There’s something about the smell of crisp apples, warm cider, and fallen leaves that signals autumn in Vancouver, and nowhere captures that feeling quite like UBC Botanical Garden Apple Festival.
🍏 Apple Lovers, This Is Your Weekend
The Apple Sales area will feature over 50 varieties of locally grown apples and 50+ types of apple trees for sale, perfect for those looking to bring a taste of the festival home.
This year’s Tasting Tent tickets are selling out fast (a record!). If you’ve already secured yours, get ready to sample more than 50 unique apple varieties and discover your new fall favourite. For everyone else, hurry and get your tickets here! We can’t wait to see you there.
🍎 New This Year: Apple Cider Garden
We’re thrilled to introduce a brand-new addition for 2025, the Apple Cider Garden, located at the Pavilion. It offers adults their own cozy space to relax and unwind with a glass (or two) of BC’s finest craft cider.
Featured Ciders from Sea Cider
Sea Cider, an award-winning farm-based cidery from Vancouver Island’s Saanich Peninsula, has been crafting organic, small-batch ciders since 2007. They’re bringing a beautiful lineup to the Apple Festival, from the oak-aged Witch’s Broom (think apple pie in a glass) to the cranberry-infused Sassamanash, and floral blends like Ava with apricot and elderflower tea. There will also be non-alcoholic sparkling ciders, so everyone can raise a glass.
🍽️ Come Hungry
The festival grounds will be filled with food vendors serving everything from apple pies to a hearty bowl of hot ramen. The smell alone will make you want to try everything.
You can browse the full list of vendors here.
🎶 Music, Families, and That Famous Leaf Pile
If you’ve ever been to Apple Fest, you know the atmosphere is part of what makes it so memorable. Local musicians will be performing throughout the weekend, a mix of folk, pop, and acoustic sounds that pair perfectly with a cup of cider in hand. You can check out the full music lineup here.
Families will love the Children’s Area, which is always buzzing with laughter and energy. There’ll be crafts, games, and of course, the famous leaf pile, a festival favourite that’s as photogenic as it is fun. A member of the garden staff, Lauren Kufske, described it as:Â
“Something I love about Apple Fest is seeing the community come together rain or shine! My favourite activity is being apart of the Children’s Area and getting the chance to make learning about apples and other plants fun.”
🍳 How’d You Like Them Apples?
This year, we’re excited to showcase another delicious partnership with UBC Food Services through a series of live cooking demonstrations at Taylor Plaza.
Throughout the weekend, professional UBC chefs will take the stage to create apple-inspired dishes, showing just how versatile this humble fruit can be. Each demo will highlight creative ways to bring the flavours of fall into your own kitchen.
🌿 Â Sustainability at Heart
UBC Botanical Garden continues to lead by example in sustainability. As part of our zero-waste movement, no bottled water will be sold on-site. Instead, visitors are encouraged to bring their own reusable containers, with water refill stations available throughout the Garden.
☀️ Plan Your Visit
- Dates: October 18 & 19, 2025
- Hours: 11 AM – 4 PM
- Location: UBC Botanical Garden
- Tickets: Available online
Join us for two days of fun, music, good food, and great company. Discover why UBC Botanical Garden Apple Festival continues to be one of the most anticipated fall events in Vancouver.
For more details and tickets, visit UBC Botanical Garden’s Apple Festival page.
Written by:Â
Michelle Jane
Marketing & Communications Assistant, Worklearn
UBC Botanical GardenÂ