Over 20 FREE and cheap things to do around Metro Vancouver this June
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Start your summer on a budget!
Here are 27 free and cheap events happening in Vancouver in June, including a Georges St-Pierre meet-and-greet, Tour De Concord, Hollywood Harvest, and more.
And for more great events happening around town, be sure to check out our Listed section.
One-Time Only Events and Activities
Georges St-Pierre meet-and-greet at The Living Room
Georges St. Pierre (Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)
What: Legendary Canadian mixed martial artist Georges St-Pierre (GSP) is appearing at the newly renovated Living Room at Hotel Belmont on Saturday, June 10.
The event is presented by the sports gambling website BET99, which has GSP as its ambassador. Fans can snap a photo with the MMA great, then stick around to watch UFC 289 at the hotspot in the heart of Vancouver’s Entertainment district.
When: June 10, 2023
Time: 5 pm
Where: The Living Room at The Hotel Belmont – 654 Nelson Street, Vancouver
Cost: Free; RSVP by visiting Hotel Belmont online or emailing [email protected].
Spring Mushroom Show
What: Vancouver Mycological Society’s Spring Mushroom Show features unique displays, children’s activities, and of course, a massive amount of mushrooms. Guests can even bring in their own mushrooms for identification by members of the VMS.
When: June 4, 2023
Time: 10 am to 3 pm
Where: VanDusen Botanical Garden – 5251 Oak Street, Vancouver
Tickets: Tickets are $5 and children under 12 are free. Purchase online
Velopalooza
What: The annual Velopalooza Festival of Bike Fun promotes bicycle events and community rides in and around Vancouver. This year’s lineup of activities includes a scenic ride around the sea wall while rocking out to Pink Floyd, a Mending Ride With Makemobile, and the popular Sober Bike Rave.
When: Various dates from June 1 to 30, 2023
Time: Various times
Where: Various locations
Cost: Most of the rides and events are free. See the full calendar of events online
West Vancouver Community Cultural Fest
What: The 2023 West Vancouver Community Cultural Fest takes place from June 2 to 3, with a free festival program that includes live performances, a kids’ zone and art stations, and of course, delicious eats and drinks. Guests can stop by the International Lounge to try mouthwatering flavours from around the world in a licensed venue.
When: June 2 and 3, 2023
Time: 4 to 9:30 pm (Friday), 11 am to 9:30 pm (Saturday)
Where: Ambleside Park – 1150 Marine Drive, West Vancouver
Admission: Free
Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival 2023
Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Society/Submitted
What: Over 100,000 visitors and racers are expected to attend the city’s biggest Dragon Boat celebration. The two-day event will include the international dragon boat races and an expanded range of programming and free concerts throughout the day.
Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival features the new TD Main Stage’s 100% local lineup. Attendees will enjoy headliners Dear Rouge and SABAI as well as exciting diverse performers throughout the weekend.
When: June 24 to 25, 2023
Time: Various times
Where: Concord Pacific Place, Creekside Park, and False Creek, Vancouver
Admission: Free
Woodward Townhomes Block Party
What: In anticipation of one of Surrey’s newest communities, Woodward Townhomes, a giant block party is being held to celebrate its launch and welcome new guests.
On Saturday, June 3, from noon to 4 pm, head down to the Woodward Home Store on 142 Street to enjoy some tasty treats, food trucks, and family fun to celebrate the launch of these new townhomes.
When: June 3, 2023
Where: Woodward Home Store — 5869 142nd Street, Surrey, BC
Time: Noon to 4 pm
Price: Free
Black Music Month Festival 2023
What: The sixth Black Music Month Vancouver, presented by Fade to Black Entertainment Society, is happening from June 2 to 4 at Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza – šxʷƛ̓exən Xwtl’a7shn.
The event celebrates and honours African Americans and African Canadians who have made helped take music to new heights, including Michie Mee, Missy D, Kia Kadiri, Ndidi Cascade, and more. Guests can also explore the Pop-Up Market of BIPOC artisans organized by Art Soul Methods.
