About Vancouver
Located in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, Vancouver is an amazing city that offers numerous attractions to visitors and locals alike. With its stunning waterfront views and vibrant cultural life, no wonder it has grown exponentially from a small sawmill town of the 1900s to one of the most livable cities in the world today.
In addition to being a world-class city renowned for its outdoor pursuits and high quality of life, Vancouver is also becoming increasingly popular for hosting parties and special events. Venues include picturesque farms surrounded by rolling fields and lush forests, historic barns with exceptional character, and vineyards with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains.
Many of these farm venues offer spectacular outdoor spaces, rustic charm, and open fields perfect for live music shows or food trucks, making them ideal spots to throw parties while still respecting social distancing guidelines. Whether you have an outdoor barbecue or a cozy indoor gathering, these venues provide a unique backdrop for any occasion. There are even modern event spaces in Vancouver if an urban setting is more suitable—whatever you choose, there are bountiful options here when planning a unique celebration!
Farm Party Options in Vancouver
- Food and Drinks
One of the options for food and drink at a farm party in Vancouver could be a catered BBQ featuring local, organic ingredients. Guests could enjoy a selection of burgers, sausages, salads, sandwiches, and various sides. For drinks, there could be an open bar with local craft beers, wines from the Okanagan Valley wine region, as well as homemade lemonade or freshly-pressed juice from local organic farms.
- Decorations
To create a festive atmosphere for the party, decorations can include items like hay bales for seating, wildflowers in mason jars hung from trees or poles for an outdoor setting, and small birdhouses filled with wildflowers to hang around the area or set up on tables. Other decorative features can include hand-painted signs with messages about the event or place settings made from natural materials like birch bark plates.
- Entertainment
For entertainment, at a farm party in Vancouver, there are plenty of possibilities! Live music is always popular—you can hire local artists to perform traditional folk songs or classic country tunes. Other activities that fit in with the theme are scavenger hunts around the farm looking for various items such as eggs or vegetables. These activities will help keep everyone entertained throughout the day!
Farm Party Vendors in Vancouver
- Whiskey Six BBQ
Whiskey Six BBQ is a unique caterer that specializes in organic, locally sourced barbecue and brown liquor. It offers traditional and creative dishes crafted with ingredients from local suppliers, as well as customizable options to meet your budget and dietary restrictions. Its name pays homage to the 1920s rum-running McLaughlin H44 Buick, "The Whiskey Six," symbolizing its dedication to bringing an interesting twist to West Coast BBQ. To honor this history further, Whiskey Six BBQ features an array of superb brown liquors—including those from local Vancouver distilleries—as well as select whiskies and craft beers from around the world. With Whiskey Six BBQ's quality products and customization options, you will have a truly memorable event.
- DJ SamFX
DJ SamFX is one of Vancouver's premier event DJs, offering over six years of experience and a comprehensive music collection. With top-of-the-line DJ gear, sound systems, and lighting, as well as a robust library of over 30,000 songs across genres, there's no music request too large or too small that SamFX can't handle. On top of that, he always arrives on time with all the necessary equipment to adhere to your strict timeline. With such impeccable skill and customer service in mind, it's no surprise that SamFX is the number one choice for any kind of event in Vancouver.
- Flower Factory
The Flower Factory has been the premier florist shop in Vancouver for the past 22 years. With expertise in modern floral design, botanical garden styles, and original arrangements, its team creates stunning pieces for everyday occasions, memorable events, and unforgettable weddings. Its experienced florists take immense pride in crafting exquisite bouquets and vase arrangements to ensure that every moment is celebrated with elegance and style. The shop strives to make each occasion special by also offering a wide selection of giftware, handmade candles, and small-batch bath products that transform an ordinary space into something extra special.
Pros and Cons of Farm Parties in Vancouver
Organizing parties at farms in Vancouver can provide a unique, rustic atmosphere and can be a great way to throw an unforgettable gathering. However, it is important to consider the pros and cons before deciding if a farm party is the right choice for your event.
Advantages
- Farm venues provide an atmosphere that is hard to replicate indoors, with wide-open spaces perfect for outdoor events, exposed beams or barns for decoration, and plenty of natural beauty.
