Vancouver Adventures: Our Picks for August 1 to 7

This week: Show your pride at the city's most colourful party of the year, celebrate B.C. Day at festivals throughout the province, wine and dine longtable-style + more

White Rock Sea Festival – July 31 to August 2

Celebrate by the sea at the White Rock Sea Festival. For the past 66 years, White Rock has hosted a weekend of fun-filled events and this year’s may just top them all. The festival kicks off on Friday night with an outdoor cinema showing of Big Hero 6 at Semiahmoo Park. Saturday and Sunday are packed with activities like yoga, two parades, a salmon barbeque, and even fireworks.

Check online for a full schedule

Harmony Arts Festival – July 31 to August 9

West Vancouver’s Harmony Arts Festival has hit the 25-year milestone of bringing art of every kind to the Lower Mainland. Events range from artisan food tastings to a craft market to live music at three different venues. Even kids can participate with tie-dye, button-making, and origami workshops.

Check online for a full schedule

Fort Langley Brigade Days – August 1 to 3

Throwback to the 1800s with Fort Langley’s exciting three-day festival, Brigade Days. Every day begins with a flag-raising ceremony, a weapons demonstration, and a farm and garden tour, as well as all-day children’s activities and demonstrations. Be sure to stop by on Monday evening to catch the free B.C. Day concert featuring local fiddlers and local swing band, Swing Patrol.  

10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., B.C. Day (August 3) concert at 6 p.m.
Fort Langley, 23433 Mavis Avenue, Fort Langley

Colour Me Rad 5K – August 1

Colour Me Rad 5K is taking the term “fun run” to new (and brighter) levels. Based on the Indian festival Holi, participants begin the race decked out in white. At eight various stations throughout the run, runners will be drenched in different coloured gels. Sign up as a team or on your own, just don’t miss out on being rad.

10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
6288 Stadium Road, Vancouver

Dancing in the Street – August 2

Shimmy, spin, sing, and swing in the sunshine at the Vancouver Swing Society’s Dancing in the Street event. You don’t need to bring your own partner, and even newbies will find they can follow along with the help of two beginners’ lessons that will kick off the afternoon. Live music will be provided by local band Air Mail Special. It’s the perfect chance to meet some new people, pick up a new skill, and maybe even show off some special moves of your own.

1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
901 Mainland Street, Vancouver

Vancouver Pride Parade – August 2

Vancouver Pride Week is arguably the biggest annual party in the city, and all of the most colourful characters in town find their way to the Pride Parade. Now in its 37th year, the parade is all about celebrating the LGBTQ2+ community and applauding diversity. The parade boasts crowds as big as 65,000 spectators lined up along the route which circles around the West End. The theme of this year’s parade is Gender Superheroes, so whether you don a cape or pay homage to a role model, dress to impress and show off your best Pride style.

12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Begins at Robson and Thurlow, goes down Robson, Denman, and Beach Avenue before ending at Thurlow

Credit: Araxi

Araxi Vancouver Long Table Dinner – August 3

Elegant, scenic, and of course, delicious, the Longtable Dinner series is the ultimate in dinner parties. Whistler’s Araxi Restaurant hosts only two of these stunning dinners each year, so grab a coveted seat while you can. The Pemberton event happens in early September, while Vancouverites can enjoy this special dinner this B.C. Day at Bard on the Beach. The meal will include a reception with hors d’oeuvres and five courses, featuring dishes like smoked Chinook salmon, alder smoked beef brisket, and more.

4 p.m.
Vanier Park

Bottle Royale at Cibo Trattoria – August 5

We all know that B.C. is the best place on the planet, and now Cibo Trattoria is putting our wines to the test at Bottle Royale. With 10 different wines from some of the world’s most renowned regions (including some homegrown bottles) squaring off against each other, the competition promises to be fierce. Diners will get to weigh in on the selections as they enjoy a tasting of each wine and a five-course meal (which sounds like a win all on its own).

6:30 p.m.
Cibo Trattoria, 900 Seymour Street, Vancouver

Penticton Peachfest – August 5 to 9

If a trip to Penticton is overdue, then now is the time to pay a visit to the Okanagan resort town. Every year the city celebrates Peachfest, a five-day festival taking place at venues all throughout town. Special events include a sand castle building competition on August 6, a pancake breakfast and parade on August 8, and carnival rides and games all week. Check online for a full schedule of events and activities.

Times and locations vary

Crankworx Whistler – August 7 to 16

Get all the second-hand adrenaline rushes you’ll ever need at Crankworx Whistler. The festival began in Whistler 12 years ago, and has since spread around the world to France and New Zealand. Crankworx sports some high-flying extreme biking competitions that draw spectators from across the province. It can even be a week of family fun with Kidsworx, which caters to the next generation of mountain-biking pros with various fun races and a scavenger hunt.

Times and locations vary