When: June 2 to 4, 2023
Time: 4 to 11 pm (Friday), Noon to 11 pm (Saturday), 11 am to 6 pm (Sunday)
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza – šxʷƛ̓exən Xwtl’a7shn – 650 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
Admission: By donation
Wellness Studio Pop-Up at Bentall Centre
George Rudy/Shutterstock
What: The Wellness Studio Pop-Up at Bentall Centre spotlights workplace well-being and mental health. The four-week activation offers yoga, strength classes, sound baths, art therapy, mental health talks, and more.
The best of Vancouver’s wellness community will lead the classes, sessions, and other programming. The Wellness Studio also includes spaces such as a phone-free meditation area, and an immersive meditation pod called Haven.
When: Now until June 9, 2023
Time: Monday to Friday from noon to 6 pm
Where: Retail Concourse Unit 311 at Bentall Centre — 595 Burrard Street, Vancouver
Cost: A minimum donation amount of $10 will go towards Foundry in support of youth mental health resources. The donations will be matched by Bentall Centre and complex owner and operator Hudson Pacific Properties.
Hats Off Day
What: The long-running free festival, which is called Hats Off Day because it’s a day for local businesses to “take their hats off” to their community, features live performances, kid-friendly activities, and, of course, plenty of delicious food.
Organized by the Burnaby Heights Merchants Association, as well as the Hats Off committee and the Burnaby Heights community, the 12-block event is expected to draw up to 50,000 visitors to the area.
When: June 3, 2023
Time: 9:30 am to 4 pm
Where: Hastings Street, between Gamma Avenue and Boundary Road, Burnaby
Cost: Free
VSO Day of Music
What: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the VSO School of Music present Day of Music, with over 100 free concerts of various music genres to discover in venues across the city.
The all-ages event features performances on 13 stages across the Lower Mainland, including the YVR, Bill Curtis Square in Yaletown, and the Vancouver Convention Centre. The grand finale is a full VSO orchestra concert, under the baton of VSO Music Director Otto Tausk, at the Orpheum at 8 pm.
When: June 10, 2023
Time: Various performances between 10 am to 10 pm
Where: Various venues across the Lower Mainland
Cost: Free
Tour De Concord Vancouver – Free Family Bike Festival
Concord Pacific/Submitted
What: Concord Pacific’s Free Family Bike Festival and Tour de Concord Cycling Race are happening on Saturday, June 10, with kids’ activities, food trucks and a beer garden, and more to check out.
The city’s first major summer event of 2023 will take place on a new 900-metre cycling course on the north shore of False Creek. Children aged 6 to 12 can bring their own bicycles to ride on the closed course before the race starts. And riders between the ages of 3 to 12 can visit the kids’ zone to learn drop-in skills, tackle the obstacle course, and participate in games sessions.
When: June 10, 2023
Time: 11 am to 3 pm
Where: Concord Pacific Place – False Creek next to Science World – 88 Pacific Boulevard, Vancouver
Cost: Free; register online
Car-Free Day Surrey 2023
What: Car-Free Day Surrey, hosted by the Newton Business Improvement Association, is a day-long event with live entertainment, family-friendly activities, food vendors and more.
Visitors will find lots to see and do during the free street party, including concerts by acclaimed Canadian British singer Luv Randhawa and the popular eight-piece Latin alternative band MNGWA.
There will also be TransLink installations to explore, a beer garden, a family zone with roving performers and comedic juggler Matt Henry, and a dance stage with breakdance battles.
When: June 10, 2023
Time: Noon to 8 pm
Where: 137th Street, Surrey (Between 72A Avenue and 74th Avenue)
Cost: Free
Japan Market Summer Festival 2023
What: One of the city’s most popular Japanese cultural festivals is officially returning for its summer edition. The Japan Market Summer Festival 2023 will take place at the šxʷƛ̓exən Xwtl’a7shn Plaza at Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza, with several food trucks and food vendors for visitors to dig into.
