Oh Vancity, you diverse, exciting, and unique place you! There is seemingly no end to Vancouver events throughout the year. But which ones are the best?
Whether you are visiting in the winter, spring, summer, fall or over Christmas or Halloween – we have you covered. We have your guide to the top things to do in and around Vancouver, BC.
If this is your first time visiting Vancouver, make sure to do some research before you go. There is so much to do and see in Vancity you won’t want to miss a thing. For a more thorough guide to Vancouver and its’ surrounding areas check out these awesome travel guides:
Festivals and Things to do Around Vancouver, BC
Winter and Christmas Events Around Vancouver (December Through March)
A trip to Vancouver in the winter is the perfect time to visit. The tourists are gone, the weather stays mild and the surrounding mountaintops are dusted with snow.
There is rarely any snow in the downtown area and the temperature averages around 5 degrees Celsius during the day. So you are free to explore the city and still stay comfortable.
But you will want to pack some warm outdoor gear. Stay warm and attractive in the city with the Rich Cotton Beanie (or toque if you’re Canadian), Mountain Warehouse Bracken Men’s or Women’s Winter Jacket, and SOREL Men’s or Women’s Leather Boots.
If you plan on hitting the slopes, it’s much easier and cheaper to rent your skis at the mountain. But make sure to pack along some essential ski gear: Outdoor Master Ski Goggles, Pure Athlete Merino Wool Socks, and the most important of all, the Self Pro Balaclava Ski Mask (it gets really cold up in the mountains).
1. Vancouver Christmas Market
Our personal favourite Christmas event in the city is the Vancouver Christmas Market at Jack Poole Plaza. This traditional German Christmas Market has 80 wooden huts filled with German eats, sweets and treats, a Christmas Carousel, a huge ornament and decoration shop and live entertainment inside a life-sized German Christmas Pyramid.
2. Bright Nights Christmas Train in Stanley Park
You can’t visit Vancouver without going to Stanley Park – and during the holidays it is even more spectacular than usual. The park is lit up with three million twinkling lights and you can take a ride through the park on the Bright Nights Christmas Train.
3. Yule Duel in Gastown
For something truly unique to Vancouver, make sure you go see the annual ‘Yule Duel‘ in Gastown. This large outdoor caroling competition takes holiday music to a whole new level. This annual event has dozens of choirs singing and competing in front of a crowd of thousands and is sure to get you in the Christmas spirit.
Check out a full listing of Vancouver Christmas events, as well as other amazing Holiday events around the world in our post “The Worlds Most Magical Christmas Destinations”.
4. Polar Bear Swim at English Bay
Every year since 1920, on New Years Day, up to 2,550 people bravely plunge into the ice cold ocean waters at English Bay for the annual Polar Bear Swim.
Attend the event and join others by dressing up in fancy costume, competing in the Peter Pantages Memorial 100 yard swim race, or just watch! You can register to participate here.
5. Dine Out Vancouver Festival
Vancouver’s annual Dine Out Festival takes place in late January to early February. The foodie festival brings together hundreds of chefs, over 200 restaurants, wineries, and craft breweries in order to taste the best flavours of the city.
During the festival, each of the participating restaurants offers up a multi-course dinner at select prices. Whether you are looking for fine dining or a family friendly experience, you will find it here.
Too rich for your blood? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Learn all about Vancity’s cheap eats in our post “Best Budget Restaurants in Vancouver, BC”.
6. Chinese New Year Celebrations
There is a very large Chinese population in Vancouver, and the Chinese New Year celebrations are some of the most fantastic of Vancouver events. Chinese New Year occurs anywhere from late January to
Indulge in Chinese traditions, authentic cuisine, art and a New Year countdown at the Lunar New Year Kickoff. The event locations are spread throughout Vancouver and Richmond.
The annual Chinese New Year Parade takes place in Chinatown. The parade draws hundreds of thousands of people every year. You will witness the largest assembly of traditional lion dancers in Canada, cultural dance troupes, marching bands and martial arts. The parade begins at the Millennium Gate on Pender Street.
7. Valentines Sleepover at the Vancouver Aquarium
If you are looking for a truly unique Valentines Day experience, check out the Vancouver Aquarium. Every year, they host an After Hours Sleepover Night.
Sleep among the fishes with your sweetie. This event usually includes dinner, drinks and breakfast, but has also been known to have sushi cooking classes, movies in the aquarium’s 4D theater, and chats with the aquarium’s own sex therapist.
