New West Pride

The Lower Mainland celebrates its 2SLGBTQIA+ communities with gay Pride-themed events in Vancouver, North Vancouver, New West, Surrey, Whistler and elsewhere.

The biggest and most famous event is the Vancouver Pride Parade which attracts tens of thousands of people. There are street parties, festivals, drag shows and other similar events in Vancouver and other municipalities throughout the region too.

Other highlights of the season include an event with Vancouver Boat Parties, Pride Day at Bard on the Beach and Really Gay History Tours on various dates. There is also Happyland at the PNE, Pride Night at the Shipyards Night Market, and so much more on the BC Day Long Weekend.

This article contains information about the following:

Pride Celebrations and Events in Metro Vancouver

Every summer there are Pride parties, parades and other events that take place in and around Vancouver. June is officially Pride Month, although not all Pride Weeks are in June. There are plenty in July and August as well, and sometimes at other times of the year too (like with Whistler Pride in winter). For those who want to celebrate all things 2SLGBTQIA+, there are a number of major event options to choose from.

Vancouver Pride Boat Party

Vancouver Boat Parties hosts an annual boat party in celebration of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. In 2025 the Pride Boat Party takes place on the night of Sunday, August 3rd. It runs from 8:00 pm until 12:00 am, so well after the Vancouver Pride Parade on the same day.

The cruise offers great views of the city, along with DJ music, dancing and drinking. It’s a fun event for ages 19 and above. Everyone is encouraged to dress in impressive, bold and colourful outfits.

For more information about the event, see our article about Vancouver Boat Parties or visit the official Vancouver Pride Boat Party page.

YEAR-ROUND DRAG SHOWS

One of Vancouver’s premier drag show companies is What the Frock Productions. They host family-friendly drag brunches, adults-only drag shows, fundraisers for charity, cabaret-style performances and all kinds of events, including drag bingo, trivia and karaoke nights. For details about their shows, see the whatthefrockproductions.com website.

Forbidden Vancouver’s Really Gay History Tours

Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours don’t just happen during Vancouver Pride, but the company is usually a sponsor of the festival and one of its tours has an 2SLGBTQIA+ theme. It happens throughout much of the year, but with additional tours during Pride Week.

From around June to October, Forbidden Vancouver offers its Really Gay History Tour which showcases the history of 2SLGBTQIA+ activity in Vancouver. The tours typically begin at 10:00 am on Sundays at the Robert Lee YMCA building and end in the Davie Street Village.

Additional tours are held during Pride Week. In 2025 there are Really Gay History Tours on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of August 1st to 3rd. The tours offer a great opportunity to learn about the struggles of Vancouver’s gay community and how it has gained recognition and acceptance over the years. The tours are very educational and highly recommended.

To learn more about these and the company’s other more traditional tours, see our article about Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours.

North Vancouver Pride

The biggest Pride event on Vancouver’s North Shore is Pride at the Pier. In 2025 the event takes place on August 2nd at Shipbuilders’ Square in North Vancouver.

At Pride at the Pier there are usually DJs, drag performances, food trucks, cocktails and other activities. The event is sort of a dance party most years with plenty of live music and people of all ages attending.

Pride at the Pier is smaller than the main Vancouver Pride events that take place elsewhere during the same week, but it’s growing. It takes place in a very accessible area as well with great places to shop and eat nearby.

To learn more about this event, see our articles about Pride at the Pier.

Vancouver Pride Festival

Vancouver Pride has its official festival week at the end of July and/or beginning of August. Events also take place throughout the month of July with some as early as June. It’s the biggest Pride festival in the Lower Mainland, and one of the largest in North America. In addition to the main events, activities usually include ballroom parties, fitness classes, walking tours, baseball games, theatre shows, educational panels and more.

See below to learn about the Vancouver Pride Parade, VanPrideFest, Happyland and Really Gay Walking Tours with Forbidden Vancouver. To learn more about the festival in general, see our article about the Vancouver Pride Festival.

Vancouver Pride Parade

The biggest attraction of the Vancouver festival is the annual Pride Parade. In 2025 the parade happens on August 3rd of the BC Day Long Weekend.

The parade route this year will likely be a little different than last year’s. Exact details are to be confirmed as of early April, but it should start at Concord Pacific Place on False Creek, before marching to Davie Street.

