Vancouver’s favourite holiday event Bright Nights is officially leaving Stanley Park for good. But that doesn’t mean the event is cancelled– it’s just being relocated.
That just begs the question: where will Bright Nights go?
A HOLIDAY TRADITION
Bright Nights has been a fixture in Stanley Park’s holiday season for 27 years. Every year, thousands of lights are strung up around the Park, providing beautifully colourful sights for all to see. It’s a memory that sticks with a lot of families, with plenty of folks having grown up with the event and then bringing their own children to it, too.
It’s also the single largest fundraiser for the BC Professional Firefighters’ Burn Fund. Bright Nights is a by-donation event, with the funds going to the Burn Fund. They “provide… life-saving, life-supporting, and life-enriching services to burn survivors and their families,” reads the City of Vancouver website. More than $2.5 million has been donated by the Vancouver Park Board to the Burn Fund since the event’s inception in 1998.
Unfortunately, the Stanley Park miniature train– tradition’s biggest attraction– has been out-of-commission since December 2024. The train itself has suffered numerous issues ranging from causing medical concerns to mechanical problems. Moreover, the train has netted a total loss of $2.9 million from 2019 to 2024.
A NEW HOME FOR BRIGHT NIGHTS
Now, the Vancouver Park Board is moving away from Bright Nights and the event has since been on the hunt for a new home.
Bright Nights will officially take place in Surrey at the Noel Holiday Festival, situated in the Cloverdale Fairgrounds.
Noel Surrey made its debut last winter, and is a holiday festival that features dazzling installations and enchanting celebrations. The event displays nearly three million lights along an accessible path around the pond at the Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre, and also treats guests to a free children’s area. Additionally, you can check out their 30,000+ sq. ft. Noel Village, live music, and 50 ft. Ferris wheel. A portion of Noel Surrey’s proceeds will go directly to the Burn Fund, supporting burn survivors across the province.
In all, it looks like Bright Nights is in good hands with Noel Surrey.
To support a classic Metro Vancouver tradition, head over to Surrey this holiday season. See the lights, donate to a great cause, and be ready to feel jolly.
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