The Colombian Independence Picnic is a free family-friendly community event held at Burnaby’s Central Park on a weekend afternoon in the summer.
The event takes place on Sunday, August 11th, 2024.
Picnic de la Independencia de Colombia
The mini festival is open to the public and attracts between 1,000 and 2,500 people annually. About 75% of participants who attend come from Vancouver’s local Colombian community.
Food, live music, games for children and lots of people wearing yellow shirts and the colours of the Colombian flag can be enjoyed.
The Colombian Picnic hasn’t happened for a number of years. We’re happy to see its return in 2024.
Where and When
The Colombian Independence Picnic takes place on Sunday, August 11th, 2024, at Central Park. Kingsway, Boundary Road, Imperial Street and Patterson Avenue in Burnaby border the park. The venue’s address is 3883 Imperial Street.
The Colombian Independence Picnic usually happens close to the middle of Central Park, at the northern end of the Upper Pond. The event starts at 11:00 am and wraps up at around 5:00 pm.
For reference, Swangard Stadium is in the park’s northwest corner while the Pitch and Putt Golf Course is in the southeast corner. The Patterson SkyTrain Station is conveniently located in the park’s northeast corner just a short distance from Kingsway. It’s about a 10-minute walk through the forested paths to the event.
What Happens at the Picnic
At the Colombian Independence Picnic there is food for sale, games for children and live entertainment throughout the afternoon. Some of Vancouver’s best local Latin American musicians perform. Various community and children’s groups sing or dance in front of the audience.
The Colombian Independence Picnic isn’t a large event. The picnic/festival is usually at its busiest during the last couple of hours or so. On sunny days, there can be over 1,000 people attending.
Unless you are Colombian or have Colombian friends, the festival isn’t something most people would drive across the Lower Mainland to go and see. It is a great little event if you are in the area, though. The music and fiesta atmosphere make it so.
The picnic is also an excellent opportunity for anyone wanting to brush on on their Spanish. The venue, Central Park itself, is one of Metro Vancouver’s nicest parks. It is a beautiful place worth visiting any dry day of the year. The park features an outdoor swimming pool, duck ponds, children’s playground, pitch and putt golf and forested walking trails.
Central Park is a great place to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon in the summer. It’s even nicer when the Colombian Independence Picnic is on. With its free music, all the Colombian families having fun, and yellow, red and blue colours and clothing on display, the event is a sensory delight. All are welcome.
For more information, see the Colombian Community of BC‘s Facebook page.
This page is sponsored by Just Perfect Cleaning, a proudly Colombian-Canadian, socially-responsible and locally-owned residential and commercial cleaning company.
