return with your friends!
This is event is on from December 2 to December 20th. Reserve a time slot to ensure you don’t miss out!
http://www.timberlinechristmas.ca/dates–times.html
The Vancouver Christmas Market
This traditional German Christmas Market is the perfect atmosphere to mix and mingle with friends and family. Discover terrific food, drink, entertainment, and a wonderful array of Christmas gifts! Lots of fun for the children and they even have a carousel! The Vancouver Christmas Market is open Saturday, November 21st to December 24th. There are a total of 55 vendors and so many more great eats than ever before, and lots of unique gifts for all your Christmas shopping needs.
http://vancouverchristmasmarket.com/
And there you have it, I hope you can check a few of these off your list and I hope to see you there! Happy Holidays!
