Parade at the Steveston Salmon Festival. | Photo courtesy of Steveston Salmon Festival.
July is here, and with it comes the height of summer. Whether you’re exploring close to home, hiking a favourite trail, embarking on a road trip or discovering a new restaurant or café, there’s no shortage of ways to enjoy the summer season. But don’t forget to check out the many cultural festivals, performances and community events taking place as well. I’ve featured just a sampling below for you to check out. Have a wonderful summer and a happy Canada Day!
* * *
49th Annual Port Moody Golden Spike Days Festival
June 27–28
The Golden Spike Days Festival is one of the oldest and longest running family events in B.C. commemorating the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway line and its arrival at the original western terminus in Port Moody where the last spike was driven. It will be held at Port Moody’s Rocky Point Park featuring food, activities and more during the weekend before Canada Day; there’s something for everyone! Check out the Golden Spike Festival website for more information.
* * *
Interglacial
June 27, 2026–March 20, 2027
The Reach Gallery Museum has a new exhibition on view from June 27, 2026 to March 20, 2027 titled Interglacial by environmental artist and activist Desirée Patterson. Through five ambitious new bodies of work, created in collaboration with eminent Canadian glaciologists, forest scientists and climate policy advisors, Patterson explores why we need another ice age, but may never see it happen. The centrepiece is a monumental suspended textile and sound installation. Spanning 60 feet, the centrepiece offers multi-sensory, embodied experiences of a glacier through visual, tactile and aural components. The work consists of 100 cyanotype panels capturing an analogue timelapse of glacial melt. As visitors move beneath and through the installation, they encounter a soundscape drawn from Patterson’s field recordings that encourages them to envision different environmental conditions and experience different moods.
* * *
Greek Day on Broadway
June 28, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
For half a century, Greek Day on Broadway has been a cornerstone event, bringing a slice of Greece to the local community. Whether you’re Greek or simply a lover of Greek culture, this event is a perfect way to connect, celebrate and create lasting memories. On June 28, check it out for a spectacular celebration as Greek Day on Broadway marks its 52nd anniversary! This year, they’re going bigger and bolder, inviting you to immerse yourself in the heart of Greek culture right here in our vibrant city. Dive into a day filled with authentic Greek food, live music, traditional dance performances and interactive activities that promise fun for the entire family.
* * *
Steveston Salmon Festival
July 1, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
The Steveston Salmon Festival returns for its 79th anniversary on July 1! Celebrate “Canada’s biggest little birthday party” in Steveston! This year’s festival is all about community. Visitors will be treated to a show-stopping parade, live music, family-friendly activities and much more. Foodies will want to try the iconic Salmon Bake – a savory, barbecued salmon filet that has become a Steveston favourite – a bowl of tasty chow mein, or fluffy stacks of pancakes for early rising parade-goers. For more information, check out the festival’s website.
* * *
Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival
July 4–11
The Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Society will host the 2026 Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival (TCCF) this summer from July 4 to 11. Building on the momentum of 2025, the festival serves as the centerpiece for Taiwanese Heritage Month. Following a historic proclamation by the Government of British Columbia, every July is now officially recognized as a time to celebrate the profound contributions and vibrant history of the Taiwanese community within Canada’s multicultural mosaic. This year’s programming is a masterclass in traditional Taiwanese performing arts. The festival will feature three iconic traditional troupes from Taichung, Taiwan, including Shinyifang Taiwanese Opera Troupe, Jin Yu Yuan Puppet Theatre and the Miao Hsuan Dance Group, featuring traditional folk performances, the “Twelve Grannies” and “Tiger God.” Beyond the main stage, attendees can explore a diverse range of interactive zones and exhibitions, all offering free admission. Check out the festival’s website for more information.
