20 fantastic things to do in Vancouver this week: Sept. 29 to Oct. 5
Welcome to October, everyone! Who’s ready to have some fun?
Here are 20 great things to do around Vancouver from September 30 to October 6. Harvest Haus, VIFF, and more!
Be sure to check out our Listed section for more fantastic things happening around town.
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Vancouver International Film Festival 2025
Jay Kelly by Noah Baumbach
What: Grab the popcorn and don’t forget the butter because one of the largest film festivals in North America is returning to Vancouver this fall.
The 2025 Vancouver International Film Festival is taking place from Thursday, Oct. 2 to Sunday, Oct. 12.
Movie lovers will discover 170 features and 100 shorts from around the world at the festival’s 44th edition. The festival will also include insightful talkbacks, conferences, live performances, and other special events.
When: Thursday, Oct. 2 to Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025
Time: Various times
Where: Various locations
Tickets: Single tickets are $21 for regular screenings, with ticket packs and festival passes also available. VIFF+ Members receive discounts on all VIFF tickets and the free U25 membership offers additional discounts to those between the ages of 19 and 25. Purchase online
Take a trip to the pumpkin patch
What: Spooky season is here, which means that Lower Mainland’s favourite pumpkin patches are ripe for the picking.
Whether you’re looking to carve a scary jack-o’-lantern or bake a delicious pie, there are plenty of fantastic farms with pumpkins that are waiting for you.
When: Various days of operation
Time: Various hours of operation
Where: Various farms across Metro Vancouver. See the list online.
The Wedding Party
What: The Wedding Party, an immersive experience presented by Secret City Adventures, will take over Glowbal Restaurant in Downtown Vancouver starting Friday, Oct. 3.
The unique event will see guests taking in a live performance, deciphering clues and solving puzzles, and enjoying a delicious dinner at the wedding reception of Norah and Jack.
When: Saturdays and Sundays starting on Saturday, Oct. 4. Opening night on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025.
Time 1 and 6 p.m.
Where: Glowbal – 590 West Georgia St., Vancouver
Cost: Various prices, including individual tickets, tables of four, and VIP. More info online
Semiahmoo First Nation’s 5th Annual Walk for Truth & Reconciliation
Semiahmoo First Nation’s Annual Walk for Truth & Reconciliation
What: Semiahmoo First Nation welcomes the community to its Walk for Truth & Reconciliation at Semiahmoo Park.
Highlights include live performances, family-friendly activities, a complimentary lunch, several exhibitions, and an Indigenous artisan market. Orange shirts will also be sold before the walk.
When: Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Semihamoo Park. The walk begins in the parking lot adjacent to Grand Chief Bernard Robert Charles Plaza at 15393 Marine Dr., White Rock
Cost: Free
DreadWorlds
What: DreadWorlds Realm of Horror is a full-sensory Halloween attraction that combines live horror theatre with captivating terror.
Award-winning filmmakers and industry-leading special effects and makeup artists are bringing the horror to life at the immersive indoor experience. Do you and your group have what it takes to make it through the hour-long nightmare? There will also be a midway, photo ops, and more.
When: Select dates from Wednesday, Oct. 1 to Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025
Time: Various time slots
Where: DreadWorlds Realm of Horror – 3987 232 St, Langley Twp
Tickets: Various prices, purchase online
Splash – Free Preview Exhibition
What: Over 90 stunning artworks make up the Splash 2025 Art Collection on display at the Pendulum Gallery at 885 W. Georgia St. The free public preview showcases the pieces of art donated by acclaimed and emerging Canadian and international artists.
The lineup of artists this year includes Moses Salihou, a Cameroonian artist who blends abstraction with portraiture, Maggie Hall, a painter inspired by pop culture, and Cole Speck, a Kwakwaka’wakw artist who infuses Northwest Coast carving traditions with contemporary narratives.
When: Now until Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025 (closed Sunday and stat holidays)
Time: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Monday to Wednesday), 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Thursday to Friday) and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Saturday)
Where: Pendulum Gallery – 885 W. Georgia St, Vancouver
Admission: Free, walk-ins welcome
Wolf
What: Australia’s contemporary circus company Circa presents the acrobatic thrill ride, Wolf, at York Theatre this October. The Canadian premiere of the wild and animalistic production will utilize the wolf as a symbol of the untameable self. Get ready for intense choreography, stunning costumes, and exciting circus acts.
