The PNE Fair continues this weekend in Vancouver, meaning you can check out a fun (new) concert lineup, tons of adorable animals, delectable eats, and fun games, along with all of Playland's awesome rides.
The Metro Vancouver weather forecast includes favourable conditions for outdoor events, with bright sun and above-average temperatures expected through the weekend.
There is a wide range of events to enjoy this weekend, including a massive, inflatable bouncy course for adults, a silent disco under starlight, and an end-of-summer yacht party.
Here are a few events happening in and around Metro Vancouver from Aug. 22 to 24, 2025.
Ghibli Jazz Orchestra
Studio Ghibli has become one of the most beloved animation studios in the world, in part because of its music and soundtracks.
Now, an 18-person jazz band in Vancouver will be performing that music. They'll be taking Joe Hisaishi's scores and reimaginging them as big jazz pieces.
Expect rich arrangements from classics like Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro.
When: Fri., Aug. 22. Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m.
Where: Hollywood Theatre - 3123 W Broadway, Vancouver
Cost: $41. Get tickets.
Deftones' 2025 North American Tour
American alt-metal heavyweights Deftones are coming to Vancouver this week, and they're going to have cause to celebrate.
They'll be releasing their 10th studio album on Aug. 22, the same day they perform at Rogers Arena.
Founded in 1988, Deftones released their first album in 1995 and have been a major influence in alt-metal for decades.
When: Fri, Aug. 22. Show starts at 7 p.m.
Where: Rogers Arena - 800 Griffiths Way, Vancouver
Cost: Tickets start at $52.40. Buy Tickets via Ticketmaster.
PNE Summer Concert Series
Flo Rida will play a show at the Pacific Coliseum on Friday, Aug. 22. The American rapper and singer is known internationally for his often uplifting party anthems and collaborations with top stars such as Sia, T-Pain, David Guetta, and Kesha.
Soulful singer Leon Bridges takes the stage Saturday. The PNE notes that the artist has "garnered over a dozen platinum and gold certifications, stacked up billions of streams, and entrenched himself at the forefront of culture."
Vancouver's own Marianas Trench rounds out the weekend on Sunday. Their pop-rock hits include "Lightning and Thunder," "Here's to the Zeros," "One Love," and many others.
PNE passes do not include access to the Summer Night Concerts. But concert tickets bought in advance online include same-day Fair passes.
When: Above concerts Aug.22-Aug.24; series runs through Sept. 1
Where: Pacific Coliseum - 100 N Renfrew St (PNE Grounds), Vancouver
Cost: Variable on show and seating.
Joezi: Vancouver | All-White Party
Afro-House DJ Joezi is having his first performance in Vancouver this weekend.
Joezi is described as a "globally celebrated" artist with music that "radiates soulful energy and uplifting vibes."
Rock your all-white everything and dance until around 3 a.m. at this popular venue in the heart of downtown Vancouver.
When: Fri., Aug. 22, doors at 10 a.m.
Where: Harbour Event & Convention Centre - 760 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver
Cost: From $31.54. Get tickets.
The Big Bounce Canada: Vancouver
Dubbed the Big Bounce Canada, a complex of seven inflatable attractions will be set up in Vancouver at the end of August, taking over Concord Pacific Place on the edge of False Creek.
Among its features is a 24,000-square-foot inflatable, organizers say is the "World’s Largest Bouncy Castle."
The castle, which stands 32 feet high, features giant slides, ball pits, climbing towers, and basketball hoops. There will also be a DJ and colourful characters populating the castle.
There will also be a long obstacle course, a space-themed area, a sports arena, and a new addition called City Xscape.
When: August 23-24 and 30-31. Sessions start every three hours at from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Adults-only session: Friday, Aug. 29, at 6 p.m.
Where: Concord Pacific Place - 88 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver
Cost: Tickets range between $29 (for adult groups) to $49.
Black Block Party 2025: Limitless
The fourth annual instalment of the Black Block Party creates a space in the heart of downtown Vancouver to celebrate "black culture, talent, and creativity."
The event is free, but donations are expected.
When: Sat. Aug. 23 · 1-9 p.m.