8. JFL Northwest
Just for Laughs Northwest occurs every year in Vancouver, usually near the end of February. The comedy festival occurs over 10 days, throughout different venues in the city, and features stand-up, podcast, improv and sketch performances. And it’s one of our personal
The lineup is always killer! In 2019, the city hosted Seth Rogen, Aziz Ansari, Whitney Cummings, Nick Swardson, Dave Attell, Natasha Leggero, and Steve-O!
9. Vancouver International Wine Festival
Time to get fancy. 🍷
The Vancouver International Wine Festival is one of the biggest and oldest wine events in the world. In late February and early March, 160 wineries from 15 countries travel to Vancouver to pour their wines at 54 events over eight days.
The main event is the International Festival Tastings at the Vancouver Convention Centre, where over 725 wines are available for sampling.
During this festival, you can expect regional tasting stations, a gala dinner and auction, wine seminars, trade events, and food and wine pairing affairs at top Vancouver restaurants and hotels.
10. Fan Expo Vancouver
Vancouver also hosts an annual Fan Expo Vancouver three day event every March.
The expo is a place to celebrate all things pop culture. Guests include celebrities, voice actors, and comic creators. You have the opportunity to get an autograph or a photo with your favourite guest, watch celebrity panels, witness a professional comic artist’s ‘Sketch Duels’, attend ‘How To’ workshops, and go shopping with over 250,000 square feet of booths.
And make sure you dress to impress in your best cosplay.
Want to travel but have no money? Check out our posts on budget travel:
- ‘How to Travel the World for Free’
- ‘How to Find Budget Accommodation and Lodging Anywhere in the World’
- ‘Things to do for Free While Traveling’
- ‘How to Maintain Your Food Budget While Traveling’
Spring Events in Vancouver (April Through June)
The city comes alive in the spring. Cherry blossoms line the streets, whale watching season begins and there is a festival to enjoy every weekend.
The temperatures warm up in the spring averaging about 13 degrees Celsius during the day. But there is
1. Cherry Blossom Festival
One of the most notable sites in Vancouver occurs in the spring. This is when the city’s many cherry blossoms (43,000 of them) bloom.
The Cherry Blossom Festival happens all throughout April and kicks off with the Cherry Jam Downtown which features local entertainment and poetry readings all under the famed cherry blossom canopy.
Other popular events include Bike the Blossoms, guided walking tours, Sakura Days Japan Fair, The Big Picnic in Queen Elizabeth Park, or check out the city’s best cherry blossom viewing spots using the online Cherry Blossom Viewing Map.
2. Abbottsford Bloom Tulip Festival
Another feast for the eyes is the Abbottsford Bloom Tulip Festival. And it’s oh so Instagram worthy.
In true Dutch fashion, you will see acres upon acres of multicoloured tulips lined up on rolling hills. The seasons start is weather dependent but usually occurs throughout April and May.
Engage yourself in a photo shoot, bring along
3. 420 Vancouver
Vancity is also known for its love of the herb. And 2019 will mark the first 420 Festival where weed is legal in Canada.
Held every April 20th, Vancouver hosts the world’s longest running 420 event – and it’s quite a party!
Hundreds of thousands of people come together at Sunset Beach to celebrate cannabis culture. You can expect live performances from some pretty big names, hundreds of booths selling every marijuana product you can think of, and a walk among massive clouds of smoke – all for free!
4. International Pillow Fight
I know, I know, you’ve been waiting your whole life for a flash mob pillow fight. Well, Vancouver has it!
The International Pillow Fight is an annual flash mob event in downtown Vancouver. Usually taking place in April.
Here are the rules:
1. “Don’t talk about [Pillow] Fight Club!”
2. Don’t be in location until the exact minute.
3. Hide your pillows.
4. Rush in screaming “PILLOW FIIIIIIGHT!!!!!”
5. Vancouver Craft Beer Week
A week of beer?! 😆
The Vancouver Craft Beer Week is the first of it’s kind in Canada. It showcases music, food, art, and the amazing craft beers of Vancity.
The events occur across the city over 10 days starting on the last Friday in May. The week comes to an exciting end at the PNE fairgrounds where over 100 craft breweries and cideries pour the bubbly stuff all day and night.
6. Vancouver Street Food Fest
Vancity has a reputation for amazing and unique food trucks. This one day event allows you to sample them all at once.
The Vancouver Street Food Fest happens twice a year. Once in early June and again in September. The street festival takes place at Concord Pacific Place at the edge of False Creek. You can expect about two dozen food vendors, a fair number of artisan market participants, children’s activities, and live entertainment.
