The Richmond Maritime Festival is a free event that takes place in and around the Britannia Heritage Shipyard in Steveston Village in the summer.
The event is normally in July. In 2021, however, it happened in a smaller format than usual on the weekend of August 21st and 22nd. In 2022 the Richmond Maritime Festival runs on August 20th and 21st.
This article includes the following topics:
Where & When | Festival Activities | Battle of the Tall Ships | Saturday Entertainment | Sunday Entertainment | About the Area | Tips & Advice | Other Information
Click on any of the above links to jump to a specific subject, or continue reading to learn all about the Richmond Maritime Festival.
Maritime Festival in Steveston
A couple of years ago the Richmond Maritime Festival took place on the Saturday and Sunday of July 27-28. There was also a special Battle of the Tall Ships on Friday, July 26, and Sunday, July 28, from 6:00 to 9:00 pm off the shores of nearby Garry Point Park.
Due to COVID-19 the festival was unable to take place in its normal format in 2020. Instead, the 2020 Maritime Festival was run as an online event. A “Reimagined” version of the festival happened on August 21st and 22nd in 2021.
The 2022 Richmond Maritime Festival takes place on the weekend of August 20th and 21st.
In normal years, it’s a medium-sized festival that includes live entertainment, artisans and boat-related activities.
Where and When
In 2022 the Richmond Maritime Festival takes place on August 20th and 21st from 11:00 am until 6:00 pm both days.
Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site is located at 5180 Westwater Drive in Steveston Village in the southwest corner of Richmond. It’s about 1.5 km from the Gulf of Georgia Cannery, or just a 5-minute drive from Steveston’s other National Historic Site.
Maritime Festival Activities
The Richmond Maritime Festival is a free, family-friendly event that includes educational and interactive activities, as well as an artisan market and live entertainment. There are street performers, local artists, boats to explore, craft activities, live music, food vendors and other forms of entertainment.
Battle of the Tall Ships
In 2019, you could experience the thrill and excitement of a real tall ship battle either from onboard ship or from the shorelines of Garry Point Park on Friday, July 26 or Sunday July 28 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.
Tickets were $80 to watch from onboard one of the two battling ships, while it was free to enjoy from the beach. Bring your chairs or blanket and enjoy a meal from any one of the more than 25 food trucks. Also be entertained by roving acts when there was a break in the excitement of the battle.
A warning for those with sensitive ears – bring your earplugs! Cannons can be very loud.
As of early August, it doesn’t appear that this even is happening in 2022.
2019 Music and Entertainment Lineup
There are two areas for entertainment at the Richmond Maritime Festival – the Main Stage and the Imperial Landing Stage.
As details about the 2022 event have not yet been released as of early August, we have listed the live entertainment at the various venues in 2019 below for an idea of what to expect.
Note: scheduled performers and times are subject to change.
Saturday, July 27, 2019
On the Main Stage
- 11:00 am – Bobs & LoLo
- 12:00 pm – The Coastal Wolf Pack
- 1:00 pm – The Seabillys
- 2:15 pm – Beauty Shop Dolls
- 3:15 pm – Jocelyn Pettit Band
- 4:15 pm – Flint and Feather
- 5:15 pm – Wooden Horsemen
On the Imperial Landing Stage
- 11:40 am – Jessica McMann
- 1:15 pm – Lola Parks
- 2:15 pm – Bottom Shelf Bourbon Trio
- 3:15 pm – Shawn Bullshields
- 4:15 pm – Norine Braun & Alice Fraser
- 5:15 pm – The Seabillys
Sunday, July 28, 2019
On the Main Stage
- 11:00 am – Will’s Jams
- 12:00 pm – Langley Ukulele Ensemble
- 2:00 pm – Blackthorn
- 3:15 pm – Sarah Wheeler Band
- 4:15 pm – Brian O’Brien
- 5:30 pm – Tetsu Taiko
On the Imperial Stage
- 11:40 am – Jessica McMann
- 12:15 pm – Flint & Feather
- 2:15 pm – Bottom Shelf Bourbon Trio
- 4:15 pm – Flint & Feather
About the Area
Steveston Village and the area around the Britannia Heritage Shipyards are worth visiting any time of the year.
Steveston Village is full of history, walking and cycling trails along the water, and two National Historic Sites to explore. Britannia Heritage Shipyard is in a neighbourhood along the water with historic buildings, some of which you can go into and explore.
Tips and Advice
Below are some tips and advice to help you make the most out of your visit to the Richmond Maritime Festival and surrounding area.
TIP #1: Take your walking shoes or bicycles and explore the trails while you’re in the area. Parking close to Britannia Heritage Shipyard will likely be challenging during the festival, which means parking elsewhere and walking or cycling the rest of the way can be a good idea.
TIP #2: While in Richmond, combine your trip to the Richmond Maritime Festival with visits to other weekend activities, including the giant Richmond Night Market on either evening, or the Steveston Village Farmers’ Market on the Sunday.
Other Information
For more details about the event check out the Richmond Maritime Festival‘s website.
To learn more about the historic fishing village and other things to do in the area, click Steveston Village.
For further information about the festival venue, see Britannia Heritage Shipyard.
For a list of other events in the Lower Mainland, see Vancouver’s July Calendar or Festivals & Events Calendar.