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery - 750 Hornby St, Vancouver
Cost: Free. Get tickets.
Silent Disco Under the Stars
The Fairmont Waterfront is unveiling its first "silent disco under the stars," described as a "high-energy, open-air dance floor" in the heart of the city on Saturday, Aug. 23.
Rooftop Rhythms & Garden Grooves plans to transform the hotel’s garden and poolside terrace for the event, with a "few unexpected delights."
Guests will enjoy panoramic views from the popular waterfront accommodation while listening to beats through wireless headphones. They can choose their rhythm from three curated channels, including "everything from disco to today’s chart-toppers—all mixed live from local legend DJ Remsta."
When: Sat., Aug. 23, from 7:30-10 p.m.
Where: Fairmont Waterfront - 900 Canada Pl, Vancouver
Cost: $49. Get tickets.
Richmond Maritime Festival
Richmond’s annual maritime celebration at the Britannia Shipyards site promises another year of seafaring festivities.
The Richmond Maritime Festival invites visitors to explore the historic site, which features 12 heritage buildings and 10 restored antique wooden boats. Food trucks, live entertainment and all kinds of family-friendly activities are in store for the weekend-long event.
When: Sat., Aug. 23, and Sun., Aug. 24, from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site - 5180 Westwater Dr, Richmond
Cost: Free
Granville Block Party
Returning for its third year, Granville Block Party will take over the heart of the Granville Entertainment District this August with music, dancing, vintage markets, food and drinks and family-friendly activities.
New this year are curated stage takeovers by Van Vogue Jam and Locals Lounge, and a dance stage featuring Harbour Dance Centre artists and swing dancing courtesy of Vancouver Civic Theatres.
Festival-goers can expect lively performances by local artists including award-winning singer-songwriter Krystle Dos Santos, folk and roots artist Jack Garton, Persian pop band Bakara Band and Afro-soul, funk and R&B fusion trio Serengeti.
When: Sat. Aug. 23, and Sun. Aug. 24, from 1-7 p.m.
Where: On Granville at Robson Street, Vancouver
Cost: Free
Seafood Boil at Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar
Boulevard’s beloved summer Seafood Boil returns for its 11th year, offering an al fresco feast on their elegant downtown patio. Guests will gather at communal long tables to enjoy a four-course Southern-inspired seafood spread by Executive Chef Roger Ma, featuring local Dungeness crab, mussels, clams, and oysters from Fanny Bay. Each ticket includes a welcome cocktail and dessert, with creative drink pairings—boozy and zero-proof—by Bar Manager Adam Domet. With live DJ sets and a rain-or-shine setup, it’s one of the city’s most anticipated culinary celebrations.
When: Sat. & Sun, Aug. 23–24; seatings at 4:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Where: Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar - 845 Burrard St, Vancouver
Cost: $135 per person; includes welcome cocktail and four courses. Tickets via OpenTable.
Hiroshima Okinomiyaki Pop-Up
A Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki pop-up is coming to Ebi-Ten in downtown Vancouver, offering a chance to experience this classic Japanese street food prepared with care and authenticity. This one-day event marks the host’s first step toward opening what they hope will become Canada’s best okonomiyaki spot.
When: Sun., Aug. 24
Where: Ebi-Ten - 388 Robson St, Vancouver
End of Summer Yacht Party
GotabGaa Canada invites guests to board a yacht for an end-of-summer bash at sea on Sunday.
The sun will set as revellers chill on the open deck or dance inside one of the main cabin's two levels. DJ Sun and a special guest DJ will provide three hours of non-stop music.
Food is included in the price, and drinks are available for purchase at the bar.
When: Sun., Aug. 24, from 3-7 p.m. (doors at 2:30 p.m.)
Where: Westin Bayshore Marina - 1601 Bayshore Dr, Vancouver
Cost: From $65.23. Get tickets.
Ukrainian Independence Day
Vancouver will join communities around the world on Sunday, Aug. 24, to observe 34 years since the Ukrainian Parliament declared Ukraine a sovereign state.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress in Vancouver is hosting a picnic that will feature cultural programming and honour Ukraine’s heroes. The event kicks off at Sunset Beach and will include a flag ceremony, music and dance performances, and cultural vendors.
