Remembrance Day is on Tuesday, November 11^th, and with over 30 different memorial events throughout the Lower Mainland, there are quite a few to choose from. In these uncertain times of geopolitical strain, Lower Mainland residents will benefit from reflection on the universal devastation of war.

Burnaby

There will be parades in both North and South Burnaby. North Burnaby Remembrance Day parade will begin at the McGill Library at 10:00 am, after which there will be a ceremony at Confederation Park Cenotaph. The parade in South Burnaby usually begins at Legion #83 and will end with a service at the Cenotaph at Nelson Avenue & Jubilee Street.

New Westminster

The New Westminster Remembrance Day parade starts at the Royal Westminster Regiment Armouries and walks to the service, which will be at City Hall Cenotaph on Royal Avenue. There will be no public indoor ceremony in the Armouries this year, instead the outdoor service will begin at 10:25am and go until 12:30 pm, and have a wreath laying and two-minute moment of silence.

North Vancouver

The parade for North Vancouver’s Remembrance Day service will travel from the Armoury at Forbes Avenue & 15^th Street to the Victoria Park Cenotaph. The District of North Vancouver will also run a second, concurrent ceremony at Cates Park, in partnership with the Burrard Yacht Club. The second ceremony will allow spectators to gather not just on land, but from ships on the nearby sea as well.

Surrey

The city of Surrey offers multiple Remembrance Day ceremonies, at Legion branches in Whalley, Crescent Beach, Newton, Port Kells, and also at the Surrey Centre Cemetery. The largest, hosted by the Surrey Museum, will take place at the Cloverdale Cenotaph and the precession will begin at 10:00 am, followed by a service at 10:25 am. In past years, the Surrey Museum has opened to the public on Remembrance Day to allow spectators to further explore our history.

Vancouver

The three biggest Remembrance Day events in Vancouver will take place concurrently. The largest, the Victory Square Cenotaph ceremony, boasts as many as 15,000 attendees each year. The event starts at 10:00 am and will feature performances by the Vancouver Bach Choir. The Stanley Park ceremony will begin at the Japanese Canadian Cenotaph from 10:30 am until 11:30 am. You can also watch them online on the Nikkei Museum’s YouTube channel. UBC’s Remembrance Day event takes place in the War Memorial Gymnasium. Doors open at 10:00 am and the event starts at 10:45 am, and it will also be livestreamed.