The Ships to Shore Festival is a maritime event that takes place near Richmond’s Steveston Village. It featured live music and boats to explore.
It doesn’t take place every year – just years when a major tall ship comes to visit.
Ships to Shore Festival
In 2017 the Ships to Shore Festival happened on the weekend of May 5-7 at Garry Point Park which is a 10-minute walk east of the Gulf of Georgia Cannery in Steveston Village.
In 2016 the festival took place right in Steveston Village over the Canada Day Long Weekend, which meant for extra large crowds, but this year it’s earlier and in a slightly different venue.
The Ships to Shore Festival hasn’t happened for a number of years. Hopefully it’ll be back before too many years! A similar event that does still take place, however, is the Richmond Maritime Festival which happens around the Britannia Heritage Shipyard in the summer.
Festival Activities
In years when it does take place, at the Ships to Shore Festival there is live entertainment, family-friendly activities, food vendors and boats to look at and explore.
A highlight of Saturday’s activities in 2017 were the fireworks which started at 9:05 pm.
Being a maritime festival and kid-friendly event, don’t be surprised to see the odd pirate walking around and other costume characters too!
In 2017 one of the largest tall ships in the world, the Japanese Kaiwo Maru (“King of the Sea“), was on display. With a mast height of over 180 feet and body length of close to 360 feet, it’s a stunning and absolutely massive ship.
Tips and Advice
Below are some tips and suggestions to help you make the most out of your Ships to Shore experience.
TIP #1: If you like this kind of event then also consider checking out the Richmond Maritime Festival at the nearby Britannia Shipyard in August.
TIP #2: While in the area consider combining your trip to the Ships to Shore Festival with a visit to any of Richmond‘s other great attractions. See below for details.
Other Information
See the Ships to Shore Festival website for more information on the event.
For ideas on other things to do while in the area, check out the following:
- Steveston Village – the historic fishing village located close by.
- Gulf of Georgia Cannery – a National Historic Site and former salmon cannery with free admission in 2017.
- Britannia Shipyard – an area in Steveston Village with a collection of historic buildings.
- London Heritage Farm – a small historic farm located just a short drive away.
- Steveston Farmers and Artisan Market – an outdoor market that takes place at 4111 Moncton Street in Steveston Village from 10 am to 3 pm every second Sunday in the summer (so quite likely on the same weekend as the Ships to Shore Festival).
- West Dyke Trail – a pleasant trail to walk or cycle along that connects Garry Point Park with Terra Nova Rural Park and the Terra Nova Adventure Play Environment.
Also in Richmond and not too far away by car are the following places of interest:
- International Buddhist Temple – a beautiful religious site that’s open to the public.
- International Summer Night Market – a free night market located at 12631 Vulcan Way.
- Richmond Night Market – a massive Asian night market located at 8351 River Road.
For a list of other major events throughout the year, see the Festivals & Events Calendar.
