At last it’s summer. A time to enjoy the longer days out on a patio, at the beach, or taking part in some of your most favourite summer events. From fireworks to street parties, here is our list of 40+ Metro Vancouver events you need to check out this summer.
Metro Vancouver events to check out this Summer
Photo credit: Shipyards Night Market
About: The Shipyards Night Market takes place every Friday from May 12 to September 15th, 2023. Attendees will come across a beer garden, food trucks, plenty of live performances, and an artisan market.
Address: The Shipyards – 125 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver
Date: May 12 – Sep 15, 2023
Time: 3pm to 10pm
Admission: FREE
Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival
About: The 2023 Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival is gearing up to welcome 100,000 visitors and racers to celebrate its 35th anniversary on June 24 and 25 at Concord Pacific Place, Creekside Park, and False Creek.
Music performances by a 100% local lineup on the TD Main Stage, cultural exhibitions, an expanded food truck and craft market lineup, and 35th anniversary surprises will add to the excitement at the continent’s flagship dragon boat festival.
Address: Concord Pacific Place 88 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver
Date: June 24 – 25, 2023
Time: 8am to 6pm
Admission: FREE
About: The annual community street festival spans multiple blocks throughout Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood in the heart of Vancouver’s Greektown.
Organized by the Hellenic Canadian Congress of BC, the event attracts over 100,000 people every year, making it a cant-miss summer event.
Address: MacDonald to Blenheim Street
Date: June 25, 2023
Time: 11am to 9pm
Admission: FREE
Paint N’ Puff – Bob Marley Tribute
About: This 19+ is hosted by by Art by Nishita and THC and organizers welcome everyone to be a part of a “groovy evening of art, music and cannabis celebration”. Throughout the event, a complimentary cannabis buffet featuring an assortment of premium cannabis strains will be offered.
Address: New Amsterdam Cafe – 301 West Hastings Street, Vancouver
Date: June 29, 2023
Time: 6pm to 10pm
Admission: $80
About: Taking place on Canada Day this July, the festival will include the return of the popular Canada Day parade! The event attracts about 80,000 every year right in the heart of Steveston. One of the highlights of the festival is of course the salmon bake. Over 1,200 pounds of salmon get grilled over large fire pits. Salmon is sold by the plate and more details will be revealed at a later date.
Address: Steveston Village, Richmond
Date: July 1, 2023
Time: 8am to 10:30pm
Admission: FREE
Photo: Surrey Canada Day
About: Western Canada’s largest Canada Day event is returning to Surrey this July 1st. This free, family-friendly event includes a diverse lineup of performers, live entertainment, amusement rides, food trucks, and to cap off the day, a dazzling fireworks display at 10:15pm.
Address: Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre – 17728 64 Ave, Surrey
Date: July 1, 2023
Time: 10am to 10:30pm
Admission: FREE
Canada Together at Canada Place
About: 2023 marks the 37th annual event at Canada Place at the Port of Vancouver, which has historically been the largest Canada Day celebration outside Ottawa. Once again, the theme of the event will be “Weaving together the fabric of a nation,” which honours Canada’s diversity and marks the day as one for gathering, celebrating, learning and sharing. Weaving is a common activity across many cultures and is a metaphor for the way the beauty, strength, and wisdom from the past can combine through multiple perspectives to create something meaningful for today and tomorrow.
Address: The outdoor spaces at Canada Place, Jack Poole Plaza, and surrounding city streets
Date: July 1, 2023
Time: 11am to 6pm
Admission: FREE
About: Canada Day in Coquitlam has an exciting lineup of performances, kids activities, and plenty of delicious foods! The event will be capped off with a spectacular fireworks show at 10pm
Address: Town Centre Park – 1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam
Date: July 1, 2023
Time: 12pm to 10:30pm
Admission: FREE
About: The community celebration begins with a parade along South Fraser Way, a festival at Abbotsford Exhibition Park with family friendly activities, entertainment, multi-cultural themed food trucks, marketplace and ends with a light show finale!
