Classic
Boat Festival, Victoria |
British Columbia
celebrates some fabulous annual festivals, carnivals, events, and
outdoor recreation competitions. Time your visit to BC to coincide
with some remarkable natural spectacles of the animal kingdom, outdoor
music recitals, local art fairs, and natural or historical exhibitions
- or just come along and stare at the crazy things people do for work
and pleasure. BC offers a wonderfully rich and colourful array of
local festivities, entertainment, and outdoor pursuits.
Pacific Rim
Whale Festival (mid March to early April)
The northward migration of an estimated 21,000 Gray whales along
the west coast of Vancouver Island has heralded the coming of spring
for thousands of years. Grays travel close to shore, pausing to
feed in shallow waters, providing excellent viewing opportunities
from strategic shore locations. The greatest number of whales can
be seen in the spring, although many whales remain in local waters
to feed until the return migration to Mexico in October. Besides
the unique opportunity of seeing these huge mammals, ocean scientists
and whale researchers present education programs about whale migration,
biology and the conservation efforts that have brought the Gray
whales back from the edge of extinction. If you want a closer look
at these magnificent animals, venture out onto the open Pacific
aboard local charter boats offering scheduled whale watching tours
from Tofino or Ucluelet.
For more information visit: Pacific Rim
Whale Festival
Brant Wildlife Festival (April)
The Brant Festival is held in Parksville and Qualicum Beach in early
April each year to celebrate the migratory stopover of over 20,000
Brant geese. Each spring, immense flocks of Brant geese descend
on the shores of Vancouver Island for a last major food stop before
continuing their amazing journey north to the Alaskan breeding grounds.
The communities of Parksville and Qualicum Beach celebrate this
wonderful natural event with the three-day Brant Festival that includes
nature talks, guided tours of marsh, forest and seaside habitats,
photography workshops and a birding competition.
For more information visit: www.brantfestival.bc.ca
Swiftsure
Sailing Race (May)
A fleet of the most competitive racing sailboats converges on Victoria
for the annual Swiftsure race, the longest-running yacht race in
the Pacific Northwest. The challenge, hosted by the Royal Victoria
Yacht Club, attracts around 200 boats in the short, middle and long-distance
events that take competitors out and across the Juan de Fuca Strait
and back, providing spectators with a colourful display of boats
and spinnakers.
For more information visit: www.swiftsure.org
Great Walk
(June)
North America's toughest pledge walk - 63-1/2 kilometres along gravel
forestry roads in some of the most rugged and beautiful country
in the world. The annual walkathon between Tahsis
and Gold River attracts
thousands of outdoor enthusiasts to raise money for charity.
For more information visit: www.greatwalk.com
Jazz Fest
International (June)
Lovers of jazz can take in music by jazz performers from around
the world when they grace Victoria's stages for 10 days and nights
in June. Various indoor and outdoor venues in downtown Victoria
host the festival as the city heats up with more than 250 of the
world's best jazz, blues and world beat artists.
For more information visit: www.vicjazz.bc.ca
Nanaimo Marine
Festival (July)
Visitors won't want to miss the world-famous Bathtub Race held during
the Nanaimo Marine Festival in late July. Men and women of all ages
and backgrounds come from around the world to race across the Georgia
Strait in bathtubs, from Nanaimo to Vancouver. Competitors always
take the 48-km run very seriously, but the day is filled with tons
of fun and laughs for both contestants and spectators alike. Hundreds
of outboard powered "tubbers" plane their zany craft at
high speed across the strait in their quest for the much-coveted
first prize.
For more information visit: Loyal
Nanaimo Bathtub Society
Filberg Festival
(August)
The Filberg Festival, reputed to be the best Arts and Crafts festival
in the Pacific Northwest, offers an amazing selection of the finest
quality work by BC resident artists, from pottery to handmade toys.
This outdoor show and sale is displayed in the gardens of Comox
Valley's historic Filberg Lodge. Entertainment is local too, provided
in many musical styles.
For more information visit: www.filbergfestival.com
Victoria
Fringe Festival (September)
Over the Labour Day weekend theatre troupes from our own backyard
and around the world present entertaining performances at different
venues all over Victoria. For the very best in comedy, drama, dance,
magic, music, story telling and more, the Fringe is the best ticket
in town.