- Farms often have lots of activities for guests to enjoy, such as hay rides, fishing ponds, petting zoos, and more. This makes them great venues for family-friendly events.
- Hosting an event outdoors on a farm is a more sustainable option than hosting it at an indoor venue like a hotel or banquet hall. The natural environment provides the perfect backdrop for a memorable day without wasting resources.
Disadvantages
- One of the biggest drawbacks of holding an event on a farm is that it is highly dependent on the weather conditions. In case of rain or other poor weather conditions, you may need to move your festivities indoors or postpone them altogether.
- Depending on the size of your group, finding accommodations may prove difficult as not all farms have onsite lodging options available.
- If your guests aren’t familiar with rural settings, they could feel out of their comfort zone while navigating unfamiliar terrain or struggling with poor road conditions leading up to the location.
Tips on How to Organize Farm Parties in Vancouver
Organizing a party in a farm venue in Vancouver can be an exciting and unique experience. Whether you're planning a birthday party or corporate event, here are some helpful tips to ensure that your farm-themed gathering is special and successful.
- Pre-planning: This is the most important step when it comes to organizing any type of event. Start by determining the party type, budget, guest list size, and other necessary details. Once these basics are settled upon, you can begin searching for a suitable venue. Consider what kind of activities may be offered at each potential location, as well as whether or not they have indoor and outdoor space available for guests to enjoy.
- Invitations: Send out invitations as soon as possible so that guests have plenty of time to plan accordingly. Incorporate a barnyard-themed design along with all of the pertinent details such as date, time, and dress code (if applicable).
- Food and Beverages: Decide whether you'd like to serve an entire meal or just hors d'oeuvres and desserts; depending on budget and venue size, this can vary greatly. Include elements like BBQ skewers cooked over an open fire pit—something you won't see at many other parties! If alcohol will be served, then make sure to obtain provincial liquor licenses ahead of time.
- Entertainment: Live music is always a great way to set the tone for your celebration. Consider hiring local country bands or even live comedians who specialize in rural humor! Guests could also try their hand at activities like cornhole or horseshoes for an exciting competition.
- Decoration and Lighting: Create a rustic atmosphere with decorations like vintage bird cages hung from tree branches, mason jars filled with wildflowers placed around tables, hay bales used both inside and outside the venue for seating purposes, and antique lanterns strung up throughout the area for lighting once darkness falls.
- Transportation/Parking: If your party is located away from downtown Vancouver, then it's likely that some guests will need transportation assistance upon arrival. Arrange for shuttles if needed—this way, nobody has to worry about parking their car overnight at the venue.
Famous Locations in Vancouver
- VanDusen Botanical Garden
VanDusen Botanical Garden is the perfect place for an afternoon stroll. In the heart of Vancouver, the Garden is a peaceful haven made up of winding paths and lily pad-covered ponds. When fall arrives, it's a kaleidoscope of colors with asters, hydrangeas, heather, and more in bloom set against brilliant reds and oranges from the leaves on the trees. VanDusen also offers great adult education courses along with art exhibits and fun seasonal events on top of its regular attractions, making it one of the best spots in town to explore any time of year!
- Dude Chilling Park
If you find yourself strolling peacefully through Vancouver's Mount Pleasant neighborhood, be sure to pay a visit to the much-loved Dude Chilling Park. The park got its unusual name back in 2012 when local artist Viktor Briestensky created and installed a park sign declaring it as such, sparking off a campaign that made it official two years later. A nod to the Reclining Figure sculpture, which was erected back in 1991 and became known affectionately as the 'chill dude,’ all of this has resulted in a lovely little green paradise being enjoyed by all generations of area locals.
- English Bay Beach
No visit to Vancouver is complete without spending some time at English Bay Beach. Located in the West End, it offers all of the comforts of city living that you could want. With gorgeous sandy beaches and plenty of people soaking up the sun, you could easily spend a lazy afternoon here. It's one of the top spots to take a dip too, with plenty of room for swimmers and gentle, lapping waves. If you're around in the summertime, there's no better way to hit up English Bay than by visiting during the Celebration of Light fireworks show. Join thousands of locals atop the beach as they enjoy an amazing display above them—it is special!