Fort Langley Cranberry FestivalVisitor wayfinding for the largest single-day event in the Fort Langley village

Visitor Tips

Arrive early or arrive late

The crowd builds through the morning and the middle of the day is the busiest stretch. If you would rather not be in the thick of it, come at opening or in the last hour before close.

Bike or walk in if you can

The Fraser River dyke trail runs into the village from both the east and the west. It is flat, it carries no traffic, and it lets you leave a bike at the edge of the village instead of looking for a parking space. Most of the trail is firm enough for a stroller or a wheelchair, though surfaces vary in places.

Pace your day around the village restaurants

Many Fort Langley restaurants and cafés extend their hours around the festival and run their own programming. Expect queues at the busier places through the middle of the day. Getting coffee or breakfast before the village fills up avoids most of the wait.

Pair with the National Historic Site

The Fort Langley National Historic Site, run by Parks Canada, sits at the east edge of the village within walking distance of the festival. It is open on festival day and admission is separate from the festival. It is a quieter place to spend an hour if the crowds get to be too much.

Frequently Asked

When is the Fort Langley Cranberry Festival?

Always the Saturday before Thanksgiving Monday in October, which makes the next one Saturday October 10, 2026. The 2025 festival ran 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; confirm this year's hours with the organisers closer to the day. The festival started in 1995 and has been run since 2020 by the Eric Woodward Foundation, in agreement with the Fort Langley Business Improvement Association. About 35,000 people come through in the one day, and there are more than 150 vendors along with food trucks and family programming. It falls on the Thanksgiving long weekend, so plan travel around that.

Where does the festival happen?

The event takes over the Fort Langley village core — primarily Glover Road from approximately Mavis Avenue south through the village high street, with cross-street setups and vendor booths spilling into the side streets. Glover Road is closed to vehicle traffic during festival hours. Many of the village's permanent restaurants and shops also take part with their own programming.

What's the best parking strategy for festival day?

Glover Road is closed to cars through the village, and about 35,000 people arrive over the day, so the parking in and around the core fills early. Three things that work: park further out along 96 Avenue or on the Walnut Grove side and walk in, which takes 15 to 20 minutes; cycle in along the Fraser River dyke trail; or get dropped off at the edge of the village. In some years the festival has run satellite parking with a shuttle. The organisers publish the current year's parking map, including accessible parking, on the official site.

Is there transit to Fort Langley for the festival?

TransLink bus service runs to Fort Langley on a limited frequency — checking the current-day schedule (translink.ca) is recommended; service hours and route patterns vary. Fort Langley is not on the SkyTrain network and the planned Surrey-Langley extension terminates at Langley City Centre Station, not in Fort Langley. The most reliable festival-day transit option is bus to Langley Centre or Walnut Grove and a connection from there.

What does the festival celebrate?

Fort Langley's heritage as part of British Columbia's cranberry-growing history. The Fraser Valley is one of Canada's primary cranberry-growing regions, and Fort Langley's relationship with the local agriculture sector — alongside its broader role as the birthplace of the Colony of British Columbia — is woven through the festival's programming. Vendors, food stalls, music, family activities, and a parade are typical elements; specific programming changes year to year.

Is the festival kid-friendly and dog-friendly?

Yes to both. The programming includes activities aimed at children, and dogs are common throughout the village on festival day. The crowds in the core are dense, which is worth weighing if your dog is small or uneasy around people. The organisers publish the current year's accessibility information, children's programming and any guidance about dogs.

I came for the festival and I am now thinking about living in Fort Langley. Where do I start?

Three pages on this site cover it. The Fort Langley area page has the market context — prices, housing types and what sells. The Bedford Landing guide covers that master-planned neighbourhood on its own, because it prices differently from the rest of the village. The Langley Fine Arts School guide covers the schools, including how the application process works. If you want the numbers against your own situation, get in touch.