The fall season in Vancouver is a magical time. Multi-coloured autumn leaves line the pavements, everything is suddenly flavoured with pumpkin, and the city opens its many doors to fun and revelry for the Halloween holiday.
Yes, the infamous rain of Vancouver’s west coast begins this season as well. Although, before you drown in depression from the onslaught of wet and cold weather, head out to these great fall events to keep you going until the Christmas holidays.
Vancouver has many events to offer during the fall season. I’ve listed some events here which I think you will enjoy and deserves a mention.
1) Harvestland & Harvest Haus at the PNE
This is Vancouver’s version of Oktoberfest, the largest Harvest festival in Canada. Oktoberfest normally starts in September in Germany and runs until October. In the Vancouver version you will find food stalls, rides, a traditional Bavarian village, a labyrinth, and a petting farm. Of course the best part is the Beer garden or Biergarten in Deutsch.
There are two different events which you can buy a ticket for. The family-friendly one is Harvestland, and the adult festivities go on in the Harvest Haus for anyone 19+, which involves dancing and lots of beer.
Ticket prices vary depending on the choice of event and the particular date. Group packages are also available for families.
Check out their website for more detailed event info.
October 10, 2019 – October 20, 2019
Hastings Park, PNE
2901 E Hastings St.
Prices vary
2) Apple Festival 2019
This is a fun and informative event for people of all ages held at the UBC Botanical Garden. At the Apple Festival you can learn about apples and their many varieties. The event includes tastings of this delicious and healthy fruit, pies, and ciders. While at UBC, you can check out the garden or stroll around Wreck Beach to breathe in the crisp cool air.
For more info on the event, click here.
October 19 – 20, 2019
All Day
UBC Botanical Garden
Free
3) Vancouver Writers Festival
The biggest literary event in Vancouver is the Writers Festival which attracts authors, publishers, writers, agents, and book lovers of all ages. The Writers Festival has been running for 30 years, inviting various famous authors such as Margaret Atwood, John Irving, David Sedaris, Salman Rushdie, Roxanne Gay, Alice Munro and many more.
This year the big names featured are Naomi Klein, Chigozie Obioma, Tash Aw, Lynn Coady, and Ivan Coyote, to name a few. The events will be held at Granville Island, one of Vancouver’s notable cultural centres.
An upcoming major event includes Malcolm Gladwell in Conversation with Lisa Christiansen on October 3, 2019. The famous author discusses his new book Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know About the People We Don’t Know.
The festival runs from October 21 – 27, 2019. Keep an eye out for events leading up to the main festival events.
For ticket prices and specific event dates/times, check out their website.
October 21 – 27, 2019 (including other dates)
Granville Island
4) Fright Nights!
This is a favourite event with Vancouverites. Every year Playland, a theme park with outrageously fun rides within the grounds of the PNE, hosts Fright Nights during the month of Halloween. This event can only be enjoyed after dark. All the rides in the park light up in the night sky, sparkling like jewels. Along with the rides there are many scary haunted houses to choose from, and creepy carnival features like mind-bending, reflection-warping mirrors. This year they are featuring The Bloodshed Cabin, Hollywood Horrors, Materia Medica, and more.
Also, don’t forget to take a break and enjoy some of the food stalls offering candied apples and other gruesome treats.
This is a popular event so book your tickets in advance for the specific date you want. You can check out admission prices which include passes, and their corresponding dates here.
October 4 – October 31, 2019
Starts each night at 7 PM
Playland Entrance: Hastings and Windermere St.
Prices vary
5) Halloween Parties
Following the Halloween theme, if you want a wild night out partying in costumes, then Vancouver hosts some wicked parties. There are lots to choose from — parties in nightclubs/bars, house parties, boat parties, costume crawls, and many more. Here are some to check out this year.
Cell Block 958 and 958 Jailbreak – Both parties are held at the Republic nightclub in the clubbing district of Granville St.
Halloween Boat Party – Party on a luxurious boat in your costume at the Westin Bayshore Marina.
Halloween Costume Crawl – This is the biggest Halloween club crawl in Vancouver, currently in their 24th year. The creepy crawlers will be hitting up The Pint in Gastown, Studio, Blarney Stone, and more. Be adventurous and see where the night takes you!
Halloween House Party – Want to keep your budget small? Then head to this unique house party in a warehouse in historic Gastown.
Murder Mystery Masquerade – Attend this spooky masquerade at the Chali Rosso Art Gallery on Howe St., where you solve clues with strangers while drinking and surrounded by breathtaking art.
Gatsby Halloween Gala – If you are looking for a classy party, and still riding the trendy Gatsby train then join this Great Gatsby themed gala. Who knows, you might just find your own Daisy or Jay?
Based Halloween II – A free and awesome event at the Studio nightclub on Granville St. with many DJ’s to pump up the night.
Sexy Halloween – For an experience you will never forget, check out the Cabana Lounge on Granville St. for a very, very sexy Halloween. Get your tickets early, this event usually sells out.
Sin City Fetish Halloween – Anyone interested in a kinky Halloween night should confidently strut their way to the Imperial on Main St. to release your dark side. There is a strict fetish dress code here, so follow the rules or you will be spanked.
For more Halloween parties to suit your specific sensibility check out other events the city has to offer.
Enjoy!
Copyright © Beyond Here 2019
Beyond Here 