Candles, lights, and flowers placed next to each other among fallen leaves.

Honouring 20 years of All Souls at Mountain View Cemetery

October 16 2024 –

As the sun sets across Mountain View Cemetery on October 24, the first ceremonial candles will illuminate, marking the return of All Souls for its momentous 20th year.

From October 24 to November 1, All Souls at Mountain View Cemetery invites people of all ages to remember their ancestors, family and friends who have passed away. Participants can write messages, light candles and place personal memorials on shrines. All are welcome to attend, even if their loved ones are not buried at the cemetery. 

The shrines will be kept lit throughout the memorial period during which the cemetery’s contemplative atmosphere will be enhanced with ambient live music in the evenings and weekend afternoons. 

To mark the 20th anniversary milestone, 20 Years of All Souls, a retrospective slide show and discussion, featuring pictures and stories, will be presented on the evening of October 17 in the Celebration Hall. 

All Souls main activities for 2024

  • 20 Years of All Souls, Oct. 17: Gather at Celebration Hall at 7pm for a slide show and discussion featuring pictures, stories and learnings from the past 20 years.
  • Memorial Box Lantern Kits, Oct. 24 - Nov. 1: Kits will be available beginning October 17, outside the cemetery office, to take home and personalize, and can be placed on shrines October 24 onwards.
  • Opening Ceremony, Oct. 24: Enjoy the annual ceremonial fire and public shrine opening at 6pm (sundown).
  • Public Shrines, Oct 24. - Nov. 1: Light candles, write messages and leave personal memorials.
  • Red Dress Memorial, Oct. 26: Elder Kelly White and Strawberry Spirit Singers honour the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ Peoples from 1 – 4pm.
  • Chinese Funeral Practices, Oct. 27: Walter Qua shares traditional Chinese funeral practices. Come fold joss paper and make an offering from 1 – 4pm. 
  • Ceremony for our Ancestors, Oct. 26: Gather at the Swedish Fire at 6pm. Then enjoy tea, memorials and a reflective slide show at the Celebration Hall from 6:30 – 9pm. 
  • Closing Ceremony, Nov. 1: Join the annual walk to each of the shrines to close the event from 7 – 9pm. 

Follow @allsoulsmvc on Facebook  and Instagram  for spontaneous events and updates.

All Souls history

All Souls at Mountain View emerged out of a collaboration between artists Paula Jardine and Marina Szijarto, who came together in 2005 to find artistic ways to honour the dead and provide opportunities for people to share their traditions in a gentle and tranquil atmosphere.

Since then, All Souls at Mountain View Cemetery has been touched, changed and inspired by the many artists, community participants and members of the public who have shared their love and regard for their dead.

This year marks the final occasion in which founding artists Paula Jardine and Marina Szijarto will lead All Souls in its current format. The cemetery will be reviewing its protocols and approach to supporting sacred, artist-led events to ensure these traditions are maintained in a meaningful and sustainable way.

For more information about All Souls, visit nightforallsouls.com

Mountain View’s historic role in Vancouver

Mountain View Cemetery, located at Fraser Street and East 39th Avenue, opened in 1886 and is the only cemetery within Vancouver. Owned and operated by the City of Vancouver, the cemetery is an important civic space and provides interment options and event space.

The cemetery is an embodiment of Vancouver’s history, serving as the final resting place of almost 150,000 people, including several past mayors; veterans from World Wars; notable citizens such as Vancouver’s first lifeguard Joe Fortes and businessman and activist Yip Sang; and people of varied faiths, ethnicities, ages and contributions to Vancouver’s past, present and future.

For more information about Mountain View Cemetery, visit vancouver.ca/mountainview