The B.C. Day long weekend is set to start August with a literal bang in Vancouver, with the city-sponsored “Summer Lights” fireworks show happening Friday night over English Bay. Dozens of other events are scheduled around the region, as well, including the Vancouver Pride Parade, the Powell Street Festival and “B.C.’s biggest wild salmon barbecue.” Here’s a non-comprehensive list of weekend activities you may want to check out. Vancouver Pride The annual Vancouver Pride Parade is expected to draw more than 100,000 attendees to downtown and the West End on Sunday. The parade begins on Pacific Boulevard outside B.C. Place at 1 p.m. and runs west to Howe Street. Several blocks of Davie Street will be closed from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. for the Davie Village Pride Festival, and numerous other events are scheduled throughout the weekend. The full schedule can be found on Vancouver Pride’s website. Summer Lights in English Bay After the cancellation of the Celebration of Light, Vancouver city council voted to allocate $2 million for a one-night fireworks display this summer. The result is Summer Lights in English Bay, which is scheduled to begin at sundown Friday at English Bay Beach Park. The event is expected to draw large crowds to the West End, English Bay and downtown, and organizers advise against driving to attend the show. More information is available on the city’s website. 50th Annual Powell Street Festival Vancouver’s Japanese community will celebrate its 50th annual Powell Street Festival this weekend in Oppenheimer Park, the heart of “Paueru Gai,” the city’s former Japanese neighbourhood. Dozens of food vendors, artisans and community organizations will gather in the park and on surrounding streets from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and multiple stages of live performances are scheduled. Visit the Powell Street Festival website for more information on the free event. Celebrate BC A pair of one-day festivals dubbed “Celebrate BC” is scheduled for this B.C. Day long weekend. The first free event takes place on Saturday in Port Moody’s Rocky Point Park from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is preceded by a ticketed B.C. blueberry pancake breakfast. Then, on Monday, Coquiltam’s Town Centre Park will play host to “B.C.’s biggest wild salmon barbecue” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with other events scheduled through 6:45 p.m. Both events feature live performances, an Indigenous village market, food trucks and more. Harmony Arts Festival West Vancouver’s Harmony Arts Festival begins Friday and continues through Aug. 9. Now in its 35th year, the 10-day festival in Millennium Park features visual arts, live music and local food vendors, all set against the picturesque waterfront. A full performance schedule and lists of participating artists and vendors can be found on the festival website. The festival runs until 10 p.m. nightly, with opening at 11 a.m. on weekends, 2 p.m. on Fridays and 4 p.m. on other weekdays. White Rock Sea Festival Visit the White Rock waterfront this weekend for the 75th annual White Rock Sea Festival. Events are scheduled Friday through Sunday at Memorial and Bayview parks, including an outdoor movie screening Friday night, a Torchlight Parade on Saturday and a fireworks finale on Sunday. During the day Saturday and Sunday, the parks will be filled with vendors, an Indigenous marketplace, kids activities and more. More information can be found on the City of White Rock website. AniRevo Vancouver Short for Anime Revolution, AniRevo Vancouver bills itself as “B.C.’s largest and fastest-growing anime convention.” Featuring cosplay contests, concerts, guest signings and more, the event takes place Friday through Sunday at the Vancouver Convention Centre’s west building. Ticket and schedule information can be found online. Sanjh Festival More than 200 performers will take the stage at Surrey Civic Plaza over the two-day Sanjh Festival this Saturday and Sunday. Billed as a multicultural celebration that reflects “unity in diversity,” the festival includes a community market with more than 100 vendors, plus cultural pavilions, booths for community organizations and global food offerings. Admission is free and the event runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. both days. Jamaica Day Festival The Jamaican Canadian Cultural Association of British Columbia is hosting its Jamaica Day Festival on Sunday in Surrey’s Hawthorne Rotary Park. Organizers promise a family friendly celebration of Jamaican culture, heritage and national pride, featuring live performances, artisan vendors, “traditional and contemporary Jamaican cuisine” and more. The event runs from noon to 8 p.m.; admission is free and all are welcome. For the sports fans Several local professional sports teams are in action at home this weekend, including the Vancouver Whitecaps, who host LAFC at 3 p.m. Saturday at B.C. Place. The Vancouver Canadians are finishing a series against Spokane that began July 28 this weekend, with games scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In Langley, Vancouver FC will host Atletico Ottawa in Canadian Premier League action at 3 p.m. Saturday, and the Vancouver Bandits will host the Winnipeg Sea Bears to close out the Canadian Elite Basketball League regular season on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.
