Short answer: Thanksgiving 2026 is Monday, October 12, a statutory holiday in BC, so the long weekend runs Saturday October 10 to Monday October 12 and schools are closed on the Monday. The headline family event is the free Fort Langley Cranberry Festival on Saturday, October 10 (10am–4pm, pancake breakfast from 8am). The rest of the weekend belongs to pumpkin patches and corn mazes: Hazelmere in South Surrey (about $10 on weekends), Aldor Acres in Langley (about $20), Laity in Maple Ridge ($16 on weekends and holidays) and Maan Farms in Abbotsford ($20–$63). Plan an indoor backup — mid-October in the Lower Mainland is often wet.
Below is a three-day plan, the farm prices, what’s open and closed on the holiday Monday, rainy-day options in Surrey, and local bakers to order your Thanksgiving pie or dessert from.
Thanksgiving 2026 at a glance
| Date | What’s happening |
|---|---|
| Sat Oct 3 | BC Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off, Krause Berry Farms, Langley (the weekend before) |
| Sat Oct 10 | Fort Langley Cranberry Festival, Glover Road, 10am–4pm |
| Sun Oct 11 | Farm day — pumpkin patches and corn mazes are at their busiest |
| Mon Oct 12 | Thanksgiving Day, BC statutory holiday. No school, banks closed, no mail delivery |
Fort Langley Cranberry Festival (Saturday, October 10)
The 31st annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival runs Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 10am to 4pm along Glover Road in Fort Langley, with a pancake breakfast from 8am. It has more than 125 vendors and 15+ food trucks, and it is free to walk around.
- Go early. By late morning the village is packed and parking fills up. Arrive for the pancake breakfast and leave by lunch with toddlers.
- Bring a carrier, not a big stroller — Glover Road is shoulder to shoulder at midday.
- Combine it with the Fort Langley National Historic Site next door, or a farm on the way home.
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Pumpkin patches and corn mazes on the long weekend
Thanksgiving weekend is the single busiest weekend of the season at every farm. The holiday Monday is usually priced like a weekend day, and weekday mornings the following week are much quieter.
| Farm | City | 2026 season | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch | South Surrey | Daily through October | About $10 weekends, $7.50 weekdays | Toddlers; closest to Surrey |
| Aldor Acres Family Farm | Langley | Sept 19 – Oct 31, daily 9am–6pm | About $20; family and season passes | Ages 2–8, farm animals |
| Laity Pumpkin Patch | Maple Ridge | Sept 26 – Oct 31 | $16 weekend/holiday, $13 weekday, under 3 free | Ages 3–10 |
| Maan Farms “Fall at the Farm” | Abbotsford | Sept 12 – Nov 1 | $20–$63 depending on ticket | Ages 4–12: two corn mazes, pumpkin house, ziplines, jumping pillows |
| Krause Berry Farms | Langley | Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off Oct 3 | Check farm | Seeing record-size pumpkins; farm market and baking |
For more farms, u-pick and animal visits see Family Farms Near Vancouver, and for the scary-or-not guide to October events see Halloween & Fall Events for Kids.
A three-day long-weekend plan
Saturday: festival morning, quiet afternoon
Cranberry Festival from 8am, home for naps, then an easy afternoon — a pottery-painting session at Colour Me Mine Surrey where kids can paint a pumpkin or leaf plate as a Thanksgiving table centrepiece.
Sunday: the farm day
Pick one farm and arrive when it opens. Wear rain boots — corn mazes are muddy by October. Take family photos in the pumpkin field (or book a professional fall mini session; see below).
Monday (Thanksgiving Day): family dinner and something active
Get the wiggles out before dinner: a walk in Redwood Park, Bear Creek Park or along Crescent Beach, a swim at Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre or Surrey Sport and Leisure Complex (check holiday hours first), then dinner.
Rainy-day backups in Surrey and Langley
If it pours, move indoors. These places are listed on KidsServiceHub; check each one’s holiday-Monday hours before you go:
- Toddlers and preschoolers: Bounce Play Cafe, Kids City Playcentre, Morgan Play Center, Fun Circle Indoor Playground.
- Ages 5 and up: Extreme Bounce Inflatapark, Central City Fun Park.
- Creative: Colour Me Mine Surrey, Surrey Art Gallery.
- Community centres: South Surrey Recreation & Arts Centre, White Rock Community Centre, Tong Louie Family YMCA.
