There are many free things to do in May in greater Vancouver including Victoria Day celebrations, Ladner May Days, markets, parades and other fun activities.
In May there’s also the Hyack Festival, West of Main Art Walk, Cloverdale Rodeo Parade, and a number of other free events including farmers markets in places like Ambleside Park, Burnaby and all over the Lower Mainland. See below for details about these and other free and inexpensive things to do.
For a list of May events including activities that aren’t free, see our May Events Calendar.
For a list of FREE (and almost free) activities and events this month, see below.
(Note: Schedules are subject to change. Check official websites for exact details.)
Vancouver on a Budget
In addition to checking out all the free activities listed below on specific dates, click Vancouver on a Budget for a list of great activities that don’t cost a lot of money throughout the year.
Wednesday, May 7th (2025)
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Vancouver Beaches – if the weather is warmer then go check out some of Vancouver’s best beaches! It might not be warm enough to swim in the ocean, but it might be good enough for a picnic or lying on the sand.
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
THE CIRCUS IS IN TOWN!
The Royal Canadian International Circus is in the Lower Mainland between May 8th and May 19th. It’s not free, but if you use the promo code VANSBESTPLACES you can get 2-for-1 pricing on general admission, which is a fabulous deal! The circus has shows in Surrey from May 8th to 11th and shows in Richmond from May 15th to 19th.
Thursday, May 8th (2025)
- New Westminster Farmers Market – a market with vendors selling fresh produce at New Westminster’s Tipperary Park at 315 Queens Avenue between 3:00 and 7:00 pm.
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
- Vancouver Beaches – if the weather is warmer then go check out some of Vancouver’s best beaches! It might not be warm enough to swim in the ocean, but it might be good enough for a picnic or lying on the sand.
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Friday, May 9th (2025)
- Mother’s Day Powwow – an Indigenous event with free admission at John Hendry Park in Vancouver.
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
- Vancouver Beaches – if the weather is warmer then go check out some of Vancouver’s best beaches! It might not be warm enough to swim in the ocean, but it might be good enough for a picnic or lying on the sand.
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Saturday, May 10th (2025)
- Rotary May Day Parade & Party in the Square – a parade in downtown Port Coquitlam followed by live music at Terry Fox Hometown Square.
- CityFest – a skateboarding festival with free live entertainment and other youth-oriented activities in North Vancouver.
- Mother’s Day Powwow – an Indigenous event with free admission at John Hendry Park in Vancouver.
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
Saturday Markets
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Sunday, May 11th (2025)
- Mother’s Day – an important day to remember Mom! Free ways to make her feel special include spending time with her (like at a Park or Outdoors in Nature, if the weather is good), or at least giving her a call and saying “thanks” and “I love you!”
- Mother’s Day Powwow – an Indigenous event with free admission at John Hendry Park in Vancouver.
- Hong Kong Fair – a cultural celebration with food vendors, live entertainment and market stalls in North Vancouver. Admission to the fair is free, but the market costs $3.50 to enter.
- Mother’s Day at Greendale Acres – the Fraser Valley farm has all kinds of kid-friendly things to see and do. Today is the last day of their Sweet Spring season and mothers get in for free! Visitors can also dig up and take home a bag of tulip bulbs which are free with general admission.
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Sunday Markets
- Ambleside Artisan Farmers Market – in West Vancouver at the foot of 13th Street just inside the entrance to Ambleside Park between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm.
- Coquitlam Farmers Market – a market at Coquitlam’s Dogwood Pavilion at 624 Poirier Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.
- Junction Public Market – an outdoor market at Granville Square in downtown Vancouver.
- Kitsilano Farmers Market – between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm at the Kitsilano Community Centre.
- White Rock Farmers Market – at 15154 Russell Avenue from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in White Rock.
- Steveston Farmers Market – at the Steveston Community Centre from 10:30 am until 3:30 pm.
- Vancouver Flea Market – an indoor flea market at 703 Terminal Avenue in Vancouver between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. Admission ranges from $2 to $5 depending on the day’s event, so it’s not free, but it is pretty cheap.
