It’s time to escape the daily grind and enjoy a relaxing weekend.
From the Farewell to Summer Fireworks Festival to Light Up Chinatown!, here are 20 fun and exciting things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend.
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Things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend
Farewell to Summer Fireworks Festival
Hyack Festival Association
About: All good things must come to an end and that includes summer. To say goodbye to the season in style, the Hyack Festival Association is once again hosting the annual Farewell to Summer Fireworks Festival on Saturday, August 24th.
The free community event is being held at the New Westminster Quay with a full day’s worth of fun planned, including artisan market vendors and exhibitors, live entertainment, and plenty of fantastic food.
A spectacular 15 minute fireworks show beginning at 9pm will illuminate the New Westminster sky. The fireworks will be launched from a barge in the middle of the Fraser River.
Address: Westminster Quay – New Westminster
Date: August 24, 2024
Time: 3pm to 9:30pm
Admission: FREE
Cypress Mountain Eagle Coaster
About: Departing from the top of Black Mountain, this captivating ride spans over 1700 meters and boasts an impressive vertical drop of 279 meters. Brace yourself for a gravity-fuelled escapade that twists and turns, providing an adrenaline-pumping experience like no other.
Address: Cypress Mountain – 6000 Cypress Bowl Road, West Vancouver
Date: June 8 to September 2, 2024
Time: Various time slots
Cost: Various prices
Champions of Hope Live Music Fundraiser
About: Enjoy live music and raise funds for a great cause at the Champions of Hope Live Music Fundraiser this August.
Happening at The Beaumont Studios on Friday, August 23rd, attendees will get to enjoy unforgettable performances by Julian Lavoie, JARS, and Zoe Twist.
The best part? 25% of all ticket sales will be donated the Canadian Mental Health Association. The rest will be split amongst the bands.
Address: The Beaumont Studios – 316 W 5th Avenue, Vancouver
Date: August 23, 2024
Time: 7pm to 11pm
Cost: $20 online and $25 at the door
About: Pet-A-Palooza, aka Day of the Dog, is taking over Yaletown on Sunday, August 25th for another pawtastic party!
Described as the “social event of the year for dogs and their people,” the event features photo opportunities, lots of fun attractions, and more!
Address: Mainland Street, Vancouver
Date: August 25, 2024
Time: 11am to 4pm
Cost: FREE
PNE/Playland / Facebook
About: The PNE Fair returns this August, and they have a number of new exhibits and attractions you won’t want to miss out on! The PNE Fair opens for the 2024 season on Saturday, August 17th.
The 2024 PNE Fair features new exhibits and attractions as well as many of your favourite returning activities, including SuperDogs, Blue’s Dance Party, and of course, Playland rides.
Address: PNE Fairgrounds – 2901 E Hastings Street, Vancouver
Date: August 17 to September 2, 2024
Time: 11am to 11pm
Admission: $25 for adults ($20 advance), $16 for youth ($14 advance), $9 for children ($7 advance), children 3-years-old and younger get free admission
Vancouver Aquarium’s Monster of the Abyss
About: Discover Monsters of the Abyss, an all-new interactive exhibit where today’s most famous and feared aquatic predators clash with their prehistoric ancestors! Come face-to-face with some of the “monsters” still roaming today’s oceans, rivers, and lakes in new, extraordinary live habitats, and dare to get up close during daily expert-led Animal Talks.
Date: February 9 to September 2, 2024
Address: Vancouver Aquarium – 845 Avison Way, Vancouver
Cost: $39.95 – $53.95
About: The 4th annual Light Up Chinatown! festival is back this weekend with an exciting lineup of live performances, limited-edition food collaborations, hawker street food, lights and colourful lanterns!
Address: 500 block Columbia Street, Vancouver
Date: August 24 and 25, 2024
Time: 11am to 9pm (Saturday), 11am to 6pm (Sunday)
Cost: FREE
About: Founded in 2002, the popular night market attracts over a million visitors a year with its delicious lineup of international cuisine, entertainment, and more!
