RiverFest is a festival that celebrates World Rivers Day in September. It features art, historical and environmental exhibits along the Quay in New Westminster.
RiverFest in New Westminster
RiverFest is organized and hosted by the Fraser River Discovery Centre. It’s a three-day event that takes place on the Saturdays and Sunday at the end of September. This year, the event happens on September 20th, 27th and 28th.
RiverFest Activities
RiverFest is a family-friendly festival with a variety of things to see and do.
On the first Saturday, there is family yoga, a quayside tour, a horticulture walk and a smartphone photography workshop.
The second Saturday has the same schedule as last year, with the exhibitor expo and market along the boardwalk outside the Fraser River Discovery Centre, the Lucille Johnstone Workboat Parade and live performances on the outdoor stage.
On Sunday, there are guided walks in the area. Visitors take part in birdwatching, educational boat talks and other walks.
On both the second Saturday and Sunday, there is a Family Fun Zone at the Fraser River Discovery Centre. Children make art and learn about the environment. Admission to the centre is free during the festival and there are special exhibits and activities indoors.
Also on both days, the Samson V Museum is open from 12:00 to 4:00 pm. Visitors meet members of the maritime community on board the vessel and enjoy the Wooden Boat Rendezvous. The Vancouver Wooden Boat Society has an open house and wooden boat display at Sapperton Landing Park with interactive activities for kids.
During RiverFest, admission to the Fraser River Discovery Centre is free! Many of the things to do are great for little ones.
Main Stage Entertainment
In addition to the market vendors, there are a number of live performances on Saturday, September 27th. This year the entertainment takes place on the Sturgeon Stage on the New West Boardwalk. The 2025 schedule is the following.
- 11:00 am – DJ O Show
- 12:00 pm – Shan E Punjab Arts Club
- 1:25 pm – Tsatsu Stalqayu (Coastal Wolf Pack)
- 3:00 pm – Dean Thiessen & the Good Apples
Community organizations also set up informational booths along the boardwalk at RiverFest. Typical attendees include Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, FortisBC Gas, Metro Vancouver and Tourism New West.
RiverFest Guided Walks
On the first Saturday, there are a series of guided walks in various locations around Metro Vancouver. Most of them include a free shuttle ride from the Fraser River Discovery Centre and back again. The walks last for around an hour each and attendees must pre-register on the RiverFest website.
Below is the list of walks available this year.
- 10:30 am – Quayside Boardwalk with Fraser River Discovery Centre
- 12:00 pm – Horticulture Walk with Julia Alards-Tomalin
- 2:00 pm – Smartphone Photography Walk
RiverFest Video
To give you an idea of what to expect at RiverFest, check out the video below. It shows scenes of the event in 2021. That was during the COVID-19 era, at a time when public events were still possible. Because of the times, however, the event was smaller than usual.
As you’ll see in the video, the waterfront in New Westminster is a beautiful area. It’s especially interesting, though, when events and live entertainment are taking place, like during RiverFest.
The group of drummers performing in the video are Katari Taiko.
Other Information
For further details about the event, see the Fraser River Discovery Centre website.
For more information about the surrounding area, see our article about New Westminster.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Vancouver’s September Calendar
- Lower Mainland Festivals & Events
- Vancouver on a Budget
- Vancouver for Children
- Vancouver’s Top 100 Places