When: Wednesday, Oct. 1 to Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025
Time: Various times
Where: York Theatre, The Cultch – 639 Commercial Dr, Vancouver
Tickets: Various prices, purchase online
Harvest Haus
Harvest Haus
What: Vancouver’s take on the traditional German beer festival comes in the form of Harvest Haus, a fun-filled weekend combining modern cuisine with traditional and “authentic European harvest traditions.”
You can expect to dine on freshly made pretzels accompanied by grainy mustard and sauerkraut, as well as sausage and other treats available for purchase in the marketplatz.
Over 25 European and craft biers, wines, and spirits will be available to discover. Traditional oompah bands and live DJs will complete the party atmosphere each day.
When: Friday, Oct. 3 and Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025
Time: 6 to 11:30 p.m.
Where: PNE Forum — 2901 Hastings St. E, Vancouver
Tickets: Various prices, purchase online
The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at Noons Creek Hatchery
What: Noons Creek Hatchery in Port Moody invites the community to learn about Truth and Reconciliation on Tuesday, September 30. This year’s guest speaker is Manuel Axel Strain, a two-spirit artist from Musqueam, Simpcw and Syilx peoples.
When: Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025
Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Noons Creek Hatchery — 336 Ioco Rd., Port Moody
Cost: Free
Vallea Lumina
What: Vallea Lumina lets visitors experience a heightened natural landscape of the forest through video, lighting, sound, and special effects, put on by The Adventure Group. The pathway through an old-growth forest lets your imagination come alive as you walk through a mysterious valley filled with enchantment on this evening excursion.
When: Now until October 4, 2025
Time: Various times
Where: Cougar Mountain Basecamp, Whistler
Cost: Various prices, purchase online
MEC Gear Swap
Shoppers browse pre-loved outdoor gear at a past MEC Gear Swap in North Vancouver. (Supplied)
What: Got old hiking boots, climbing ropes, or ski jackets collecting dust in your closet? MEC’s popular Gear Swap is back this October, giving outdoor lovers across Canada a chance to trade, shop, and refresh their gear without breaking the bank.
Here’s how it works; sellers can rent a table to pass along gear they no longer use (deadline to book is Oct. 1), while shoppers can browse for pre-loved gems.
When: Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025
Time: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (hours vary by location)
Where: MEC stores across Canada
Admission: Free to attend; table rentals available until Oct. 1; donations accepted until Sept. 29 for 15 per cent off at MEC
Truth & Reconciliation Day at MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver
What: The Museum and Archives of North Vancouver invites guests of all ages to reflect on Indigenous histories and cultures on the North Shore and across Canada, led by MONOVA’s Indigenous Cultural Programmers, Jordan Dawson & Tsawaysia Spukwus. There will be hands-on crafts and activities to help inspire dialogue for families.
Admission to MONOVA will also be pay-what-you-can on Truth and Reconciliation Day.
When: Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where: MONOVA — 115 West Esplanade, North Vancouver
Admission: Pay what you can, register online
Vancouver Whitecaps
What: Vancouver Whitecaps continue their MLS season this week by taking on Vancouver FC in the Canadian Championships on Wednesday, Oct. 1, and the San Jose Quakes on Sunday, Oct. 5 at BC Place.
When: Wednesday, Oct. 1 and Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025
Time: 7 p.m. (Wednesday) and Sunday (Oct. 5)
Where: BC Place – 777 Pacific Blvd., Vancouver
Cost: Various; purchase online
The BOG at Riverside Cranberry Farm
Riverside Cranberry Farm (Tourism Langley/Submitted)
What: Just an hour’s drive from Vancouver, the Riverside Cranberry Farm is opening for the new season. Don stylish hip waders and waddle down the ladder straight into a flooded field. Surrounded by floating red berries, you’ll feel like a kid again, gently wading through the water.
Be sure to take the Harvest Farm Tour before you take the plunge. This self-guided tour of the field’s perimeter lets you watch the harvest in real time.
When: Various dates from Saturday, Sept. 27 to Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025
Time: Various time slots.