At 6 pm, the Ukrainian Canadian Advocacy Group invites the community and allies to line the Burrard Bridge, where they will unspool a 550-metre Ukrainian flag ribbon.
The Ukrainian Canadian Congress encourages allies who support Ukrainian independence to attend these free events.
When: Sun., Aug. 24 at 1 p.m.
Where: Begins at Sunset Beach, Vancouver
Cost: Free.
Car-free Sundays in Gastown
Car-free days have returned to the historic neighbourhood with a series of themed events this summer.
Inspired by other pedestrian-first activities around the world and the return of the Water Street Pedestrian Pilot, Gastown has hosted a series of events with four rotating themes this summer.
Attendees can enjoy "music, art, culture, dining, shopping, and community vibes."
This week's theme is "unscripted," meaning there are no strict guidelines for how the day's event unfolds. In fact, that's the whole point. Neighbourhood event-goers can expect an "unstructured, unhurried, and totally unplugged" day in Gastown.
When: Sun. Aug. 24, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: On Water Street, from Richards to Columbia, Vancouver
Cost: Free to attend
Ongoing
2025 PNE Fair
It's been an impressive 115 years of annual fairs at the Pacific National Exhibition, although things looked a little different during the pandemic.
The PNE says the 2025 edition will "feature a dynamic mix of entertainment, including internationally renowned performers, innovative new shows, and beloved classics."
The Superdogs will have a western theme this year: Wild Wild Woof. However, you can still expect all the incredible canine skills, astonishing feats, and adorable moments of previous years. Shows are daily at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. in the Agrodome.
Other cool attractions include the live canoe-carving demonstrations from the Canoe Cultures Society, an Indigenous-led non-profit society, and the "Sands of Wonder: 2025 International Sand Sculpture Showcase," where world-class sculptors "transform towering mounds of sand into breathtaking works of art."
When: Runs through Sept. 1
Where: Pacific National Exhibition - 2901 E Hastings St, Vancouver
Cost: $7 (Rides are extra)
Tomato Festival at Provence Marinaside
August is peak tomato season in B.C., and Provence Marinaside is celebrating with its annual Tomato Festival. From August 1 to 31, the Yaletown restaurant offers a special three-course menu for $79, showcasing the vibrant flavours of local heirloom tomatoes in dishes inspired by the South of France. Expect juicy, sun-ripened tomatoes in every shape, colour, and preparation—from raw and roasted to savoury tarte and pizzetta. Crafted by Executive Chef Jean-Francis Quaglia and his team, this festival is a must for tomato lovers.
When: August 1–31 (may extend into early September)
Where: Provence Marinaside - 1177 Marinaside Cres, Vancouver
Cost: $79 for a three-course Tomato Festival menu
Exhibitions at the Vancouver Art Gallery
Monsters in My Head is Japanese artist Otani's first solo presentation in North America, inviting visitors into an "enchanted dreamworld, where myths, memories and materials come together to form a landscape—one that is strange, yet deeply familiar."
Otani's work includes ceramic creatures in various scales that "emerge from earthen mounds, tree stumps and scattered stones.
"The mazelike installation—constructed from materials foraged from local parks and forests—echoes Otani’s creative process, which transforms natural elements (clay, wood, flora) into figures brimming with presence and personality," according to the exhibition description.
Written in Clay from the John David Lawrence Collection, invites visitors to explore the rich ceramic traditions of British Columbia. The exhibition has about 200 objects, and examines the materials and processes used by artists across the region. It focuses on the mentors, interlocutors, societies, and schools that comprised the clay community from the 1930s to the early 2000s.
When: From May 25 to Nov. 9.
Where: Vancouver Art Gallery - 750 Hornby St, Vancouver
Cost: B.C. Resident General $29. Youth, caregivers, and persons with disabilities are free.
Value: Rebecca Belmore at the Museum of Anthropology
The Museum of Anthropology will host the opening of its next major exhibition, Value: Rebecca Belmore, on Thursday, May 15. The exhibition will feature four installation works spanning the four-decade career of the internationally lauded Anishinaabe contemporary artist.
