When is the Fort Langley Cranberry Festival?

The festival is always held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving Monday in October. The 2025 edition (the 30th annual festival) ran October 11, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival started in 1995 and has been stewarded since 2020 by the Eric Woodward Foundation in agreement with the Fort Langley BIA. Annual attendance is roughly 35,000 over the single day, with 150+ vendors, food trucks, and family programming. Plan around the Thanksgiving long weekend.

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?

Parking inside the village core is gone within an hour of opening. Realistic strategies: (1) park further out along 96 Avenue or near the Walnut Grove side and walk in (15–20 min), (2) bike or e-bike along the Fraser River dyke trail, (3) get dropped off near the village edge. Some years the festival has organised satellite parking with shuttle service — check the official site for the current year's arrangements. Disabled parking and accessibility-specific arrangements are also published by the organisers.

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, in our experience. The festival is family-oriented and explicitly programmed with kids in mind. Dogs are common throughout the village on festival day, though the density of crowds in the core means small dogs and dogs uncomfortable in crowds may have a tough time. Specific accessibility, kids' programming, and any dog-specific guidance for the current year is on the organisers' page.

I'm visiting for the festival and considering Fort Langley as a place to live — is that worth a separate conversation?

Yes, and a lot of people do exactly that. The festival is many people's first sustained visit to Fort Langley village, and the village reads very different in person than from a distance. If you're considering Fort Langley seriously, the Fort Langley area page is the broader market context, the Bedford Landing guide covers the master-planned community sub-market, and the LFAS guide covers the schools angle. Reach out for a longer conversation against your specific situation.

Annual event guide

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

The Fort Langley Cranberry Festival is the village’s largest single-day event each year — held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving Monday in October. The festival started in 1995 and the 2025 edition was the 30th annual (October 11, 2025, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.). Glover Road through the village is closed to vehicle traffic for the day; roughly 35,000 visitors come through over the morning and afternoon, with 150+ vendors, food trucks, and family programming.

This page is visitor-facing wayfinding: parking strategy, transit options, what the village reads like on festival day, and a pointer to the official organisers for current-year date and programming. The Eric Woodward Foundation has stewarded the festival since 2020 in agreement with the Fort Langley BIA. For the canonical date, schedule, and program lineup, check the official festival site.

Visiting Fort Langley for the festival and curious about the village as a place to live? See the Fort Langley area page for market context, or the Areas Near Fort Langley cluster for surrounding neighbourhoods.

Visitor Tips

Arrive early or arrive late

The morning rush hits within the first hour of opening; mid-afternoon thins out a bit before the late-day push. Locals who want to enjoy the festival without the densest crowds tend to arrive at opening or in the last hour. Mid-morning to early afternoon is the busiest window.

Bike or walk in if you can

The Fraser River dyke trail is a beautiful, flat, traffic-free approach to the village from the west and the east. Locking up a bike at the village edge is much faster than circling for parking. The dyke trail is also stroller- and wheelchair-accessible at most points.

Pace your day around the village restaurants

Many Fort Langley restaurants and cafés extend their hours and program around the festival. Lines at the most popular spots are real but move quickly. Picking up coffee or breakfast before the village fills up is a common local strategy.

Pair with the National Historic Site

The Fort Langley National Historic Site (Parks Canada) sits at the east edge of the village, walking distance from the festival core. Many visitors pair the festival visit with the historic site — both are open the same day, and the site offers a quieter, programmed experience as a contrast to the festival energy.

Frequently Asked

When is the Fort Langley Cranberry Festival?: The festival is always held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving Monday in October. The 2025 edition (the 30th annual festival) ran October 11, 2025 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The festival started in 1995 and has been stewarded since 2020 by the Eric Woodward Foundation in agreement with the Fort Langley BIA. Annual attendance is roughly 35,000 over the single day, with 150+ vendors, food trucks, and family programming. Plan around the Thanksgiving long weekend.
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?: Parking inside the village core is gone within an hour of opening. Realistic strategies: (1) park further out along 96 Avenue or near the Walnut Grove side and walk in (15–20 min), (2) bike or e-bike along the Fraser River dyke trail, (3) get dropped off near the village edge. Some years the festival has organised satellite parking with shuttle service — check the official site for the current year's arrangements. Disabled parking and accessibility-specific arrangements are also published by the organisers.
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, in our experience. The festival is family-oriented and explicitly programmed with kids in mind. Dogs are common throughout the village on festival day, though the density of crowds in the core means small dogs and dogs uncomfortable in crowds may have a tough time. Specific accessibility, kids' programming, and any dog-specific guidance for the current year is on the organisers' page.
I'm visiting for the festival and considering Fort Langley as a place to live — is that worth a separate conversation?: Yes, and a lot of people do exactly that. The festival is many people's first sustained visit to Fort Langley village, and the village reads very different in person than from a distance. If you're considering Fort Langley seriously, the Fort Langley area page is the broader market context, the Bedford Landing guide covers the master-planned community sub-market, and the LFAS guide covers the schools angle. Reach out for a longer conversation against your specific situation.

Note: This page is visitor wayfinding. We are not the event organisers. For current-year date, programming, accessibility detail, and any official guidance, refer to the Fort Langley Cranberry Festival’s official site or the Fort Langley BIA. For real estate questions about Fort Langley, reach Bronson at 778-867-2766 or via the contact form.