FESTIVALS
Merritt Rockin’ River Fest
Country music festival includes headliners Sam Hunt, The Road Hammers,Jordan Pritchett and Dean Brody. • Merritt, B.C. • July 28-31 • rockinriverfest.com
Squamish Days Logger Sports Festival
Features music and art events, children’s activities, a parade, wacky bed races, an 8km run, pancake breakfast and world class Loggers Sports Shows featuring competitors from around the world. • 39555 Loggers Lane, Squamish • July 28-Aug. 1 • 604-815-4994, squamishdays.ca
Wanderlust Festival
This celebration of mindful living brings together yoga and meditation instructors, musicians, speakers, chefs and attendees for a transformational experience. • Whistler, B.C. • July 28-Aug. 1 • wanderlust.com
Alternative Pride Festival
This grass-roots festival highlighting Vancouver’s alternative culture is a decentralized, multi-venue, music and arts festival. Features alternative art, alternative venues and alternative vibes. • July 28-Aug. 1 • $69 festival pass, alternativepride.leisure.events
Hornby Festival
This annual festival brings features some of Canada’s best music from world to folk/roots to classical to indie pop, plus theatre, visual arts and literary readings amidst the beauty of Hornby Island. • Hornby Island, B.C. • July 28-Aug. 6 • hornbyfestival.com
Abbotsford Agrifair
The best little country fair since 1911! Enjoy entertainment, 4-H and livestock shows, a trade show, Kids Zone, midway, an outdoor movie screening and more. • Agrifair Exhibition Park, 32470 Haida Dr. • July 29-31 • $12/$10, $15/three-day wristband, 604-852-6674, agrifair.ca
Harmony Arts Festival
A 10-day celebration of music, performance, cinema and art showcasing the best of the North Shore, regional and national performing, literary, visual and culinary arts. • West Vancouver • July 29-Aug. 7 • harmonyarts. ca
Maple Ridge Caribbean Festival
Features two large stages with continuous music provided by bands from the Lower Mainland’s Caribbean community, plus a wide variety of food and street vendors, a kids zone with rides and activities. • Maple Ridge Fairgrounds, 23448 105th Ave. • July 30 -July 31 • Free, caribbeanfest.ca
Honda Celebration of Light
Vancouver’s beloved fireworks festival plays host to competing teams: July 30, 10 p.m.: Walt Disney Entertainment, representing the United States • English Bay • Free, with paid VIP seating available at ticketleader.ca, HondaCelebrationofLight.com
LG 104.3’s Shorefest
The ultimate West Coast beach party features a diverse lineup of cross-genre Canadian talent, followed by the Honda Celebration of Light Fireworks competition. • English Bay and Sunset Beach • July 30, festivities begin at 2 p.m. • Free, lg1043.com/events/shorefest-2016. aspx
Powell Street Festival
Canada’s largest festival of Japanese arts and culture, celebrates 40 years with a weekend full of live performances, martial arts, crafts and delicious Japanese food. • July 30 -31, 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. • powellstreetfestival.com
White Rock Sea Festival
Enjoy the Torchlight Parade, fireworks, two stages featuring local performers, a Pirates in the Park children’s area and more than 50 exhibitors lining the promenade. • White Rock Beach and Semiahmoo Park • July 30-31 • whiterockseafestival.com
Afro-Brazilian Carnaval
Axé Capoeira Vancouver hosts a full day of performances including a Samba parade with a live percussion band, a traditional Afro-Brazilian royal procession dance (Maracatu), Brazilian music, and gravity-defying capoeira presentations. • Granville Street between Robson & Smithe • July 30, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. • Free, 604-5378943, axevancouver.com
Brigade Days
Explore the encampment of Hudson’s Bay Company workers,Aboriginal traders, Royal Engineers, Metis trappers and more as they swap stories, play music, and show off traditional skills.The weekend features re-enactors dressed in period costume, a cook off on Sunday at 4 p.m., and the Arrival of the Fur Brigades canoe reenactment at 1 p.m. Monday. • Fort Langley National Historic Site, 23433 Mavis Ave. • July 30-Aug. 1 • $7.80/ adult, 604-513-4777, pc.gc.ca/fortlangley
Coquitlam Kinsmen International Craft Beer Festival
Calling all craft beer lovers! Enjoy samplings of more than 60 local and international craft breweries and yummy food options from local establishments and artisans, plus live entertainment all day long. • Coquitlam Town Centre Park, Coquitlam • July 30-31, 1-9 p.m. • kinsmencraftbeerfest.com
Eat Rich Food Truck Festival
Enjoy some delicious food, live entertainment and children’s activities. • South Arm United Church, 11051 No. 3 Rd., Richmond • July 30 and Aug. 27, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. • $2.50, free with a donation for the Food Bank admission, 778-908-4988, eatricher.com
Tsawwassen Sun Festival
The largest community festival in South Delta features a Classic Car Show & Shine, Rotary Parade, pancake breakfast, slo-pitch tournament, Kids Funzone, antique fair, beer garden, vendors, a Home & Garden Show and much more. • Winskill Park, South Delta Recreation Centre,Tsawwassen • July 30-Aug. 1 • sunfestival.ca
Vancouver Street Dance Festival
Enjoy a great day at this free festival that caters to all stripes of dance and music lovers. Includes dance battles, live music, DJs and workshops. • Robson Square • July 30, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. • Free, vanstreetdancefest.com
Indian Cultural Festival 2016
Join top South Asian performers from around the world at the 21st Annual Mela (Festival) Gadri Babian Da. Enjoy carnival rides for the kids, food, crafts and other live entertainment. • Bear Creek Park, 13750 88th Ave., Surrey • July 31, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. • facebook.com/ events/1117781321575984
Vancouver Pride Parade
Features 150 parade entries - floats, dancers, marching groups and more - that make for a constant stream of entertainment along the three-hour route. • Starts at Robson Street at Thurlow, and finishes at the Sunset Beach Festival site • July 31 • vancouverpride.ca
Holi Festival of Colours
Holi Festival of Colours is a traditional Indian holiday, celebrated in our own innovative fashion, adapted to the contemporary Canadian/American scene. Family friendly-good clean fun! • Bhakti Yoga, 8321 140th St. • Aug. 1, 2-7 p.m. • $5, eventbrite.ca, facebook.com/HoliColourFestVan
Vancouver Bach Festival 2016
The Vancouver Early Music Festival is one of the largest festivals of its type in North America, featuring a series of concerts showcasing faculty and guest artists from around the world.This year the festival centres around Bach and features some of his best known works on period instruments. • Christ Church Cathedral and the Chan Center • Aug. 2-12 • $10-$67, earlymusic.bc.ca