Free Outdoor Concerts

Vancouver is a fabulous place for free concerts in the summer. Music genres include Rock, Classical, Country, Jazz, Folk and more.

Free Summer Music Concerts

Below are some of the best places to find live outdoor music in the summer, with most if not all of the venues being free. Details about some events in 2024 are still to be confirmed.

Free Summer Music in Vancouver

Vancouver has a number of great summer festivals and events which feature free outdoor live music, including the following:

Free Vancouver Music Festivals

Monstercat Compound – a block party with live music, video games and art displays in Vancouver. The festival took place on Saturday, August 26th in 2023. 2024 details are to be confirmed.
Vancouver International Jazz Festival – free and ticketed concerts throughout Metro Vancouver in late June. In 2024 the festival takes place from June 21st to 30th.
Khatsahlano Street Party – a major street party on West 4th Avenue, billing itself as “Vancouver’s largest free music and arts festival” in mid-July. The street party happens on July 6th in 2024.

Other Vancouver Festivals that Feature Free Music

African Descent Festival – a free event featuring African food, live music and other activities at English Bay Beach on August 10th and 11th in 2024.
Carnaval del Sol – a Latin carnival with outdoor concerts in Vancouver. In 2024 the festival takes place on various dates in July with the main event on the weekend of July 5th to 7th. Kids and seniors get in for free.
Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival – a celebration of Taiwanese and Canadian artists in the North Plaza of the Vancouver Art Gallery. In 2024 the festival is from June 29th until July 6th.
Honda Celebration of Light – a fireworks festival in English Bay near Stanley Park’s Second Beach on two Saturdays and one Wednesday in late July. The festivities include live entertainment in the afternoons, with headliner bands in the evenings. In 2024 the fireworks happen on July 20th, 24th and 27th.
Canada Day Celebrations – July 1st is also a great time to find free outdoor concerts, including at Canada Place, Granville Island, North Vancouver’s Shipyards and other venues throughout the Lower Mainland.
Black Block Party – an event featuring music and art by Black artists in šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square (outside the Vancouver Art Gallery) in August. 2024 dates and details are to be confirmed.

Jazz Festival at Granville Island — Jazz Festival Concert at Granville Island

More Events in the City of Vancouver

Music on Main – a series of pop-up concerts usually happen outdoors at Mountain Pleasant Park. In 2024 they take place from August 12th to 22nd.
Kitsilano Showboat – live music takes place at Kitsilano Beach on weekend evenings between June 21st and July 28th in 2024.
Trout Lake Summer Concert Series – free weekly concerts outside the Trout Lake Community Centre at 3360 Victoria Drive on a few evenings in July and August (but with 2024 details to be confirmed).
Brahm’s Tam Drum Circle – informal drumming sessions take place at Third Beach in Stanley Park on sunny Tuesday evenings from May until September. They aren’t “concerts,” but they are free, musical and entertaining! If it’s a sunny evening, there will be drummers (plus lots of people).
Summer Jazz on the Porch – a “pay-as-you-can” Jazz concert outside the Roedde House Museum in Vancouver’s West End once a month in the summer.

WDF at CBC Musical Nooners — CBC Musical Nooners

Free Concert in Abbotsford

Symphony in the Park – a free classical music concert at Mill Lake Park in Abbotsford. In 2024 the event happens on August 16th.

Free Concerts in Burnaby

The premier free music event in Burnaby each summer is a one-day event involving the Lower Mainland’s finest classical music.

Symphony in the Park – a free outdoor concert by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra at Deer Lake Park. The event happens on July 13th in 2024.
Summer Stages – free live music at Confederation Park. The performances take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from July 9th until August 29th.

Free Summer Music in Coquitlam

Summer Concert Series – free live music at Town Centre Park Plaza and Blue Mountain Park on a few Fridays in the summer. In 2024 the events take place on July 19th, August 2nd and 16th, and September 6th.

In addition to the above concerts, there is also usually free live theatre at Place des Arts. The Summer Theatre Troupe performed Through the Looking Glass on July 25th to 30th last year. 2024 details are to be confirmed.