7. Velopalooza and The Pink Floyd Sea Wall in Stanley Park
Vancouver loves cycling. So m
Every June, Velopalooza festival
The cycling festival ends with a grand finale. ‘Pink Floyd the Sea Wall’ consists of all participants biking the Sea Wall along Stanley Park to the entirety of the famous album, ‘The Wall’. All 1 hour and 21 minutes of it.
8. World Naked Bike Ride at Sunset Beach
Vancity’s annual World Naked Bike Ride is quite unique to the city. And it is exactly as it sounds.
This is one of the most eye-catching of Vancouver events and takes place every June and is a protest against car culture, oil spills and pipelines, and celebrates creativity and individuality.
The naked bike ride kicks off at Sunset Beach with live performances and body painting if you want to be a little more modest.
Summer Events in Vancity (July and August)
Summer is absolutely perfect in Vancouver. The days are warm and sunny, and the nights are comfortable and cool. Vancity is truly an outdoor world and the summer weather lets you take full advantage of it.
Summer is the optimal time to try out any of the hundreds of hikes in the city and surrounding area. Make sure to pack along some simple hiking gear like Sawyer Products Water Filtration System, Amazon Basics Day Pack, and the Vancouver favourite, the TETON Hydration Backpack.
1. Richmond Night Market
The Richmond Night Market is the largest Night Market in North America and attracts over 1 million visitors each year. It is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night in the summer, but also runs into Spring and Fall.
This night market is reminiscent of the all-night shopping markets seen across Asia. More than 74% of Richmond’s population claims Asian heritage, and the market showcases a cross-section of these cultures and cuisine. You will find over 100 food stalls of authentic Asian snacks and street food, like grilled squid, fresh mango desserts, dragon’s beard candy, bubble waffles, and much more.
There are also over 200 retail vendors selling unique accessories and knick-knacks at street-side prices. As well as nightly live entertainment ranging from music and dance performances to carnival games and rides.
2. Free Summer Movies in Stanley Park
An absolutely wonderful annual event is the free movies that play every Tuesday throughout the summer at Second Beach in Stanley Park. Everyone is welcome and it’s absolutey free.
Bring the kids, a picnic blanket or a lawn chair and watch classic family movies like The Princess Bride and Stand By Me.
3. Vancouver Summer Music Festivals and Concerts
The city is alive in the summer and you will find a new music festival every weekend. Here are some of the most popular:
Breakout Festival
Occurring in early June each year, Vancouver’s first outdoor hip-hop and R&B festival
Vancouver International Jazz Festival
In early July, the city celebrates the smooth sound of jazz at various locations around the city.
FVDED in the Park
This popular mid-July festival is located in the middle of Surrey in Holland Park (about a half hour drive from Vancouver). There are acts of all kinds from DJs to rappers.
Vancouver Folk Music Festival
In
SKOOKUM Festival
This is the newest music festival in the city and it was created to replace the popular Squamish and Pemberton music festivals. This is the last music festival of the summer, usually around labour day weekend, and hosts huge names like The Killers, Florence + The Machine, Metric, and Arkells.
4. Celebration of Lights
The Celebration of Lights Fireworks Festival is the longest running offshore fireworks competition in the world. It is a celebration of summer, lights, music and food.
In late July and early August, three separate nights are spread out over a week to showcase some of the most breathtaking fireworks you have ever seen. The fireworks can be seen all throughout the city but you will want to get onto Second Beach, English Bay, Jericho Beach or the Burrard Street bridge for the best views.
Each night showcases a different country’s firework display. And it’s a competition, so the shows get very extravagant.
The festival is also accompanied by live music and food trucks galore.
5. Wreck Beach Bare Buns Run and Wreck Beach Day
Wreck Beach is one of the most iconic spots in Vancouver. It is an internationally-acclaimed 7.8 km long nudist beach making it North America’s largest naturist beach. The beach is located on the shores of the UBC Campus and offer stellar ocean views. It is also the busiest beach in Canada with up to 14,000 daily visitors in the summer.
They have some great annual events you can attend or participate in. Like the Wreck Beach Bare Buns Run in July where you guessed it, you run naked. And Wreck Beach Day in August full of sports, games and fun activities.
5. Vancouver Pride
Vancouver has a very progressive and diversity-positive attitude, and this is
This is a week-long celebration of love and individuality. There are many events throughout the city like evening cruises, cabaret shows, parties, BBQs, and much more.
And the festival culminates with the famous Pride Parade on Sunday. The parade is a grand visual spectacle and includes more than 650,000 participants.
