Live Music at Celebrate BC

Celebrate BC is a festival celebrating BC Day which is a statutory holiday in August. The event takes place in both Port Moody and Coquitlam.

In 2026 the festival celebrates its second year with not just one, but two events. This year the free, family-friendly event happens once again at Town Centre Park in Coquitlam on BC Day, which is August 3rd this year.

New for 2026, another similar event with the same name happens two days earlier, on Saturday, August 1st, at Rocky Point Park in Port Moody.

Visit the Celebrate BC website for full details about this festival.

Celebrate BC Indigenous Welcome

Celebrate BC Festival in 2026

BC Day is a statutory holiday on the first Monday in August each year. Various events take place that weekend throughout the Lower Mainland. One of the biggest celebrations is the Celebrate BC Festival. After debuting in Coquitlam last year, the festival is back in 2026. This time it’s even bigger, with two events at two different locations.

The celebrations are still free to attend and open to the public. There’s a wide range of activities and entertainment. Everything about the event focuses on British Columbia, its multi-ethnic culture, foods, wine, people and history.

Of the two events, the Coquitlam one is larger, and includes both a giant salmon barbecue and BC Fast & Furriest dog races. The Port Moody Event is a considerable size too though, just smaller comparatively, and includes a blueberry pancake breakfast and canoeing opportunities.

When and Where?

The second annual Celebrate BC event kicks off on Saturday, August 1st. Celebrations on the first day are held at Rocky Point Park, located at 2800 Murray Street in Port Moody. Festivities continue on Monday, August 3rd, at Town Centre Park in Coquitlam.

The BC Day Festival takes place on the traditional, unceded territories of the Kwikwetlem First Nation, which is a partner in the event.

Visit the Celebrate BC website for full details about the festivals.

What to Expect at the Coquitlam Event

The Celebrate BC event in Coquitlam features all sorts of family-friendly activities.

Celebrate BC Food

One of the highlights in Coquitlam is the giant salmon barbecue, described as the largest in the entire province. 2,000 pounds of salmon were sold at last year’s festival! Canadian celebrity chefs Ned Bell and Robert Clark return after wowing attendees last year, and are joined this time around by Alex Tung, Camille Sauvagnac and Jullian Bond.

There are also plenty of food trucks and other vendors at the festival in Coquitlam. Examples include Tornado Potato, Its All About Grill, Little Ootie’s Mini Donuts, REEL Mac & Cheese, Egg Blanket, Beaver Tails, plus a few more.

Other Festival Activities

Another component of Celebrate BC is an Indigenous fashion show presented by Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week. There are stories to hear from the Indigenous community, and the show showcases both traditional Indigenous fashion as well as contemporary designs. This activity happens at the Coquitlam venue, not the Port Moody one. New for 2026, there’s also BC Fast and Furriest, which is a set of dog races at Town Centre Park.

There’s also a photo contest where anyone is able to submit a photo taken somewhere in BC that shows off the incredible beauty of the province. Submissions are open until July 31st before a panel of judges announces the winner on August 3rd.

Celebrate BC Entertainment in Coquitlam

There’s lots of free live entertainment at Celebrate BC. Performers in 2026 include Vancouver-based singer Dani Black, as well as Hidden Gem Dance Studio. There’s also a Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week show.

Below is the 2026 Coquitlam Main Stage schedule. That’s for the festivities on August 3rd.

Event and Entertainment Schedule

The schedule of activities for the Main Stage in 2026 is as follows:

12:00 pm – Hidden Gem Dance Studio
1:00 pm – Official Opening
2:00 pm – kʷikʷəƛ̓əm Welcome Ceremonies
3:00 pm – Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week
4:00 pm – Venus & Mars
5:00 pm – Dani Black
6:00 pm – George Leach
6:45 pm – Closing Remarks

In addition to the above, the Salmon BBQ starts at 11:00 am and runs until around 3:00 pm, or until the salmon runs out. The Kids’ Zone activities and dog races run from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm. There’s also storytelling events at 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm. The Indigenous Village Market is open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, and the food trucks operate until 7:00 pm.

Salmon Barbeque at Celebrate BC

What food is British Columbia most famous for? Most people would say Pacific salmon. For that reason there is a massive salmon barbecue at the event, quite possibly the largest one in BC history.

TIP #1: If you want to get your salmon without having to join a big lineup (as the salmon will be super popular), pay for it in advance if possible.

TIP #2: Get your salmon early, and definitely don’t wait until towards the end. It might be BC’s largest salmon barbeque ever, but it also sold out last year. If you wait until later in the afternoon the fish will likely be all gone.

TIP #3: Other events at Town Centre Park in the summer include the BC Dumpling Festival and Water Lantern Festival. The first of these has free admission and takes place on August 15th. The lantern-themed event, meanwhile, happens on August 22nd and 23rd.