Fri Oct 30 & Sat Oct 31
Haunted Village
The 10-acre open-air village after dark: haunted graveyards, a spooky circus and DJ Drac on the dance floor. Buy tickets online; only limited tickets at the gate.
Photo: Tourism Burnaby
The Halloween issue
The city
dresses up.
Halloween week across Metro Vancouver, led by the Burnaby Halloween Festival: a haunted village after dark, a free night in Central Park, trick-or-treating on Hastings and a parade of carved pumpkins. Plus the best of Halloween across the region.
Cover storyThe Burnaby Halloween Festival, from the Monster Dash to the Pumpkin Parade.
InsideHalloween across Metro Vancouver.
Plan itA new Halloween planner on tourismburnaby.com.
The festival, edited
Burnaby’s
biggest week.
The Burnaby Halloween Festival has been running since Oct 2, and this is the week it builds to. Haunted Village opens its last two nights at Burnaby Village Museum, Central Park throws the festival’s signature party on Friday, Halloween itself brings a costume 5K, a market and trick-or-treating on Hastings, and on Sunday the city’s carved pumpkins go on parade.
11Festival events this week
6Free to attend
7On Halloween itself
01
Worth planning around
The big nights
The village’s last two nights, the festival’s signature party, a witches and warlocks dinner and a walk through Burnaby’s haunted past.
Fri Oct 30
Central Spark
The festival’s signature night: come in costume for a DJ dance party and food trucks, then look up for a drone light show.
Wed Oct 28 · Sold out
Spellbound
A witches and warlocks dinner over four courses, with a $20 wine pairing. Already sold out this year.
Mon Oct 26 – Wed Oct 28
Haunted History Walking Tour
A two-hour guided walk through the museum and around Deer Lake, with local ghost stories and chilling tales from Burnaby’s history. Registration required. $35.
02
Zero-dollar plans
The free page
Five free ways to do Halloween, most of them made for kids in costume.
01
Halloween Hunt
Follow the hunt through four Halloween displays, searching for hidden clues along the way. Last week to play.
02
Halloweeks
A month of Halloween at Brentwood, with festive décor, outdoor movies, storytelling and trick-or-treating.
03
Halloween Farmers Market
A magician, a Spider-Man act, a caricaturist and a pumpkin carving competition.
04
Halloween on the Heights
Trick-or-treating along Hastings: look for the window decals on participating shops.
05
Pumpkin Parade
Bring your carved jack-o-lantern to join the parade of pumpkins. Lights are provided, and the pumpkins are composted after.
03
Saturday, Oct 31
Halloween day
From a costume 5K in the morning to the last escape room at midnight.
Monster Dash 5K
Registration is sold out, but spectating is free: cheer the costumed runners, with vendors and a kids’ fun zone on site. The Mini Monster Dash goes first at 8:45.
Halloween Farmers Market
A magician, a Spider-Man act and a pumpkin carving competition.
Halloween on the Heights
Trick-or-treating at participating shops along Hastings.
Haunted Village
The village’s final night of the festival.
The Unfinished Nightmare
Four escape rooms, from a scare-free mystery for all ages to a 16+ room. Book a time slot.
Halloweeks and the Halloween Hunt
Both wrap up on Halloween.
04
Build the evening
Three evenings
One event is easy. These are whole evenings, with somewhere to eat nearby.
With little ones
Halloween afternoon on the Heights
- Trick-or-treating on HastingsHalloween on the Heights, 3:30–5:30 pm.
- Early dinner nearbyBefore the little ones fade.
- A sweet finishSomething warm, then home.
Family night
A haunted village, then dinner
- Haunted VillageBurnaby Village Museum, Fri or Sat from 4 pm.
- Dinner nearbyA short drive from Deer Lake.
- A sweet finishDessert on the way home.
Date night
A light show, then dark spirits
- Central SparkCentral Park, Fri Oct 30, 6–8 pm, free.
- Spirits of the EastSoBu Social, 8:30 pm. Cocktails from Asian folklore, 19+, a short walk from the park.
05
New this year
Plan yours
On tourismburnaby.com
A Halloween night, planned for you.
