Things To Do This August Long Weekend

 

Vancouver Pride Parade wraps up Pride weekend on August 4th at Pacific Boulevard and Beach Avenue with over 100,000 attendees celebrating in the streets with flashy floats, marching bands, brilliant costumes all in support of our 2SLGBTQAI+ communities. 

 

Texada Island Blues & Roots Festival means a ferry from Powell River to Blubber Bay needs to be planned, but it’s well worth it to discover the undiscovered. This fun fest showcases local musicians and artists that live within a 100 km radius of Texada Island from the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island. 

In Victoria, Ship Point Market encourages folks to buy local treasures from indigenous artists, craftsmakers, and more on the Inner Harbour causeway. Vibe with local buskers and grab a bite from a variety of food vendors.

Summer in the Kootenay Rockies area is so special, and the acclaimed Kaslo Jazz Festival takes place August 2-4. Situated in Kaslo Bay Park this sheltered natural amphitheatre surrounds a floating stage right on the edge of Kootenay Lake in the heart of the Selkirk Mountains. This year catch Bahamas, The Cat Empire and Jill Barber amongst an impressive lineup of musical artists.

 

The Comedy Department has two shows on Saturday night, August 3rd (730pm and 930 pm) called Saturday Night Laughs at The Show Cellar in Vancouver. Hands down the best improv troupe in the city, nay, the country, and they tell me it’s a fast-paced comedy night based entirely on audience suggestions. The Show Cellar has a cool, speakeasy vibe with food and beverage table service, so it’s easy to make it dinner-and-a-show.

 

Sooke Fine Arts Show is already in full swing and wraps up August 5. Taking place every summer and now in its 30th year, this exhibition features over 370 original art works in a 17,000 square foot gallery, making it the largest juried art show on Vancouver Island.

 

Sunfest Country Music Festival has headliner Keith Urban, plus Lee Brice, Cole Swindell and many other country artists performing in Laketown Ranch. Wildly popular, and will make a country music fan out of anyone. 

Cow Bay Regatta now in its 43rd year, this annual sailing regatta in Cowichan Bay is hosting the Martin 242 fleet for their North American Championship and the Multihull (catamaran/trimaran) Pacific Northwest Championship. 

In the South Cariboo Region, Sulphurous & Hathaway Fishing Derby & Raffle seems like a very BC thing to do on August 3rd, with raffle prizes, a custom fire pit, a Bradley Smoker, and loads of fishing fun.

Movies on the Mountain at Grouse Mountain happens August 4th with a showing of the party-on–Garth classic flick Wayne’s World. Dress like Garth or Wayne and post pictures please.

 

Harmony Arts Festival starts on August 2nd and carries on until the 11th. Do not miss Orchard Sky on August 5th especially if you think you don’t like country music. This band will make a believer out of anyone, with their new country sound, best described as Sass Jordan if she sang country, and Carrie Underwood if she sang rock.

 

Chilliwack Corn Festival happens August 3rd to 4th, at Greendale Acres for the first time ever to kick off their famous Chilliwack Corn Maze. Family farm fun with live music and lots of kids activities plus classic corn on the cob and other corn-delicious treats.

 

Sun Peaks Resort is not just a winter destination, and a fun time to see some live music like John Welsh & Los Valientes on August 2nd at the Clock Tower Stage. Groover to Latin rhythms, reggae, calypso and east coast Canadiana.

 

Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival started in 1957 as a friendly competition among loggers and now has morphed into a long weekend festival that shows off competitors from all over the globe. A parade, wacky bed races, an 8 km run, a pancake breakfast and two world class Loggers Sports Shows are so worth checking out.

On August 3rd Yoga in the Lavender Field happens in Agassiz and you can imagine how heavenly that will be. Lavender in bloom surrounds you while you do tree pose, downward dog and more, finishing with light refreshments.

 

At Maan Farms, a first-time standing u-pick experience is planned, where people do not have to bend and crouch while picking, which for some is back breaking and a non-starter. The strawberry area is under cover, protected from the weather in a greenhouse, resulting in perfect berries that don’t hurt to pick.

Langley City’s Dive In Movie: Surf’s Up is where you want to be the evening of August 3rd. How cool would floating in Al Anderson Memorial Pool watching this animated movie under the stars be? I’d say very.

 

Mission’s Rib Fest offers a chow-down like no other, taking place August 2nd to 5th at Fraser River Heritage Park. Some of Canada’s top ribbers will be competing, plus loads of food trucks will offer great side dishes and drinks to pair nicely with those ribs. A beer garden, artisan market, live entertainment and more make for some summer fun.

 

Vancouver’s 48th annual Powell Street Festival  takes place on August 3rd and 4th in Oppenheimer Park in historic Japantown. Enjoy live music, delicious food, and martial arts demos that celebrate Vancouver’s Japanese-Canadian community and history.