Where to celebrate Canada Day in the Lower Mainland, with or without fireworks

A boy reaches for a Canadian flag on Canada Day in Vancouver, Monday, July 1, 2024. (Ethan Cairns / The Canadian Press)

Canada marks its 158th birthday on Tuesday, and celebrations large and small are planned across the Lower Mainland.

Whether you’re looking to celebrate Canada Day with a big (fireworks) bang or a chill vibe, there are plenty of options worth checking out.

Vancouver

Hosted at Canada Place by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, Canada Together is one of the largest Canada Day events outside of Ottawa, according to organizers.

The event runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and features a citizenship ceremony, live performances, an Indigenous marketplace, a kids’ zone, food trucks and more.

Surrey

While Canada Together touts itself as “one of the largest” Canada Day events, the organizers of Surrey’s annual Canada Day celebration describe it as the biggest in all of Western Canada.

Featuring four stages, food trucks, carnival rides, family friendly activities and more, Surrey Canada Day 2025 expects to draw tens of thousands to the Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre in Cloverdale.

The free event begins at 10 a.m. and culminates with a fireworks show that starts at 10:15 p.m.

Burnaby

Multiple celebrations are planned in the City of Burnaby, including performances at Edmonds Park from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and at the Burnaby Village Museum from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but Streetfest on Central is the city’s biggest event.

Beginning at 6:30 p.m. and ending with fireworks from 10:15 to 10:30 p.m. in Central Park, the event spans both the park and Burnaby’s Civic Square and Central Boulevard in the Metrotown neighbourhood.

The main stage is in Central Park, while Civic Square and Central Boulevard will feature a kids stage and pop-up performances. More information about what to expect can be found on the city’s website.

Richmond

The annual Steveston Salmon Festival begins with a parade at 10 a.m. and features four stages, a salmon bake, Japanese cultural displays, an art show, a marketplace and more.

Most of the festival’s events end at 5 p.m., but the Spirit of Steveston Zone, which includes the main stage and beer garden, remains open until 7:30.

New Westminster

New Westminster will celebrate Canada Day in Queen’s Park from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. with two stages, food trucks, a beer garden and mini golf.

“Welcome to my Renaissance,” an Indigenous youth art exhibition, will be on display in Centennial Lodge from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and there will be a community art exhibit in The Habitat during those same hours.

Tri-Cities

Canada Day is the final day of Port Moody’s Golden Spike Days festival this year, bringing with it a fourth day of live music, spike driving, gold panning and general merriment in Rocky Point Park.

Meanwhile, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam will each host a community Canada Day celebration and fireworks display on Tuesday.

The Coquitlam event takes place from noon to 10:30 p.m. at Town Centre Park, with fireworks starting at 10 p.m.

Port Coquitlam’s celebration in Castle Park begins at 1 p.m., and fireworks start at 10:20 p.m. The city is also hosting a fishing derby at Lions Park from 8 to 11 a.m. and a pancake breakfast with drop-in sports activities at Port Coquitlam Community Centre from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

North Shore

Canada Day falls in the midst of Royal Canadian Navy Fleet Week, which runs from June 30 through July 6 and features ship tours, interactive displays and performances by the Navy’s Naden Band at the Burrard Dry Dock Pier in North Vancouver.

On the holiday itself, the Navy will be joined by the Rotary Club of Lions Gate’s annual celebrations in the Shipyards District. Festivities include live entertainment, community exhibits, a children’s play area, food trucks and more. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Elsewhere on the North Shore, West Vancouver will host a picnic in Lawson Park from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., with performances, a kids zone, games and crafts on offer.

Maple Ridge

Maple Ridge will celebrate Canada Day in Memorial Peace Park from noon to 5 p.m.

In addition to live music and performances on multiple stages, the Maple Ridge event features a rock-climbing wall and “toddler hockey,” among other activities.

Pitt Meadows

Neighbouring Pitt Meadows is holding its Canada Day event in šxʷhék̓ʷnəs (Spirit Square) on Harris Road from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The local Lions Club is hosting a pancake breakfast starting at 8:30 a.m., and the celebration proper includes a “dog show and sniffing competition,” a show and shine car show and a watermelon-eating contest, among other things.

Delta

Delta‘s festivities include ceremonies hosted by Tsawwassen Boundary Bay Lions Club in Diefenbaker Park from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., children’s activities at Kirkland House from noon to 4 p.m., and the main festival in Chalmers Park from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The Chalmers Park event begins with a parade along 112 Street, followed by live music and dance performances, community booths and roving entertainers.

A fireworks display will begin at 10 p.m.

White Rock

The City of White Rock will also share a fireworks show as part of its Canada Day by the Bay event.

The celebration at Memorial Park and West Beach will run from noon to 10:30 p.m., featuring a vendor marketplace along the promenade and live entertainment throughout the day. The fireworks begin at 10:15 p.m.

Langley

The Township of Langley is once again eschewing fireworks in favour of a drone light show, which will cap a full day of festivities in McLeod Athletic Park at 10:15 p.m.

The event begins at 2 p.m. and features a kids zone with bouncy castles, mini golf and a climbing wall, plus live music, food trucks and local artisan vendors.

Abbotsford

The hub of the Fraser Valley will incorporate both a parade and a fireworks show into its Canada Day celebrations.

The parade begins at 11 a.m. and proceeds down South Fraser Way and Trethewey Street before ending at W.J. Mouat Secondary School.

At 1 p.m., the festivities cross Maclure Road and take over Abbotsford Exhibition Park with a community showcase, vendor marketplace, food trucks and live entertainment, culminating in the fireworks at 10 p.m. Find more information on the Go Abbotsford website.

Canada Day drumming

Cities across B.C. and around the country are hosting Canada Day drumming events, continuing an annual tradition that began with Canada 150 celebrations in 2017.

In Metro Vancouver, drumming events are being incorporated into both Vancouver’s Canada Together event and Richmond’s Steveston Salmon Festival.

Different events begin at different times and feature different performances and styles, but organizers ask participants to unite at 11:30 a.m. PT for six minutes of simultaneous drumming across the country, “celebrating unity and diversity among all cultures.” More information can be found on the Canada Day drumming website.