Canada Day is coming up! This year, July 1 falls on a Friday, so hello to a three-day weekend! If you are unfamiliar with Canda Day, it is a day to celebrate the people of Canada as well as shed light on Canadian diversity, inclusion, and youth.
Keep reading below for a list of events to celebrate this special day!
Downtown Waterfront
Canada Day celebrations will return to the downtown waterfront for the first time since COVID. The festivities in Vancouver make it the largest Canada Day celebration outside of Ottawa, and is an event that has been running for 36 years this July! This year, the Canada Day event at Canada Place will be called “Canada Together” with a theme of “weaving together the fabric of a nation.”
The event starts at 11 a.m. and will include food, family-friend activities, and live performances. It takes place outside over a few city blocks at Jack Poole Plaza, Harbour Green Park, Canada Place, and the surrounding streets.
In addition to live music, there will be cultural performances and exhibits, a Kids’ Zone, and a Canadian Forces Zone, which will recognize Canada’s armed forces.
Make sure you come hungry! There will be plenty of food trucks offering various cuisines that will post up along Canada Place Way.
The event lasts until 6 p.m. Although there won’t be fireworks this year due to safety concerns, it will sure to be a blast!
And if you are staying at Sunset Inn, it’s only a 1 mile walk away!
For more information on this event, visit the link here.
Richmond
Only about a 35 minute drive from downtown Vancouver, Richmond is a coastal city in the Vancouver metroplex of British Columbia. To celebrate Canada Day in Richmond, each year the Steveston Salmon Festival is held. This event usually features a pancake breakfast, a parade, and activities in Steveston Village.
Whereas the 2021 event was mostly online due to COVID, this year it is back in person and ready to rock! Festivities actually begin the week leading up to Canada Day, beginning on June 25 with the Pacific Kite Rim festival. Other activities at the Salmon Festival include a Japanese cultural fair, a car show, craft fair, musical performances, and salmon barbecue.
Whereas there will not be a parade for the Salmon Festival this year, there will still be plenty of fun in the different zones that will be set up around Steveson.
For more information on this event in Richmond, check out the link here.
North Vancouver at Shipyards Live
The place to be this year for Canada Day in North Vancouver is Shipyards Live. Whereas Shipyards Live has been holding Friday night events for a while, this year’s Canada Day event will be a celebration you won’t want to miss!
Live music, a beer garden, food trucks, artisan vendors, and family-friendly fun can be found at this year’s event, which will start on July 1 at noon. There will be face painting, a splash park, and happy hour at the beer garden – what could be better? And with a solid lineup on the Stage at Shipbuilders square, music will be going for 10 hours from 12 to 10 p.m. And you’ll definitely won’t want to miss the 90s Tetro Dance Party at the Pipe Shop, which will take place from 5 to 10 p.m.
For more information, check out the link here.
Granville Island
Granville Island has fun activities throughout the year, but this year on Canada Day will be extra special – the TD International Jazz Festival and Ensemble Theatre Company’s Repertory Festival are coming to town! Stop by to catch a performance or two by them, and check out the many vendors that will line Granville Island on July 1. And add the Public Market, Water Park, Kids Market, and Net Loft as stops on your list!
Vanier Park
Head to Vanier Park this Canada Day to enjoy a spectacular view and get in the spirit of the day with the red and white tents that will be around the park. It’s a perfect day for a picnic! Stick around later in the evening if you’d like to catch a performance of Harlem Duet at Bard on the Beach at 7:30 p.m.
Buranby, White Rock, and Surrey
Further from downtown you can still enjoy Canada Day festivities at Burnaby, which is back with in-person events on July 1.
Canada Day by the Bay will return to be in-person as well, with plenty of local vendors, eats, and entertainment planned along the White Rock Waterfront.
Finally, the city of Surrey will host Surrey Canada Day at the Bill Reid Millennium Ampitheatre with indigenous showcases and multicultural artists from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
In-person events are back this Canada Day, and we hope you get out there and celebrate!
