Metro Vancouver's biggest free holiday light show has returned. Lights at Lafarge wraps more than 100,000 twinkling bulbs around Lafarge Lake in Coquitlam, running nightly from Friday, November 27 through the end of February.
The setup isn't a quick photo stop — it's a 1.2 km loop that circles the entire lake, passing through themed zones along the way. Lights stay on from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. every night, and entry costs nothing. The trailhead location is famously convenient: Lafarge Lake-Douglas SkyTrain station sits right by the park, so you can arrive by rapid transit without touching a steering wheel.
Opening night carries the most fanfare. November 27 features live sets from Quayside Voices and The Unified, carols from the Coastal Sound Children's Choir, and an official ceremony. The centrepiece is a fire-and-light performance at 7:35 p.m., leaving time beforehand to graze the food trucks, which run 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The lineup is broad — churros from The Lucky Churros, plant-based burgers from Veg Out, risotto balls from Mr. Arancino, mini donuts from Little oOties, plus Stackers, Corndog King, La Sella, Gary's Kettle Corn, Shawarma King and Meet2Eat.
If you'd rather skip the crowds, the City of Coquitlam has clear advice: come on a weekday, or arrive before 6 p.m. or after 8 p.m. on weekends. Parking is the other practical snag — there's limited on-site parking at Town Centre Park, and visitors can't leave cars at the Town Centre Park Community Centre, Evergreen Cultural Centre or City Centre Aquatic Complex. Transit or walking in is genuinely the easier route.
Look out for the Coquitlam Park Spark Light Brigade while you're there, adding extra activities to the walk.
For anyone in or near Vancouver over the holidays, this is one of the best-value evening outings in the region: free, stroller-friendly, transit-accessible and open for three full months, so there's no need to squeeze it into a single busy weekend. Pair it with dinner from the food trucks and it makes a complete winter evening out — just bring a warm coat, since the whole thing happens outdoors beside the water.
