If your holiday season needs an official starting gun, a small city an hour east of Vancouver has one ready. Abbotsford's Winter Jubilee returns to its historic downtown on Saturday, Nov. 21, running from the afternoon into the evening, and admission won't cost you a cent.

The centrepiece is a 60-foot Christmas tree in the square on South Fraser Way, lit up at 7 p.m. after a countdown. But the tree is really just the finale. From 2 p.m. onwards (the event listing says 3 to 7:30 p.m., so arrive early to be safe), the streets fill with festive stuff for all ages: an artisanal holiday market, crafts at Santa's Workshop, cookie decorating, face painting, and appearances from Santa, Mrs. Claus and, for the grinches in the family, the Grinch himself. Families can book in for photos with Mr. and Mrs. Claus, and kids who work through an 'Elf Training Passport' can walk away certified elves. New this year is a Gingerbread House-making competition open to all ages — but anyone wanting to compete needs to apply by Friday, Nov. 13.

There's a full stage lineup, too. The Fraser Valley Children's Chorus Cantabile Chorus opens at 4 p.m., followed by Becca Hess Music at 5 and Thistle Dew Music at 6. At 6:45 the MEI Screaming Eagles Marching Band leads a giant Santa March through the downtown, then Ryan McAllister & Band take over for a crowd sing-along right as the tree lights up.

Come hungry. Food trucks on site include Grumpig's Kitchen, Wingin' It Truck, Big Red's Poutine, The Truckin' BBQ, BeaverTails and Los Guerreros Hispanic Food Products — so the range runs from poutine and BBQ to BeaverTails pastries and Latin American food. Drinks skew classic: hot chocolate, plus 'Jingle Juice' served in light-up cups if you want your beverage to match the tree.

For Vancouverites, this is an easy day trip: Abbotsford sits in the Fraser Valley, reachable by car or an hourly West Coast Express-adjacent bus route, and the historic downtown strip is walkable once you're there. For locals in the Fraser Valley, it's simply the most family-friendly way to kick off December-adjacent festivities without spending on tickets — the whole event is free, you just cover your snacks. If you can't make the gingerbread deadline or the date itself, it's worth bookmarking: the jubilee is a yearly fixture, and downtown Abbotsford's heritage storefronts make a pleasant backdrop for a winter afternoon any year.