6. Vancouver’s Largest Water Fight
In the same spirit as the flash mob pillow fight, Vancouver also has a huge Water Fight to cool you down in the August heat.
Thousands of Vancouverites meet in Stanley Park armed with water guns, balloons and buckets. And what happens next.. well it’s one of those ‘you had to be there’ scenarios.
7. Fair at the PNE
End the summer off right at Vancouver’s PNE Fair.
Over 100 years of history lay within the Pacific National Exhibition. In late August and early September, this 17-day event is a fantastic tradition for the city. Here you can attend tons of free concerts, ride Canada’s top-rated wooden roller coaster and eat deep fried food until you puke.
Are you planning your next vacation? Let us help make your next trip go smoothly with our travel planning posts:
- ‘Travel Planning Resources: How to Learn About Your Destination’
- ’10 Essential Items you Need for Long Travel Days’
- ‘How to Stay Safe While Traveling: 30 Tips That Could Save Your Life’
- ‘How to Save Money Every Day so You Can Travel More’
Fall and Halloween Events in Vancouver (September Through November)
Fall in Vancouver is another gorgeous time of year with the changing colours of the season. Temperatures remain mild and the weather can still be quite pleasant.
But the fall also brings the beginning of the rainy season – and most of the rain will fall in October and November.
Luckily you can still enjoy the beauty of the city with the right rain gear. The Repel Travel Umbrella is perfect to pack as it is compact, lightweight and windproof. And don’t forget your rain boots. Are you even in Vancouver if you aren’t wearing Hunter’s?
1. Vancouver Fringe Festival
The Vancouver Fringe Festival is a celebration of all kinds of theatre and is completely inclusive. This 11-day festival occurs every September and includes over 700 performances at venues across the city. The mainstage shows are situated on and around Granville Island, which is a great excuse to check out this super unique island in the middle of the city.
The festival focuses on an ‘everyone is welcome’ approach and attempts to include all types of theatre. The chance of performing on the mainstage is split equally between all artists from novice to veteran, as the selection of stage is done literally by drawing names out of a hat.
2. Vancouver International Film Festival
VIFF is among the five largest film festivals in North America. The film festival spans over two weeks at the end of September and beginning of October.
At nine venues throughout the city, films are screened from more than 70 countries. The festival has three main programming platforms. They screen one of the largest selections of East Asian films outside of that region, they are one of the biggest showcases of Canadian film in the world and have a large and vibrant documentary program.
And keep your eyes open for the many celebrities known to attend the events.
3. Mid-Autumn Moon Festival at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden is open all year and is definitely a must see on your trip to the city. But the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival near the end of September makes the venue even more magical as you are serenaded under the moonlight with local musicians and artists.
Just listen to the beautiful idea behind the festival as sited in
“In Chinese culture, music is seen as an expression of the perfect harmony between the Earth, human beings, and the heavens above. Under the celestial and transcendent power of the moon, many ancient Chinese scholars composed music and poetry that united families and friends. At the 2018 Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, you will get to experience the connection between music and the moon, whose eternal nature inspired Chinese artistic tradition.”
4. Vancouver Canucks Season Begins
For all you hockey fans visiting the city, you have to check out a Vancouver Canucks home game in the impressive Rogers Arena downtown. The season begins in October and can grab a seat for as low as $50 ($30 for students).
5. Annual Zombie Walk and Thrill The World
To celebrate the coming of Halloween, Vancouver throws an Annual Zombie Walk which is exactly as it sounds. A procession of the walking dead down the city streets. The zombie parade begins at the Vancouver Art Gallery and ends at English Bay, and occurs sometime in September each year.
If one zombie event wasn’t enough, you can also dance on the city streets during Vancouver’s Thrill The World. This event celebrates the genius of Michael Jackson through his Thriller legacy.
Thousands of people in cities all around the world learn the “Thriller” dance and perform it together on the day that Thrill The World takes place – Halloween weekend!
6. PNE Halloween Fright Nights
Every October, the PNE is transformed into Halloween glory with their Fright Nights events. The park opens up in the twilight hours throughout most nights in October.
The entire park is converted into a haunted land with zombies, ghosts and your favourite horror characters creeping around every corner. There are also live fire performances, comedy shows and amusement park rides.
But the main attraction is the haunted houses. All eight of them! Each haunted house has its own theme. Some of the recurring themes are ‘The Asylum’, ‘Fear’, ‘The
Are you a local Vancouverite or are you a happy tourist? What are your favourite things to do around Vancity? Let us know in the comments below ⬇️
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