Vancouver celebrates Car Free Days on Main Street, Commercial Drive and Denman Street, as well as in Kitsilano. Other municipalities host similar events.

There are also typically events outside of Vancouver including in Surrey, Maple Ridge, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody and New Westminster.

One of our favourite Car Free Day events is Port Coquitlam Car Free Day which, in 2025, takes place on Saturday, September 6th. Especially if you live in the Tri-Cities region, you’ll want to attend this event. It’s lots of fun, and not as crazy crowded as some of the other Car Free Day events. Sponsored by the Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival, the events on Commercial Drive and Main Street are also awesome (and the biggest).

Continue reading to learn about all of the Lower Mainland’s various Car Free Day events.

This article contains information about the following:

Lower Mainland Car Free Days

During their respective Car Free Days, there are family-friendly festivities of all kinds going on in most of the above neighbourhoods.

Car Free Day Dates

In 2025 Car Free Days take place on the following dates:

Saturday, June 7th, 2025 – Car Free Day Surrey in Newton
Friday, July 25th, 2025 – Car Free Day New West
Sunday, August 17th, 2025 – Port Moody Car Free Day
Sunday, August 31st, 2025 – Burnaby Car Free Day
Saturday, September 6th, 2025
- Port Coquitlam Car Free Day
- Car Free Day Vancouver on Commercial Drive
- Maple Ridge Car Free Day
Sunday, September 14th, 2025 – Car Free Day Vancouver on Main Street
Saturday, September 20th, 2025 – Car Free Day in North Vancouver

Surrey Car Free Day in Newton — Car Free Day in Surrey

About Car Free Days

Car Free Days are volunteer-run festivals where specific streets are closed for the day. People are discouraged from driving and there is entertainment and celebrations on the roads. There are street entertainers, food vendors, live music performances and sometimes even dancing.

Each year the combined events in Vancouver attract crowds of over a quarter of a million people.

Port Coquitlam Car Free Day

Hosted by the City of Port Coquitlam, Car Free Day Port Coquitlam is presented by the Downtown PoCo BIA and TransLink. The event celebrates its third year on Saturday, September 6th in 2025.

This year, Car Free Day Port Coquitlam runs from noon until 8:00 pm. It happens along McAllister Avenue and features live entertainment, electric vehicle displays and other family-friendly activities.

To learn more about the event, see our article about Car Free Day in Port Coquitlam or visit the City of Port Coquitlam‘s website.

Maple Ridge Car Free Day

Maple Ridge Car Free Day first took place in 2019. After not happening for a few years, the event returned in 2024 as one part of the city’s Our Neck of the Woods event. The same is happening again in 2025.

This year, the event runs on Saturday, September 6th. Based on previous editions of the event, expect to see food trucks, market vendors, a beer garden, activities for kids, and multiple stages with live entertainment.

For the latest information see our Maple Ridge Car Free Day article or the City of Maple Ridge’s website at mapleridge.ca.

Commercial Drive Festival

The Commercial Drive Festival typically takes place on the Father’s Day Sunday in June. However, since 2022 the event now takes place a little later in the year. Sponsored in part by the Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival, the Commercial Drive event returns on September 6th in 2025.

The festivities are typically spread across 15 or so blocks on Commercial Drive between Venables Street and Grandview Highway. Last year, however, that distance was shortened to around eight or so blocks from Grandview Highway and 1st Avenue.

Running since 2005, the Commercial Drive event is Vancouver’s original Car Free Day festival. It’s also an environmentally responsible festival. Not only do its organizers encourage people to go car free for the day, but in recent years they’ve managed to divert over 65% of the event’s garbage in their efforts toward becoming a zero-waste event.

Commercial Drive on Car Free Day — Car Free Day on Commercial Drive

Main Street Car Free Festival

Years ago the Main Street Festival used to happen in June. Now, however, it takes place in early fall. In 2025 the event is on Sunday, September 14th. This event is also sponsored by the Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival.

Of all of the Lower Mainland’s various Car Free Day events, the one on Main Street is the largest. The festivities stretch over 20 full blocks from 10th to 30th Avenue! At the event there is usually live music, street performers, artisan markets and kids’ activities.

See our article about Main Street Car Free Day to learn more.

West End Car Free Festival

In years when it happens, the West End Festival runs along Vancouver’s Denman Street between Davie and Robson. There are usually thousands of people, street performers, artisans and food vendors filling the street. If it’s a sunny day, the beach at English Bay is especially busy too.

Similar to Main Street Car Free Day, the event on Denman Street used to take place in June, on the Father’s Day Weekend, but not anymore. Sadly, the event was cancelled in 2024 and it didn’t happen in 2025 either. Hopefully the event returns in the future.

For more information, see Denman Street Car Free Day.

Car Free Day Surrey

In 2025 the fourth annual Car-Free Day Surrey event was in the Newton district along 137th Street between 74th Avenue and 72nd Avenue on Saturday, June 7th. It ran from noon to 8:00 pm.

Similar to other Car Free Day events, admission is free and activities include live music, food trucks and other family-friendly fun.

For more information about this event, see our article about Car Free Day Surrey.

To see what the event in Newton looks like, check out the following video.

Port Moody Car Free Day

Port Moody celebrates its own Car Free Day in August. It’s a free event and takes place along St. Johns Street between Moody Street and Queens Street.

Port Moody Car Free Day was back in 2025. The event ran from noon until 5:00 pm on Sunday, August 17th.

Port Moody Car Free Day isn’t as large or well-attended as the events on Main Street, Denman Street or Commercial Drive in Vancouver, but it’s still pretty good and interesting.

For further details click Port Moody Car Free Day.

Car Free Day Surrey — Car Free Day in Surrey

New Westminster Car Free Day

Car Free Day New West is an annual event put together by the City of New Westminster and the Downtown New West Business Improvement Association.

Festivities are normally held along Columbia Street between 4th and 8th Street. After not happening in 2024, Car Free Day New West returned on July 25th in 2025. The event usually includes live entertainment, an artisan market, beer garden and food trucks.

See our article about Car Free Day in New West to learn more.

New West Car Free Day on Columbia Street

North Vancouver Car Free Day

The Car Free Day North Vancouver event normally takes place along Carrie Cates Road.

In 2025 the event happens on Saturday, September 20th. There are live performances, activations, food trucks and more to enjoy. This year’s Car Free Day event is one part of the larger Shipyards Festival.

Burnaby Car Free Day

New for 2025, Burnaby Car Free Day took place on Sunday, August 31st. The first edition of the event happened along Edmonds Street between Kingsway and Mary Avenue. The festivities ran from noon until 5:00 pm.

Expect to see live entertainment, games and other activities for all ages. Food and drink vendors are also on site.

For the latest details about the event, see the City of Burnaby‘s website.