27 events in Vancouver this Canada Day long weekend

The Canada Day Long Weekend has arrived, so wear your finest red and white and enjoy the festivities! Here is Daily Hive’s list of 27 things to do this Canada Day Long Weekend.

For more things happening around town, check out our events section and all the Canada Day events happening around town.

Canada Day at Canada Place

• What: This year’s Port of Vancouver Canada Day celebration is gearing up to be the largest event outside the nation’s capital. Highlights include a citizenship ceremony welcoming 150 new Canadians, a Canada 150 parade and multi-community fireworks show, and pancake breakfast on July 2. There will also be live performances by Sam Roberts, Fefe Dobson, Emerson Drive, Hey Ocean!, Dragonette, Madeline Merlo, The Matinee, and many more.
• Where: Canada Place, Jack Poole Plaza, and surrounding city streets
• When: July 1 and 2

Canada Day fireworks

• What: The city’s only two-barge, simultaneous fireworks show is set to light up the night sky in celebration of our nation’s birthday.
• Where: Coal Harbour and Dundarave in West Vancouver
• When: July 1 at 10:30 pm

The Ultimate Canada Day & Night Boat Party

• What: Whether you want to get a perfect tan on the day boat or dance under the stars on the night boat, this is your chance to celebrate Canada Day with a massive boat party, alongside a thousand other Canadians dancing their faces off to sounds of 24 DJs and artists.
• Where: “Sunny Ways” day boat boards at noon, Fireworks night boat boards at 7 pm
• When: July 1

O Canada Day on Granville Island

• What: Head to Granville Island for their annual Canada Day Parade, as well as jazz concerts, live shows, festival food and more.
• Where: Granville Island
• When: July 1 from 8 am to 8 pm
• Cost: Free

Canada Day at Swangard Stadium with Steven Page

• What: Featuring performances from Steven Page, Side One, Kokoma and Will Stroet. The evening will end with Burnaby’s Canada Day fireworks display.
• Where: 3883 Imperial Street, Burnaby
• When: July 1 from 5 to 10:30 pm
• Cost: Free

Good Company Canada Day Block Party

• What: The Good Company Canada Day Block Party will feature something for everyone. Spend the day outdoors soaking up the sunshine while listening to live music on the main stage, watching the city’s best skateboarders on the half pipe, or enjoying $2 BBQ and a drink in the beer garden.
• Where: The Waldorf Hotel – 1489 E Hastings Street, Vancouver
• When: July 1 from noon to 11 pm. DJs from 8 pm to 2 am
• Price: $15 early bird/$20 advance – available through MyShowPass

YVR Food Fest’s Canada Day Cookout

• What: Taking place in Olympic Village, Arrival Agency’s Canada Day Cookout is part of this year’s expanded YVR Food Fest programming, and will offer Vancouver a great gathering place to celebrate Canada 150 on July 1. The musical lineup includes Light Organ Records singer-songwriter Jessicka, Mint Records pop-punk artists Supermoon, dream pop group Jody Glenham and the Dreamers, new wave act Gang Signs, indie pop band Leisure Club, 10-piece afrobeat outfit Camaro 67, and the Common People DJs.
• Where: Olympic Village – 215 West 1st Avenue, Vancouver
• When: July 1 from noon to 8 pm
• Price: Tickets are available for the Canada Day Cookout online, and are priced at $10 to 59 (and include food and beverage tokens).

Steveston Salmon Festival

• What: This beloved annual event draws thousands of attendees each year, and features a parade, great food, activities and events for the whole family. The main attraction is the famous salmon barbecue where over 1200 lbs of wild salmon filets are grilled over open fire pits.
• Where: Steveston, Richmond
• When: July 1 from 6:30 am to 5:30 pm
• Cost: Free

Canada Day at the Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre

• What: The Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre will have a cavalcade of Canada Day activities, including Strawberry Tea, Kids World, live performances by Hedley, Chilliwack and Magic!, and more. The event wraps up with a massive fireworks display at dusk.
• Where: 17728 64 Ave, Surrey
• When: July 1 from 10 am to 11 pm
• Cost: Free

