UBC Botanical Garden Apple Festival

About this event

Apple Festival, 11:00–16:00. From October 1, online admission is $15 for ages 8–64, $14 for 65+; ages 0–7 need a free ticket. On-site prices are $18/$17. Apple tasting requires a separate $12 timed ticket. Check ticket availability.

The 35th annual family festival is organized by Friends of the Garden as a fundraiser for UBC Botanical Garden’s education, research and conservation. Explore rare apple varieties, a display of over 100 apples, crabapples and unusual fruits, pest and disease information from Master Gardeners, and identification of homegrown apples by BC Fruit Testers Association experts. More than 50 varieties of mostly one-year apple-tree whips (60–120 cm) are offered for sale. Food vendors include apple dishes, coffee, chocolate, grilled cheese, hot dogs, potato snacks and popcorn. The 2026 entertainment schedule and zero-waste details are still to be announced.

The festival runs October 17 and 18, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., at 6804 SW Marine Drive; this record is for October 17. Admission is required even to enter the apple-buying area. Children under 13 must be accompanied by a guardian over 18. Every child aged 0–7 requires a free admission ticket; children 8+ need regular admission and an optional Tasting Tent ticket. The Tasting Tent costs $12 for ages 8+, with a $0 booking for ages 0–7.

The latest general admission slot is 2 p.m., but arriving later with your ticket is allowed; the grounds close at 4 p.m. Tasting Tent time slots must be respected, with slots up to 3:30 p.m. If your ticket combination is sold out, try another entry/tasting combination; an unavailable combination may mean it does not exist. Additional Tasting Tent tickets can only be booked after buying festival admission: log into your UBC Tickets account on the Tasting Tent page. If sold out, check again on the festival day for released tickets.

The festival runs rain or shine, including heavy rain; dress accordingly. Pets are not permitted; service animals are welcome. As a volunteer-run fundraiser, tickets cannot be refunded or exchanged for another day. If the festival is cancelled, ticket holders are notified by email and receive a full refund to the original payment card; UBC Tickets follows up if payment processing fails.

Festival questions: garden.admissions@ubc.ca or 604-690-3895, business hours 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Ticket questions: chan.tickets@ubc.ca or 604-822-2697, Tuesday–Friday 10 a.m.–2 p.m.; replies within two business days. Volunteer roles support apples, trees, cider, pies, displays and the Tasting Tent; sign up through the official page.