International Women’s Day is a celebration of women’s rights and achievements. Special events happen in Metro Vancouver on and around March 8th each year.

The international theme for the day this year is “Accelerate Action.”

International Women’s Day Events and Celebrations in Vancouver in 2025

International Women’s Day is a time to recognize women’s accomplishments, both in recent decades and throughout history. It’s also a day to increase awareness of remaining gender inequalities.

Celebrations take place around the globe, including in the Metro Vancouver region. International Women’s Day always happens on March 8th, which, in 2025, is a Saturday. There are special shows and events that weekend in Metro Vancouver. Continue reading below to learn about what’s happening this year.

(Also, don’t forget, arguably the best way to celebrate International Women’s Day is to honor the women in your life, and thank them for being who they are, and work harder yourself to counter still-existing gender injustices, not just on March 8th, but every day of the year.)

International Women’s Day March

One Vancouver event celebrating women is the International Women’s Day March. It takes place at šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square outside the Vancouver Art Gallery.

In 2025 the third annual event happens on March 8th. It’s more than just a march. The event runs from 1:00 to 4:00 pm and features various speakers. In previous years there have also been live performances and activities for children to enjoy.

Visit the Vancouver Women’s Day website for more information about the event.

The Improv Centre Shows

The Improv Centre is a popular theatre located at 1502 Duranleau Street at Vancouver’s Granville Island. The venue hosts several regular comedy shows each week, as well as shows with special themes from time to time.

In 2025 the theatre celebrates International Women’s Day on Thursday, March 6th. The show Femme, Femme, Femme: International Women’s Day Edition starts at 7:30 pm. It features a full female cast and lots of hilarious moments. The show runs for 90 minutes and regular admission costs $18.50.

For more information about the shows and the venue, see our Shows at The Improv Centre article.

Friday Night Contra Dance

Festival du Bois is the largest Francophone festival in the province. Although it isn’t related to International Women’s Day, there’s a free event happening on March 7th in 2025.

The Opening Night Contra Dance runs from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm. It’s a fun, family-friendly event usually attended by a couple hundred people. There’s a dance caller who leads all guests. First is an opening performance by Collage Trad. Next, everyone learns how to folk dance (with instructions in English and French). Then, everyone dances in pairs to live music performed by the Sybaritic String Band.

The festival takes place at Mackin Park in Coquitlam. It happens on the weekend of March 7th to 9th in 2025. To learn more about the festival and the free event on March 7th, see our Festival du Bois article.