Address: Various locations around Abbotsford
Date: July 1, 2023
Time: 8am to 10pm
Admission: FREE
About: North Vancouver’s biggest Canada Day celebration will have live music, a beer garden, face painting, and an all-ages splash park. Food trucks will be on site the whole day for when you work up an appetite.
Address: The Shipyards, 125 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver
Date: July 1, 2023
Time: 12pm to 10pm
Admission: FREE
Photo: Outdoor Movies BC
About: The movie lineup for Evo Summer Cinema Series has been announced and you can even help choose one of the movies that will play! Every Tuesday from July 4th to August 22nd, head down to the Grand Lawn at Ceperley Meadows near Second Beach to enjoy watching your favourite films on a massive 40 ft. screen under the stunning night sky.
Address: Ceperley Meadows near Second Beach – 8502 Stanley Park Drive, Vancouver
Date: Jul 4 – Aug 22, 2023
Time: Beginning at sunset
Admission: FREE
About: The 3-day festival celebrates Latin American cultures and guests can expect plenty of entertainment, food, a beer garden, dance performances, and much more! The Opening Night Beer Garden is a 19+ event and La Taqueria Pinche Taco Shop will be onsite serving delicious food to keep you going. Latincouver will have a booth serving churros.
Address: David Lam Park, 1300 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver
Date: July 7 – 09 2023
Admission: Various prices
Snoop Dogg Wiz Khalifa High School Reunion Tour
About: Produced by Live Nation, the massive 33-city tour kicks off right here in Vancouver on Friday, July 7th. Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa will joined by Wiz Khalifa, Too $hort, Warren G, Berner and special guest DJ Drama on this tour.
Address: Rogers Arena – 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver
Date: July 7, 2023
Time: 6pm
Admission: Various prices
About: Taking place at the Richmond Olympic Oval on Saturday, July 8th, Luxury & Supercar will showcase a collection of over 70+ luxury, exotic, electric, and supercar vehicles.
This will be the first time the event is being held in Richmond, which has historically been held at VanDusen Botanical Garden.
Address: Richmond Olympic Oval Riverside Plaza – 6111 River Road, Richmond
Date: July 8, 2023
Time: 11am to 5pm
Admission: Starting at $29
Photo: BC Halal Food Fest
About: After a successful inaugural event last year that drew over 20,000+ attendees, BC Halal Food Fest is coming back to Surrey this summer for a massive 2-day community celebration.
This year’s event will be held at at Holland Park on Saturday, July 8 and Sunday, July 9, 2023. BC Halal Food Fest 2023 will be “placing a spotlight on the diversity of Halal Food and cuisines from all around the world”. Food from Afghanistan, Nigeria, Mexico, France, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, India, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and more will all be spotlighted.
Address: Holland Park – 13428 Old Yale Rd, Surrey
Date: July 8 – 9, 2023
Time: 12pm to 9pm
Admission: FREE
About: Fridays on Front, a series of weekly block parties located on Front Street Mews in Downtown New Westminster, is back with an exciting lineup of performances, activities, and of course, delicious food.
Address: Front Street Mews, New Westminster
Date: July 7 2023 – Aug 25, 2023
Time: 5pm to 9pm
Admission: FREE
Sunday Afternoon Salsa at Robson Square
About: Presented by Dancey Events and Baza Dance Studios, lessons take place every Sunday afternoon from 3pm to 7pm beginning July 16 and concluding August 20th.
Address: Robson Square – 800 Robson Street, Vancouver
Date: July 16 – Aug 20, 2023
Time: 3pm to 7pm
Admission: FREE
About: Smith’s achievements include four Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards, three Billboard Music Awards, and an American Music Award, as well as a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. Canadian singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez, who is featured on Sam Smith’s new album, GLORIA, will also join the tour.
Address: Rogers Arena – 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver
Date: Aug 22, 2023
Time: 8pm
Admission: Various prices
About: This is Drake’s first tour in five years. Back in 2018, he headlined the Aubrey & the Three Migos tour. Drake’s new North American tour has two Canadian stops. Drake and 21 Savage will be in Montreal at the Bell Centre on Friday, July 14th, and then they’ll hit the stage at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on Monday, August 28th.
