West Vancouver Bridge Festival

West Vancouver’s Community Cultural Fest is a two-day event with family-friendly activities and live music at Ambleside Park on a weekend in early June.

The event was called West Vancouver Community Day a number of years ago when it was just a one-day event. It changed its name to the Bridge Festival a couple of years ago though, and became a two-day event. As of 2023 it once again has a new name – the West Vancouver Community Cultural Fest. It’s pretty much still the same event though, just with a new name.

This article contains the following information about the West Vancouver Community Cultural Fest:

Hours | Activities | Festival Schedule | Getting to the Festival | Other Information

West Vancouver Community Cultural Fest

West Vancouver‘s community festival has been taking place in the Ambleside neighbourhood on the first Saturday in June for many years. It’s a fun event at one of the Lower Mainland’s most popular oceanfront parks.

Ambleside Park is located just off Marine Drive southwest of the Park Royal shopping mall. The mall itself is just a short distance from the north end of the Lions Gate Bridge. The park’s address is 1150 Marine Drive. However, its main access is via 13th Street which turns into the park and Argyle Avenue.

People at West Van Bridge Festival

West Vancouver Community Cultural Fest Hours

In 2023 the West Vancouver Community Cultural Fest ran on Friday, June 2nd, and on Saturday, June 3rd. Hours on the Friday were from 4:00 pm to 9:30 pm. Hours on the Saturday were from 11:00 am until 9:30 pm.

Dates for the festival in 2024 are to be confirmed.

West Vancouver Community Cultural Fest Activities

The West Vancouver Community Cultural Fest activities in 2023 included live music, dance performances, food vendors, a kids’ zone, and cultural pavilions.

In previous years, during the one-day festival, there was also a parade that started at about 10:00 am on the Saturday. People from different community groups in costume gave out candy and other things as they walked along the street. There were also a few bands, dance groups and other typical small-community-parade kinds of things. The parade didn’t happen in 2022, and it didn’t happen in 2023 either, at least not to our knowledge.

West Vancouver Community Day

Festival Schedule

Below was the schedule of performances for the 2023 West Vancouver Community Cultural Fest. (Note: Exact times and details were subject to change.) The event’s festival schedule for 2024 is to be confirmed.

Friday, June 2nd (2023)

Main Stage

4:00 pm – Rumba Calzada
6:00 pm – Coco Jafro
8:00 pm – Dr. Strangelove’s British Invasion

West Vancouver Schools’ Stage

4:00 pm – Hollyburn Elementary Concert Band
4:10 pm – Hollyburn Elementary 2nd Year Band Club
4:20 pm – Hollyburn Elementary Rock Band
4:40 pm – École Cedardale Elementary Bands (Grades 6 and 7)
5:20 pm – Westcot Bands (Grades 6 and 7)
6:15 pm – West Vancouver Secondary Orchestra
6:45 pm – West Vancouver Secondary Rock Band

TD Cultural Dance Stage

5:00 pm – Vanleena Dance Academy
6:00 pm – Dance of Joy Academy
6:45 pm – North Shore Academy of Dancing
8:00 pm – Zornitza Dance Ensemble
8:30 pm – Driftwood Dance Academy

West Vancouver Youth Band at Ambleside Park

Saturday, June 3rd (2023)

Main Stage

11:15 am – West Vancouver Youth Band with Bob Baker
12:45 pm – Tiller’s Folly
2:15 pm – Non Sweet
3:30 pm – Hayley Wallis & The Bright Futures
5:00 pm – Bukola
6:30 pm – The Whiskeydicks
8:15 pm – Mostly Marley

West Vancouver Schools’ Stage

11:00 am – École Pauline Johnson Elementary (Grades 6 and 7)
11:55 am – Irwin Park Elementary Bands (Grades 6 and 7)
1:15 pm – West Vancouver Secondary Jr. and Sr. Concert Bands
2:10 pm – Combined Chartwell Elementary and Gleneagles Ch’axy Elementary Intermediate Choir
2:40 pm – Caulfeild IDEC Elementary Band (Grades 6 and 7)
3:10 pm – Combined Chartwell Elementary and Gleneagles Ch’axy Elementary Grade 6 and 7 Band
3:40 pm – Sentinel Secondary Grade 8 Concert Band
4:10 pm – Sentinel Secondary Jazz Band
4:40 pm – Sentinel Secondary Rnb Band
5:10 pm – Rockridge Secondary Drumline
5:30 pm – Rockridge Secondary Rock and Metal Band – Nokturna

TD Cultural Dance Stage

11:45 am – Brazilian Swag
12:15 pm – Seymour Dance
12:45 pm – North Shore Academy of Dancing
1:30 pm – Gleneagles Scottish Country Dance Club
2:00 pm – Method of Modern Movement
2:30 pm – Mexico Vivo Folklore
3:15 pm – Dance of Joy Academy
4:30 pm – Dovbush School of Ukrainian Dance
4:45 pm – Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Society
5:15 pm – Vanleena Dance Academy
6:30 pm – Kitka and Hubavitzi (Bulgarian Dance)
7:00 pm – Sentinel K-dance Crew

Getting to the West Vancouver Community Cultural Fest

Getting in and out of the Ambleside Park area can be a challenge during major events for a number of reasons. First, there is a fair bit of parking at the park itself, but on event days the area is usually closed to cars. Second, Ambleside Park is a popular place on a regular day and so it is particularly crazy when something special is happening.

What does all of the above mean? Well, it’s wise to use public transit, carpool, or ride your bike if possible. If you need to drive, there’s a lot of parking at Park Royal mall which is right close by (although parking there is “just for customers”). You can also get to West Vancouver early and look for street parking further west past Marine Drive and 18th Street.

If you go as far as Dundarave – which is over three kilometres away – you’ll be able to get some good exercise walking back to Ambleside while enjoying one of Metro Vancouver’s finest walks along the waterfront.

Bridge Festival Main Stage