Winter Solstice Lantern Festival Vancouver 2026: Schedule, Tickets & Guide

On the longest night of the year, a lot of Vancouver walks outside in the dark on purpose. Kids carry paper lanterns they made themselves, a drum circle thumps from somewhere near the water, and a few hundred beeswax candles flicker inside a labyrinth where people walk slowly and say nothing at all. It is one of the least commercial, most community-made things on the city’s holiday calendar, and it has been going for more than three decades.

The 33rd Annual Winter Solstice Lantern Festival takes place on Monday, December 21, 2026, at two neighbourhood hubs: Yaletown and Granville Island. Here is how the night works, what costs money, what to book ahead, and how to get there. It falls the night after the last performance of Goh Ballet’s The Nutcracker, near the end of a long season of Christmas events in the city, all collected in the Vancouver Christmas Guide 2026.

Winter Solstice Lantern Festival 2026: Quick Facts

What Is the Winter Solstice Lantern Festival?

The winter solstice is the longest, darkest night of the year, and the festival marks it the old-fashioned way: with light, music, dance and storytelling. Instead of a single stage with an audience, it is spread across neighbourhoods. People make lanterns, join processions, wander between performances, and come together at the end of the night.

It is run by the Secret Lantern Society, a local arts organization, and the Granville Island side is presented with the False Creek Community Association. The 2025 festival was the 32nd, which makes 2026 the 33rd. The organizers describe the night as a communal celebration, and the format reflects that: it is built around making, carrying and sharing lanterns rather than watching a show from a seat.

Two Festival Hubs: Which One Should You Choose?

You do not have to pick only one, but the two sides feel different, and the schedules overlap in the early evening, so it helps to know what you want.

• Granville Island is the bigger, busier side. It has the three lantern processions, performances in several halls, a drum circle, shadow-puppet making and lantern workshops, all centred around Cartwright Street. Choose this if you want a lively, family-friendly evening with plenty to do.
• Yaletown is calmer and more contemplative. The Roundhouse Community Centre hosts a Labyrinth of Light, an exhibition hall with workshops, music and food, and an evening Secret Lantern Walk into David Lam Park. Choose this if you want a quieter, more atmospheric night.

The Labyrinth of Light runs at both locations, and you buy a timed ticket for the specific one you want.

Granville Island Schedule (December 21)

The official full schedule and festival map are still marked “coming soon,” so treat the times below as the current published plan and double-check closer to the date.

Lantern Processions

Three processions set off from different points on Granville Island and head toward the Water Park, where they meet:

• 6:00 PM, Leg-in-Boot Square, led by the Bloco Energia Samba Band
• 6:00 PM, H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, led by Ron Radar Stelting and Drum Friends
• 6:20 PM, Triangle Square, in front of the Granville Island Market, led by The Carnival Band

The False Creek Community Centre lists the procession as taking place at about 6:30 PM, which fits the three groups arriving together. If you have a lantern, join whichever procession is nearest. You can also just watch from the side.

False Creek Community Centre (1318 Cartwright Street), 5:00 to 10:00 PM

• Mini-Gym, 5:00 to 6:30 PM: last-minute lantern making, $15 per lantern.
• Mini-Gym, from 6:00 PM (while supplies last): headdress making with ivy and cedar, $5.
• Mini-Gym, 7:00 to 9:30 PM: nature lanterns with flower petals and leaves, $30 each.
• Lind Hall, 7:00 to 9:30 PM: evening performances, including an opening welcome from Squamish Elder Bob Baker, dancers from the Squamish Nation, traditional English folk dancing from the Vancouver Morris Men, and a community dance with The Carnival Band.
• Tyee Hall, 6:00 to 9:30 PM: shadow-puppet “dream” making with Mind of a Snail Puppet Co.
• Lounge, 7:30 to 9:00 PM: Baltic singing and a solstice storytelling session.

Other Granville Island Venues

• The NEST, Festival House (1398 Cartwright Street), 7:30 to 9:30 PM: a solstice drum circle led by Ron Radar Stelting, open to everyone regardless of experience.
• Performance Works (1218 Cartwright Street), from 4:30 PM: the Granville Island Labyrinth of Light.

Yaletown Schedule (December 21)

The Yaletown hub is based at the Roundhouse Community Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews.

• 5:00 to 6:30 PM: Pin-Prick Lantern workshop, $15 per lantern (registration required).
• 6:00 to 10:00 PM: Labyrinth of Light (timed tickets).
• 6:00 to 9:00 PM: Exhibition Hall with workshops, live music and food. Look for a nature headdress station (by donation, while supplies last), accordion and melodica music from various cultures, the Tiddley Cove Morris Dancers, a snack and warm-drink tent, and a solstice tent selling lanterns and solstice calendars while stock lasts.
• 8:00 to 9:00 PM: Secret Lantern Walk. The group gathers in the Exhibition Hall, dances with the Morris Dancers, and then follows lanterns by artist Yoko Tomita into David Lam Park. You do not need a lantern to join, though bringing one makes it better.

The Labyrinth of Light: Tickets and Details

The Labyrinth of Light is the festival’s quietest and most photographed feature, and the one part you need a ticket for. It is a self-guided walk through a labyrinth built from more than 500 pure beeswax candles. Labyrinths have been used for meditation and ritual in many cultures, and this one invites you to walk slowly, let go of what you are carrying and think about the new season ahead.

