The sequoia that anchors Langford Light Up every December used to stand on land that belonged to the Masonic lodge next door. That land is now part of the park. In 2022 the City of Langford bought about 1.35 acres from the West Shore Masonic Lodge at 679 Goldstream Ave, 2815 Aldwynd Road and 678/680 Fairway Avenue. The City says the purchased land "remains the home to the beloved sequoia tree which serves as the primary focus of the annual Langford Light Up Celebration."

Veterans Memorial Park reopened on September 24 and has nearly doubled in size. Its first big gatherings in the new layout come this November and December, and the extra parking the City promised has no opening date yet. That gap shapes how this winter works downtown. For the next couple of months, the park works best as a place you walk to, connected to Station Avenue.

What the extra 1.35 acres added

CHEK News reported that the park grew from 1.75 acres to 3.1 acres. The site has been a memorial since it opened on September 19, 2001. The new ground sits between Goldstream Avenue, Aldwynd Road and Fairway Avenue. According to the City's reopening release, here is what that space now holds:

• A bandshell and performance lawn. The bandshell was purpose-built from B.C. mass timber by Kinsol Timber Systems Ltd.
• Looped pathways through the expanded grounds.
• Accessible picnic areas and new street furniture.
• Enhanced washroom facilities. These came straight out of the community engagement the City ran in August 2025, where washrooms, performance space and open areas to relax were the priorities people raised.
• A Veterans Crosswalk on Fairway Avenue, installed in-kind by Victoria Contracting and Municipal Maintenance Company. It uses the same design as the crosswalk in Sooke, shared with permission from Royal Canadian Legion Branch 54 and the District of Sooke.
• Mature Garry oak and Douglas fir trees, kept in place as part of the build.

The City says the whole expansion was paid for through Parkland Acquisition and Improvement Development Cost Charges, at no cost to the taxpayer. Mayor Scott Goodmanson told CHEK News the expanded space brings "an opportunity for residents to gather, celebrate, and enjoy the outdoors right in their backyard."

The piece that isn't finished

The City's release lists "upcoming increased parking" among the park's features. In 2026 the City found a new home for the West Shore Chamber of Commerce to make room for that parking. The Goldstream News Gazette reported that the chamber was expected to move into a ground-floor office at Langford City Hall on October 1, after which the former chamber building would be removed and the area used for park parking. CHEK News reported that there is no timeline yet for when the expanded lot will open.

So the park now has nearly twice the room for people and no new parking open yet. The City says the expansion was meant to give events like Langford Light Up, Remembrance Day, Music in the Park and the Goldstream Farmers Market more space. Remembrance Day is weeks away, and Light Up has been held in early December in past years.

The farmers market won't be one of them. For its 2026 season, the Goldstream Farmers Market moved to Danbrook Park at 744 Danbrook Ave "to accommodate ongoing renovations at Veterans Memorial Park." It ran Saturdays from May 2 to October 10, and the City expects it to return to Veterans Memorial Park in 2027. That leaves November 11 and the December Light Up as the park's first big public tests since it reopened.

November 11 in the new layout

The City hasn't published a 2026 schedule for the Remembrance Day ceremony yet, so watch langford.ca for the details. Past years give a good idea of the format. In 2025, Capital Daily listed Langford Legion #91's parade leaving the Legion Hall at 9 a.m. It headed to the ceremony in Veterans Memorial Park and returned to the Legion after the service.

In 2024, the City's traffic advisory said parade traffic would be stopped on Veterans Memorial Parkway, Station Avenue and Goldstream Avenue from 9 a.m. to noon, with RCMP directing traffic. That was the 2024 plan, not this year's. But it shows how much of the downtown grid the morning has used in the past, and the new lot has no opening date to take the extra cars. This year November 11 falls on a Wednesday.

The Legion's connection to this park runs deep. At the reopening, Norm Scott, President of Royal Canadian Legion Branch 91, said in the City's release:

"Spaces like Veterans Memorial Park continue the legacy of our veterans and help us honour those who have served our country."

The new crosswalk on Fairway Avenue will see its first Remembrance Day this year too.

Station Avenue is the other half of the walk

If you're walking in, the two ends of the route are the park and Station Avenue. The Langford Station Arts & Cultural District at 720 Station Ave is one of the two locations the City used for the 2025 Light Up. The City's Langford Station directory lists these studios and makers:

• Serenita Candle Company
• The Hermits Path
• The Papery
• Way Cool Goods
• Hann Made
• Hopkinson Art
• Island Elixir Tea Company
• Knotty Soul Studio
• Salty Sailor & Mermaid

The same directory lists the food trucks at the site: MorningStar Coffee, Give Pizza Chance, The Hot Dog Guys and Macondo. They are vendors rather than permanent storefronts, so check the City page for their hours before you go.

Langford Legion 91 is on the same street at 761 Station Ave, and its fall calendar is full. Its holiday craft fairs fill two Sundays in November, a Holiday Gift Galore Craft Fair on November 1 and the Ladies Auxiliary Christmas Craft Fair on November 15. That gives a holiday shopper an easy loop: makers' studios at the Langford Station, a craft fair at the Legion, then a lap of the new paths at the park.

December and the sequoia

The 2026 date for Langford Light Up hasn't been announced. The City's Winter Festival page still shows last year's program, and it is worth knowing because it shows how the event has used both ends of the route. On December 6, 2025, Light Up ran from 3 to 8 p.m. at the Langford Station and Veterans Memorial Park. The Langford Carousel ran at the park, Santa arrived on a fire truck at 5:15 p.m., and the tree lighting started at 7:15 p.m. The IEOA Truck Parade came through Langford around 7:30 p.m.

That 7:15 tree lighting was the sequoia's moment, back when the tree still stood on Masonic land just beside the park. If Light Up follows its usual pattern this year, it will be the first time the tree is lit inside park boundaries, with the new performance lawn and bandshell part of the same park. Last year's program also asked people to bring a non-perishable food item for the Goldstream Food Bank.

Dated events between now and Christmas

These events near downtown have confirmed 2026 dates:

1. PumpkinFest, last weekend. The event runs October weekends from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Lohbrunner Community Farm Co-op, 1152 Lippincott Rd. It ends October 31, and admission is free. Event listing.
2. Treat Street, Saturday, October 31, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Luxton Fairgrounds, 1040 Marwood Ave. Langford Fire Rescue describes it as a free family event. Event listing.
3. Emporia's 2nd Annual Halloween Costume Party, October 31 to November 1, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at 737 Goldstream Ave. Event listing.
4. Holiday Gift Galore Craft Fair, Sunday, November 1, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Langford Legion 91. Legion listing.
5. The Comedy Misfits, Saturday, November 14, 7:30 to 11:30 p.m., Langford Legion 91. Legion listing.
6. Ladies Auxiliary Christmas Craft Fair, Sunday, November 15, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Langford Legion 91.
7. Big Christmas Meat Draw, Saturday, December 12, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Langford Legion 91. Legion listing.
8. Christmas Sing Along, Thursday, December 24, 4 to 6 p.m., Langford Legion 91. Legion site.

Remembrance Day on November 11 and this year's Light Up will join this list once the City posts their 2026 details. When it does, watch the advisories for any road closures around Goldstream Avenue and Station Avenue. Until the new lot opens, those closures will have more effect on parking downtown.

A home within walking distance of a gathering place like this one is part of what you're buying in downtown Langford. If you'd like to know how that plays out on your own street, Amanda Young can walk you through it. Let's talk about your next move — get a free home valuation or personalized market consult.