Everyone is welcome at Vancouver’s Canada Day on the waterfront at Canada Place however if you’re looking for something local, there are a few other locations where you can celebrate Canada’s 144th birthday.
Burnaby
Head to the Burnaby Village Museum for carousel rides, Vaudeville performances, dancers, artists, and more.
North Vancouver
Lonsdale Quay will be the hub of activity on the North Shore with concerts and activities for the whole family. They’ll also be hosting a series of free summertime events throughout July and August as a part of SummerFest 2011.
Richmond
Canada Day, July 1st means it’s also the 66th annual Steveston Salmon Festival. Starting out with a pancake breakfast the Canada Day Parade will follow along with music, craft shows, activities, and the famous salmon bake.
Parks Canada is turning 100 years old and to celebrate, they’re hosting celebrations in cities across the nation. Vancouver’s Parks Day party will take place July 16th at Brockton Point in Stanley Park (where you can catch Vancouver 125’s Summer Live just a few weeks before).
Pacific Rim National Park. Photo credit: pat_ong on Flickr
Where Brockton Point in Stanley Park (near the totem poles) When Saturday, July 16, 2011 12:00pm to 8:30pm (concerts start at 4:00pm) Who Free concert with K’Naan, The Sheepdogs, Virgin’s “Best of British Columbia” artist Kate Morgan, meet Olympic gold medalist Maelle Ricker, activities (camp, surf, hike, geocache), talk to historic characters and park rangers, Kids Zone, mascots, food vendors and more.
The following is a guest post contributed by Amber Strocel from TheV3H.com and Strocel.com.
If you don’t come from the Tri-Cities, you might not know that the term refers to Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody – plus Anmore and Belcarra. So, yes, there are actually five municipalities in the Tri-Cities, but “Tri-Cities and Bi-Villages” is a little long and awkward. Plus, those of us who live here enjoy the slight inaccuracy.
Or perhaps we don’t sweat our name because we’re too busy enjoying ourselves. Summer is officially here, and there’s lots of fun to be had here in the Northeast Sector. Here is just a sampling of the events worth checking out:
What:A Midsummer Fête When: Sunday, June 26 from 1:00-5:00pm Where: Colony Farm Regional Park [map] The skinny: Public Dreams and Metro Vancouver are inviting families to their free eco-art event, A Midsummer Fête. It’s an afternoon for families to get out of the city, spend time with each other and celebrate Nature and all her gifts. And there is a free shuttle operating from Lougheed Skytrain station, so you don’t even need to bring your car. More info: 604.879.8611
What:Canada Day in the Tri-Cities When: Friday, July 1 The skinny: Celebrate Canada’s 144th birthday in Anmore, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam or Port Moody – or (if you’re feeling ambitious) all of the above! There will be entertainment, history, crafts, kids’ activities, and of course, Canada Day cake. And to cap it all off, you can check out the fireworks over Lafarge Lake [map] or Castle Park [map] at dusk.
