Canada Day at Canada Place

Metro Vancouver’s largest Canada Day event usually happens downtown at and around Canada Place. The party includes concerts and loads of fun!

The Canada Day event returned with in-person concerts and celebrations in 2022. However, the event was different from what it was before the pandemic. There were no fireworks that year and there weren’t any either in 2023 as Vancouver’s annual July 1st pyrotechnic show has now been permanently cancelled.

See below for information about the following topics:

Canada Day at Canada Place | Canada Day Boat Parties | Entertainment Schedule | Canada Day Fireworks | Other Information

Click on any of the above links to jump to specific information, or continue reading to learn all about Vancouver’s July 1st celebrations at Canada Place.

CANADA DAY OUTSIDE THE ART GALLERY

In addition to all the activities that take place around Canada Place and the Vancouver Convention Centre on July 1st, another free event happens just up the road outside the Vancouver Art Gallery. The Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival is a great event and in 2024 it runs from June 29th until July 6th (but with its biggest activities between July 1st and 3rd).

Canada Day at Vancouver’s Canada Place

On Canada Day there are family-friendly activities by the waterfront all day, including at Canada Place and around the Convention Centre and Jack Poole Plaza.

The event in 2022 returned with in-person celebrations and is now named Canada Together. Activities were organized with local Indigenous communities and the theme was “Weaving together the fabric of a nation” that year. That same theme continued during the Canada Day festivities in 2023. However, it’s to be confirmed whether last year’s theme features again in 2024.

The Canada Day celebrations at Canada Place were arguably the largest July 1st celebrations in the country after Ottawa (or at least they were in years when there were fireworks). In past years there have been tens if not hundreds of thousands of people at the festivities. There is also great music and a festive atmosphere.

For information about Canada Day events at Canada Place and downtown Vancouver, see below. Or, for information on July 1st events throughout the region, click Lower Mainland Canada Day Celebrations. To learn about festivities elsewhere within the City of Vancouver, see our article about Granville Island on Canada Day.

Canada Day at Canada Place — Canada Day by the Vancouver Convention Centre

Activities at Canada Place

To celebrate the country’s birthday, Canada Place hosts family-friendly activities from around 11:00 am until 6:00 pm on July 1st.

This past year’s Canada Together event featured live performances throughout the day. The entertainment lineup included Tegan & Sara, The Fugitives, Pat Chessell, Murray Porter, Missy D, Michaela Slinger, Tayos, 24 Strings, and more. 2024’s performance lineup is to be confirmed.

On this celebratory day, food trucks are along Canada Place Way between Howe and Thurlow. There is a Kids’ Zone in Jack Poole Plaza with kid-friendly entertainers, a dance party and other fun activities. The event also features Indigenous carving and weaving displays made by local artists.

CANADA DAY BOAT PARTIES

An exceptional way to enjoy Canada Day is out on the water on a party boat cruise. Vancouver Boat Parties offers popular nightclub-style Canada Day cruises most years for adults ages 19+. Another company with events out on the water is Vancouver Cruises.

Entertainment Schedule

Live entertainment takes place on three stages during the Canada Place July 1st event. Below was the schedule for 2023. We expect a similar entertainment schedule for the Canada Day celebrations in 2024, although exact details are to be confirmed.

On the Main Stage (in 2023)

11:00 am – Indigenous Blessing and Welcome
11:05 am – Tsleil-Waututh Warriors
11:45 am – Pat Chessell
12:25 pm – Eagle Song Dancers (Spakwus Slolem)
1:05 pm – Adam Woodall Band
1:55 pm – Murray Porter
2:50 pm – Zaki Ibrahim
3:50 pm – The Fugitives
4:55 pm – Tegan & Sara

On the North Point Stage (in 2023)

12:30 pm – Indigenous Blessing and Welcome
12:40 pm – Vancouver School of Rock
1:20 pm – Michaela Slinger
1:55 pm – Bukola
2:30 pm – 24 Strings
3:05 pm – Kardias Quing
3:45 pm – Tayos
4:25 pm – DJ O Show Set

On the Kids’ Stage (in 2023)

12:30 pm – Indigenous Blessing and Welcome
12:35 pm – Rock’N’Beau Dance Party
12:55 pm – Nations Storytime
1:15 pm – Mom Bop
1:50 pm – Storytime
2:05 pm – Vancouver Performing Stars
2:40 pm – Rock’N’Beau Dance Party
3:00 pm – Nations Storytime
3:20 pm – Rock’N’Beau Dance Party and Mascot Dance-Off
3:45 pm – Nations Storytime
4:05 pm – Perry Ehrlich’s Showstoppers
4:40 pm – Rock’N’Beau Dance Party

The Canada Day Fireworks

In past years, pre-COVID-19, fireworks used to be launched starting at about 10:30 pm off a barge in Burrard Inlet a ways off Canada Place. The show typically lasted for about 20 minutes. The fireworks didn’t happen in 2020, 2021 or 2022. In 2023 the organizers of the event announced that the fireworks were permanently cancelled (so they likely won’t ever happen again, at least not near Canada Place).

OTHER FIREWORKS VENUES

Many other communities around the Lower Mainland also have evening fireworks most years including in Abbotsford, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey, New Westminster, West Vancouver and White Rock.

Click Lower Mainland Fireworks for information about other Canada Day fireworks venues.

For information about Vancouver’s biggest fireworks events of the year (which happen at the end of July), see our article about the Honda Celebration of Light.