A packed autumn calendar across Metro Vancouver includes major film screenings, Halloween attractions, seasonal festivals and family community events running from late September through December.
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Metro Vancouver’s fall schedule for 2026 spans everything from international cinema and seasonal markets to Halloween gatherings and hands-on community programming. The listings highlight 44 events happening across Vancouver and surrounding communities, with key dates concentrated from late September through November and a growing run of holiday events beginning in late November. For residents looking to plan ahead, several major attractions have clearly defined festival windows, fixed daily hours and specific locations across multiple municipalities.
One of the season’s largest cultural draws is the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) 2026, running from Thursday, Oct. 1 to Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. The festival is scheduled to present approximately 160 features from around the world at various times and locations. VIFF also includes Vanguard, described as the festival’s only competitive international feature section, featuring eight narrative and hybrid films by rising filmmakers. Ticketing for regular screenings is listed as ranging from $17 to $22, with options such as ticket packs and festival passes also available for purchase online.
For fans of Oktoberfest-style celebrations, Parallel 49 Brewing is set to host its Oktoberfest celebrations every day until Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. The event includes live music from Thursday through Sunday, along with Oktoberfest-style beer options and traditional German food features and specials. Parallel 49 notes it will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday, and from 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday. The admission is free, and the venue address is 1950 Triumph St., Vancouver, with seating described as first-come, first-served.
Seasonal farm activities also start early for people willing to drive outside the city. In Langley City, Riverside Cranberry Farm is opening for the fall season, including a “BOG” experience where visitors can wear hip waders and walk down into a flooded field with floating red berries. The BOG event is described as having various dates from Sept. 30 to Oct. 12, 2026, with different time slots. The location is The BOG at Riverside Cranberry Farm, 26885 88th Ave., Langley City, and pricing is listed as various, with online purchase required. The listings also note that a Harvest Farm Tour runs alongside the plunge, described as a self-guided perimeter route designed to watch harvest activity in real time.
Back in the city, a family-focused seasonal outing is scheduled at VanDusen Botanical Garden. Harvest Days runs at VanDusen on multiple dates: Sept. 26 and 27; Oct. 3, 4, 10, 11 and 12 (including Thanksgiving); and Oct. 17 and 18, 2026. Hours are listed as 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 5251 Oak St., Vancouver. The event is described as featuring a Learning Garden and maze, family-friendly activities, games and crafts, plus food trucks, live music and opportunities to meet local experts. Admission is described as various prices purchased online.
Halloween in Metro Vancouver features multiple options that range from illuminated bridge displays to immersive parties. Canyon Frights is set for Capilano Suspension Bridge Park on the North Shore from Oct. 9 to Nov. 1, 2026. The park’s hours are listed as 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with later closing times until 9 p.m. on Oct. 23–25 and Oct. 30–Nov. 1. The location is 3735 Capilano Rd., North Vancouver, and the event includes pumpkin décor, spooky displays, photo opportunities, family-friendly activities and live performances. Tickets are listed as various and available for purchase online.
On the night of Halloween itself, Science World is scheduled to host the Cirque Costume Ball on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2026. The event is described as Vancouver’s longest-running licensed Halloween bash, with programming that includes live cirque performances, spooky décor, and DJs and performers. The listings describe a late-night schedule from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., and note the event spans three music rooms across two floors. Science World’s address is 1455 Quebec St., Vancouver, and ticket prices are listed as various. Organizers also describe the presence of performance artists such as silk aerialists, contortionists, LED dancers, stilt walkers and jugglers.
For residents who prefer a community-focused daytime event, the fall listings also include a Truth and Reconciliation Day walk in White Rock. Semiahmoo First Nation’s 6th Annual Walk for Truth & Reconciliation is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and it is described as free. The walk is at Semiahmoo Park, and the route is said to begin in a parking lot adjacent to Grand Chief Bernard Robert Charles Plaza at 15393 Marine Dr., White Rock. The listings describe live performances, family-friendly activities, a complimentary lunch, several exhibitions and an Indigenous artisan market, along with sales of orange shirts prior to the walk.
Food and shopping are also built into the season’s calendar, with events scheduled during the run-up to Halloween and beyond. The Cheese and Meat Festival is listed for Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 at The Pipe Shop, 115 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver, with various tasting sessions. Organizers describe it as an event organized around small plates, with over 150 curated pairings accessible through an all-inclusive ticket. It’s presented as an opportunity to taste and connect with artisan food and drink vendors. Meanwhile, Vancouver Etsy Co’s 8th Annual Fall Pop-Up takes place on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026 at Robson Square Rink, 800 Robson St., Vancouver, running from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is described as free with RSVP for a chance to win Market Cash; the listings also include weekend workshops such as Art of Watercolor, a Creamy Glue Accessory and Create Your Own Buddy Charm.
As autumn continues, the seasonal calendar begins transitioning to holiday markets in late November. Noel Surrey returns Nov. 27 to Dec. 29, 2026 at Cloverdale Fairgrounds, 17905 62nd Ave., #17607, Surrey, with closures listed for Nov. 30 and Dec. 7, 24 and 25. Hours are described as 3 to 9:30 p.m., and the listings note it is free for children six and under. North Vancouver’s Shipyards Christmas Market is scheduled from Friday, Nov. 27 through Dec. 24, 2026 at The Shipyards, 125 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver, featuring artisan stalls, food vendors, live performers and visits with Santa. Hours are listed as 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday until Dec. 21, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays to Sundays until Dec. 21, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Dec. 21 to 23 and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 24, with cost described as free.
Taken together, the featured events show how fall planning in Vancouver isn’t limited to one theme: residents can move between international film screenings in October, family programming and farm experiences in late September and early October, and multiple Halloween events that span daytime attractions and late-night adult-oriented celebrations. With several community and cultural activities anchored by specific dates and locations—along with holiday markets beginning in late November—the listings provide a practical framework for building a calendar that works across the North Shore, the Lower Mainland and Vancouver’s downtown venues.
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