- Cloverdale Flea Market – a giant market with primarily (but not exclusively) second-hand goods. It runs from 6:00 am until 3:00 pm in Surrey. Admission is $2, but free for kids ages 12 and under.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Monday, May 12th (2025)
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
- Vancouver Beaches – if the weather is warmer then go check out some of Vancouver’s best beaches! It might not be warm enough to swim in the ocean, but it might be good enough for a picnic or lying on the sand.
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Tuesday, May 13th (2025)
- Brahm’s Tam Drum Circle – an informal drumming event at Third Beach in Stanley Park from early evening until sunset (but only on sunny days). A few people arrive with their drums and many more just show up for the fun!
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Cheap Movie Night – at most Metro Vancouver cinemas (so it’s not free, but it is extra cheap).
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Wednesday, May 14th (2025)
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Vancouver Beaches – if the weather is warmer then go check out some of Vancouver’s best beaches! It might not be warm enough to swim in the ocean, but it might be good enough for a picnic or lying on the sand.
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
THE CIRCUS IS IN TOWN!
The Royal Canadian International Circus is in the Lower Mainland between May 8th and May 19th. It’s not free, but if you use the promo code VANSBESTPLACES you can get 2-for-1 pricing on general admission, which is a fabulous deal! The circus has shows in Surrey from May 8th to 11th and shows in Richmond from May 15th to 19th.
Thursday, May 15th (2025)
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Beaty Nocturnal – admission to UBC’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum is by donation this evening between 5:00 and 8:30 pm.
- New Westminster Farmers Market – a market with vendors selling fresh produce at New Westminster’s Tipperary Park at 315 Queens Avenue between 3:00 and 7:00 pm.
- Vancouver Beaches – if the weather is warmer then go check out some of Vancouver’s best beaches! It might not be warm enough to swim in the ocean, but it might be good enough for a picnic or lying on the sand.
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Friday, May 16th (2025)
- Shipyards Night Market – artisan vendors, food trucks, and live entertainment in North Vancouver’s Shipyards District.
- Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair – admission to the fairgrounds is free for children ages 12 and under (and only about $12 for everyone else).
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
- Vancouver Beaches – if the weather is warmer then go check out some of Vancouver’s best beaches! It might not be warm enough to swim in the ocean, but it might be good enough for a picnic or lying on the sand.
- Lower Mainland Parks – on days with good weather, many of the region’s top parks are the best places to be! Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Saturday, May 17th (2025)
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair – admission to the fairgrounds is free for children ages 12 and under (and only about $14 for everyone else). This morning is also when the Cloverdale Rodeo Parade takes place, and that’s free for everyone!
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Saturday Markets
Sunday, May 18th (2025)
- Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair – admission to the fairgrounds is free for children ages 12 and under (and only about $14 for everyone else).
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Engine 374 Anniversary – a party at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown celebrating the anniversary of the first passenger train to arrive in Vancouver over 135 years ago.
- ABFM All-Brits Run – dozens of classic and collectible British cars drive from Langley to Mission today (and the public is welcome to admire them).
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Sunday Markets
Monday, May 19th (2025)
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Tuesday, May 20th (2025)
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Brahm’s Tam Drum Circle – an informal drumming event at Third Beach in Stanley Park from early evening until sunset (but only on sunny days). A few people arrive with their drums and many more just show up for the fun!
- Cheap Movie Night – at most Metro Vancouver cinemas (so it’s not free, but it is extra cheap).
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Wednesday, May 21st (2025)
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
- Vancouver Beaches – if the weather is warmer then go check out some of Vancouver’s best beaches! It might not be warm enough to swim in the ocean, but it might be good enough for a picnic or lying on the sand.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Thursday, May 22nd (2025)
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- New Westminster Farmers Market – a market with vendors selling fresh produce at New Westminster’s Tipperary Park at 315 Queens Avenue between 3:00 and 7:00 pm.
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
- Vancouver Beaches – if the weather is warmer then go check out some of Vancouver’s best beaches! It might not be warm enough to swim in the ocean, but it might be good enough for a picnic or lying on the sand.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Friday, May 23rd (2025)
- Ladner May Days – a community fair at Memorial Park. The amusement rides cost money, but the live music and admission to the site are free.
- Shipyards Night Market – artisan vendors, food trucks, and live entertainment in North Vancouver’s Shipyards District.