Tourism Burnaby’s festival page now has a “Plan my Halloween night” button. Say who is coming, from little ones to adults after dark, and how scary you want it. It builds the evening: an event that is on at that time, dinner nearby from Tourism Burnaby’s own restaurant listings, and a sweet finish.
Full disclosure: Whim built the planner with Tourism Burnaby.
Plan my Halloween night →
Beyond Burnaby
Halloween,
region-wide.
The rest of the region does not sit Halloween out. The Leafs visit Rogers Arena on Halloween afternoon, East Van walks its lantern parade at dusk, Richmond sends fireworks over Minoru Park, and Sunday brings the Whitecaps’ home finale. In between: Dermot Kennedy’s tour finale, the VSO scoring Tim Burton live, and a free page with one pick per city.
06
Tuesday to Friday
The week, edited
A tour finale at Rogers, a 4AD songwriter at the Commodore, and Danny Elfman’s score played live.
Photo: Ticketmaster
Thu Oct 29
Dermot Kennedy
The Weight of the Woods tour plays its final North American date at Rogers. Jonah Kagen opens; expect the big-voiced catalogue alongside the new record.
Tuesday
Julia Jacklin
Commodore Ballroom, 7 pm. Her only western Canada date behind the new album The Gem. 19+ with ID.
Wednesday
Whitecaps vs San Diego
BC Place, 7:30 pm. The first home match in over a month, with the playoff berth already clinched.
Friday
The Nightmare Before Christmas, live
Orpheum, 7 pm. The VSO plays Danny Elfman’s score under the 1993 film. One night only.
07
Saturday, Oct 31
Halloween night
Hour by hour: an afternoon puck drop, a lantern parade at dusk, fireworks at nine, parties until late.
Image: Whim4PM
Saturday, Oct 31
Canucks vs Leafs, the Halloween matinee
Toronto visits on Halloween itself, in a rare 4 pm Hockey Night in Canada start. The early puck drop means the game wraps in time for everything below.
Image: City of Richmond6:30
Saturday, Oct 31
Minoru’s Alien Invasion
Richmond’s 40th annual Halloween festival: fire performers, acrobats, carnival games and a costume contest at 7:40, with the fireworks finale at 9. Leave pets at home.
Photo: Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret7PM
Saturday, Oct 31
Parade of Lost Souls
East Van’s lantern procession, themed Trickster’s Treat this year. The kid-friendly Parade of Little Souls walks at 7, full processions at 8 and 9. Bring a photo of a loved one for the community shrine.
NOV
1
1
The day after
Sunday, planned
Clocks fall back an hour overnight, so use it well: the Whitecaps close the home regular season against Cascadia rival Seattle at 1:30 at BC Place, and Parra for Cuva’s downtempo set at the Commodore lands the week at 7.
Also this weekend
Dooms Night
The 26th edition of the coast’s longest-running Halloween rave: Alesso headlines two stages. All ages on the floor, VIP 19+.
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Halloween at the Polygon
An 80s-theme costume party over the harbour in North Van, 19+, with a $500 best-costume prize.
Rockytober
Rocky Horror hosted by Dandy, prop bag included, plus a 2:30 pm Halloween matinee. Costumes expected.
Around the Fire
Ghost stories from Philippine and Chinese folklore, then the floor opens for yours. $28.
08
Free to get into
The free page
Five free Halloweens, one per city. Spending strictly optional.
01
RainCity Halloween Market
Local makers in Halloween-dressed booths, handing wrapped candy to visitors in costume.
02
Lower Lonsdale Trick or Treat
Shops marked with black and orange balloons hand out candy, with zombie flash-mob dancers and free GhostCart rides.
03
Heritage Halloween
A haunted circus-train caboose to walk through, crafts, candy and a cabinet of curiosities.
04
Secrets of the Haunted Bog
An animatronic haunted bog on the mall’s lower level. Bring a food-bank item if you can; the mall matches donations.
05
Day of the Dead Workshop
Papel picado and paper flowers with Richmond artist Carmen Keitsch. Drop in, all ages.
09
Put it on the calendar
Book ahead
November’s first big tickets.
Your week should feel planned, not researched.
Every pick is verified and edited by Whim, then pulled together into a short list worth acting on.
✓ You’re on the list. See you Sunday.