Folk, Fusion and Fireworks: What’s happening this weekend in Metro Vancouver

Steel barriers will be implemented and additional officers will be deployed for this year’s Honda Celebration of Lights festival.

Hundreds of thousands are expected to descend on the shores of English Bay Saturday for the first night of the 2025 Honda Celebration of Light fireworks competition.

Whether you’ll be among them or trying to avoid the crowd, there’s plenty to do in Metro Vancouver this weekend. Here are some events to check out.

Celebration of Light

The fireworks start at 10:15 p.m. Saturday, with Yukon’s team Midnight Sun producing the first show of this year’s all-Canadian slate.

Teams from Quebec and Nova Scotia will take to the skies on July 23 and 26, respectively.

Each fireworks display this year will be preceded by a lighted drone show at 10 p.m., and the July 19 and 23 shows will also feature aerial performances by the Canadian Forces Snowbirds at 6 p.m.

• Read more: Vancouver’s famous fireworks festival will be all-Canadian this year
• Celebration of Light organizers outline safety precautions following Lapu Lapu attack

Vancouver Folk Music Festival

The 48th annual Vancouver Folk Music Festival begins in Jericho Beach Park Friday afternoon and continues through the weekend. Doors will be open from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and performances will run from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Then, on Saturday and Sunday, gates will be open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and music will play from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The festival features 32 day stage performances, including 12 collaborative artist workshops, in addition to the nightly main stage performances.

There’s also an artisan market, family zones and global food vendors. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at the gate, though they are more expensive in person. For more information, visit the festival website.

Surrey Fusion Festival

The annual Surrey Fusion Festival returns to Holland Park this weekend from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The free festival features 50 community-run pavilions showcasing food and culture from around the world. There are also eight different stages featuring live music and other entertainment.

Eastside Arts Festival

This weekend also marks the start of the fifth annual Eastside Arts Festival in East Vancouver.

Featuring art-making workshops, walking tours, ticketed performances and free activities, the festival celebrates the neighbourhood’s “vast and varied multidisciplinary arts offerings,” according to organizers.

Festivities begin Saturday and run through July 27, with a free outdoor concert and party in McLean Park on July 26. Schedule and ticket information for other activities throughout the week can be found on the festival website.

Boundary Bay Air Show

The annual Boundary Bay Airshow will take place Saturday at Delta’s Boundary Bay Airport, 7800 Alpha Way.

Featuring the Canadian Forces Snowbirds and aerobatic performances by other talented pilots, the free airshow begins at noon. Gates open at 11 a.m.

Boots and BBQ

A country-tinged barbecue festival is coming to City Centre Artist Lodge on Main Street in Vancouver this Sunday.

"Boots and BBQ" spotlights local barbecue chefs and country musicians while raising funds to benefit LIFTED Youth & Mental Health.

Tickets are $10 and the festival runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Port Moody Ribfest

A bigger barbecue festival is taking place in Port Moody’s Rocky Point Park this weekend.

Hosted by the local Rotary Club, Port Moody Ribfest runs from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday through Sunday and features barbecue from seven “ribbers,” live music and a park-wide beer garden.

Admission is by donation, and other non-barbecue food vendors will also be present, according to organizers.

Korean Cultural Heritage Festival

Head to Swangard Stadium in Burnaby on Saturday for the 23rd annual Korean Cultural Heritage Festival.

The event features food and cultural vendors, live performances, a K-Pop contest and more. Admission is free and the festival runs from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Bark Park

Bring your dog to the Bentall Centre in downtown Vancouver on Saturday for Bark Park, described by organizers as a “celebration of all things canine.”

Featuring more than 15 vendors, a dog fashion show, live music, a beer garden and more, the free event runs from noon to 6 p.m.

Grabenhorst Garden opens

The decades-long work by Rose Grabenhorst to construct a public garden on her five-acre property in Pitt Meadows comes to fruition this weekend, with the opening of the land to the public.

In addition to “ornamental gardens, a tranquil pond, accessible pathways, a historic barn, a place of remembrance and spaces for environmental education,” Grabenhorst Garden also features a community orchard and edible garden funded by the federal government’s Local Food Infrastructure Fund, according to the city.

The garden at 13895 Harris Rd. will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday, before beginning its regular operating hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Monday.

Koolfest

This weekend also marks the start of “Koolfest,” a “summer hot chocolate festival” from the organizers of Metro Vancouver’s annual winter version.

From Saturday through Aug. 10, participating cafes, restaurants and vendors will be offering special iced beverages, including milkshakes, mochas, floats, slushies, bubble tea and more.

A list of participating vendors and their specialty drinks can be found on the Koolfest website.