From November 28, 2025 to January 4, 2026 VanDusen botanical garden is bringing back their annual Festival of Lights seasonal celebration.
Guests are invited to engage in this winter tradition by exploring their 15 acres of curated garden space, now adorned with over 1 million twinkling lights for the season.
This includes interactive displays like the mycelium installation that has you stepping on a platform to activate the Wood Wide Web and other sensor activated light effects like the Salmon Run.
We found all the lights not necessary thematic to Christmas or the holidays, but more a national spectacle with plenty of nods to Canada’s culture and wildlife. There were owls, salmon, bears, eagles; and a campfire scene with maple leaves.
With their detailed map in hand, you can seek out and explore all the points of interest. Like the castle and its yeti inhabitants, the rose garden where “roses are… rad”, and where trees are giving out hugs.
There were more snails and mushrooms than expected, which gave a magical forest vibe alongside giant caterpillars, butterflies, and woodland creatures.
The most photo-worthy backdrops were along lamp lit walking paths and through the light tunnels.
And every 20 minutes from the top of the hour the you can enjoy 3 unique Dancing Lights sets. Worth mentioning is they even had a special sensory-friendly evening on Tuesday, December 2nd for neurodiverse individuals, their families, and caretakers.
There are also a handful of foodtrucks and drink carts available should you get hungry or need a hot chocolate to warm up with.
And if it gets too cold you can venture indoors and enjoy the new Great Bear Rainforest Exhibit within the Visitor Centre.
For more about the lights and to get your tickets, visit the link below.
VanDusen Botanical Garden
5251 Oak St, Vancouver, BC V6M 4H1
(604) 257-8463
vandusengarden.org
https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/festival-of-lights.aspx