For more information visit: Victoria
Fringe Festival
Symphony
Splash (August)
One of the grandest events in Victoria's summer season is the annual
Symphony Splash. The Victoria Symphony Orchestra performs on a floating
stage secured in Victoria's beautiful Inner Harbour. The free show
traditionally climaxes with a resounding rendition of Tchaikovsky's
1812 Overture amidst a dazzling display of fireworks and booming
cannons.
For more information visit: www.victoriasymphony.ca
Victoria
Dragon Boat Festival (August)
Spectacular dragon boats roar into Victoria's Inner Harbour, providing
a colourful spectacle, with organized entertainment onshore.
For more information visit: Victoria
Dragon Boat Festival Society
Royal British
Columbia Museum
The Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria is one of the foremost cultural
institutions in the world, and always manages to produce remarkable
annual feature exhibitions. The fabulous Leonardo da Vinci
Exhibition attracted over 480,000 visitors to the museum.
For more information visit: Royal
BC Museum
Victoria
Classic Boat Festival (September)
Victoria
Classic Boat Festival |
Victoria’s picturesque
Inner Harbour is the place to be on the Labour Day weekend, when
around 100 classic sail and power boats from throughout the Pacific
Coast and beyond arrive for the Victoria Classic Boat Festival.
The festival is one of the Pacific Coast's most celebrated displays
of heritage sail and power craft, open to vessels of traditional
plank-on-frame construction built prior to 1956, or newer vessels
that are built to pre-1956 designs.
Visit: www.classicboatfestival.ca
| Vancouver,
Coast & Mountains |
Abbotsford
International Airshow (August)
Attracting 300,000 spectators, this is North America's largest aerial
extravaganza.
For more information visit: www.abbotsfordairshow.com
Dragon Boat Festival (June)
Take in a weekend of racing and cultural activities. The Dragon
Boat Festival is recognized as the largest and most celebrated dragon
boat event in North America, and one of the premiere Dragon Boat
Festivals in the world. The festival will once again set new standards
in dragon boat excellence.
For more information visit: Dragon Boat Festival
Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival (June / September)
Bard on the Beach is a professional summer Shakespeare Festival
in Vancouver. Located near the beach on beautiful English Bay, plays
are presented in the 520-seat main performance tent. June through
September. The Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival was established
in 1990, with a mandate to provide Vancouver residents and tourists
with affordable, accessible Shakespearean productions of the finest
quality.
For more information visit: www.bardonthebeach.org
Cloverdale Rodeo (May)
Top cowboys and cowgirls on the professional rodeo circuit compete
in traditional events.
For more information visit: www.cloverdalerodeo.com
MusicFest
Vancouver (August)
Explore extraordinary music. MusicFest Vancouver brings you its
annual feast of classical, jazz and world music presentations in
mid August. Ten days, international and local artists, dozens of
performances, and a diverse musical repertoire that spans the centuries
and the planet. MusicFest Vancouver offers you a one-of-a-kind opportunity
to experience the broadest range of live music performed with passion,
skill and creativity.
For more information visit: www.musicfestvancouver.ca
Pacific National
Exhibition (August / September)
A variety of concerts, agricultural exhibitions and an amusement
park are highlights of this family fair. Millions of people have
visited the PNE since it first began as the premier entertainment
and industrial exhibition on the west coast in 1910.
For more information visit: www.pne.ca
Vancouver Folk
Music Festival (July)
The festival offers nearly 70 hours of music on multiple stages
in a breathtakingly beautiful outdoor venue. In addition to both
traditional and contemporary folk and folk-fusion music, the festival
offers an array of informative workshops, a colourful folk art marketplace,
and a mouthwatering selection of healthful foods and beverages to
keep everyone's strength up.
For more information visit: www.thefestival.bc.ca
Vancouver
Fringe Festival (September)
One hundred groups from around the world present 500 shows on eight
indoor and outdoor stages. The Fringe is a place where artists are
free to express themselves in a nurturing, vibrant and flourishing
environment with a theatre on every street corner. For the very
best in comedy, drama, dance, magic, music, story telling and more,
the Fringe is the best ticket in town.
For more information visit: Vancouver
Fringe Festival
Okanagan Fest-of-Ale
(April)
This event has become one of the largest festivals of beer in the
province. For the beer aficionado, the annual Okanagan Fest-of-Ale
is the place to be. At least 70 different brews, great entertainment,
exceptional food treats and a spirit of fun and conviviality are all
together for what is the first of Penticton's great summer season
events.
