Hosted by the North Shore Polish Association Belweder, Polish Festival Vancouver takes place at the Shipyards in North Vancouver in September.
The festival is an annual event that celebrates Polish-Canadian contributions to Canada’s rich cultural mosaic. It showcases local artists as well as vendors of different nationalities. The event features traditional Polish cuisine, music, singing, folk dancing and other activities. To make it even better, admission is free!
In 2023 the festival happens on September 3rd which is the Sunday of the Labour Day Long Weekend.
For the event’s official website visit belweder.org or see its Facebook Page.
This article contains the following information about Polish Festival Vancouver:
Where and When | What to Expect at the Polish Festival | Live Entertainment Schedule | Tips and Advice | Polish Festival Video | Other Information
Polish Festival Vancouver on the North Shore
The Polish Festival Vancouver is a unique one-day event celebrating the cultural diversity of Vancouver’s North Shore community. It’s also an excellent way for people to enjoy the exciting flavours of Polish culture and food.
In 2022 the festival was on September 4th. In the same year, for the first time, September was officially declared Polish Heritage Month in British Columbia (and it will continue to be recognized as such in the years to come)! The 2023 festival takes place at the Shipyards in North Vancouver on Sunday, September 3rd, so on the Labour Day Weekend again.
The festival usually features Polish music, singing and folk dancing including a special program for children and youth. Visitors of all ages and backgrounds are invited for an authentic European experience! At the event you can celebrate the richness of Polish culture, tradition and arts.
Polish Festival Vancouver is hosted by the non-profit Belweder North Shore Polish Association. One of the organization’s main goals is to promote Polish culture, language, tradition and knowledge of Polish contributions within Canada to all Canadians in order to foster a better understanding and spirit of multiculturalism.
There are around ten thousand people on the North Shore with Polish heritage. This means that while it’s not the biggest ethnic community in the region, it is a large one. Consequently, there is plenty of wonderful Polish culture to be found!
For the event’s official website visit belweder.org or see its Facebook Page.
Where and When
Polish Festival Vancouver takes place at the Shipyards in Shipbuilders’ Square and the Pipe Shop at 115 Victory Ship Way at the bottom of Lonsdale Avenue.
Last year the event happened on September 4th from 1:00 until 8:00 pm. That was the Sunday of the Labour Day Long Weekend. The event returns on September 3rd in 2023 and runs from 1:00 until 8:00 pm once again. It’s a free event and well worth checking out, especially if you like European food, music and cultural entertainment.
What to Expect at the Polish Festival
At Vancouver Festival Polish you can expect to see lots of European foods, music, singing, folk dancing and other activities. In an average year as many as 2000 people attend over the course of the day. More people likely attended this past year, however, because 2022 was the 20th anniversary of the organization which hosts the event.
In 2023 the festival features a special guest from Poland. The singer and disco polo star Król Nocy performs live on stage during the event. A number of singing and dancing groups perform at this year’s event as well, including the Polonez Dance Ensemble.
The Belweder North Shore Polish Association also puts on cultural displays in the Pipe Shop building. This year, there’s a special exhibition celebrating the 550th birthday of Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. There are also vendors selling Polish T-shirts, jewelry, and other artisan products and souvenirs.
The Polish Festival is a family-friendly event with theatrical shows for children plus crafts, face painting, balloon animals and games. Traditional Polish cuisine at the event includes pierogies, sausages, pastries and other tasty items including Polish beer.
For the event’s official website visit belweder.org or see its Facebook Page.
Live Entertainment at the Polish Festival
The 2023 festival opens with a blessing from Spakwus Slolem. Performers later in the day include Król Nocy, the Polonez Dance Ensemble, the North Shore Celtic Ensemble, Parno Drom and Chorus Juventus. There’s also a dance party starting at 6:30 pm.
As of mid-August, the exact schedule with performance times for the 2023 event is to be confirmed. Below, however, is a list of the performers.
- Official Opening with a Spakwus Slolem Blessing
- Polonez Polish Folk Dance Group
- Monika Sowinski & Miri Lee (soloist & piano)
- Polonez Polish Folk Dance Group
- Alicja Moniatowicz (soloist)
- Monika Sowinski & Miri Lee (soloist & piano)
- Polonez Polish Folk Dance Group
- Natalia Kurzecki (soloist)
- Ewa Daszczuk (soloist)
- Krystyna Krystecka (soloist)
- Polonez Polish Folk Dance Group
- Alicja Moniatowicz (soloist)
- Polonez Polish Folk Dance Group
- Krol Nocy – Olaf Bressa
- North Shore Celtic Ensemble
- Bob Kozak and his PARNO DROM Roma Music Group
- Krol Nocy – Olaf Bressa
- Live Music and Dance Party
- Hey Ziuta
Tips and Advice
Below are some tips and suggestions to help you make the most out of your visit to Vancouver’s Polish Festival.
TIP #1: Go with an appetite! The Polish sausages and pierogies are delicious! There is a small beer garden too.
TIP #2: There is limited free parking on the street in the area with either a 1 or 2-hour maximum time limit. There is also pay parking, however, at the ICBC parkade in front of Lonsdale Quay just off Rogers Avenue, at the Lonsdale Quay Public Market and at Shipyard Commons.
TIP #3: Take public transit if you can. The SeaBus is less than a 5-minute walk away.
TIP #4: Either before or after visiting the Polish Festival, explore the region. Shipbuilders’ Pier is nice to walk along, and the indoor public market at Lonsdale Quay is interesting. MONOVA: the Museum of North Vancouver is also an exceptional place to learn about the history of the region. The museum also hosts free walking tours with Shipyard Pals.
For the event’s official website visit belweder.org or see its Facebook Page.
Polish Festival Video
For a look at what to expect at the Polish Festival in North Vancouver, check out the following video. It shows scenes of the event from 2022. As you’ll see, at the festival there is lots of dancing, music and food to enjoy!
Other Information
For information about the organization behind the festival, check out the North Shore Polish Association Belweder website.
To learn about another similar event, see our article about the BC Polish Festival which takes place in Port Coquitlam.
For details about the area, check out any of the following:
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