Steller Sea Lion Exhibit at Vancouver Aquarium

• What: On Saturday, July 1, Vancouver Aquarium visitors will be among the very first to get up close with Steller sea lions at the brand new Steller’s Bay exhibit. Visitors will see the sea lions basking in the sun, hear them roaring with might, and – for the first time at Vancouver Aquarium – watch the animals swimming and diving with power and grace at the huge underwater viewing window. Visitors will also observe the sea lions interacting with trainers as they participate in important research that will help their counterparts in the wild.
• Where: Vancouver Aquarium – 845 Avison Way, Vancouver
• When: July 1 until mid-September 2017
• Tickets: available through Vancouver Aquarium

Canada Day Parade

• What: Once the Canada Day celebrations are over on July 1, the party continues as the Canada150 Parade hits the streets of downtown the next day.
• Where: Downtown Vancouver along West Georgia Street from Broughton to Burrard, and along Burrard to West Pender
• When: July 2 at 5 pm

2017 TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival

• What: Whether you’re a huge jazz fan or just getting into it, there’s something for everyone at the 32nd annual TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival. This year’s highlights include a new initiative called Spotlight on Italy, as well as the festival’s first-ever collaboration with the VSO, courtesy of Branford Marsalis. More than 1,800 artists are slated to perform across 35 venues.
• When: Now to July 2, 2017
• Time: Various times
• Where: Various venues across Vancouver
• Tickets: coastaljazz.ca. Many free shows to enjoy.

YVR Food Fest: Street Food Showdown

• What: YVR Food Fest’s flagship event offers up affordable tasting menu items that allows one to sample as many different food carts and restaurants as they can handle. This feeding frenzy will be complemented by pairings from the top breweries, wineries, and distilleries in the province. At the end of the event, attendees will vote on their favourites and winners will be declared in a variety of categories.
• Where: YVR Food Fest in the Olympic Village – 215 West 1st Avenue, Vancouver
• When: July 2 from 11 am to 8 pm
• Tickets: Online, $10-$35

Puppet Making Workshop

• What: Students will be introduced to a different types of live theatre, including puppets and masks, simple hand puppet, rod puppets, marionettes and more. Learn how to manipulate them, develop characters and evoke life into these inanimate objects, culminating in a performance of their original creations.
  
• Where: Blim – 115a Pender Street East, Vancouver
• When: July 2 from 1 to 4 pm
• Tickets: Online, $85 + gst

People and Pollinators in the City are Way Cool because:

• What: Founded in September 2012, Hives for Humanity Society connects people to nature, to community and to each other, through bees, and the culture fostered around the hive. This talk will cover the why and the how of the work, get into some of the fascinating biology and communication of wild and managed species of bees, and give you tools to support people and pollinators in our city.
  
• Where: Beaty Biodiversity Museum – 2212 Main Mall, Vancouver
• When: July 2 from 1 to 2 pm
• Cost: Included with museum admission or membership.

Outdoor Movie: Back to the Future

• What: Join SummerFest and Lonsdale Quay Market for their first free outdoor movie of the Summer: Back To the Future. Grab some dinner at the Market, pull up a chair and enjoy a movie under the stars.
• Where: Lonsdale Quay Market – 123 Carrie Cates Court, Vancouver
• When: July 2 at dusk
• Cost: Free

Canada Day Parade for Latin American Week

• What: Latincouver proudly celebrates Canada’s 150 year birthday. More than 250 people from the many Latin communities in BC will come together to participate in the Canada Day Parade with Latin music, typical dances, costumes and the traditional Chiva bus you will find in Latin America!.
• Where: West Georgia Street, Vancouver
• When: July 2 from 5 to 7 pm
• Cost: Free

Cascadia 2017: Dancefilm Forum & Workshop

• What: The Dancefilm Forum is an opportunity for dancers, choreographers, and filmmakers to share perspectives,
  engage in conversations that highlight the important work being done and to be done, while facilitating connections across borders and industries.
• Where: The Dance Centre – 677 Davie Street, Vancouver
• When: July 2 from 12 to 5 pm
• Registration: Online, $10-$55

