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 Old Town New Queens at Britannia Mine, Playland Pride, 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 2026 the Pride Boat Party takes place on the night of Saturday, August 1st. It runs from 7:00 pm until 11:00 pm.

The cruise happens most years and 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 most of the year, but sometimes with additional tours during Pride Week.

Every Sunday, 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. They 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 always 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 2026 the event takes place on August 1st at Shipbuilders’ Square in North Vancouver.

At Pride at the Pier there are 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 and the Davie Village Pride Party. 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. This year’s parade happens on August 2nd, 2026 which is the Sunday of the BC Day Long Weekend.

Whenever it takes place, 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.

Davie Village Pride Party

The Davie Village Pride Party happens the same day as the Pride Parade. It’s a continuation of the festivities and covers three blocks of Davie Street between Burrard and Jervis. There’s also celebrations that happen in Nelson Park which is a few blocks away. The event runs from 2:00 to 10:00 pm on August 2nd, 2026.

Up until last year, instead of a party on Davie Street there was the VanPrideFest event at Concord Pacific Place. The Davie Village Pride Party replaced VanPrideFest and is a return to an event that was popular in years past.

The Davie event features live music, drag performances, market vendors and more.

VanPrideFest

New Westminster Pride

New West Pride usually takes place in August. More specifically, it happens on August 15th in 2026.

The Street Festival is held on Columbia Street in downtown New Westminster. In 2026, it takes place from 3:00 to 8:00 pm and covers a four-block area from Fourth to Eighth Avenue. The event typically features three different stages of 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.

New West Pride Stage

Pride-Related Shows

There are multiple live theatre shows in Vancouver with special Pride celebrations each year. The first of them is at Bard on the Beach where there’s a Bard Pride Night event. In 2026 it happens on July 31st. There’s also usually a special show at The Improv Centre on Granville Island too.

In 2026, Richmond’s Gulf of Georgia Cannery hosts a special Steveston Pride Variety Show too. It runs on June 20th and features Phyllis Hull from What the Frock Productions.

Pride Night with the Vancouver Canadians

In 2026, July 30th is Pride Night with the Vancouver Canadians at Nat Bailey Stadium. The game is against the Spokane Indians and it 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

Playland Pride

Playland is Vancouver’s amusement park with all sorts of rides for kids and thrill seekers. In 2026 the attraction opened on June 1st. It now operates on Wednesdays to Sundays until August 21st.

This year’s schedule features various special events, including Playland Pride on Saturday, July 25th. On that day, guests can enjoy drag bingo with prizes as well as music and other activities. The special event is hosted by drag queens Mina Mercury and Miss Gloria Hole.

For more details about the amusement park, check out our Playland article.

Squamish Pride at Britannia Mine

The Britannia Mine Museum celebrates the LGBTQ community with Old Town, New Queens. Its Squamish Pride Night event happens on June 13th in 2026.

Old Town, New Queens has as many as 12 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. In 2026, the Surrey Pride Festival is on June 20th at it’s new location at Central City Mall Plaza.

Festivities normally include a series of drag performances as well as some live music. 2026 boasts the Surrey Pride Festival’s 27th year!

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 2026 the event is a one-day festival on Sunday, August 23rd. It starts at 11:00 am and runs until 5:00 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

Langley Pride Day

The City of Langley celebrates Pride with a one-day event on August 8th, 2026. Langley Pride Day is held at the Creekside Hall from noon until 9:30 pm and is entirely free to attend.

The event drag performances, bingo, live music, face painting, over two dozen market vendors and different educational panels run by members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. There’s also a beer garden open until 5:00 pm.

Click Langley Pride Day for the full schedule of activities.

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 happens from January 24th to 31st in 2027.

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

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

Whistler Pride Parade