It’s time to make your weekend plans, and we’ve got you covered!
From Light Up Chinatown! to the Richmond Sunflower Festival, here are 18 fun and exciting things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend.
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Things to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend
Richmond Sunflower Festival
About: The Richmond Sunflower Festival is back with over 20 sunflower varieties spread throughout several acres of farmland. Located at Richmond Country Farms, just East of highway 99, guests can see flowers that range from towering giants to ornamental favourites.
Visitors can take their time strolling through expansive walking paths designed for easy exploration and take advantage of charming photo spots throughout the fields.
Weekends feature live performances from local musicians, and their popular wagon rides are also back and run daily.
Date: Now open until mid-September
Location: Richmond Country Farms – 12900 Steveston Hwy, Richmond
Time: 12pm to 7pm (weekdays), 10am to 7pm (weekends)
Tickets: Weekdays: Children (3–12) & Seniors $12 + GST; General (13+) $14 + GST. Weekends & Holidays: Children (3–12) & Seniors $15 + GST; General (13+) $17 + GST.
About: The fifth annual Light Up Chinatown! festival is happening on Saturday, August 16th and Sunday, August 17th. The free, family-friendly event features live performances, a kids zone, limited-edition food collaborations, hawker street food, lights and colourful lanterns!
For this year’s event, seven of Vancouver’s renowned chefs have come together to craft street food dishes straight out of hawker stalls! The festival will also have limited-edition food creations like the Golden Rooster Croissant from Beaucoup Bakery and Chinatown BBQ.
Date: August 16 and 17, 2025
Location: 500 block of Columbia St, Vancouver
Time: 11am to 9pm (Saturday), 11am to 6pm (Sunday)
Admission: FREE
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. This year’s two productions being brought to life are Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Legally Blonde.
Date: June 27 to Aug 16, 2025
Location: Malkin Bowl – 610 Pipeline Road
Admission: Various prices
Survival of the Slowest at the Vancouver Aquarium
About: Survival of the Slowest is the Vancouver Aquarium’s newest exhibit, and families are invited to step into a world where being slow, small, or even weak can be a powerful survival strategy.
Explore all-new immersive habitats, learn hands-on with interactive experiences, and meet masters of mellow that thrive in ways that might surprise you.
Date: Open until September 1, 2025
Location: Vancouver Aquarium — 845 Avison Way, Vancouver
Tickets: Various prices
About: Junction Public Market has returned to downtown Vancouver! This 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.
Date: May 1 to September 28, 2025
Location: Granville Square – 200 Granville Street, Vancouver
Admission: FREE
Downtown Port Coquitlam Car Show
Downtown Port Coquitlam Car Show
About: Attention car enthusiasts! The annual Downtown Port Coquitlam Car Show is taking place this year on Saturday, August 16th and Sunday, August 17th. Over 400+ collectible cars of all makes and models will be showcased in all its glory.
On Saturday, the Car Cruise takes place from 6pm to 8pm. Vehicles will cruise through the community, as they get cheered on by residents. The next day, the Car Show takes centre stage. Over 400+ vehicles will be on display downtown Port Coquitlam.
Date: August 16 and 17, 2025
Address: Downtown Port Coquitlam
Admission: FREE entry
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 11th.
Date: Fridays from July 11 to 25, and August 8 to 22, 2025
Location: Front Street Mews, New Westminster
Time: 5pm to 9pm
Admission: FREE
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 Much Ado About Nothing, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, and The Dark Lady.
Date: June 10 to September 20, 2025
Location: Vanier Park – 1695 Whyte Avenue, Vancouver
Time: Various times
Cost: Various prices
About: See downtown Chilliwack come alive with public art, live performances, and community programming during the 10-day Chilliwack Mural Festival. The festival will also feature a street party on August 15 and 16 with a handful of musical performances across two stages.
Date: August 7 to 17, 2025
Location: Downtown Chilliwack
PNE
About: The PNE Fair returns this weekend, and they have a number of new exhibits and attractions you won’t want to miss out on! The 2025 PNE Fair features new exhibits and attractions as well as many of your favourite returning activities, including SuperDogs, The Flying Fools High Dive Show, and of course, Playland rides.
Date: August 16 to September 1, 2025
Location: PNE Fairgrounds – 2901 E Hastings Street, Vancouver
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
Summer Series at Mon Paris Pâtisserie
About: Talk about a sweet summer celebration. Chef/Owner Elena Krasnova invites guests to go on a delectable journey through France’s most iconic pastries with her new Summer Series. Running every Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 6pm, one classic French pastry will be available each weekend at both locations.
Date: Weekends throughout summer
Location: Burnaby (4396 Beresford St), Vancouver (1731 Manitoba St)
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-fueled escapade that twists and turns, providing an adrenaline-pumping experience like no other.
Location: Cypress Mountain – 6000 Cypress Bowl Road, West Vancouver
Time: Various time slots
Cost: Various prices
WNBA: Seattle Storm vs. Atlanta Dream
About: History will be made in Vancouver this week. The first WNBA regular season game takes place on Friday, August 15th between the Seattle Storm and Atlanta Dream at Rogers Arena.
Date: August 15, 2025
Location: Rogers Arena – 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver
Time: 7pm
Tickets: Various prices
Greendale Acres
About: This year’s corn maze features a brand-new bee theme, inviting guests to get lost in a buzz-worthy adventure through the fields!
About: The popular night market was founded in 2000, and attracts over a million visitors a year with its delicious lineup of international cuisine, entertainment, and more! The first night market was held at the Continental Centre on Cambie Road before becoming must-see attraction each year.
This year is extra special for the Richmond Night Market as its their 25th anniversary. To celebrate, night market visitors have the opportunity to take a ride on a 600-ft long zipline high above all the dazzling lights and energy of the market.
Date: April 25 to October 13, 2025
Location: 8351 River Road, Richmond
UBC Farm Saturday Farmers Market
About: Don’t miss the only multi-vendor farmers’ market in Vancouver located on a working farm! It’s our biggest weekly event on the Farm, bringing in dozens of vendors selling local fruits, vegetables, meats, baked goods, beverages, mushrooms, coffee and food trucks, alcohol, treats, crafts and prepared foods
Date: June 7 to November 29, 2025
Locatiom: 3461 Ross Drive, Vancouver
Time: 10am to 2pm
Admission: FREE
About: The Burnaby Farmers Market has returned for another fantastic season full of fresh produce, baked goods and savoury delights! Happening on Saturdays until October 18, attendees can enjoy art workshops, pet parades, kids crafts and more!
Date: Saturdays from May 10 to October 18, 2025
Location: Parking lot of Burnaby City Hall – 4949 Canada Way
Time: 9am to 2pm
Admission: FREE
Italian-inspired Summer Pasta Pop-Up
About: An Italian dining experience awaits you on the North Shore this August. Chef Rahul Negi serves up fresh, seasonal takes on Italian classics as part of their Italian-inspired Summer Pasta Pop-Up series. Available Fridays and Saturdays from 5pm to 9pm, guests can enjoy dishes like Rigatoni alla Bolognese, Gnocchi Romesco, Seafood Risotto, and Grilled Peaches & Prosciutto.
The pop-up also features low-alcohol and zero-proof wines from local purveyor Sansorium, with a growing wine list throughout the summer.
Date: Fridays and Saturdays throughout summer
Location: Loam Bistro – 230 Esplanade W, North Vancouver
Time: 5pm to 9pm
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