Two Locations

• Performance Works, Granville Island: 4:30 to 10:00 PM, with timed slots every half hour from 4:30 PM and a last slot at 9:30 PM.
• Roundhouse Community Centre, Yaletown: 6:00 to 10:00 PM, with timed slots every half hour from 6:00 PM and a last slot at 9:30 PM.

A closing ritual follows after the labyrinth closes. If you want to take part, speak to the Labyrinth Host on the night.

Ticket Prices

• Adults: $20
• Kids aged 6 to 13: $5
• Children under 5: free. The organizers say complimentary tickets for eligible children are available at the on-site box office on December 21, space permitting.

The organizers’ pages do not list a price for age 5, so confirm that with them if you are bringing a five-year-old.

How to Buy

• When sales open: the Labyrinth page lists ticket sales as starting December 1, while the neighbourhood pages say November. Check the official ticketing site for the current status.
• Book a timed slot online. The organizers strongly recommend this to cut down on waiting. Online sales end at noon on December 21.
• Arrive 15 minutes early to check in for your time slot.
• Tickets are non-refundable. All sales are final.
• Door sales: limited tickets may be available at the venue on the night. In Yaletown, door sales are cash only. Do not count on them for a popular slot.

Ticket the specific location you want, because Granville Island and Yaletown tickets are not interchangeable.

Lantern Workshops: Make Your Own

You can bring a lantern you made at home, buy one on the night, or make one at a workshop. The artists from the Secret Lantern Society provide materials and guide you through it, and families can make one lantern together, since the price is per lantern. Kids must be accompanied by an adult. Pressed leaves, flowers and other decorative bits are welcome.

False Creek Community Centre Workshops

Extra time to finish your lantern is available on Saturday, December 19, from 12:00 to 4:00 PM, free with registration to any workshop. Workshops are held in the Fairview Room at the False Creek Community Centre, and the December 21 sessions are in the Mini Gym. Registration links and current prices are on the False Creek Community Centre festival page.

Yaletown Workshops

The Roundhouse also offers pre-festival lantern workshops from December 19 to 21. Details and registration are on the Roundhouse event page.

Getting There

The organizers’ pages do not publish transit or parking details, so here is general guidance for the two areas. Confirm anything time-sensitive before you go.

• Yaletown: the Roundhouse Community Centre is steps from the Yaletown-Roundhouse Canada Line station, which makes SkyTrain the simplest way to get there. Street parking in Yaletown on a Monday evening can be tight, so transit or a short walk from further away is easier.
• Granville Island: the island is compact and gets crowded on festival nights, and parking is limited. Taking a bus, cycling, walking along the False Creek seawall or taking a False Creek ferry from nearby docks are usually easier than driving.
• Moving between the two sides: they are on opposite shores of False Creek, so plan to commit to one for the evening unless you are comfortable with a longer transit trip.

Make More of the Season Nearby

• On Granville Island, the holiday lights are usually up through early January, so the island is lit for the processions.
• In Yaletown, the Roundhouse also hosts Portobello West’s Holiday Market earlier in the season, on November 28 and 29.
• Downtown, the Vancouver Christmas Market runs until December 24, and Robson Square is planned to reopen for skating in December.
• For another evening of light art, Lumière fills downtown plazas with free installations from November 12 to 14.

For every other light display this season, see Christmas lights in Vancouver.

Tips for Visiting

• Book the labyrinth first. It is the only part with timed tickets, and popular slots go first.
• Arrive early, especially with kids. The workshops start at 5:00 PM, and the first procession leaves at 6:00 PM.
• Dress for a damp December night. Waterproof layers, a hat and sturdy shoes matter more than looking festive. Organizers advise heading to the indoor venues in severe weather.
• Bring a lantern, but do not stress about it. You can join most events without one, and you can buy one on the night while stock lasts.
• Keep small bills handy. Some workshops, the headdress stations and door sales may be cash only.
• Be quiet in the labyrinth. It is a meditative space, so keep phones off and voices low.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Winter Solstice Lantern Festival in 2026?

Monday, December 21, 2026. It is the 33rd annual festival.

Where does it take place?

At two hubs: the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown and the False Creek Community Centre area on Granville Island.

Is the festival free?

Not entirely. The Labyrinth of Light is ticketed, lantern workshops charge a fee per lantern, and some activities are by donation. The organizers’ pages do not list an admission fee for the processions and performances, so confirm with them before the date.

How much are Labyrinth of Light tickets?

Adults are $20, kids 6 to 13 are $5, and children under 5 are free. Online sales end at noon on December 21, and tickets are non-refundable.

When do Labyrinth tickets go on sale?

The official pages list sales as starting in November or December 1, depending on the page. Check the official ticketing site for the current status.

Do I need to bring a lantern?

No, though it adds to the experience. You can make one at a workshop, buy one on the night while supplies last or make one at home.

What time is the Granville Island procession?

Three processions start between 6:00 and 6:20 PM and meet in the Water Park. The False Creek Community Centre lists the procession at about 6:30 PM.

Is it suitable for kids?

Yes. It is designed for all ages, and workshops welcome children, though kids must be accompanied by an adult.

What happens if the weather is bad?

The festival goes ahead, and the organizers advise heading to the indoor venues in severe weather.