West Vancouver Coho Festival

Ambleside Coho Festival

The Coho Festival in West Vancouver’s Ambleside Park is one of the North Shore‘s main festivals, taking place every fall on the second Sunday in September.

The Coho Festival is “a celebration of nature’s annual miracle of salmon returning to North Shore rivers and streams.” At the festival there are talks, displays, a salmon barbecue and live music. There is also a swim and pancake breakfast. Some years there is also the Coho Run, although not in 2024. Admission is free (or by donation).

TIP: While you’re at the festival, also be sure to drop by the Ambleside Artisan Farmers Market. It takes place at the same park on Sundays between May and October (which includes the Sunday of the Coho Festival).

The Coho Festival in West Vancouver

After not happening las year, the Coho Festival returns on September 8th in 2024. The event takes place on Grandparents’ Day. This makes it an especially great destination to take the multi-generational family.

It’s a nice festival honouring the coho salmon as they make their way back from the ocean to spawn in the Capilano River. The main part of this popular community event takes place at beautiful Ambleside Park in West Vancouver.

The Coho Festival is an especially good time to visit Ambleside as the place is typically full of people, live music, and community organization displays. Hundreds of people line up for the barbecued salmon lunch.

What’s more – there is a beer garden on the sand at the beach, which makes this one of the few days of the year that you can drink alcohol legally at Ambleside. Even on a regular day, Ambleside is one of the Lower Mainland’s most beautiful beaches.

Entertainment Schedule

There is plenty of live entertainment to take in at the Coho Festival. Along with the main stage there is also a series of “tent talks” that are very educational. Below is the 2024 schedule

Main Stage

12:00 pm – Music with Bitterly Divine
1:00 pm – Welcoming Speech by a Squamish Nation leader and the traditional “Blessing of the Salmon” Ceremony
2:00 pm – Music with Interstellar Riders
3:15 pm – Music with Gary Comeau’s Sound of New Orleans
4:30 pm – Music with Adam Woodall Band

Tent Talks

12:00 pm – Salmon habitat restoration in Vancouver with Glen Parker
12:30 pm – Research on the freshwater impacts of climate change on salmon with Samantha Rhodes
1:30 pm – Safer, more plentiful waters for whales with Jessica Scott
2:00 pm – The unique story of the majestic White Sturgeon and conservation efforts for its recovery with Sarah Schreier
2:30 pm – Research on the impacts of tire tread chemicals on coho salmon with Tanya Brown

Coho Festival Main Stage — The Coho Festival’s Concert Stage

Coho Festival Salmon BBQ

A big part of the Coho Festival is the salmon barbecue. It usually runs from 11:15 am until 5:30 pm and proceeds from sales benefit wild salmon habitats on the North Shore.

In 2018 a BBQ salmon plate cost $15 and included a wild coho salmon fillet, salad and corn on the cob. There were also grilled salmon sandwiches for $10 as well as hot dogs ($5), corn on the cob ($3), side salads ($3) and non-alcoholic beverages ($2). Beer and wine were also available for $7 each.

The Coho Run

Another element of the Coho Festival most years is the Coho Run. Unfortunately, the run isn’t happening in 2024, but it’s scheduled to return in 2025.

When it does takes place, the Coho Run is a 14-km race starting at 9 am on the same Sunday after Labour Day as the festival. The run starts at Kitsilano in Vancouver and ends at the beach at Ambleside on the North Shore.

The route goes along the False Creek waterfront and over the Burrard Street Bridge from Kitsilano Beach. Participants run along the seawall through Stanley Park and across the Lions Gate Bridge before finishing at Ambleside Beach.

In 2022 the run began at 9:00 am on September 11th. Registration cost between $50 and $70 depending on when you register. The fee that year included a souvenir t-shirt, breakfast, prizes and more. 2025 may or may not be similar.

The Coho Swim

An additional component of the festival is the Coho Swim. The swimmers follow either a 1.5 or 3 km route along Ambleside Beach. While the festival doesn’t officially start until 11:00 am, the swim begins at 9:00 am.

In 2024 registration for the swim costs between $65 and $90 and includes a t-shirt, swim cap, breakfast and other perks. (Note: Swimmers have to wear wetsuits.)

Check out the Coho Swim‘s official page for more information.

Environmental Stewardship

The Coho Festival is a “near zero-waste event” where most materials used are recyclable, reusable or compostable. The festival also encourages attendees to walk, cycle or use public transit as much as possible (although many people still drive).

Funds raised from the Coho Festival every year go to the Coho Society to support salmon habitat rejuvenation projects in the area.