
BC Culture Days celebrates Canadian culture and arts in September at various locations in Metro Vancouver and across the province.
BC Culture Days returns in 2026 from September 18th to October 4th (which is a week shorter than last year).
Unrelated to BC Culture Days, but similar, Latin American Heritage Month features a series of events, workshops and exhibitions that showcase Latin American culture in Vancouver. Latin American Heritage Month typically runs from mid-October until early November.
Also happening in the Lower Mainland this time of year are various Halloween activities as well as the Thanksgiving long weekend from October 9th to 12th in 2026.
See our article about Latin American Heritage Month for details about the Latin-themed events. Continue reading to learn about BC Culture Days.
This article includes the following information about BC Culture Days:
Events in the Lower Mainland | When and Where? | Other Information
British Columbia Culture Days
Culture Days is a national festival that celebrates Canadian arts and culture. The theme of last year’s event was “CARE (Community Arts Reimagining Equity & Wellness).” It focused on hosting events that explored how creativity improves the wellbeing of both individuals and communities.
The 2026 edition of BC Culture Days doesn’t seem like it has a specific theme! There are just as many events as usual, just without the singular overarching theming.
BC Culture Days in the Lower Mainland
BC Culture Days typically features culture ambassadors: local artists from across the province who represent a range of different backgrounds, cultures and areas of professional expertise.
There is just one ambassador for the 2026 festival. Her name is Michelle Bucholtz, a Métis artist and counsellor based in Langley. Bucholtz is the founder of the arts business Spirit Dot Designs. She hosts a special Culture Days event at Locality Brewing Farm in Langley where attendees go on a forest walk before creating a turtle water dot painting in a very social setting.

BC Culture Day Events
The festival features many different events. These include visual art exhibits, in-person workshops and activities, different performances and more. BC Culture Day events in the Lower Mainland include activities and attractions that are open and happening this time of year anyway, but sometimes with a bit of something extra.
Below are some examples of BC Culture Days events taking place in 2026.
- Vancouver Flamenco Festival Aficionado Stage – held on Granville Island on September 19th and 20th as part of the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival.
- Vancouver Maritime Museum – October 4th is Pay What You Can Sunday admission at the Vancouver Maritime Museum.
- Tap Amongst the Trees – outdoor tap dancing hosted by Gateway Theatre in Richmond on October 4th.
- New Cannery Tour Sneak Peek – a new tour of the Gulf of Georgia Cannery that’s offered exclusively on each Saturday and Sunday of BC Culture Days.
- Mid-Autumn Festival – a family-friendly festival held at the Britannia Shipyards in Richmond on September 19th & 20th, and 26th & 27th.
- Family Day at Place des Arts – Coquitlam’s Place des Arts hosts a hands-on art-making day for kids and their families on October 4th.
- Culture Crawl at Historic Stewart Farm – a very educational tour of Stewart Farm in Surrey on October 3rd and 4th.
- Silent Writers Workshop – hosted by North Vancouver Recreation and Culture on September 24th and October 1st.
Visit the BC Culture Days website for the full series of events for this year.
When and Where?
Pre-COVID-19, BC Culture Days usually took place on the last weekend of September. However, since the pandemic, the festival has shifted to being multiple weeks long, with a variety of in-person and online events.
BC Culture Days runs in 2026 from September 18th to October 4th. Activities take place in just about every city in the province.

Other Information
Visit the Culture Days website to learn more about the festival.
*Images in the top collage or photos are of Cedar Hill Recreation Centre at BC Culture Days by Kevin Light, Ital Blue by Kristen Lawson, and the Lorita Leung Dance Company by Mary Matheson.
Additional articles that may be of interest include:
- Vancouver’s September Calendar
- Vancouver’s October Calendar
- Lower Mainland Festivals and Events
- Vancouver Shows and Entertainment
- Vancouver on a Budget
Another website you might also find of interest is VancouverTheatres.ca.