Address: Rogers Arena – 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver
Date: Aug 28, 2023
Time: 7pm
Admission: Various prices
Photo: 50 Cent
About: Fans can expect 50 Cent to perform dozens of fan-favourite and chart-topping hits along with select tracks that have not been performed live in decades.
50 Cent has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and won several awards, including a Grammy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, thirteen Billboard Music Awards, six World Music Awards, three American Music Awards and four BET Awards.
Address: Rogers Arena – 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver
Date: Sep 8, 2023
Time: 7pm
Admission: Various prices
Summer Movie Nights on the Square
About: The movies will play every Thursday from July 6th to August 17th and is organized by the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA). The movie lineup includes Twilight, The LEGO Movie, and more.
Address: šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square – 850 W Georgia Street, Vancouver
Date: July 7 – Aug 18, 2023
Time: Sunset
Admission: FREE
About: Originally named the “Symphony of Fire”, the Honda Celebration of Light is recognized as the longest-running offshore fireworks competition in the world. This year’s participating countries are Australia (July 22), Mexico (July 26), and The Philippines (July 29)
Address: English Bay, Vancouver
Date: July 22, July 26, and July 29
Time: 10pm
About: The Vancouver Retro Gaming Expo celebrates everything about gaming with entertainment old school arcade games. and much more.
Address: Anvil Centre – 777 Columbia Street, New Westminster
Date: June 24, 2023
Time: 11am to 7pm
Admission: $25
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.
Address: Cypress Mountain – 6000 Cypress Bowl Road, West Vancouver
Date: Open from June 16
Time: Various time slots
Cost: Various prices
Photo: PNE/Playland
About: PNE Fair guests will enjoy sensational performances this year featuring some of music history’s biggest names in Pop, Rock, and R&B as well as emerging artists whose stars are on the rise.
Address: The Fair at the PNE – 2901 East Hastings Street, Vancouver
Date: Aug 19 – Sep 4, 2023
Cost: Various prices
About: Khatsahlano Street Party is Vancouver’s free music and arts festival and is returning this summer with over 60+ bands. The festivities take place between Burrard Street and Macdonald Street, and there will be plenty of family-friendly activities!
Address: West 4th Avenue from Burrard Street to MacDonald Street
Date: July 8, 2023
Time: 11am to 9pm
Admission: FREE
About: The most stylish event of the summer, formerly known as The Deighton Cup, returns July 22nd, 2023 for its 12th edition of rousing derby action at Hastings Racecourse.This daytime festival will be bigger and better than ever, playing host to over 10,000 derby revellers. The day will feature live performances by Sam Feldt & Bryce Vine.
Address: Hastings Racecourse — 188 N Renfrew Street, Vancouver
Date: July 22, 2023
Time: 12pm to 7pm
Admission: Various prices
About: Meowfest is a cat festival full of food, fun and most importantly: felines! Every year, cat lovers gather from around the globe for a cat-stravaganza of music, workshops, face painting, prizes, food vendors, shopping, adoptable kittens, meet-and-greets with celebrity cats, and much more
Address: Rocky Mountaineer Station – 1755 Cottrell Street, Vancouver
Date: Aug 19, 2023
Time: 10am to 5pm
Admission: Starting at $13
Photo credit: @richmondnightmarket / Instagram
About: The Richmond Night Market is North America’s biggest night market and this year’s theme is Summer Wonderland. Open every weekend through October 9, the Night Market has earned an international reputation for featuring foods and desserts from all four corners of the world
Address: 8351 River Road, Richmond
Date: Now until Oct 9, 2023
Time: Various times
Admission: Various prices
About: VCBW Craft Beer and Music Festival celebrates everything beer and combines it with stellar entertainment. Performers this year include The Strumbellas, Capital Cities, and Fake Shark.
