Christmas on Vancouver Island 2026: Town-by-Town Guide

Victoria gets most of the attention, but some of the best Christmas events on Vancouver Island happen in small towns up and across the Island. One town strings lights down its main street for 20,000 visitors, a garden lights a woodland on an ocean bluff, and a surf town shops by headlamp in the rain. Here’s the 2026 season, south to north.

Vancouver Island Christmas 2026 at a Glance

Greater Victoria

The capital has the Island’s biggest concentration of events: Butchart Gardens’ lights, two parades, the Festival of Trees, the Gingerbread Showcase, Craigdarroch Castle and tea at the Empress. Note that Lights of Wonder in Centennial Square is not running in 2026. Start with our Victoria Christmas Guide.

Saanich Peninsula and Sidney

Butchart Gardens is in Brentwood Bay on the peninsula. Up the road in Sidney, the Sidney Sparkles Parade runs along Beacon Avenue in early December (it was Sunday, December 7 at 5:00 PM in 2025), often followed by a lighted boat sail-past on the waterfront. Peninsula Celebrations Society posts the 2026 date. More on Sidney Sparkles.

Sooke and Esquimalt

West of downtown, the Sooke Santa Parade and Esquimalt’s Celebration of Lights are free community parades, both usually held on a Sunday in early December.

Malahat

The Malahat SkyWalk, about 40 minutes from downtown Victoria, celebrates the holidays with a Santa’s Workshop for ornament making and cookies, along with its spiral tower and treetop walk above the Saanich Inlet.

Cowichan Valley

Merridale Cidery & Distillery in Cobble Hill lights its courtyard and orchard for free from mid-November, with Santa photos and holiday dining. It pairs well with a winery or cidery stop in the valley.

Ladysmith

The Ladysmith Festival of Lights is the Island’s biggest light-up. Light Up Night is always the last Thursday of November, which this year is November 26, with Santa, a parade and fireworks. The First Avenue lights stay up until the second Sunday in January.

Nanaimo

The Harbour City has the long-running Nanaimo Christmas Village, a busy weekend market calendar and holiday concerts at the Port Theatre, plus a downtown Santa Claus Parade. See Christmas in Nanaimo.

Parksville and Qualicum Beach

Milner Christmas Magic switches on more than 100,000 lights at Milner Gardens over three December weekends, with entry by donation. Nearby, Coombs hosts a Christmas market on December 5.

Tofino and Ucluelet

Tofino Winter Nights runs November 20 to December 31, starting with Jingle Into Christmas and the Winter Market and including Sea of Lights on December 5. Ucluelet holds its own late-night shopping kickoff, Midnight Madness, in late November.

Comox Valley

In Comox, Christmas at Filberg at the Filberg Heritage Lodge & Park strings lights on its heritage lodge, outbuildings and fences each December. It was free (by donation) and lit until December 31 in 2025.

Getting to Vancouver Island for Christmas

• BC Ferries: Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay (Victoria) or Duke Point (Nanaimo), and Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay (Nanaimo). Reserve sailings on holiday weekends.
• From Washington State: Black Ball’s Coho ferry from Port Angeles and the Victoria Clipper from Seattle both arrive in Victoria’s Inner Harbour.
• By air: Harbour Air and Kenmore Air floatplanes land in the Inner Harbour, and Victoria and Nanaimo airports have regular flights.
• Driving: check DriveBC before heading over the Malahat or on Highway 4 to Tofino.

Part of: Victoria Christmas Guide 2026