H.R. MacMillan Canada Day Family Weekend

• What: Celebrate the best in Canadian exploration and innovation with special activities and shows. Build your very own end effector, like the one found on the Canada Arm of the International Space Station. Then, design a Canadian mission patch and try your hand at the challenges of working in space with our robot arm. Plus enjoy the latest Planetarium show Horizon for free at 1 pm.
• Where: H.R. MacMillan Space Centre – 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver
• When: July 2 and 3 from 10 am to 5 pm
• Tickets: $13-$18, children under 5 free

Queen + Adam Lambert

• What: The British rockers and American singer are back together for another collaboration tour, bringing Queen favourites like “Another One Bites The Dust,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and “Under Pressure” to Vancouver once more.
• Where: Rogers Arena – 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver
• When: July 2, Doors 7 pm / Show 8 pm
• Tickets: On Ticketmaster, $49.50-$190

The Big Brunch: YVR Food Fest

• What: The Big Brunch aims to be the largest outdoor brunch ever in the country. The event will feature every conceivable type of brunch fare from some of the city’s best restaurants and cafés. Also featuring a caesar competition, a breakfast sandwich cook-off, and a cold-brew kegger with local, independent coffee roasters.
  
• Where: YVR Food Fest in the Olympic Village – 215 West 1st, Vancouver
• When: July 3 from 11 am to 3 pm
• Tickets: Online, $10-$35

Unbelievable at Museum of Vancouver

• What: On the occasion of Canada’s 150th anniversary, the Museum of Vancouver is diving deep into the vault and showcasing some of Vancouver’s most valuable treasures to present our newest exhibition Unbelievable, in collaboration with HCMA Architecture + Design. Unbelievable features contested objects, storied replicas and iconic artifacts for a mind-bending exploration of the role stories play in defining community – and what happens when these tales can’t be relied upon.  
• Where: Museum of Vancouver – 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver
• When: Now to September 24
• Tickets: Online, $$8-$18. Children 4 and under free.

Nature Walk: Summer’s Songsters

• What: Enjoy a leisurely stroll through a variety of habitats and discover the park’s summer birds and how they live. Hosted by veteran naturalist Al Grass, formerly with BC Parks. 
• Where: Campbell Valley Regional Park
• When: July 3 from 1 to 2:30 pm
• Register: Online

Miss, Mrs. and Miss Teen BC Pageant

• What: Previous titleholders will be coming back to share their stories, and of course there will be all the excitement of finding out who will be crowned this year’s Miss BC, Mrs. BC and Miss Teen BC. Regional titles will be awarded in each category, and the winner of Miss/Mrs./Miss Teen Charity BC will be announced. In support of Cops for Cancer.
• Where: Chandos Auditorium – 918 Granville Street, Vancouver
• When: July 3 from 6 to 10:30 pm
• Tickets: Online, $25-30

Kitsilano Showboat meets Garry Chalk & the Kits Point All-stars

• What: Veteran musicians Garry Chalk, Don Alder, Ian ‘Stan’ Wardle and Antoine Champaux are The Kits Point All-stars. Band members of the group have toured independently in the USA, Europe and Asia. All are extremely talented in their own right with Garry Chalk being a multiple Gemini Award-winning actor, voice over artist, an accomplished singer, and guitar player. Don Alder was the winner of the 2011 Worldwide Guitar Idol, 2010 Guitar Superstar North America, and 2007 International Finger style Champion.
• Where: Kitsilano Showboat – 2300 Cornwall Avenue, Vancouver
• When: July 3 from 7 to 9 pm
• Cost: Free

A Week of Free Screenings to Celebrate Canada’s 150th Birthday!

• What: As the centrepiece of the year-long Canada on Screen program, The Cinematheque celebrates Canada Day and Canada’s 150th birthday with a week of free screenings, featuring many of Canada’s greatest film (and television) works, from Anne of Green Gables to Jesus Of Montreal.
  
• Where: The Cinematheque – 6810 Main Street, Vancouver
• When: Now to July 7 at various times
• Cost: Free and available on a first-come, first-served basis from The Cinematheque box office on the day of the screening.

QueerProv Monday – Audience Appreciation Night!

• What: On Monday night, you, the audience, will get to choose which games the Queerprovers will play. Wrap up your long weekend with a night of laughs.
  
• Where: XYYVR – 1216 Bute Street, Vancouver
• When: July 3 from 8 to 10 pm
• Cost: Free