Free Concerts in Langley

Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival – a three-day live music and art festival with both free and ticketed events in Fort Langley. The festival takes place from July 25th to 28th in 2024. It’s a fabulous event and highly recommended!
Youth Concert Showcase Series – high school bands and musicians perform outside the Fort Langley Heritage CNR Station from 1:00 to 3:00 pm on Sundays between May 26th and July 14th in 2024.

Free Concerts in Maple Ridge

Music on the Wharf – a series of outdoor concerts on the Port Haney Wharf at 22360 River Road in Maple Ridge every couple of Mondays in July and August (by donation). 2024 details are to be confirmed.
Happenings Summer Events – concerts take place at Memorial Peace Park on Tuesday nights between June 25th and July 30th in 2024.

Free Concerts in Mission

A couple of years ago Mission joined the many other locales with their own version of free weekly outdoor music entertainment from June through August with the Twilight Concert Series at the Fraser River Heritage Park (7494 Mary Street) on Friday evenings. There were different styles of music each week. 2024 details are to be confirmed.

Free Concerts in New Westminster

New Westminster has a couple of major festivals that feature free live music in August most years.

Uptown Live – a giant street party and Indie music festival in New Westminster. The event happens on July 27th in 2024.
Columbia Street Food Truck Fest – a food truck street festival from one end of Columbia Street to the other in the heart of the old town. The festival was rebranded as Car Free Day New West in 2022. The new event took place on July 29th in 2023. 2024 details are to be confirmed.
Queen’s Park Concert Series – free live music a couple of times a week at Queen’s Park in New Westminster. In 2022 the concerts took place on Thursdays and Sundays between July 14th and August 21st. 2024 details are to be confirmed.

Free Music in North Vancouver

North Vancouver is one of the best places in the Lower Mainland for free live outdoor music, with multiple concerts each week at the following venues:

North Vancouver Summer Concert Series – the Live & Local Concerts & Culture Series featured free outdoor concerts in Deep Cove a couple years ago. They took place on Friday evenings in August from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. 2024 details are to be confirmed.
Cates Park Concert Series – free outdoor concerts take place at Cates Park with up to nine singer-songwriters performing each day. In 2024 the series runs on Saturday evenings in August from 4:00 to 7:00 pm.
Shipyards Night Market – a giant market with artisan vendors, live music and a beer garden at the Shipyards in North Vancouver. In 2024 the market runs on Fridays between May 10th and September 13th.
Shipyards Long Summer Nights – taking place at Shipbuilders’ Square, these live performances are on Saturdays. 2024 event dates are to be confirmed. Last year, the series ran from June 22nd until August 26th.

Pedwell Singing at Cates Park — Cates Park Summer Concerts

Free Concerts in Port Moody

Summer Sundays – free concerts at Rocky Point Park in Port Moody on Sunday afternoons in July and August. There’s a different band each week and the music ranges from Blues to Soul, R&B, Funk, and Reggae. On sunny days between 1,000 and 2,000 people attend. In 2024 the concerts run from July 7th until August 25th.

Chosen Few Band Silhouettes at Rocky Point — The Chosen Few at Rocky Point Park

Free Summer Music in Surrey

Surrey usually offers the following free outdoor concerts:

Sounds of Summer Music Series – free outdoor live music at Surrey parks on Thursday evenings during the summer. In 2023 the events ran from July 6th to August 24th. 2024 will likely be similar.
Surrey Fusion Festival – a festival at Surrey’s Holland Park in mid-July each year. In 2024 the festival takes place on July 20th and 21st.

Sounds of Summer Musician — Surrey Sounds of Summer Concert

Concerts in West Vancouver

West Vancouver offers its free outdoor live music concerts in early August and early September at the following festivals:

Harmony Arts Festival – a popular week-long community festival in West Vancouver in early August that features live music and free evening movies. In 2024 the festival runs from August 2nd to 11th.
Coho Festival – a festival in early September celebrating salmon in West Vancouver. In 2022 the festival took place on September 11th. It didn’t happen in 2023. Hopefully the festival returns in 2024.

Free Concerts in White Rock

TD Concerts at the Pier – White Rock’s free concert series takes place on Thursdays in the summer. There are around half a dozen concerts scheduled to take place from July 4th to August 29th in 2024.