The exhibition challenges notions of collective value defined by colonial institutions and contemporary social structures. It features two of Belmore's most notable multimedia works – Fountain (2005) and Wild (2001). Fountain premiered at the 2005 Venice Biennale and will be exhibited with the artist's original installation specifications in Vancouver for the first time in 20 years. It features a short film displayed on a wall of falling water.
A fourth work – Ayum-ee-aawach Oomama-mowan: Speaking to their Mother (1991) – will arrive later this summer to be on display in MOA's Great Hall. The two-meter-wide wooden megaphone was created in response to the deadly 1990 Kanehsatà:ke Resistance in Oka, Quebec.
When: From May 15 to Oct. 19.
Where: UBC Museum of Anthropology - 6393 NW Marine Dr, Vancouver
Cost: Free with admission to the museum ($26 for adults)
Junction Public Market
Vancouver's vibrant waterfront free public market returns to Granville Square for the 2025 season on May 1.
Now in its second year, the Junction Public Market features rotating pop-ups, local artisans, food vendors, a licensed patio, live entertainment, and special events planned throughout the spring and summer.
The popular warm-weather event runs in a unique shipping container marketplace in Granville Square, located between Waterfront Station and Canada Place.
The Sipping Container bar will feature a list of local brews, wines, and pre-mixed drinks, with a patio overlooking the Vancouver waterfront and North Shore.
When: May 1 to Sept. 28. Vendors: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Licensed patio: Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Where: Granville Square - 200 Granville St., between Waterfront Station and Canada Place, Vancouver
Cost: Free admission
Richmond Night Market
Richmond hosts one of the largest outdoor markets in North America and has up to 150 retail stalls and 130 food vendors, as well as entertainment and carnival games. This year it is adding a 600-foot zipline ride by to celebrate its 25th anniversary (available starting May 19).
Also, to celebrate 25 years, the market will also offer happy hour specials and admission discounts. Every night, drinks will be under $7 and food under $10 at every food stall, while admission will be $5 after 10 p.m. General admission is $7 for anyone older than 7 but under 60; kids up to 7 and those 60+ get in for free. A Zoom Pass, which gives you the ability to skip the line, is $35.
When: From April 25 until Oct. 13.
Where: 2431 No. 3 Rd, Richmond
Cost: $7
Artemis Space Adventure with Lego Bricks
Artemis Space Adventure with Lego Bricks has turned Science World into the epicentre for all things space travel and LEGO, "from moon missions to future journeys to Mars."
Visitors can immerse themselves in the hands-on Lego challenges inspired by NASA’s groundbreaking Artemis Missions, which have inspired people to return to the moon since 1972.
Play the role of Artemis space explorers (engineers, scientists, and astronauts) and play with larger-than-life "Lego sculptures, hands-on engineering challenges, and collaborative workshop stations."
When: Now through Apr 6, 2026, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Science World - 1455 Quebec St, Vancouver
Cost: Non-member visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets on arrival. Get ticket information.
Nuxalk Strong: Dancing Down the Eyelashes of the Sun
The Nuxalk Strong: Dancing Down the Eyelashes of the Sun is the first exhibition dedicated entirely to the Nuxalk Nation, who haved lived for for over 14,000 years on the central northwest coast in Bella Coola.
The exhibition showcases the Nation's rich culture and what it is doing to revitalize its language, self-governance, stewardship, and ceremonial practices.
Visitors can also see how the community works to "safeguard Nuxalk belongings, treasures, and ceremonies – including the return of a significant collection of masks, regalia, and cedar bark weavings at the exhibition closes in 2026."
Nuxalk Strong features treasures and artworks housed at the Museum of Anthropology, as well as loans from private collections and six participating museums: Royal British Columbia Museum (Victoria), Burke Museum (Seattle), Glenbow Museum (Calgary), Manitoba Museum (Winnipeg), and Museum of Vancouver.
When: Feb. 21, 2025, to Jan. 5, 2026
Where: MOA at the University of British Columbia - 6393 NW Marine Dr, Vancouver
Cost: Free with admission to the museum ($26 for adults)
With files from Lindsay William-Ross, Valerie Leung, Ashley Kim, and Brendan Kergin.
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