What:Golden Spike Days Festival When: Friday, July 1-Sunday, July3 from 12:00-11:00pm Where: Rocky Point Park [map] The skinny: The Golden Spike Days Festival is one of the oldest and longest running family events in British Columbia. The festival attracts upwards of 40,000 attendees, and will feature live entertainment, events, activites, competitions, food, and of course, Can-Can Dancers. Admission is by donation, and it includes all of the events, including the Friday and Saturday night concerts. More info: 604.931.8852
What:Heritage Summer Fair When: Saturday, July 2 from 12:00-4:00pm Where: Mackin House Museum [map] The skinny: Join the museum for a day of festivities including storytelling, musical performances, kids’ crafts, heritage hat making, museum and railway station tours, artisan demonstrations, refreshments, a turkey shoot and more! Admission by donation. More info: 604.516.6151
What:Blue Mountain Music Festival When: Saturday, July 16 and Sunday, July 17 from 1:00-9:30pm Where: Blue Mountain Park [map] The skinny: The festival features a great line-up of musicians and entertainers. Plus, there are also face painters, balloon artists and local service clubs selling food and refreshments. Admission is by donation. Plan on arriving early to enjoy the many activities for the whole family. Bring a blanket, a few chairs, sun screen, your smile, and take in the sights and sounds of the Blue Mountain Music Festival. It’s all about the fun! Relax and enjoy a day in the park! More info:[email protected]
What:Art in the Park When: Saturday, August 6 and Sunday, August 7 from 11:00am-4:00pm Where: Minnekhada Regional Park [map] The skinny: This free family-friendly event transforms the Minnekhada Park and historic Minnekhada Lodge into a creative space for exhibits by talented BC artists. In addition to the unique art exhibits, the event includes live musicians, roving performers, an outdoor cafe, nature walks, and children’s crafts. More info: 604.520.6442 or [email protected]
What:Downtown Port Coquitlam’s 7th Annual Car Show When: Sunday, August 21 from 10:00am-6:00pm Where: Downtown Port Coquitlam [map] The skinny: Hosted by the Port Coquitlam Business Improvement Association, Port Coquitlam’s Downtown Car Show provides visitors an incredible opportunity to see a range of unique, vintage and custom vehicles as over 300 cars, trucks and motorcycles line the downtown streets. More info: 604.464.1490 or [email protected]
That’s far from everything – there are also farmers’ markets, outdoor concerts, movie screenings and a whole lot more. To keep up to date on everything that’s happening in the Tri-Cities this summer, stop by TheV3H.com.
This post was written by Amber Strocel, who contributes to TheV3H.com, a blog that highlights news and events in and around Port Moody, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam. You can also catch up with Amber’s musings on life and parenting at Strocel.com, or find out about her online class on living with intention at Crafting my Life.
Free outdoor movies in Vancouver have become a tradition, either projected in parking garages in Gastown or at Ceperley Meadow in Stanley Park. This summer they’ll be screened in the heart of downtown Vancouver at Robson Square, at the Olympic Village site, and around the Lower Mainland.
Robson Square 8:30pm start:
July 4, 2011: Spiderman
July 11, 2011: Fried Green Tomatoes
July 18, 2011: Ghostbusters
July 25, 2011: Goldfinger
August 1, 2011: Mary Poppins
August 8, 2011: The Muppet Movie
August 15, 2011: Toy Story
August 22, 2011: Men in Black
August 29, 2011: Finding Nemo
Presented by the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association the screenings are all free and suitable for family audiences. Bring your own chairs and dress for the weather. Follow @downtownvan on Twitter for updates on events throughout the summer.
The Village at False Creek will have movies every Thursday in August. A schedule has not yet been released but you’ll be able to bring down a picnic or purchase food from vendors while setting up at table seating.
Around the Lower Mainland, you can check out Fresh Air Cinema’s touring screenings. Here are a few that have been promoted already:
Stanley Park, July 5, 2011: Jurassic Park
Douglas Park Spirit Square, Langley, July 6, 2011: Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2
West Point Grey Park, July 7, 2011: Ghostbusters
Blue Mountain Park, Coquitlam, July 9, 2011: Gnomeo & Juliet
Rotary Stadium, Abbotsford, July 8, 2011: Rango
Rocky Point Park, Port Moody, July 10, 2011: Back to the Future
Stanley Park, July 12, 2011: Field of Dreams
Minoru Park, Richmond, July 15, 2011: Kung Fu Panda
Confederation Park, Burnaby (Vancity Credit Union Series) July 17, 2011: TBD
Stanley Park, July 19, 2011: Top Gun
The Meadow, SFU Burnaby Mountain, July 22: Rio
Victoria Park, East Vancouver (Vancity Credit Union Series) July 27, 2011: ET
Beaconsfield Park, July 29, 2011: Roman Holiday
Robson Square, August 1, 2011: Mary Poppins
Steveston (Cannery), August 1, 2011: School of Rock
Stanley Park, August 2, 2011: ET
Athlete’s Village, August 3, 2011: Inception
Fraser Heights Rec Centre, Surrey, August 5, 2011: Toy Story 3
Dennison Park, Delta, August 5, 2011: Iron Man
Holland Park, Surrey, August 6, 2011: Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2
Lynn Valley Park, North Vancouver (Vancity Credit Union Series) August 7, 2011: TBD
Lynn Valley Park, North Vancouver, August 7, 2011: Rio
Stanley Park, Vancouver, August 9, 2011: Jaws
Coquitlam Centre, August 10, 2011: Rio
Morgan Crossing, Surrey, August 11, 2011: Avatar
Harbour Green Park, Vancouver, August 12, 2011: Grease
Holland Park, Surrey, August 13, 2011: Ramona & Beezus (with Selena Gomez)
Swangard, Burnaby, August 14, 2011: Rio
Steveston Village, Steveston, Richmond, August 14, 2011: Soul Surfer
Holland Park, Surrey, August 19, 2011: Heyy Babyy
Rotary Stadium, Abbotsford, August 19, 2011: E.T.
