The Maple Ridge Caribbean Festival used to be a free event celebrating Caribbean food, music and culture in Maple Ridge on the August long weekend.
Unfortunately, the 2026 festival has been cancelled, and it doesn’t look like it is going to return. Watch this space for any news that may come!
Fortunately, there is some good news. The Lower Mainland still has the Caribbean Days Festival in Coquitlam which happens on July 25th and 26th in 2026. Don’t miss it!
This article contains the following information about the Caribbean Festival:
Festival Activities | Music Lineup | Tips & Advice | Other Information
The Maple Ridge Caribbean Festival
The festival used to run over the BC Day long weekend in August. The event was held at the Albion Fairgrounds at 23448 105th Avenue in Maple Ridge. It went from around 1:00 pm until 9:00 pm on the Saturday and from 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm on the Sunday. Admission to the venue was free.
Caribbean Festival Activities
Activities at the Maple Ridge Caribbean Festival typically included live music performances, a Kids’ Zone, food trucks and a marketplace featuring close to 50 vendors and community organization informational booths.
At the festival there were exotic Caribbean foods available, like barbecued chicken and fancy fruit drinks. There was also colourful Caribbean-style clothing for sale and all kinds of souvenirs in the market most years.
On the festival grounds there were a couple of stages – the aptly-named Marley Stage and the Caribbean Stage. Most years there was also a beer garden.
Music Lineup
Arguably the main attraction at the Caribbean Festival was the free live music (although the food was pretty good too). The last time the festival ran, the entertainment included Boomdaddy, Tambore Fusion, Hitsville USA & Tribute to Motown, as well as Carl Soudvibes, the Julio Avila Cuban Band and so many more.
Caribbean Chicken BBQ
Tips & Advice
Below are some tips and advice to help you make the most of your Maple Ridge Caribbean Days experience if it happens again.
TIP #1: Plan to eat at the festival. With close to 20 food trucks and many more vendor stalls, the range of Caribbean food choices is pretty impressive! It’s not all Caribbean, but there’s still quite a bit of it.
TIP #2: If you like Reggae and other Caribbean music, and want to experience Maple Ridge at its most exotic, then check out this event. It’s a good music festival with lots of great bands.
TIP #3: Arrive early if you hope to find parking near the venue.
TIP #4: Take your lawn chairs, sun hat, sunscreen, camera, and water bottle. And if it’s a hot day (as it is many years), don’t forget to stay hydrated.
TIP #5: Parking at the venue is usually free at other times of the year, but it costs around $3 on the day of the festival. The fees collected help offset the cost of the event. If you continue past the venue, though, there is also lots of free parking at the Albion Sports Complex which is located at 23778 104th Avenue. It’s about a three-minute drive away along the road, but just a five-minute walk back via an easy-to-find trail.
Other Information
See the Maple Ridge Caribbean Festival website for more information about this August music festival.
See our article about the City of Maple Ridge to learn about the area.
Check out the Festivals & Events Calendar or click August Calendar for a list of other events in the Lower Mainland at various times of the year.
Click BC Day long weekend for a list of other events taking place on the same weekend.
If you like this kind of event and music, similar festivals you might like include the following:
- Carnaval del Sol – the largest Latin festival in the Pacific Northwest at Vancouver’s False Creek in July or August.
- Caribbean Days Festival – in Coquitlam in late July.
- Music on the Wharf – a series of outdoor concerts at the Port Haney Wharf in July and August.
Other websites you might also like include VancouverForKids.ca and VancouverFoodFestivals.ca.
