The UBC Botanical Garden Apple Festival, hosted by Friends of the Garden, runs Oct. 17 and 18 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Story
The UBC Botanical Garden Apple Festival is returning for its 35th anniversary on Saturday, Oct. 17 and Sunday, Oct. 18, with festivities scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days at the UBC Botanical Garden, 6804 S.W. Marine Drive.
Hosted by Friends of the Garden, the two-day festival is designed to offer tasting, exploring and apple sales, along with live entertainment and vendors. Organizers say the event also raises funds for education, research and conservation at UBC Botanical Gardens.
Festival visitors can sample more than 50 apple varieties, including B.C. Ambrosia, described as a sweet, blush-coloured apple that tastes like honey and traces its history to the 1980s. The festival will also feature Honeycrisp apples, noted for cold-weather development and their crisp texture, tart flavour and juicy flesh, along with Granny Smith apples, which are described as sharp green apples harvested in October in B.C.
The 2026 festival marks 35 years since it was started in 1991 by co-founders Margaret Charlton and Anne Garthshore. The event was created to help introduce residents to local apple varieties beyond the selections available at grocery stores, while also supporting the gardens and raising funds.
Tickets are limited, and the festival is described as a typically sell-out event. Early bird pricing is available until Sept. 30; festival admission starts at $15, with early bird prices at $12.
← More stories