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.
On Saturday, September 14th, there is Maple Ridge Car Free Day which is a part of Our Neck of the Woods which is a much larger event celebrating the city’s 150th anniversary. At Our Neck of the Woods there is live entertainment, family-friendly activities, a beer garden, market vendors and so much more! See the City of Maple Ridge‘s website for detail.
Continue reading to learn about all of the Lower Mainland’s various Car Free Day events.
This article contains information about the following:
Car Free Day Dates | About Car Free Days | Port Coquitlam | Commercial Drive | Main Street | West End | Surrey | Port Moody | New Westminster | North Vancouver | Maple Ridge | Other Information
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 2024 Car Free Days take place on the following dates:
- Saturday, June 8th, 2024 – Car Free Day Surrey in Newton
- Sunday, August 18th, 2024 – Port Moody Car Free Day
- Saturday, September 7th, 2024 – Port Coquitlam Car Free Day
- Saturday, September 7th, 2024 – Car Free Day Vancouver on Commercial Drive
- Saturday, September 14th, 2024 – Maple Ridge Car Free Day
- Sunday, September 15th, 2024 – Car Free Day Vancouver on Main Street
- Saturday, September 21st, 2024 – Car Free Day in North Vancouver
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.
Maple Ridge Car Free Day
Maple Ridge Car Free Day first took place in 2019. After not happening for a few years, the event returns in 2024. However, it’s happening as one part of the city’s 150th anniversary celebrations, which will be a huge party.
Maple Ridge’s Our Neck of the Woods event runs on Saturday, September 14th in 2024. There are food trucks, market vendors, a beer garden, activities for kids, and multiple stages with live entertainment. Headliner bands include Aaron Pritchett and The Strumbellas.
For more information see our Maple Ridge Car Free Day article or see the City of Maple Ridge’s website at mapleridge.ca.
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 second year on Saturday, September 7th in 2024.
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 Coqutilam‘s website.
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. The Commercial Drive event returns on September 7th in 2024.
The festivities are typically spread across 15 or so blocks on Commercial Drive between Venables Street and Grandview Highway. This year, however, that distance is 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.
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 2024 the event is on Sunday, September 15th.
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 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 any more. Denman Street Car Free Day took place on September 9th last year from noon until 7:00 pm. Sadly, the event is cancelled in 2024. Hopefully it returns next year.
For more information, see Denman Street Car Free Day.
Car Free Day Surrey
In 2024 the third annual Car-Free Day Surrey event happened in the Newton district along 137th Street between 74th Avenue and 72A Avenue on Saturday, June 8th. 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.
After five years of cancellations, Port Moody Car Free Day was back in 2024! The event took places on Sunday, August 18th, from noon until 5:00 pm.
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.
New Westminster Car Free Day
New in 2022 was Car Free Day New West. The annual event is put together by the City of New Westminster and the Downtown New West Business Improvement Association.
Car Free Day New West took place last year on Saturday, July 29th. It’s normally held along Columbia Street between 4th and 8th Street. Sadly, the event was cancelled in 2024. There was a Car Free Day-themed event at Fridays on the Front on July 26th which incorporated some of the typical Car Free Day elements.
The event (when it happens) includes live entertainment, an artisan market, beer garden, and food trucks.
See our article about Car Free Day in New West to learn more.
North Vancouver Car Free Day
The Car Free Day North Vancouver event normally takes place along Carrie Cates Road.
In 2024 the event runs from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Saturday, September 21st. There are live performances, vendors, food trucks and more to enjoy. The Car Free Day event is one part of the larger Shipyards Festival which takes place on the same day.
The 2024 Shipyards Festival is on Saturday, September 21st.
Other Information
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Vancouver’s June, July and August Calendars of Events
- Lower Mainland Festivals & Events
- Vancouver on a Budget