More ideas in Indoor Play Cafés in Surrey and Indoor Play Places in Langley.
What’s open and closed on Thanksgiving Monday in BC
Thanksgiving is a statutory holiday in British Columbia. On Monday, October 12, 2026:
- Closed: public schools, banks, government and Service Canada offices; Canada Post does not deliver mail.
- Usually closed or reduced: public library branches, many clinics and some city facilities. Check hours before you go.
- Usually open: farms and pumpkin patches, most indoor play centres, malls and grocery stores (often with shorter hours).
- Transit: TransLink normally runs a Sunday/holiday schedule on statutory holidays.
Many private daycares and before- and after-school programs close for the holiday; check with yours. See After-School Programs in Surrey if you need backup care options.
Order the pie (or the whole dessert table)
Local bakers fill up quickly the week before Thanksgiving. Order at least one week ahead for pies, cakes or cupcakes, and two weeks for anything custom such as a pumpkin-shaped cake or a decorated cookie platter.
- Surrey: Sprinkle Stories by Saanjh, Smash Sweets, Whisk and Wonder Cakes, PJ’s Treats (cake pops the kids can decorate the table with).
- Bakeries and treats: Pause Bakery & Co, Baked Memories, Casa Lui Bakery, Sweetly Sifted, Sweetisserie by Zola’s Fine Foods, Tan Bam Bakery.
- Cookies for the kids’ table: Sweet Swallow Art, My Cookie Addiction, Sweeties by Leah.
- Grazing boards: Posh Plates by J.
Browse every local baker in the cake artists directory.
Fall family photos over the long weekend
Thanksgiving weekend is when fall colour peaks and extended family is in town, which makes it a popular time for family photos. Outdoor fall mini sessions typically cost $200–$550. Local photographers include Gemini Visuals, Light + Willow Photography, Hannah Trimmer Photography and Ruby Brar Photography. Prices and booking windows are in Fall & Holiday Mini Photo Sessions in Surrey.
Thanksgiving activities for kids at home
- Gratitude tree: paper leaves on a branch, each with one thing someone is thankful for.
- Kids’ place cards made from pinecones or leaves collected on the Sunday walk.
- Mini pumpkin painting for the table centrepiece.
- A kids’ job at dinner: mashing potatoes, setting the table, or pouring sparkling juice.
- Donate together: the Surrey Food Bank is busiest in the run-up to Thanksgiving; letting kids pick items to donate is a good tradition.
Frequently asked questions
When is Thanksgiving 2026 in Canada?
Thanksgiving 2026 in Canada is Monday, October 12. It is always the second Monday of October. The long weekend runs Saturday October 10 to Monday October 12.
Is Thanksgiving a statutory holiday in BC?
Yes. Thanksgiving is a statutory holiday in British Columbia. Public schools, banks and government offices are closed and there is no mail delivery, while most farms, play centres and grocery stores open with holiday hours.
When is the Fort Langley Cranberry Festival in 2026?
The 31st annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival is on Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 10am to 4pm along Glover Road in Fort Langley, with a pancake breakfast from 8am. It has more than 125 vendors and 15 food trucks.
What pumpkin patches are open on Thanksgiving weekend near Surrey?
Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch in South Surrey, Aldor Acres in Langley, Laity Pumpkin Patch in Maple Ridge and Maan Farms in Abbotsford are all open through Thanksgiving weekend in 2026. Expect weekend pricing on the holiday Monday and big crowds on Sunday.
What can we do with kids on Thanksgiving if it rains?
Indoor play centres such as Bounce Play Cafe, Kids City Playcentre and Extreme Bounce Inflatapark, pottery painting at Colour Me Mine Surrey, or a swim at a Surrey aquatic centre. Check holiday hours first.
How far ahead should I order a Thanksgiving pie or cake?
Order at least one week ahead from a local baker, and two weeks ahead for anything custom-decorated. Home bakers in Surrey often stop taking orders several days before a long weekend.
Related guides
- Halloween & Fall Events for Kids in Surrey & Metro Vancouver (2026)
- Kids Halloween Party Ideas in Surrey, BC (2026)
- Family Farms Near Vancouver
- Fall Kids Activities in Surrey, BC
- Fall & Holiday Mini Photo Sessions in Surrey, BC
Last updated: September 25, 2026. Farm prices and hours can change; confirm with each farm before you go.