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Saturday, May 24th (2025)
- Hyack Parade & Festival – a parade and community festival in New Westminster.
- Ladner May Days – a community fair at Memorial Park. The amusement rides cost money, but the live music and admission to the site are free.
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Saturday Markets
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Sunday, May 25th (2025)
- BC Polish Festival – a fun event with music, dancing and food at Leigh Square from 1:00 pm until late at night.
- Ladner May Days – a community fair at Memorial Park. The amusement rides cost money, but the live music and admission to the site are free.
- Spot Prawn Festival – an event celebrating spot-prawn season at Fishermen’s Wharf in False Creek. Admission to the venue is free, but you have to pay for the prawns and any other food you purchase.
- Brookswood Car Show – antique and collectible cars fill the parking lot at Langley’s Brookswood Secondary School. Admission for the public is by donation.
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Sunday Markets
- Ambleside Artisan Farmers Market – in West Vancouver at the foot of 13th Street just inside the entrance to Ambleside Park between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm.
- Coquitlam Farmers Market – a market at Coquitlam’s Dogwood Pavilion at 624 Poirier Street between 9:00 am and 1:00 pm.
- Junction Public Market – an outdoor market at Granville Square in downtown Vancouver.
- Kitsilano Farmers Market – between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm at the Kitsilano Community Centre.
- Steveston Farmers Market – at the Steveston Community Centre from 10:30 am until 3:30 pm.
- Whistler Farmers Market – between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm at the bottom of Blackcomb Mountain.
- White Rock Farmers Market – at 15154 Russell Avenue from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in White Rock.
- Cloverdale Flea Market – a giant market with primarily (but not exclusively) second-hand goods between 6:00 am and 3:00 pm in Surrey. Admission is $2, but free for kids ages 12 and under.
- Vancouver Flea Market – an indoor flea market at 703 Terminal Avenue in Vancouver between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. Admission ranges from $2 to $5 depending on the day’s event, so it’s not free, but it is pretty cheap.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Monday, May 26th (2025)
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
- Vancouver Beaches – if the weather is warmer then go check out some of Vancouver’s best beaches! It might not be warm enough to swim in the ocean, but it might be good enough for a picnic or lying on the sand.
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Tuesday, May 27th (2025)
- Brahm’s Tam Drum Circle – an informal drumming event at Third Beach in Stanley Park from early evening until sunset (but only on sunny days). A few people arrive with their drums and many more just show up for the fun.
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
- Cheap Movie Night – at most Metro Vancouver cinemas (so it’s not free, but it is extra cheap).
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Wednesday, May 28th (2025)
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
- Vancouver Beaches – if the weather is warmer then go check out some of Vancouver’s best beaches! It might not be warm enough to swim in the ocean, but it might be good enough for a picnic or lying on the sand.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Thursday, May 29th (2025)
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
- New Westminster Farmers Market – a market with vendors selling fresh produce at New Westminster’s Tipperary Park at 315 Queens Avenue between 3:00 and 7:00 pm.
- Heritage Harbour at the Maritime Museum – you can wander around on the docks and admire the boats in front of the Vancouver Maritime Museum for free. Also, if you want to go inside the museum, use the promo code BESTVANCOUVER when purchasing your tickets online to save 25%.
- Lower Mainland Parks – if good weather, various parks and places in nature are “best places” to be. Other great areas to enjoy include Best Places to Walk, Jog and Cycle.
- Vancouver Beaches – if the weather is warmer then go check out some of Vancouver’s best beaches! It might not be warm enough to swim in the ocean, but it might be good enough for a picnic or lying on the sand.
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Friday, May 30th (2025)
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Saturday, May 31st (2025)
- West of Main Art Walk – numerous art studios around Vancouver are open to the public today between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm.
- Burnaby Village – the outdoor museum is open from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm.
Saturday Markets
Other Places on a Budget
- Vancouver on a Budget – other places to explore include the following:
Other Information
For a more complete list of things to do in May, including activities that aren’t free, see Vancouver’s May Events Calendar.
And for a list of great activities that don’t cost a lot of money throughout the year, click Vancouver on a Budget.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
For a list of things happening in communities within two or three hours of the Lower Mainland, see the calendars of events on the WhatToDoInWhistler.ca and VictoriasBestPlaces.com websites.
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