Festivals
We welcome tips about free and low-cost events... if you would like to share a festival, please submit it below!
Vancouver International Vertical Dance Summit
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When: June 9 - 15 2019
Where: 3 different venues Cost: Free A week-long international event celebrating vertical dance, welcoming dancers and choreographers from around the world. The public is invited to attend a stimulating concurrent symposium of free outdoor aerial performances, roundtables, artist talks, and dance films. Vertical dance is an exciting emerging form of dance that uses rock climbing equipment to suspend dancers off the ground in a range of vertical surfaces. Aeriosa, a Vancouver-based vertical dance company, will host workshops and events at VanDusen Botanical Gardens and Simon Fraser University Woodwards. Workshop presentations will take place each evening outside of the iconic Guiness Tower in downtown Vancouver. Members of the public can also take part in lunchtime talks and film screenings discussing the different elements and philosophies of vertical dance. |
Car Free Day Festivals - West End and Main Street
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WEST END CAR FREE DAY FESTIVAL
When: Saturday, June 15th 2019 Time: Noon to 7pm Where: On Denman from Davie to Robson Cost: Free The West End's Car Free Festival has music stages and jam sessions to listen to, art being exhibited and created live on the street and plenty of places to grab a bite to eat or something to drink. Access is easy via transit, cycling or walking! Translink has generously re-routed transit on the festival day, so check with them about routes. Want to help out with this year's festivals? Click here to volunteer! MAIN STREET CAR FREE DAY FESTIVAL
When: Sunday, June 16th 2019 Time: Noon to 7pm Where: Broadway to 30th on Main Street Cost: Free The biggest of Vancouver’s Car Free Day festivals spanning 21 blocks, Main Street has 15 stages and mini festivals along the entire street. This is a fun, family-friendly event with kid-zones, skateboarders, funky artisan shops and popular food vendors. There will also be extended patios from many restaurants. Translink has generously re-routed transit on that day to help you get to the event car-free! Check with them for routes. Want to help out at this year's festivals? Click here to volunteer! |
National Indigenous Day
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When: Thursday June 21 2019
Where: Trout Lake Cost: Free Join us as we celebrate National Indigenous Day at Trout Lake with a community-based, full day of events set to showcase and celebrate the diversity of Indigenous people across Canada. First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people gather to share their spirit, experiences, stories, songs, art and dance with each other and the general community – with a whole day of entertainment, activities, and fun. |
Greek Day on Broadway
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When: Sunday June 23
Time: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Where: Broadway between MacDonald and Blenheim Cost: Free Vancouver’s Greektown is an area in the Kitsilano neighborhood that was historically an enclave of Greek immigrants and their descendants. This massive Greek festival spans 5 city blocks on West Broadway. From souvlaki to dolmades, moussaka to baklava, the flavours of Greece are multifold. This largest one-day Greek festival in Vancouver is an annual celebration of all things Greek, with nearly one kilometre of things to see and do including a variety of food and drink, market vendors, entertainment, and live music. There's also a cooking demo, featuring The Three Greek Sisters who became a presence on the culinary scene with the launch of their cookbooks which won a multitude of awards that have gone on to become bestsellers. After countless television appearances, radio guest spots, and newsprint media highlights over the years, the authors have been coined “the ambassadors of Greek food for Canada”. Public transit is highly recommended for getting to and from the Greek Day festivities. Cyclists wishing to use The Bicycle Valet should enter Greek Day from the Blenheim Street entrance. |
Columbia StrEAT Food Truck Fest
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Date: July 27, 2019
Time: 4:00pm - 10:00pm Location: Columbia Street, Downtown New West Cost: Free Love food trucks? Just 30 minutes from Waterfront Station the Columbia StrEAT Food Truck Fest will roll into New Westminster for another delicious annual installation this July, and so far nearly 100 trucks are confirmed to participate, with more to be added soon. Billed as “the largest one-day food truck festival on the continent,” the Downtown New West BIA is urging attendees of the free community event to put on their stretchy pants and head down on July 27, 2019 for an afternoon and evening of eating fun. The festival promises “award winning restaurants, unique activations, live music, artisan markets and numerous beer gardens.” |
Latin American Week
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Many people of Latin American and Caribbean origin call the Lower Mainland home, which explains why the City of Vancouver proclaims a 10 to 12-day period in early July each year as a special week to celebrate their culture.
Latin American Week includes a number of events; just the free / by-donation events are listed here: Similitud: Canadian And Latin American Indigenous Art Exhibition When: June 27 2019 opening Time: 6:30 pm - July 12 @ 8:30 pm Where: Woodward's Building; 333 Abbott Street Cost: Free, but registration for opening required Let’s find the similarities between Latin American and Canadians First Nations. Our curator Gloria Bernal from Mexico, who has been organizing many local art exhibitions, will be taking us to a journey showcasing the art and magic of our roots with visuals and workshops for two weeks at Woodward’s Building. Experience a multidisciplinary exhibition. Artists from Canada and Latin America will showcase performances, photography, sculpture, a culinary workshop, music, storytelling, painting, films, talks, and much more. Advance registration for the first day June 27 is required. Limited space. Canada Day Parade
When: July 1st, 2019 Time: 1:30 p.m. Where: Ocean Concrete, Granville Island, 1415 Johnston St., Vancouver Cost: Free Latincouver will bring together Latin Americans that will be walking and representing proudly their native countries, celebrating the anniversary of the country that they chose to live in. We will come together to participate in the Canada Day Parade with Latin music, dances and traditional costumes at Granville Island; a great opportunity for everyone to enjoy this amazing event with the whole family. Travelling Back to Our African-Latin American Roots
When: July 3rd, 2019 Time: 5:30 p.m. Where: Robson Square, 800 Robson St., Vancouver Cost: Free; donations encouraged Do you want to travel with us to some of our Afro roots going all the way from Cuba to Brazil? You cannot miss an afternoon, where the sounds, music, and shapes will tell you the story from our Latin American roots. This event is supported, endorsed and authenticated by the Afro-Brazilian Cultural Society and the African Descent Society British Columbia. Limited amount of tickets available. Please reserve your spot. |
Vancouver International Jazz Festival
Photo credit: Vancouver's Best Places
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When: June 21 until July 1 2019
Times: Vary Where: Many venues; see list below Cost: Free The 2019 Vancouver International Jazz Festival runs from June 21 until July 1 and includes dozens of both free and ticketed jazz performances. This list is the free events. The list below [from Vancouver's Best Places], for convenience, is listed in chronological order. See more specific locations info at the bottom. Free Concerts in 2019 By Date Friday, June 21st, 2019
Monday, June 24th, 2019
Jazz Venue Locations
Below is a list of the various venues for most of the free jazz festival concerts in 2019.
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