The Richmond Maritime Festival takes place August 22–23. | Photo courtesy of the Richmond Maritime Festival.
I hope you’re having a relaxing and enjoyable summer. The start of the school year is coming, but there is still some time until then, with plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy a wide variety of events and festivals. Whether you’re interested in cultural experiences, engaging book discussions, vibrant outdoor celebrations or captivating artistic performances, there’s something for everyone as we transition into September. It’s a wonderful time to combine learning, fun and community connection. Why not check out some of the events featured below?
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Backdoor Pilot
August 20, 7 p.m.
www.thecultch.com/event/backdoor-pilot
Conductor and composer Jaelem Bhate returns to his bandleader roots with his new ensemble, House of Common Time. With his signature blend of groove-driven bombast and classically infused subtlety, the all-new show Backdoor Pilot sees the return of his 17-person jazz orchestra and introduces a new direction for his creative output. Hailed as one of Canada’s most promising talents in both jazz and classical music, Bhate is a rare artist who steps seamlessly between genres and worlds. In addition to his role as an orchestral conductor, he has been commissioned by the Canadian National Jazz Orchestra, released three studio albums of his jazz compositions and arranged for some of the biggest names in the country. Backdoor Pilot brings together musical identities in unexpected ways. Come see what happens when rules are broken and labels don’t apply.
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Summer Music & Fireworks Festival
August 22, 4–10 p.m.
www.hyackfestival.com/fireworksfestival
All good things must come to an end, but the New Westminster Hyack Festival Association won’t let summer go lightly. Every year, they send summer off in style. Join them at the New Westminster Quay for a spectacular day filled with artisan market vendors and exhibitors, live entertainment, fantastic food and the pièce de résistance: a fireworks extravaganza to captivate thousands of onlookers. Check out their website for more information.
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African Descent Festival
August 22–23
www.africandescentfestival.com
Held annually, the African Descent Festival is a leading arts and cultural festival celebrating the arts, culture and heritage of people of African descent in Vancouver. The festival aims to provide a platform for contemporary African Descent-Canadian art and culture in Greater Vancouver, creating opportunities for communities to showcase and share their cultural heritage.
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23rd Annual Richmond Maritime Festival
August 22–23, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.
www.richmondmaritimefestival.ca
Celebrate Richmond’s diverse nautical history at the 23rd Annual Richmond Maritime Festival! Enjoy a vibrant program of free live music, maritime-themed kids’ activities, a display of beautifully restored wooden boats and ships and much more. For the complete festival schedule, check out their website.
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Westcoast Comic Con
August 23, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
The Westcoast Comic Con is happening at the Maritime Labour Centre on Aug. 23. This mega event will showcase some of the most amazing comics and collectibles rarely seen at local comic cons. You will have an opportunity to see and buy some of the most sought-after key comics, toys, anime and other collectibles. Check out the con to meet artists and exhibitors who share the same passion for creating and collecting awesome comics.
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Car Free Days of Summer
August 29, 30, September 5, 13
By blocking off major thoroughfares, Car Free Days of Summer give people the chance to experience what cities could be like with more space for pedestrians and less space for cars. Presented by TransLink, the event series aims to create car-free spaces that foster inclusivity and diversity, making communities healthier and more vibrant. The upcoming Car Free Days include Port Coquitlam on Aug. 29, Burnaby on Aug. 30, Maple Ridge and Commercial Drive on Sept. 5 and Main Street on Sept. 13.
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Tinariwen
September 4, 8 p.m.
www.chancentre.com/events/tinariwen-vancouver
Ten albums and more than 45 years into their storied career, Tuareg musical pioneers and Grammy winners Tinariwen are returning to their roots. Fierce advocates for their people’s nomadic culture in the desert borderlands between Mali and Algeria, Tinariwen’s bluesy, guitar-driven music has found global acclaim over the past two decades for its lively blend of Tamasheq-language politicism, syncopated rhythms and soaring melodies. On Hoggar, their tenth album, they stake their claim as elders of this Tuareg musical tradition, returning to their early years of songwriting with acoustic guitars and communal singing around the desert campfire. At the same time, they pass the torch to a younger generation of featured musicians who can keep the flame of rebellion and defiance alive.
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Nikkei Matsuri
September 5–6, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
This annual celebration of Japanese culture, hosted by the Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre since 2013, returns to Burnaby once more, featuring food, performances, games and entertainment. Bring the kids to chow down on a Japadog, play ring toss and mini-golf, dress up in a traditional yukata and listen to talented musical and dancing contenders vying for glory at the Talent Search. Check out the Nikkei Place website for more information.
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Vancouver TAIWANfest: Dialogue with Scotland
September 5–7
TAIWANfest is an annual cultural festival exploring the connections between Taiwan, Canada and the world. Through live performances, films, talks, culinary programs, exhibitions, workshops and more, the festival examines the influences of history and human migration on today’s culture. This year’s festival theme, Islands in the Wind, focuses on the connection between Taiwan and Scotland, creating an immersive dialogue between Scottish and Taiwanese diasporas and fostering deeper intercultural understanding. Islands in the Wind reimagines the island not as a place of isolation but as a site of movement, shaped continuously by currents of air, water, memory and exchange. In this edition of TAIWANfest, the festival turns its attention to the unseen forces that connect rather than divide, asking how cultures travel, transform and take root across distance.
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Onegin: The 10th Anniversary Concert
September 8–9, 7:30 p.m.
www.artsclub.com/shows/2026-2027/onegin-the-10th-anniversary-concert
A decade ago, Onegin made its spectacular premiere at the Arts Club, and the hit musical has since gone on to international acclaim. In celebration of its 10th anniversary, the original cast members and musicians reunite for just two concert-style performances, back where the show started. The sweeping score will please, charm and break you open all over again, leaving a powerful question swirling: Look around, look around, look around, do you see someone worth dying for? When the rakish Evgeni Onegin visits the Larin family home, his romantic charms stir passions long forgotten by its residents. Sensible Tatyana Larin quickly falls for the handsome rogue, but she’s not the only one moved by his allure, and the peace of the sleepy country manor is soon shattered by an explosive duel. The musical by Amiel Gladstone and Veda Hille is based on the Pushkin poem and the Tchaikovsky opera.
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