VanDusen Festival of Lights to return this holiday season

The annual Festival of Lights at VanDusen Botanical Gardens is returning this holiday season after getting approval from Vancouver Coastal Health to go ahead during the pandemic with added precautions.

Although the garden’s Halloween event was cancelled this year, the Vancouver Park Board announced Thursday that the popular holiday attraction will run from November 27, 2020 to January 3, 2021. Tickets go on sale in early November.

There will be reduced capacity this year, with the garden only allowing in one fifth of the guests it usually does at a time.

• See also:
  • No Stanley Park Ghost Train or VanDusen Glow in the Garden this Halloween
  • VanDusen Botanical Garden and two city golf courses to reopen May 1

Some activities within the garden have also been cancelled because they don’t allow for physical distancing. This year there will be no visits with Santa, no carousel, no live entertainment, no candle grotto for making wishes, and no dancing light show.

Everyone needs to purchase their tickets online in advance, as there will be no in-person ticket sales. Guests must reserve a half-hour time window to arrive, and once inside, they have 45 minutes to enjoy the festive light spectacle.

Face masks are strongly encouraged, and visitors must follow the one-way path around the garden. The light show entrance is at the west end of the parking lot, and guests exit through the Visitor Centre.