Variety Week and Festival

Variety Week is a Vancouver fundraising event that used to conclude with a carnival-like festival featuring a Ferris wheel and live music at Sunset Beach.

Variety Week Vancouver

A fundraising event for the BC Variety Children’s Charity, Variety Week has a goal of helping 60 kids per day. All funds raised each year go towards helping children with special needs. The fundraiser was held from October 16th to 20th in 2023. This year it begins on Tuesday, October 1st.

In 2019 Variety Week raised over $680,000. That was the last year that the event came with a full, in-person festival. Since then, it’s been a virtual-only event hosted by Global BC. Viewers of Global News Morning and Global News Hour at 6 get to know more about kids who are supported over the year.

The Old Variety Week Festival

In years before the pandemic, Variety Week wrapped up with the Variety Week Festival. From noon until 10:00 pm folk could enjoy various activities and attractions. The highlight of the festival was the 60-foot Ferris wheel which offered panoramic views of the city from the top. Admission to the Ferris wheel was by donation, with a suggested amount of $5.

In 2019 the party took place at Sunset Beach and featured live music. Admission to the festival was free. Apart from the Ferris wheel there was a selection of other carnival attractions, food vendors, live entertainment and children’s activities.

Vancouver Variety Club Stage at Night — Todd Richard at Robson Square

About the Organization

Variety – the Children’s Charity was founded in the United States in 1927 with the goal of helping children in need and has now expanded operations into almost a dozen countries. The BC division was established in 1966 to focus on children with special needs. Since 2010 the BC chapter has raised over $30 million in funding and support within the province.