When: June 10 and 11, 2023
Time: 10 am to 6 pm
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza, 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver
Tickets: Starting from $4, purchase online
Vancouver International Jazz Festival
@coastaljazz/Instagram
What: The 38th annual Vancouver International Jazz Festival is returning to stages all over the city this summer.
This year’s festival will offer a variety of free and ticketed performances, starting with the free Downtown Jazz concert series outside the Vancouver Art Gallery and šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square and culminating on Canada Day weekend on Granville Island, with events happening at Performance Works, Ocean Artworks and The Revue Stage.
When: June 23 to July 2, 2023
Time: Various times
Where: Various venues across Vancouver
Tickets: Free and ticketed events. More information is available online
Italian Day 2023
What: Let your tastebuds start tingling! Vancouver’s annual celebration of Italian culture, heritage, and community will return this spring with a full-size festival.
Thousands of Vancouverites will take over Commercial Drive as it transforms into a 14-block car-free zone. There will be plenty of merchants, food vendors, and entertainment to discover throughout the day-long event.
When: June 11, 2023
Time: Noon to 9 pm
Where: Commercial Drive (Venables Street to Grandview Highway), Vancouver
Cost: Free
Giants, Dragons, & Unicorns: The World of Mythic Creatures
What: Giants, Dragons, & Unicorns: The World of Mythic Creatures is an exhibition from the American Museum of Natural History filled with unique cultural artifacts. The Museum of Surrey exhibit spotlights the similar and different ways that people around the globe depict mythic creatures.
When: Now until September 16, 2023 (Closed on Mondays and statutory holidays)
Time: 9:30 am to 5:30 pm (Tuesday to Saturday), noon to 5 pm (Sunday)
Where: Museum of Surrey — 17710 56a Avenue, Surrey
Admission: Free though donations are appreciated
Queer Arts Festival
What: Queer Arts Festival is an annual artist-run transdisciplinary celebration in Vancouver. This year’s event is themed Queers In Space and features a grand opening art party, readings from Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit and Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction, concerts, drag performances, and more.
When: June 17 to June 28, 2023
Time: Various times
Where: Roundhouse Community Centre, SUM gallery, James Black Gallery, and VAG North Plaza
Admission: Free and ticketed events. Purchase online
5X Festival Blockparty
5X Block Party (Anand Mohapatra/Submitted)
What: Canada’s largest South Asian youth event is kicking off this year’s festivities with a massive outdoor celebration in June. And due to popular demand, it will be free to all attendees.
5X Festival Blockparty, taking place at Surrey Civic Plaza on June 11, features a concert lineup of some of Metro Vancouver’s finest music talents. The all-ages, outdoor event will also include art installations, a vendor village, and mouthwatering food and drinks.
When: June 17, 2023
Time: 2 pm start
Where: Surrey Civic Plaza – 13450 104 Avenue, Surrey
Cost: Free, RSVP online
The 66th Biennial Vancouver Rose Show
What: Guests can discover hundreds of named varieties of the “Queen of Flowers” at The 66th Biennial Rose Show, and the festivities are free to enjoy.
The main event of this year’s Rose Show is a judged competition with a massive array of blooms freshly cut from members’ gardens. Stroll through the roses arranged by class, colour, and fragrance. Floral fans can also check out the highly-anticipated photography competition before chatting with veteran rosarians about their rose-related questions and concerns.
When: June 18, 2023
Time: 12:30 to 4:30 pm
Where: VanDusen Botanical Garden – 251 Oak Street, Vancouver
Cost: Free
Great Grandview Garage Sale 2023
What: The seventh annual Great Grandview Garage Sale is happening rain or shine on Saturday, June 17 throughout Grandview-Woodland in East Vancouver.
From records to retro furniture, books to housewares, and toys for the little ones, there’s something for everyone at this massive Vancouver garage sale. Make sure you bring cash and bags to hold everything you find.
When: June 17, 2023
Time: 10 am to 2 pm
Where: Grandview Woodland, from Broadway to the Burrard Inlet and Clark Drive to Nanaimo. See the map online (to be updated closer to the event)
Studio Ghibli Forever!