Address: 8351 River Road, Richmond
@richmondsunflowerfest / Instagram
About: Located at Richmond Country Farms, just East of highway 99, visitors will enjoy a walk-through experience that includes a magical 20-acre field of over 90 different types of Sunflowers, Dahlias, Gladiolas and Wild Flowers.
Address: Richmond Country Farms – 12900 Steveston Highway, Richmond
Date: Open beginning August 8, 2024
Time: 12pm to 7pm (weekdays), 10am to 7pm (weekends)
Admission: Various prices
About: Junction Public Market is downtown Vancouver’s newest shopping and entertainment destination. Junction Public Market is a unique marketplace created with customized shipping containers featuring rotating pop-ups, local artisans, food vendors, a bar and a live entertainment space.
Address: Granville Square – 200 Granville Street, Vancouver
Date: Tuesdays to Sundays beginning June 28
Time: 11am to 7pm
Admission: FREE
About: The Shipyards Night Market takes place every Friday from May 10th to September 13th, 2024. With a fun and vibrant atmosphere, attendees will come across a beer garden, food trucks, plenty of live performances, and an artisan market.
Date: May 10 to September 13, 2024
Address: The Shipyards – 125 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver
Cost: FREE entry
About: Big Splash Water Park in sunny Tsawwassen opens for the 2024 season on Saturday, June 29th! The water park features exhilarating rides like the Boomerango, a six-storey vertical drop, hot tubs and more!
Address: 4775 Nulelum Way, Tsawwassen
Date: June 29 to September 2, 2024
Time: 11am to 6pm
Admission: Starting at $31
Greendale Acres Farm
About: This year’s corn maze features a Luke Bryan-themed design in partnership with 93.7 JR Country. The design of the 10-acre field bears the name and likeness of the five-time CMA Entertainer of the Year and American Idol judge strumming a guitar along with a pair of cowboy boots.
The corn maze opens August 1st and new this year, the Chilliwack Corn Festival is happening on August 3rd and 4th. The 2-day festival includes seasonal corn on the cob, live music, kid-friendly activities, corn-shucking competitions, and much more!
Address: Greendale Acres – 41905 Yale Road W, Chilliwack
Date: August 1 to October 31, 2024
Time: Various times
Admission: Various prices
About: Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) interweaves a kaleidoscope of elements – setting, scenery, concessions, and quality art – into a fun, encompassing experience much greater than the sum of its parts. Their productions are delivered by over 200 volunteers drawn from the community, requiring a broad variety of skills from board members to ushers to technical crew to cast and musicians.
Address: Malkin Bowl – 610 Pipeline Road
Date: July 5 to Aug 25, 2024
Time: 8pm
Admission: Various prices
About: Experience high-quality performances in a stunning outdoor setting, offering a mix of classic and contemporary interpretations of Shakespeare’s works. This year’s lineup includes productions of “Twelfth Night,” “Hamlet,” “The Comedy of Errors,” and “Measure for Measure.”
Date: June 11 to September 21, 2024
Address: Vanier Park – 1695 Whyte Avenue, Vancouver
Time: Various times
Cost: Various prices
About: Summer Cinema, Burnaby’s FREE outdoor movie series, is returning this August with another exciting lineup of movies.
The first movie will be screened at Confederation Park on August 2 and the series continues at Civic Square each Friday evening in August.
Address: Civic Square – 6100 Willingdon Avenue, Burnaby
Date: Fridays from August 2 to 30, 2024
Time: 8:15pm
Admission: FREE
Photo: Downtown New Westminster
About: Summer calls for outdoor street parties and one of Metro Vancouver’s biggest celebrations returns this July. Fridays on Front, a series of weekly block parties located on Front Street Mews in Downtown New Westminster, is back starting Friday, July 12th.
The street parties run every Friday from July 12 to 26, and again from August 9 to 23. The festivities take place from 5pm to 9pm each evening.
Organizers are planning a bunch exciting themes like Bollywood, Retro, Pride, Latin, and Video Games night!
Address: Front Street Mews, New Westminster
Date: Fridays from July 12 to 26, and August 9 to 23
Time: 5pm to 9pm
Admission: FREE