Winter in Steveston Village with Gulf of Georgia Cannery

Sponsored by the Gulf of Georgia Cannery

The Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site in Steveston is ready for the holiday season with a mix of festive fun, engaging exhibitions, and special events with Mr and Mrs Claus.

Winter in Steveston Village with Gulf of Georgia Cannery

Key events in Steveston and at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery this winter include:

• ↓ November 29 to January 4 Festival of Trees
• ↓ December 6, 2025 Filipino Christmas Celebration
• ↓ December 7, 2025 Santa at the Cannery
• ↓ December 14, 2025 Dog Photos with Santa
• ↓ December 15, 2025 Canada Strong Pass, Free Admission Begins!
• December 24, 2025: Cannery closes at 2:00pm for Christmas Eve
• December 25-26 2025: Cannery Closed to Christmas Day/Boxing Day
• December 31, 2025: Cannery closes at 2:00pm for New Year’s Eve

Steveston Festival of Trees

The Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site in Partnership with Tourism Richmond present the Steveston Festival of Trees, on now until January 4, 2026. Open daily from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

As is tradition, the Cannery will hold a friendly community competition between local partners to win the top vote for favourite tree. Voting can be done onsite (and is included in the cost of admission) or on the Facebook page between November 29^th and December 31^st. The winners will be announced early January.

You can also join the Cannery throughout the month for a range of activities and performances that will celebrate the diverse stories and celebrations of Steveston and its communities.

Admission fees apply, before December 15th. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery is located 12138 Fourth Ave in Richmond. Adults $13.25, Seniors (65+) $11.25, Youth (17 and under), Society Members are free.

Filipino Christmas Celebration

• Date: Saturday, December 6, 2025 from 1:00pm to 3:30pm
• Admission: Included in your Cannery admission, free for Society Members
• Details: Presented by the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site in Partnership with Lee’s Donuts Steveston, enjoy this Filipino Christmas Celebration & Parol Workshop. Enjoy a dance performance from the Richmond-based Philippine Cultural Arts Society and learn how to make a traditional Christmas lantern, called a parol with Filipina artist Leann Juatco. 

Santa at the Cannery

• Date: Sunday, December 7, 2025 from 10:00am to 5:00pm (Santa photos from 2:00pm to 4:00pm)
• Admission: Admission to the Cannery and photos with Santa are free; however, photos with Santa require a ticket. Tickets will be available for pickup onsite starting at 10:30am day-of (Sunday, December 7th). Tickets are limited and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. No reservations or pre-booking available.
• Details: Presented by the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site in partnership with the Steveston Merchants Association, catch Santa and Mrs Claus as they arrive in Steveston! They’ll be setup in the Cannery’s Boiler House Theatre. Families partaking in photos with Santa will need to provide their own camera (or smartphone) to capture their memories. The Cannery will not be providing any professional photography services onsite at this time.

Dog Photos with Santa

• Date: Sunday, December 14, 2025 from 11:00am to 1:00pm
• Admission: Free! Held outside the Cannery.
• Details: Presented by the Steveston Merchants Association, Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be available for photos with your pet outside the Gulf of Georgia Cannery. Photos are first-come, first-served. No dogs allowed inside the Cannery. 

Canada Strong Pass – Free Admission

Due to the success of the Canada Strong Pass program this summer, the federal government is bringing it back during the winter. The Gulf of Georgia Cannery will be FREE to the public from Friday, December 12th, 2025, to Thursday, January 15th, 2026. 

What We Hold Pop-up Installation

• Dates: On display December 1 -31, 2025 between 10:00am and 5:00pm
• Admission: Included with Cannery admission
• Details: December’s What We Hold installation will feature objects that hold the stories of holiday traditions, memories, and experiences. The Cannery would like to hear from you! Do you have a favourite holiday decoration, memorable gift, or special object that holds a story about your holiday memories, traditions, or experiences? Submit a 100–150-word description of your object and the story, memory, or experience that it holds alongside a photo or photos of the object itself. Selected submissions will be displayed at the Cannery through the month of December. To submit your object and story, send an email to [email protected].

Shopping in the Cannery Gift Shop

Looking for stocking stuffers and unique local gifts? Try the Cannery Gift Shop! From giftware and clothing from Indigenous designers, to books on local history, toys and home decor with maritime designs. There are also canned wild salmon, wild tuna, and other seafood products by St. Jean’s Cannery (Nanaimo, BC) and The Fishery Seafoods Ltd. (Duncan, BC) as well as canned, sustainably farmed sturgeon produced by Northern Divine. Society members receive 20% off regular-priced merchandise, all year round.

Full details about the Steveston Festival of Trees is available online, and follow the Cannery on Facebook and Instagram for updates.