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 and takes 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.” The festival features talks, displays, a salmon barbecue and live music. There is also a swim and pancake breakfast. Some years there’s been the Coho Run, but this is to be confirmed for 2026. Admission is free (or by donation).

TIP: While you’re at the festival, 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

In 2026 the event happens on September 13th. This year the festival coincides with Grandparents’ Day. This makes it an especially great destination to take the multi-generational family.

The event is 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.

In addition, 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. Below is the 2026 performance schedule, and further below is what to expect at the Tent Talks.

Main Stage (in 2026)

12:00 pm – Jay Knutson (from Spirit of the West)
1:00 pm – Official Welcoming & “Blessing of the Salmon” Ceremony
1:45 pm – Jay Knutson
2:30 pm – Coco Jafro
4:30 pm – The Good Things

Along with the main stage there is also a series of “tent talks” that are very educational. Below was the 2024 schedule. 2026’s schedule will likely be comparable.

Tent Talks (in 2026)

12:00 pm – North Shore Stream Keepers
12:30 pm – Deciphering Prioity Pollutants in Road Runoff Enterting Salmon-Bearing Streams of BC
2:00 pm – Let’s Get Quizzical – How Well Do You Know Salmon
2:30 pm – Whale, Hello (with Fisheries & Oceans Canada)
3:00 pm – Fisheries of the Strait of Georgia
3:30 pm – Small Changes Can Greatly Improve the Survival of Released Salmon

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 typically runs from 11:15 am until 5:30 pm. Proceeds from sales benefit wild salmon habitats on the North Shore.

A BBQ salmon plate a few years ago 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. These prices will likely be a bit more for this year’s event, although exact details are to be confirmed.

TIP: Other Lower Mainland events that feature salmon barbecues earlier in the year are Sasquatch Days in Harrison Hot Springs in June, the Steveston Salmon Festival in Richmond on Canada Day on July 1st, and Celebrate BC Day in Coquitlam on BC Day in August. Mark your calendars for those events for next year!

The Coho Run

Another element of the Coho Festival most years is the Coho Run. In 2026, the run happens on the same day as the festival – September 13th.

The Coho Run offers two certified distances – 5K and 10K races and a 1K kids race. Both distance races start at 9:00 am on the same Sunday after Labour Day as the festival. The 5K run happens exclusively within Ambleside Park at the eastern end near the golf course and dog park. The 10K race includes the same route as the 5K race, but extends all the way to Dundarave Park in the west.

Registration for the 5K costs around $55 to $65 depending on when you register, while the 10K ranges from $67 to 75. The kids run is about $13. In past years, the fee included a souvenir T-shirt, breakfast, prizes and more. The running kit contents are to be confirmed for 2026.

The Coho Swim

An additional component of the festival is the Coho Swim. The swimmers follow either a 1.5 km 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 (which is the same start time as the Coho Run).

Registration for the swim costs between $65 and $95 (depending on when you register) and includes a T-shirt (if registered before July 31st) and a swimmers’ breakfast at the finish line. (Note: Swimmers have to wear wetsuits.)

The Coho Swim isn’t a huge event, but still fun to watch (or actually do if you don’t mind swimming in the cold ocean water). A few dozen swimmers participate each year.

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

Environmental Stewardship

The Coho Festival is an environmental-themed festival and 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.