For more information visit: www.fest-of-ale.bc.ca
Okanagan International Children's Festival (May)
Okanagan International Children’s Festival features the world’s
finest musicians, actors, acrobats, comedians and storytellers!
This international celebration of the arts stimulates global awareness
and an appreciation of cultural diversity. It is an opportunity
to delight in the world of imagination and open the door to creative
possibilities for your children.
For more information visit: www.okchildrensfest.org
Ironman
Canada Triathlon (August)
It is a sporting event like no other held in Canada. Over 1,700
of the fittest athletes in the world test themselves on one of the
most difficult athletic challenges there is: a 2.4-mile swim, a
112-mile bike race, and a 26.2-mile marathon run. This is a race
that takes the best athletes in the world just over 8 hours. The
rest of the field has up to 17 hours to complete the course. Just
finishing is an incredible achievement.
For more information visit: www.ironman.ca
Kamloops Indian Powwow (August)
The 17 bands of the Shuswap invite thousands of native participants,
as well as the public, to attend the annual event showcasing native
art and culture. During the festivities, the large log stadium vibrates
to scores of native drum groups and hundreds of dancers who arrive
from across Canada and the United States. Dances, accompanied by
chants and drums, are among the most ancient expressions of success
in the hunt.
Penticton Peach Festival (August)
The Peachfest is held in Penticton on the second weekend in August.
This five-day event features over thirty different activities ranging
from live entertainment to fireworks to arts and crafts displays
to parades, and everything in between.
For more information visit: www.peachfest.com
Vernon Winter Carnival (February)
The Vernon Winter Carnival offers 100 events to choose from, including
a parade, snow sculpture competitions, sleigh rides, stock car ice-racing
derby, ice sculptures, polar bear swim and Hot Air Balloon Fiesta.
For more information: www.vernonwintercarnival.com
Okanagan Wine Festivals
Okanagan Wine Festivals have become synonymous with celebration
of the spring growing season and the annual fall harvest, as well
as the new Icewine Festival. They provide an experience for
the truly serious wine lover, and those keen on experiencing the
character of the festivals. The annual Icewine Festival runs for
three days in January. The annual Spring Festival runs for
4 days through the first weekend in May each year, and now features
more than 40 events. The annual Fall Festival takes place
over 10 days in early to mid October featuring over 110 events.
For more information visit: www.owfs.com
Creston Valley
Blossom Festival (May)
The Creston area has the mildest climate in southeast BC, and
spring arrives early. The annual Creston Valley Blossom Festival celebrates
that fact and takes place during the May long weekend in Creston.
Residents and visitors enjoy the Grand Parade and a variety of activities,
including ball tournaments, the Demo Derby, Childrens' Parade, and
craft and flea markets.
For more information: www.blossomfestival.ca
Sam Steele Days (June)
On Sam Steele Day in Cranbrook, residents and visitors celebrate Superintendent
Sam Steele's arrival in Fort Steele in 1887. The festival offers fun
for the whole family, including a parade, logger sports, pancake breakfast,
barbecues, fastball, soccer, tennis tournaments, and the Sam Steele
Sweetheart Pageant.
For more information: www.samsteeledays.org
| Cariboo,
Chilcotin, Coast |
Cariboo Cross-Country
Ski Marathon (February)
The community of 100 Mile House is the self-professed 'International
Nordic Ski Capital', and who can argue with a town that displays the
world's largest pair of cross-country skis outside its Visitor Centre.
The town hosts a 200-km/125-mile machine-groomed trail system. No
wonder the local Cariboo Marathon attracts an international field
of skiers, annually, during the first weekend in February.
Williams Lake Stampede (July)
A world-famous event that has withstood the test of time, tracing
its earliest roots to the 1920s, when cowboys raced down the side
of Fox Mountain. Contestants from Western Canada and the US compete
for top prize money, and chances in the big rodeos in Calgary, Edmonton
and Las Vegas. Bareback bronc, boys steer riding, bull-riding, calf-roping,
ladies barrel racing, novice bareback, novice saddle bronc, saddle
bronc, and steer wrestling make up the roster.
For more information: www.williamslakestampede.com |
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