Scene from Riverdance. | Photo courtesy of Broadway Across America
Hello June! The summer solstice is just around the corner, bringing with it long, golden days and warm evenings that stretch well past 9 p.m. There’s no better time to soak up the vibrant energy of the season. This month, the city comes alive with a wide array of outdoor events perfect for every interest and age, whether you’re a foodie, film buff, music lover or art enthusiast. From lively street festivals and open-air concerts to food truck gatherings and alfresco movie nights, there’s truly something for everyone to enjoy. So grab your sunscreen, gather some friends and make the most of these beautiful June days. Check out some of the exciting happenings around town below; you won’t want to miss them!
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rEvolver Festival
Now until June 1
www.upintheairtheatre.com/revolver-festival
rEvolver presents adventurous and high energy works, bringing audiences the full range of contemporary performance, from script-based theatre to devised and site-specific works, dance and installation. The festival is an incubator of new work with a focus on formal innovation, supporting artists or companies who identify as emerging and/or early-mid career at transformative junctions in their careers. rEvolver works with a strong artistic vision that takes risks and is reflective of diverse voices and experiences. For a complete list of shows and performances, please check out the Up In the Air Theatre website.
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Vancouver International Children’s Festival
Now until June 1
Mark your calendar! The Vancouver International Children’s Festival returns this spring for another year. It is the longest-running professional performing arts festival for young audiences and the first of its kind in North America and Europe. The festival’s artistic vision is to create a resonant, diverse, exuberant and profoundly meaningful celebration for the arts of young people through contemporary, multidisciplinary work that personifies artistic excellence. Please check out their website for a complete list of performers and activities.
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Joshua Beamish/MOVETHECOMPANY: 20th Anniversary Gala
May 29–30
www.thedancecentre.ca/event/joshua-beamish-movethecompany-may-2025
Fresh from New York’s Lincoln Center, Vancouver’s own award-winning Joshua Beamish returns in celebration of 20 years of visionary choreographic innovation. From a playful Beach Boys-inspired ballet to the jazz-infused tonality of John Adams, Beamish revisits five of his most captivating works. Spanning his two-decade career, the program showcases four Vancouver premieres. The 20th Anniversary Gala will include an excerpt from Trap Door Party, the iconic work that solidified Beamish as “one of Canada’s most promising choreographers” (The Globe and Mail); Beamish’s first work for The National Ballet of Canada, Lollapalooza; an athletically-charged exploration of shifting power dynamics for five male dancers in Marcato; a sensual, meditative duet in STAY; and a celebration of sweet summer memories in Endless Summer.
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The Return of Colin Mochrie
June 4–6
Known and beloved for Whose Line is it Anyway, This Hour Has 22 Minutes, Last One Laughing: Canada and his hit live show Hyprov, The Improv Centre is beyond thrilled to welcome comedy legend Colin Mochrie back onstage to where it all began! Join them for a series of hilarious shows featuring Colin and members from their ensemble. For tickets, showtimes and more information, check out their website.
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Music Waste Festival
June 5–8
Music Waste is an independent, non-profit music + art festival held annually on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səl ̓ílwətaʔɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Music Waste exists to build community within the local DIY scene, amplify underrepresented artists and performers and throw some really good parties. Today, the Music Waste festival takes place over four days in early June. They typically present a lineup of 70-80 bands and with the addition of Art Waste and (sometimes) Comedy Waste, they also showcase visual artists and comedians in a variety of experimental formats. For a list of performers, check out their website.
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5X Blockparty
June 14, 4 p.m.–9 p.m.
www.surrey.ca/news-events/events/5x-blockparty
Celebrate the sights and sounds of Panjabi music and culture at the 5X Blockparty – a high-energy, open-air festival featuring a stacked lineup of live performances and DJ sets. Don’t miss Talwiinder’s debut performance in B.C., a showcase by the genre-bending Gminxr with special guests, and the first-ever 5X appearance by G. Sidhu. The event also highlights local talent Sahil Cheema, viral sensations Panjabi Hit Squad from the UK, and crowd-favourite MTOORAY. Visit the City of Surrey’s website for more information.
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New West Craft Indigenous Market
June 7, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
www.artsnewwest.ca/arts-new-west-to-host-4th-annual-indigenous-market
Check out New Westminster for a vibrant celebration of Indigenous culture and creativity at the fourth annual New West Craft Indigenous Market. This free, family-friendly event will showcase over 70 Indigenous artists, makers and entrepreneurs, representing First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities across B.C. and beyond. Guests can look forward to an inspiring day of culture, creativity and connection, featuring everything from handmade jewelry, art and home décor to fashion, food and live performances.
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Sugarcane
June 18, 7 p.m.
www.kaymeek.com/events/ sugarcane-2025-06-18-700-pm
A stunning tribute to the resilience of Indigenous people and their way of living, Sugarcane will be screened at the Grosvenor Theatre at Kay Meek Arts Centre. Marking the National Indigenous Peoples Day, Sugarcane is an epic cinematic portrait of a community during a moment of international reckoning. Sugarcane focuses on a B.C. Residential School at St. Joseph’s Mission in Williams Lake, near the Sugarcane reserve. Set amidst the ongoing investigation into the revealed genocide, the film explores a community searching for the truth to break the cycles of intergenerational trauma and find the strength to persevere. Visit the Kay Meek Arts Centre website for more details.
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Italian Day on the Drive 2025
June 8, 12–8 p.m.
Mark your calendars and get ready to visit Commercial Drive on Sunday June 8 for Italian Day, celebrating Italian culture, heritage and community. Home to historic Little Italy, Commercial Drive comes alive in the style of Italy’s vibrant streets and piazzas, drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees of all ages and cultures, making Italian Day on The Drive Vancouver’s most anticipated cultural street festival. Be part of this year’s 15 Year Anniversario, Mille Baci theme, as The Drive comes alive in the style of Italy’s vibrant streets and piazzas. Check out their website for more information on the event.
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Riverdance
June 10–15
vancouver.broadway.com/shows/riverdance
Since Riverdance first emerged onto the world stage, its fusion of Irish and international dance and music has captured the hearts of millions worldwide. The Grammy award-winning music and the infectious energy of its mesmerising choreography and breathtaking performances has left audiences in awe and established Riverdance as a global cultural sensation. To celebrate this incredible 30th year milestone, Riverdance will embark on a special anniversary tour, bringing its magic to audiences around the world. This spectacular production rejuvenates the much-loved original show with new innovative choreography and costumes and state of the art lighting, projection and motion graphics. For more information, check out their website.
