Victoria Day in 2026 is on Monday, May 18th. There is a lot to do in the Lower Mainland over this weekend including a rodeo, car show and parades.
Top May Long Weekend activities in the Lower Mainland include the Cloverdale Rodeo in Surrey and the Vancouver All British Field Meet car show at VanDusen Garden. There is also the free Engine 374 Celebrations at the Roundhouse in Yaletown and a Victoria Day Boat Party.
On the North Shore there is both the Shipyards Night Market and the Lola Market. This weekend also marks the first day of the season for the rides at Playland. Cultus Lake Adventure Park is also open.
In addition to the above, there’s a lot happening in Fort Langley. There’s the Fort Langley May Days Festival & Parade. There are also special events at the Fort Langley National Historic Site. There also used to be the Brewhalla Beer & Music Festival, although in 2026 that’s happening on June 13th instead, so a few weeks later than usual.
Other things to do on the long weekend include outdoor adventure games with Vancouver Mysteries, attending Vancouver Canadians baseball games, going on walking tours with Forbidden Vancouver, and enjoying ropes course adventures with WildPlay in Maple Ridge. Exploring Lower Mainland Parks and Nature and hanging out at any of Vancouver’s Best Beaches are also popular activities. Many of the Lower Mainland’s Outdoor Swimming Pools also open for the season just in time for the holiday.
Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair
The Cloverdale Rodeo is back in 2026. It runs from Thursday, May 14th, until Monday, May 18th.
At the rodeo there are bucking broncos, barrel races, bull riding competitions and more. At the fair there is also a parade, country music, midway rides and all kinds of farm animals. Kids love it, as do young adults and people of all ages.
Check out our Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair article for more information.
LOLA Market
The LOLA Market is a lifestyle, wellness and artisan market. Hosted by the Lola Collective, the event is led by women and features women creators. The celebration includes a variety of vendors, as well as live talks, performances, workshops and activities for kids.
In 2026 the inaugural event takes place on the Saturday and Sunday of the long weekend. It’s held at the Pipe Shop in North Vancouver. Admission is free for all ages.
See our article about the LOLA Market for more information or visit lolacollective.ca for the event’s official website.
Vancouver All British Field Meet
Hundreds of classic British cars are on display at VanDusen Garden on Saturday, May 16th. The All British Field Meet is an amazing event!
At the event there are usually close to 500 vehicles including MGs, Jaguars, Minis and pretty much every imaginable type of British-made car. Every year there are some ultra-special editions too.
If you like British cars, there’s no other place you’ll want to be. May is one of the best times of the year to see the gardens anyway, so this weekend is a perfect time to visit VanDusen even if you aren’t a total car fanatic (like so many of us are).
Click Vancouver All British Field Meet for more information.
Vancouver Boat Parties Event
Hosted by Vancouver Boat Parties, in 2026 the Victoria Day Weekend Boat Party happens on Saturday, May 16th, from 8:00 pm until midnight.
Party-goers arrive at a multi-level yacht at 760 Pacific Boulevard which isn’t far from the south side of BC Place Stadium. From there the boat heads out through False Creek and into English Bay while playing music across a couple of dance floors.
The event is only for those who are ages 19+ as it’s fully licensed and there are plenty of drinks to be had along with all the dancing. Tickets range from $40 to $60 depending on how early you buy them. Click Vancouver Boat Parties to learn more.
TIP: Use the promo code VBP15 and you’ll save 15% per ticket!
For full details about the event, visit the vancouverboatparties.com website.
Engine 374 Train Celebrations
At the Roundhouse Community Centre on the Victoria Day Long Weekend are the anniversary celebrations of the arrival of the first train in Vancouver (which happened on May 23rd in 1887).
The Engine 374 Pavilion is a free museum at the Roundhouse. It’s open almost every day, although not usually on statutory holidays. On the Sunday of the May Long Weekend the museum hosts a special event celebrating the day when Engine 374 first arrived in the city. The free event includes live music. The train is also outside for people to admire and go on.
See our articles about the Engine 374 Pavilion to learn more about the museum and Engine 374 Celebrations to learn more about the event.
Playland at the PNE
Vancouver’s main amusement park is Playland at the PNE. It starts up for the season on the Victoria Day Long Weekend. The place offers rides for all ages. It’s a great attraction for families and people wanting to spend a day outside in the summer.
There are thrilling rides like AtmosFear and The Beast, along with kid-friendly rides like Balloon Explorers and Cool Cruzers.
See our Playland at the PNE article to learn more about this attraction.
Cultus Lake Adventure Park
Another place for amusement rides and family-friendly fun on the Victoria Day Long Weekend is Cultus Lake Adventure Park. It’s in the Fraser Valley, not far from Chilliwack. It’s an amazing place and highly recommended, especially for families with children, from little kids to teenagers.
Visit the cultus.com website for tickets and full details.
Victoria Day Weekend at Fort Langley
Fort Langley is a great place to take the family any time of the year, but especially when it has special events like on the Victoria Day long weekend. On the holiday Monday there’s the annual Fort Langley May Day celebrations. Festivities include a parade, community events in the park and activities at the historic fort.
Shipyards Night Market
North Vancouver’s Shipyards Night Market is always a fun event to attend. It happens every Friday between early to mid-May and mid-September. From 3:00 pm until 10:00 pm there is music, food trucks and artisan vendors. The first market of the 2026 season is on May 15th.
Vancouver Canadians Baseball
In 2026 the Vancouver Canadians baseball team plays home games against Everett each day from May 12th to 17th. There’s a special promotion for folks who wish to attend. Grandstand tickets to any of the six games cost just $15 per person. All home games are held at Nat Bailey Stadium.
For tickets and more information about this offer, visit mlb.com/milb/vancouver.
Weekend Games and Adventures
A number of attractions and adventure companies offer things to do on the May Long Weekend, including WildPlay in Maple Ridge. Other activities you can do on the Victoria Day Long Weekend include walking tours with Forbidden Vancouver, adventure games with Vancouver Mysteries, and virtual reality games (like Far Cry) at Zero Latency. There are also multi-dimensional films at Flyover at Canada Place and live comedy shows at The Improv Centre on Granville Island.
At the Roundhouse in Yaletown there are Vancouver Train Celebrations. For people who like shopping and outdoor markets, there’s the Richmond Night Market on various nights in Richmond, and farmers markets all over the Lower Mainland including in Burnaby and Ambleside in West Vancouver.
Vancouver and Lower Mainland Parks and Beaches
Provided the weather is good, top places to be in Metro Vancouver include city and regional parks as well as provincial parks like Alice Lake near Squamish, Bridal Veil Falls and Cultus Lake in the Fraser Valley, and Rolley Lake near Mission.
If the weather is hot (like it has been in recent years), area beaches are also popular places on the May long weekend.
Click Vancouver Parks and Places in Nature for a list of parks in the Lower Mainland.
See our article about Vancouver’s Best Beaches for a list of places to hang out on the sand.
Other Information
Check out Vancouver’s Best Places’ May Calendar for more great activities in the month of May.
Other articles that may be of interest include the following:
See the website VictoriasBestPlaces.com to learn about what’s happening on the May Long Weekend in BC’s capital city. Another website you might also like is VancouverForKids.ca.
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