* * *
Summer Nights in the Township
July 4–Sept. 6
www.tol.ca/en/arts-culture/summer-nights-in-the-township.aspx
Every week in July and August, there will be free and low-cost outdoor events happening throughout the Township of Langley! Thursday evenings come alive at the Willoughby Community Park Amphitheatre with free outdoor concerts, starting at 6:30 p.m. The Langley Community Farmer’s Market will be on-site each Thursday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., giving attendees the opportunity to browse local produce, artisan goods, food and more. Families can enjoy movie nights at Township venues, featuring family-friendly films at unique outdoor settings. Family Fun Nights at Philip Jackman Park, Josette Dandurand Northeast Latimer Park and James Hill Park will feature foam parties, inflatable activities, face painting, games, food trucks and other entertainment, with the season finale closing with an outdoor movie under the stars. For more information, check out the Township of Langley’s website.
* * *
Indian Summer Festival
July 9–19
The 16th Annual Indian Summer Festival will take place from July 9–19. This year’s theme is “Ragas for a Ruptured World.” Ushering in an era of deepening planetary entanglement is the intense, incoming horizon of a haunting perishability. The combustive forces of life and death colliding without mediation. How to suture the wounds that bind us? We cannot overwrite the inertias and hangovers of the general, everyday corruption of an unravelling system. All the parables left unsaid. Everybody knows the dice are loaded. This year’s festival conspires to rekindle dormant solidarities when we live in a time of fire and flood, flesh and blood – enmity as a feature, not a bug. Of this we are certain: there remains a necessity for sacred and mysterious lullabies. A poetic investigation as a prelude to assembling a durable ruckus. The space and time for the conjuring of new mythologies. Reinventing the outlines of a grammar for a world we desire. Check out the festival’s website for a complete programme.
* * *
Carnaval del Sol
July 10–12
Celebrate the richness of Latin American culture and its presence in B.C. In 2026, the festival will spotlight the energy, resilience and joy of Latin communities while setting the stage for the biggest soccer tournament in the world. Carnaval del Sol is not just a festival; it’s a cultural warm-up for a global celebration; connecting people through the universal languages of music, movement and shared passion. Check out their website for tickets and more information.
* * *
47th Annual Harrison Festival of the Arts
July 10–19
For decades, the Harrison Festival of the Arts has presented the best in Canadian and International performing and visual arts. Music from all corners of the globe, exhibits, workshops – and you’re invited! The Festival has something for everyone: visual and literary arts, music, theatre and a large outdoor art and craft market filled with local artisanal products. There’s even a day dedicated to children, so your little ones can enjoy all the art world has to offer in a hands-on environment. For event information, check out their website.
* * *
West 4th Khatsahlano Street Party
July 11, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
The West 4th Avenue Khatsahlano Street Party is Vancouver’s largest free music and arts Festival! Created with love in 2011 by the members of the Kitsilano West 4th Avenue Business Association, Khatsahlano, features multiple stages showcasing more than 50 of Vancouver’s top musical performers as well as the eclectic work of local artisans and street performers. This 10-block street fair, spanning from Burrard to MacDonald Street also features a wide variety of food options, bustling patios, giveaways, special activities and licensed beer gardens! Check out their website for lineup and schedule information.
* * *
Symphony at Sunset / Symphony in the Park
July 11 & 18
www.vancouversymphony.ca/event/symphony-at-sunset
www.vancouversymphony.ca/event/symphony-in-the-park
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra will be performing Symphony at Sunset, a free open-air concert at David Lam Park in Vancouver, and Symphony in the Park at Burnaby’s Deer Lake Park. Now in its seventh year, Symphony at Sunset offers an opportunity to experience live orchestral music in one of Vancouver’s most scenic waterfront settings. The evening’s program will include classical favourites and selections from blockbuster film scores including Harry Potter and Star Wars, performed by the full VSO under the direction of music director Otto Tausk. And for over 30 years, Symphony in the Park has been a summer favourite, not only to the residents of Burnaby, but to patrons from all over the region. This free, outdoor concert features the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra performing exceptional symphonic music surrounded by the beauty of Deer Lake.
Comments will load once you reach the end of the article.