Caribbean Days in Coquitlam

Caribbean Days is a free festival celebrating Caribbean music, food and culture in July. Previously held in North Vancouver, it now happens in Coquitlam.

In 2025 Caribbean Days happened at Town Centre Park in Coquitlam on July 26th and 27th. Other events that happen around the same time elsewhere in the Lower Mainland are Chilliwack Ribfest and the Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival. Also good to know, the Celebrate BC, hosted at Town Centre Park, happens on the BC Day long weekend in early August. This is a free, family-friendly event.

See our July or August calendars of events to learn about what else happens this time of year. Continue reading to learn about the Caribbean Days Festival.

Click any of the following to jump to a specific topic, or continue reading to learn all about Vancouver’s Caribbean Day’s Festival:

Caribbean Days Festival

Hosted by the Trinidad and Tobago Cultural Society of BC, Caribbean Days is a fun festival that attracts tens of thousands of participants from across the Lower Mainland most years. Up to 60,000 people attend this festival.

If attending the Rio Carnival is on your bucket list but you’re unable to get there soon enough, don’t despair. The Lower Mailand has its own carnaval to rival the world-famous Rio Carnival revelry, though not on the grand scale as its South American counterpart.

Festival Date and Location

The Caribbean Days Festival usually happens in late July. In 2025 it took place on the Saturday and Sunday of July 26th and 27th.

Prior to COVID-19, the event took place at Waterfront Park which is just a five-minute walk west of North Vancouver’s SeaBus terminal at Lonsdale Quay.

A few years ago, however, the festival moved to Town Centre Park which is at Lafarge Lake in Coquitlam. The park is located at 1299 Pinetree Way. It’s very close to the Lafarge Lake – Douglas SkyTrain station. The festival took place at Town Centre Park again last year and happened there again in 2025.

Click Festival Layout for a map of the venue.

Lafarge Lake Concert Stage During Caribbean Days

Caribbean Days Events and Activities

The Caribbean Days Festival usually includes a multicultural parade, food fair, market, and live music and entertainment all weekend.

Multicultural Parade

When the festival used to take place in North Vancouver in the past, there was a parade down Lonsdale Avenue which is one of that city’s biggest and most important streets. Now that the event happens at Town Centre Park in Coquitlam, the parade takes place in the park. The parade usually starts at 11:00 am on the Saturday.

In the carnival-style parade expect to hear festive Caribbean music and to see lots of people in colourful costumes dancing and having fun. There have never been floats in the procession, like there are in larger Lower Mainland parades, just lots of people.

Caribbean Parade Participants — Caribbean Festival Parade

Island and International Food Fair

The festival features a large food fair that caters for both Caribbean and international taste buds. All kinds of tasty foods are available, as is a wide variety of refreshing drinks. Definitely buy your lunch and/or dinner at the venue – the food is one of the highlights of the festival. On a hot summer day the beer garden is also extremely popular.

Caribbean Market

At Caribbean Days there is also a market with vendors selling all kinds of things including imported goods from the Caribbean and both South and Central America. Expect there to be colourful clothing, hats, bags, artisan products and a wide selection of other items.

Live Music and Entertainment

Caribbean Days just wouldn’t be a Caribbean-style carnival without lots of live music and entertainment.

From the festival’s Main Stage, dance groups perform and bands play everything from Reggae to Calypso, Latin and Soca, as well as other international genres of music. Headliners in the past have included Moses Revolution and Farmer Nappy. 2026 details are to be confirmed.

Caribbean Days Entertainment Stage

Festival Schedule

Below was the Main Stage entertainment schedule for 2025. (Note: Times and performer details were subject to change.)

Saturday, July 26th (2025)

10:00 am – DJ BJ John Edwards
11:00 am – Multicultural Parade
12:00 pm – Opening Ceremony
1:00 pm – Sweet Pan
1:55 pm – Albert St Albert Smith
2:15 pm – X-Kalibre
3:00 pm – Caleb Hart
3:45 pm – Mr. Fantastik
4:30 pm – Vancouver Soca Xperience
5:00 pm – Mostly Marley
6:00 pm – From Toronto: Moses Revolution
7:00 pm – From Trinidad & Tobago: Soca Monarch Shurwayne Winchester
8:00 pm – DJ Party

Sunday, July 27th (2025)

11:00 am – Carl Sound Vibes
11:20 am – Moze Steelpan Soloist
12:10 pm – Sonora Kings Latin Band
1:15 pm – Maffie Alongside De Volcano
2:20 pm – Tropical Breeze
3:10 pm – Afro Caribbean Dancers
3:30 pm – King Fish Limbo
4:00 pm – DJ Set
4:45 pm – Phase III Steelband
6:00 pm – Moses Revolution
7:00 pm – Shurwayne Winchester

Caribbean Days Parade at Town Centre Park

Tips & Advice

Below are some suggestions and information to help you make the most of your experience at the Caribbean Days Festival.

TIP #1: Take public transit if you can. The event is a pleasant five-minute walk from a stop on the Millennium SkyTrain Station.

TIP #2: While in the area, explore the neighbourhood. There are lots of other things to see at Lafarge Lake, including the lake itself. There are also other parks and places of interest in Coquitlam.