Richmond's Free Halloween Fireworks Turn 40

Know what kind of night this is

This is an all-ages city festival, not a cocktail party. The city plans to hand out more than 10,000 pieces of candy to trick-or-treaters, and the carnival games pay out in chocolate bars. Go in expecting families, strollers and a lot of tiny astronauts, and the night works. What you get as a couple is a free outdoor show, a warm drink from a food truck and a fireworks finale you would normally pay for.

The costume contest wants alien, astronaut or space-inspired looks, and the prize is a full-sized chocolate bar plus bragging rights. A matching pair of astronauts takes about ten minutes to assemble from things already in your closet, which is about the right effort level for a free date.

When to arrive

The stage opens at 6:35pm. The city's programme lists a fire show from 6:40 to 7pm, the ShowStoppers music group from 7:05 to 7:35pm, the costume contest from 7:40 to 8pm, a second fire show from 8:05 to 8:30pm, acrobats from 8:35 to 8:50pm and the fireworks finale at 9pm. If you only want the grown-up highlights, arrive around 8pm, catch the second fire show and the acrobats, and claim a spot for the fireworks.

Food trucks on site are selling Greek food, teriyaki bowls, burgers, tornado potatoes, churros and warm drinks, so dinner can happen standing up between acts. The city asks people to leave pets at home, since the fireworks can frighten them.

How we would plan the night

Minoru Park is a short walk from Richmond-Brighouse station on the Canada Line, which beats hunting for parking with every family in the city centre. If you would rather sit down to eat, book ahead on a Saturday night: dim sum at Kirin on Westminster Highway works before the show, and Yokai's sake and small plates near No. 3 and Cook Road make a cozy stop once the smoke clears. Bring a layer; you will be standing outside for most of the evening.