Fort Langley Cranberry Festival 2017
byThe 22nd annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival returns October 7th, celebrating the harvest and history of the cranberry in the region.
Fort Langley Cranberry Festival
Where: Fort Langley Village (free) & Fort Langley Historic Site (free for Canada 150)
When: Saturday, October 7, 2017 from 10:00am to 4:00pm
Unique vendors, free entertainment, pancake breakfast, and family activities await everyone for what is always a great day in the centre of Fort Langley. Join over 60,000 other people from all over the region for this community celebration. This year there will be free shuttles running from Trinity Western University and Walnut Grove Secondary from 9:30am to 4:00pm so you don’t have to worry about parking!
Over at Fort Langley National Historic Site, enjoy free admission for Canada 150! Experience the popular cranberry stomp, and play a host of cranberry and farm related games. Don’t miss the wonderful cranberry-themed market in the village.
About BC Cranberries
I researched cranberries around the region for a piece I wrote for Tourism Vancouver a few years ago and found all kinds of interesting facts:
- The cranberry is one of only three commercially-grown fruits that are native to North America.
- Traditionally, cranberries were hot trading commodities at Fort Langley (aka the Birthplace of BC) as local First Nations used them for food, dyes, and medicine. They would trade cranberries for HBC blankets, beads, and other items. In fact in 1858, cranberries were actually worth more than salmon.
- Of all the cranberries harvested in Canada every year, about 60% are grown for Massachusetts-based Ocean Spray, to which most BC cranberry growers belong as a cooperative — as a result 90% of BC cranberries are shipped to the USA.
- Approximately 50% of BC’s crop is used to make sweetened dried cranberries, 40% is made into juice, 9% is sold whole frozen and 1% is sold fresh, according to the Government of BC.
- Read more »
Follow the Fort Langley BIA on Facebook for more information.
2 Comments — Comments Are Closed
We waited. And waited and waited for bus transportation from walnut grove secondary. With young kids – far too long a wait. We ended up leaving and saw TWO empty buses coming as we left. Maybe you could think about staggering the shuttles for pickup 15 or 20 minutes
I was at the Festival this year again and was impressed with all the Market products being sold. I sell the fruit cake that is highlighted above and have now for seven years in Western Canada. Doing Christmas Markets in Alberta. I would love to have my product in the 2018 Cranberry Festival. I was recommended by the lady that owns the Cranberry Store in Fort Langley. This cake has been sold since 1910. The only fruit cake featured at a worlds fair. It sells over 4 million pounds a year and has won awards for it’s quality. My daughter who loves in Langley (Walnut Grove) Introduced me to this festival a few years ago and now I wouldn’t miss it.
I would be happy to send samples and would like to get information on being a vendor for next year.
Thanks, Barry Lloyd, Innisfail, Alberta.