Holland Park, Surrey, August 20, 2011: Tangled
Stanley Park, August 23, 2011: Back to the Future
Unwin Park, Surrey (Vancity Credit Union Series) August 26, 2011: TBD
Holland Park, Surrey, August 27, 2011: Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
King George Park West, Richmond, September 1, 2011: Finding Nemo
Diefenbaker Park, Tsawwassen (Vancity Credit Union Series) September 3, 2011: TBD
The 99th Grey Cup championship and festival will take place in Vancouver Thursday, November 24th through to game day Sunday, November 27th. Tickets for the game and festival, Canada’s largest sporting event, went on sale earlier this week.
The Grey Cup festival, hosted by the BC Lions, will run for four days in downtown Vancouver with events ranging from free family entertainment to ticketed concerts. The 90,000 square foot Molson Canadian House (from the Olympics) will return and be located at Vancouver Convention Centre West.
The Safeway Grey Cup Festival Parade will take place Saturday and the 99th Grey Cup Championship game (at a newly re-opened BC Place) will wrap up the week’s festivities on Sunday. Follow the 2011 Grey Cup Festival on Twitter (@2011GreyCup) and Facebook for more information. They are also looking for volunteers at this time.
Click to view the large version of this map
Update September 2011 Source: Press release: For the first time in Grey Cup history Canada’s top university football teams will compete for the CIS Vanier Cup in British Columbia. The 47th Vanier Cup will also be the first championship event to take place at the new BC Place. With the CIS responsible for more than 150 CFL and NFL players, attending the Vanier Cup will be a great way for fans to see the next Canadian football stars play in a new world-class venue.
Update October 2011 Source: Press release: Phil Reimer, chairman of the Safeway Grey Cup Festival Parade, is pleased to announce that Cory Monteith, star of the hit TV series Glee, will be the Grand Marshal of this year’s Safeway Grey Cup Festival Parade scheduled for Saturday, November 26th on the streets of downtown Vancouver. “It is an honour to serve as Grand Marshal for the 2011 Grey Cup Parade in Vancouver. I love any excuse to come home and this is a thrilling one!” says Monteith.
Update November 2011 During the TELUS StreetFest check out some great local bands on the PlayNow.com stage Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Bend Sinister, Guilty About Girls, The Dudes, The Matinee, The Boom Booms, Hey Ocean! Said the Whale, Louder than Love, Stars of Boulevard, Kyprios, Head of the Herd and more!
Update November 2011 I had the chance to check out the festivities down near the Vancovuer Convention Centre West and Jack Poole Plaza today. It’s the first day of the 2011 Grey Cup Festival and there are fans everywhere. I was so happy to hear so much is going on in the new convention centre as many of the public haven’t yet been inside the gorgeous new building.
I took an unbelievably long escalator down to the bottom floor where I found Riderville and Molson Canadian House. In the spirit of the Molson Canadian Hockey House from the Vancouver 2010 Olympics, this venue has several bars, a giant stage, a lounge, a food concession, activities, and plenty of space (for you and 4,000 of your closest friends).
Outside, Jack Poole Plaza was hopping as bands took to the north stage and the Olympic cauldron burned away.
This is just the beginning of a very exciting weekend in Vancouver. Be sure to tune in for the big event, the 99th Grey Cup championship game, at 3:00pm on Sunday, November 27th.
The Grey Cup festival, hosted by the BC Lions, will run for four days in downtown Vancouver with 