Address: PNE Fairgrounds – 2901 E Hastings Street, Vancouver
Date: July 8, 2023
Time: 3pm to 7pm (VIPs get in at 2pm)
Cost: Various prices
About: Surrey Fusion Festival is the ultimate celebration of food, music and culture. Festival organizers are proud to work with communities representing different ethnicities and cultures from around the world, and honour the traditions and history that they share with attendees. The 2-day festival will have over 50+ food vendors.
Address: Holland Park – 13428 Old Yale Road, Surrey
Date: July 22 – 23, 2023
Time: 11am to 10pm
Admission: FREE
Vancouver International Jazz Festival
About: The 38th edition of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival will offer 140 shows, includingmore than 50 free performances from June 23 to July 2, 2023. The Festival kicks off with a free Downtown Jazz concert series outside the Vancouver Art Gallery and šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square Square and includes marquee shows at Queen Elizabeth Theatre and Vancouver Playhouse.
Address: Various locations across Vancouver
Date: June 23 to July 2, 2023
Time: Various times
Admission: Various prices
About: Come and enjoy thrills that can’t be found anywhere else! pread your wings and take flight on Skybender; swing on the Beast;get splashed on the Log Flume; and flip out on Hell’s Gate!
Address: 2901 East Hastings Street, Vancouver
Date: Now until Aug 18
Time: Various times
Admission: Various prices
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
Address: 3461 Ross Drive, Vancouver
Date: June 3 – Nov 25, 2023
Time: 10am
Admission: FREE
About: Join tens of thousands of happy naked cyclists in the greatest celebration of human powered happiness the world has ever seen. Be as bare as you dare!
Address: Sunset Beach – 1204 Beach Avenue, Vancouve
Date: June 24, 2023
Time: 12pm
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. 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 6 – Aug 26, 2023
Time: 8pm
Admission: Various prices
About: Indian Summer Festival (ISF), Vancouver’s ‘festival for the curious mind’ marks its 13th edition with ten ticketed and free events running from July 6 to July 16, 2023. This year, the carefully curated festival speaks to the theme of “inter/dependence’’ with events hosted in venues across Vancouver.
Address: various locations across Vancouver
Date: July 6 – 16, 2023
Time: Various times
Admission: Various prices
About: This is a culinary and cultural event you can’t miss! This year’s community fundraiser brings back stage entertainment featuring local bands and cultural performances. Celebrate great Greek food with Vancouver’s expansive and diverse community! Indulge in all your favorites: loukoumades (Greek donuts), souvlaki, BBQ lamb, spanakopita, take a piece of Greece home with you.
Address: St. Nicholas and Dimitrios Greek Orthodox Church – 4641 Boundary Road, Vancouver
Date: July 6 – July 16, 2023
Time: Various times
Admission: FREE
About: The Truck Stop Concert Series with Red Truck Beer Company is back again for its 7th year. Featuring a diverse lineup of local and international performers, this three-show outdoor concert series brings together music, food, and beer in the heart of Downtown Vancouver.
Address: Red Truck Beer Company, 295 East 1st Avenue, Vancouver
Date: June 17, July 15, August 12
Tickets: Various prices
Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival
About: The Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival is Vancouver’s celebration of Taiwanese and Canadian artists. It features performances, exhibitions, and Taiwan cinema in July. The festival’s outdoor activities take place at the šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Vancouver Art Gallery from June 30th to July 2nd. There are multicultural performances, workshops, art exhibitions and kids crafts to enjoy.
Address: šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square – 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver
Date: June 30 – July 2, 2023
Time: Various times
Admission: FREE
About: Brewery and the beast is a one-of-a-kind culinary event that brings together an extraordinary line-up of chefs and beverage makers to deliver a feast of fire-kissed meats, craft beers, cocktails, ciders and wines. Live music from award winning recording artists provides the soundtrack for an ultimately memorable experience.
Address: Concord Pacific Place – 88 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver
Date: July 9, 2023
Time: 12pm to 4pm
Admission: Various prices
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