What: Vancouver International Film Festival is presenting Studio Ghibli Forever! Part 2 throughout the spring and summer. The celebration at VIFF Centre – Vancity Theatre includes seven Studio Ghibli films, including animated masterpieces and cult classics by the Koganei, Tokyo-based company.
Studio Ghibli Forever! is an ongoing series throughout 2023, with additional films being added to the screening lineup later this year.
When: Now until July 17, 2023
Time: Various times. See the full schedule online.
Where: VIFF Centre – 1181 Seymour Street, Vancouver
Tickets: $10 for students and accessible pricing, $13 for seniors, and $15 for adults. Purchase online
Hollywood Harvest and Granville Flea at Greek Day
Dicky Dumps/Submitted | BaldyLox Thrifts/Instagram
What: Three of our favourite Vancouver events are coming together this month for a mouth-watering pop-up.
Hollywood Theatre and Glory Days are teaming up with Granville Flea for Hollywood Harvest at Greek Day on Sunday, June 25. The family-friendly pop-up will feature a global-inspired food fair and a vintage market at the classic art deco movie theatre in Kitsilano.
When: June 25, 2023
Time: 11 am to 7 pm
Where: Hollywood Theatre – 3123 W Broadway Vancouver
Admission: Free
Recurring Events and Activities
North Vancouver’s Shipyards Night Market
Shipyards Night Market/Facebook
What: North Vancouver’s Shipyards Night Market (SYNM) is celebrating its 10th anniversary in Lower Lonsdale in 2023. The popular free event takes place every Friday and features a beer garden, live music, market vendors and food trucks.
This year, the Shipyards Night Market will also be honouring Ingrid Doerr, the founder of the beloved event.
When: Every Friday until September 15, 2023
Time: 3 to 10 pm
Where: The Shipyards — 125 Victory Ship Way, North Vancouver
Cost: Free
Bill Reid Gallery – Free Admission Day
What: The Bill Reid Gallery is named after the renowned Haida artist and is the only public gallery dedicated to contemporary Indigenous Art of the Northwest Coast in the country. The gallery is home to the Simon Fraser University Bill Reid Collection and also hosts a variety of special exhibitions, workshops, panel discussions, and more.
Guests can visit Bill Reid Gallery for free from 2 to 5 pm on the first Friday of each month.
When: The first Friday of every month
Time: 2 to 5 pm
Where: 639 Hornby Street, Vancouver
Cost: By donation
Vancouver Art Gallery – Free First Friday Nights
What: The Vancouver Art Gallery was founded in 1931 and is renowned as one of North America’s leading visual arts institutions. There are a variety of exhibitions currently on display at the largest public art museum in western Canada, including The Children Have To Hear Another Story: Alanis Obomsawin, Shary Boyle: Outside The Palace Of Me, and a spotlight feature on Heiltsuk artist KC Hall.
When: The first Friday of every month
Time: 4 to 8 pm
Where: 750 Hornby Street, Vancouver
Cost: Free
Community Jam at The Improv Centre
What: The Improv Centre welcomes performers of all levels to get up onstage with professionally trained improvisers at its free monthly community jam. The 18+ event features theatre exercises, improv games and scenes, and more during the fun, interactive jam.
When: The last Saturday of every month.
Time: 3:30 to 5:30 pm
Where: The Improv Centre — 1502 Duranleau Street, Vancouver
Cost: Free
Richmond Night Market 2023
Courtesy Richmond Night Market
What: Richmond Night Market is gearing up for another season filled with epic eats and live entertainment. This market draws crowds from across the province who travel to check out the rows on rows of vibrant cuisine and unique shopping along with the diverse lineup of nightly performances on the 50-foot stage.
When: Fridays to Sundays until October 9, 2023, plus some holiday Mondays
Time: Friday from 7 pm to midnight; Saturday from 6 pm to midnight; Sunday from 7 pm to 11 pm (Holiday hours may vary)
Where: 8351 River Road, Richmond (near Bridgeport Station)