VanDusen Botanical Garden’s family-friendly Harvest Days runs from Sept. 26 through Oct. 18, with extra hours on Thanksgiving Monday, Oct. 12.
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Fall programming is returning to one of Vancouver’s best-known outdoor spaces as VanDusen Botanical Garden hosts Harvest Days, a seasonal event designed for visitors of all ages.
Harvest Days opens at the garden on Sept. 26 and runs on Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 18. The event schedule also includes Thanksgiving Day on Monday, Oct. 12, extending the weekend programming into the holiday.
Most activities are slated to run from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with garden access available until 5 p.m. The event is held at VanDusen Botanical Garden, located at 5251 Oak St.
The garden’s autumn atmosphere is a central draw, with seasonal highlights expected across areas such as the sugar maples, ginkgo trees and bald cypress. Organizers say the seasonal setting will frame the fall displays and activities throughout the property.
In addition to strollable seasonal scenes, Harvest Days focuses on fall-themed installations in the vegetable garden and maze area. Visitors can expect visual elements such as hay bales, cornstalks and pumpkins, built to offer photo-friendly scenery during the event.
Children and families can also take part in hands-on seasonal activities. The event includes fall-inspired crafts, along with attractions aimed at keeping younger visitors engaged while exploring areas of the garden.
Live entertainment forms part of the day’s programming, with bluegrass and family folk music scheduled twice daily. Performances are planned from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and again from 2 to 4 p.m., giving visitors multiple windows to hear music without needing to plan around a single start time.
For other interactive options, the event includes face painting, crafts and lawn games. Visitors can also find food trucks on site, and the hedge maze is listed as one of the attractions connected to the fall theme.
Harvest Days encourages guests to move beyond the main event areas by exploring specific garden spaces tied to the harvest season. Organizers invite visitors to wander through the Apple Orchard, Sensory Garden and Vegetable Garden to see what they describe as fresh fall harvests.
A set of rotating community-focused programming is planned for the Discovery Tent, with a lineup of local experts, organizations and community groups. Programming is expected to vary across the event and includes activities such as honey tasting and fall gardening tips, alongside other interactive nature-based demonstrations.
The event also features local art as part of the grounds’ seasonal experience. A Sculpture Stroll by local artist Nickie Lewis includes nature-inspired creations made from natural, organic and biodegradable materials, adding another layer to what visitors can see during the visit. Ticket prices are listed for adults, seniors, youth and children, with preschoolers aged four and under admitted free (ticket required) and Vancouver Botanical Gardens Association members able to enter free without a ticket.
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