The Big Picnic is a free Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival event. It features live entertainment at a park on a weekend in April most years.
In 2025 the event takes place on March 29th.
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival’s Big Picnic at David Lam Park
The Big Picnic is a free event where people bring their families, friends, picnics and something to sit on and to enjoy an afternoon of live entertainment and cherry blossom viewing.
There are live performances, yoga sessions, exhibitions and more. There are also different ceremonies and activities to enjoy. Attendees can learn different Japanese arts and crafts. In 2025 there’s an interactive BreakOUT activity as well. Several food trucks are at the event each year too.
About the Venue
Years ago the Big Picnic took place at Queen Elizabeth Park. More recently, however, it has been happening at David Lam Park in Yaletown. This is the case again in 2025.
This year’s event happens on Saturday, March 29th, from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. The park’s address is 1300 Pacific Boulevard. The closest SkyTrain Station is Yaletown-Roundhouse which is about a five-minute walk away.

2025 Entertainment Schedule
Artists and performance times for the event in 2025is below. (Note: Exact details are subject to change.)
- 10:30 am – Indigenous Welcome
- 10:45 am – Kai Fang
- 10:45 am – Sake Breaking Ceremony
- 11:00 am – Vancouver Okinawa Taiko
- 11:15 am – Cindy Yang Dance Academy
- 12:00 pm – Kutapira
- 1:35 pm – MNGWA
- 2:35 pm – Mina Mercury
- 3:30 pm – Bakara Band
Tips & Advice
Below are some suggestions to help you make the most of your experience at the Big Picnic event.
TIP #1: Don’t forget to take your camera, something to sit on and your picnic (or money to buy one).
TIP #2: Explore the park while you’re there. It’s a beautiful spot!
TIP #3: Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival events sometimes get cancelled or postponed due to weather or the state of the cherry tree blooming season. Before heading out with all your stuff, especially if poor weather has been in the forecast, double-check the VCBF website to make sure things are still happening as planned.
TIP #4: David Lam Park is right on the False Creek Seawall. It’s a great place to go for a walk either before or after the picnic. There are also lots of restaurants nearby in Yaletown.

Other Information
For information about other similar and related events in March and April see our article about the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival.
To learn more about the Big Picnic, see the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival website.
Other events that are part of the same festival include the Sakura Days Japan Fair and Bike the Blossoms.
For a list of other things to do in the Lower Mainland check out our April Calendar or click Festivals & Events.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Vancouver Parks & Places in Nature
- Free Vancouver Events in April
- Easter Activities in Vancouver
- Chilliwack Tulip Festival (which also features spring flowers in April)