Where: The BOG at Riverside Cranberry Farm – 26885 88th Ave., Langley City
Cost: Various prices, purchase online
Mid-Autumn Moon Festival at Coquitlam Heritage
This year, families can celebrate the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival at Mackin House in Coquitlam on Oct. 4, 2025, from 12 to 3 p.m.
The free family day event includes lanterns, cultural activities, and the chance to learn about the festival’s traditions while enjoying seasonal treats like mooncakes. The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is all about gathering together under the full harvest moon to honour peace, prosperity, and community.
When: Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025
Time: Noon to 3 p.m.
Where: Coquitlam Heritage at Mackin House — 1116 Brunette Ave., Coquitlam
Admission: Free, no registration required
The Yo Show
What: Some of Canada’s top comedians are coming together for a fundraiser and celebration of the legacy of Chilliwack’s greatest comedy community champion, Yo Trieu. Featuring Patrick Maliha, Kevin Banner, Katie-Ellen Humphries, Damonde Tschritter, Syd Bosel, Ola Dada, Nic Enright-Morin, Jan Bannister, and host Cliff Prang.
All fund raised will go to support Trieu’s children.
When: Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025
Time: Doors 6 p.m., show 7 p.m.
Where: Chilliwack Cultural Centre – 9201 Corbould St., Chilliwack
Cost: $46.20, purchase online
Vancouver Canucks vs Edmonton Oilers
Robert Edwards/Imagn Images
What: The Canucks are back this week with a home game against the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, Oct. 3 at Rogers Arena.
When: Friday, Oct. 3, 2025
Time: 7 p.m.
Where: Rogers Arena – 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver
Cost: Various; purchase online
Benson Boone
What: Boone is a three-time Grammy nominee who has topped the charts around the albums with his two studio albums.
He has opened for such music luminaries as Imagine Dragons and Taylor Swift, and his American Heart World Tour is his third as the headlining act.
When: Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025
Time: 8 p.m.
Where: Rogers Arena – 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver
Tickets: Various prices. Purchase online
Mid-Autumn Festival in Richmond
What: This year, Richmond families can celebrate at To The Moon: Mid-Autumn Celebration, a Gateway Theatre community event on Oct. 5, 2025.
The afternoon includes lobby activities, a musical performance by Renee Fajardo at Minoru Chapel, and complimentary mooncakes from Anna’s Cake House.
The festival honours the harvest moon as a symbol of peace, prosperity, and togetherness, with lanterns and mooncakes marking the season.
When: Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025
Time: 2 p.m. (concert start)
Where: Gateway Theatre & Minoru Chapel, Richmond
Admission: $25 adults, $15 youth (includes fees), available to purchase online
Oktoberfest at Parallel 49
Parallel 49
What: Parallel 49’s impressive 120-seat beer garden has transformed into a lively Oktoberfest biergarten, with tasty German treats, live entertainment, and more.
Expect tasty bites including warm pretzels, schnitzel sandwiches, bratwurst, spaetzle, pork schnitzel, and more, paired with award-winning German-style beer on tap. Plus, the popular Rheinlander Band will be making a reprisal, with performances from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays, and 5:30 to 9:45 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Additionally, be sure to dress up on Fridays and Saturdays for your chance to win the best-dressed Oktoberfest outfit.
When: Now until Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025
Time: Parallel 49 open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday
Where: Parallel 49 – 1950 Triumph St., Vancouver
Admission: Free, seating available first-come, first-served served
Plus here’s an event happening next month that you need to get on your radar!
Whistler Cornucopia
What: Whistler Cornucopia is Whistler’s signature fall festival of food and drink, held every November. It’s known as the ultimate celebration of taste, bringing together chefs, winemakers, distillers, brewers, and food lovers for 11 days of culinary adventure.
Most events are held at the Whistler Conference Centre or at local restaurants in Whistler. Exclusive Cornucopia packages start from $95 per person, per night. Plus, extend your stay to 3 nights or more and receive a complimentary $100 CAD Dining Voucher, valid for use at a variety of Whistler restaurants.
When: Thursday, Nov. 6 to Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025
Time Various times
Where: Various venues and restaurants in Whistler
Cost: Exclusive Cornucopia packages start from $95 per person, per night. More info online