Crowds that go to watch the parade are huge! This is especially the case in the middle of downtown. So many people attend this event!

The Pride Parade is one of the biggest events in Vancouver and it’s very bright and colourful. It’s family-friendly and open to everyone regardless of sexual orientation. Dozens of floats take part in the event as do bands, folks in colourful (and sometimes rather risqué) costumes, and more.

VanPrideFest

The VanPrideFest ran on the Saturday and Sunday of August 3rd and 4th at Concord Pacific Place in 2024. It’s not happening in 2025. Instead, the Davie Village Pride Festival returns on Sunday, August 3rd. It runs from 2:00 pm until 10:00 pm.

This year’s event is free to attend and includes live music, drag performances, market vendors and more. There’s a low-sensory zone at Nelson Park and there are licensed lounges all along Davie Street.

To learn more about two-day festival that happened last year, see our article about VanPrideFest.

Happyland at the PNE

Happyland celebrated its third year on August 4th, 2024. The event happened from 5:00 to 10:00 pm at Playland. Happyland features concerts, drag shows, food trucks and more. Attendees have access to the full park, meaning they can enjoy all the rides as well.

Last year’s event is headlined by Tinashe. Other performers include Vincint, Adore Delano and Raja Gemini. 2025 details are to be confirmed.

New Westminster Pride

New West Pride Week takes place in August, from the 8th to the 16th in 2025. There are various events during that time with the main New West Pride Street Festival on the final day.

The Street Festival is held on Columbia Street in downtown New Westminster. It takes place from 3:00 to 8:00 pm and covers a four-block area from Fourth to Eighth Avenue. The event usually features three different stages with live entertainment, along with many other activities.

Examples of other events to look forward to in New Westminster during the city’s Pride Week are karaoke events, trivia nights and a boat cruise.

Pride-Related Theatre

There are multiple live theatre shows in Vancouver with special Pride celebrations. The first of them is at Bard on the Beach where there’s a Bard Pride Day event on June 28th, 2025. There’s also a special show at The Improv Centre on Granville Island on July 31st.

Pride Night with the Vancouver Canadians

July 22nd, 2025, is Pride Night with the Vancouver Canadians at Nat Bailey Stadium. The game is against the Eugene Emeralds and starts at 7:05 pm. Expect to see lots of rainbow colours at the game!

Vancouver Pride Night at Bailey Stadium — Vancouver Pride Night at Bailey

Squamish Pride at Britannia Mine

The Britannia Mine Museum celebrated the LGBTQ community with Old Town, New Queens. Its Squamish Pride Night event happens on June 14th in 2025.

Old Town, New Queens has as many as 10 performers entertain in different drag shows. Guests can also have fun exploring the museum. It’s a fun event that welcomes everyone.

To learn more about this event, see our article about Pride Night at Britannia Mine.

Surrey Pride

Pride celebrations in Surrey are generally a bit smaller than in Vancouver and they take place in June. This year, the Surrey Pride Festival is on June 28th, 2025, at Surrey Civic Plaza.

Festivities normally include a series of drag performances as well as some live music. This past year was a big one, as it was the 25th anniversary of the Surrey Pride Festival!

For more information about this festival, click Surrey Pride Festival.

Chilliwack Pride Festival

The Chilliwack Pride Festival is an annual celebration typically held in August. In 2025 the event is a one-day festival on Sunday, July 20th. It usually starts at 10:00 am and runs until 4:00 pm. The festival takes place in the downtown area of Chilliwack.

It’s a fairly big street party with lots of family-friendly activities. There are market vendors, games for kids and several giveaways. The event also features a beer garden for adults and a couple stages with live music, drag performances and other entertainment.

To learn more about this event, see our article about the Chilliwack Pride Festival.

Drag Show at Chilliwack Pride — Chilliwack Pride Festival

Whistler Pride Festival

Whereas most Lower Mainland Pride festivals happen in the summer, the one that’s a couple of hours from Vancouver up the Sea to Sky Highway happens in winter.

Whistler Pride & Ski Festival happened from January 19th to 26th in 2025.

In Whistler the 2SLGBTQIA+-themed events include a procession, parties and skiing activities.

To learn more about this event see the WhatToDoInWhistler.ca website.