White Rock Sea Festival

The White Rock Sea Festival is a free summer festival that includes live music, a torchlight parade and fireworks on the BC Day Long Weekend in August.

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The Sea Festival

The White Rock Sea Festival is a fabulous event in a beautiful location. The waterfront in White Rock boasts over 2 kilometres of stunning sandy beach, numerous coffee shops and restaurants, and a lovely promenade walkway.

The festival offers everything from kite flying to sandcastle-making, outdoor concerts, a vendor market, morning yoga and a wide range of family and child-friendly activities.

When is the Festival?

The White Rock Sea Festival takes place over the BC Day Long Weekend each year. In 2019 it’s on the Saturday and Sunday of August 3-4.

Events usually run all day both days from 10 am until after 10 pm.

Where is the Sea Festival

White Rock is located about 50 km (or one hour in good traffic) southeast of downtown Vancouver close to the Peace Arch border crossing with the United States.

The White Rock Sea Festival happens all along the waterfront, from the far end of East Beach near the Ocean Promenade Hotel at 15611 Marine Drive to the far end of West Beach a couple of kilometres away.

Much of the event takes place in the central part of the waterfront though not far from the pier and White Rock Museum at 14970 Marine Drive, but activities happen all over.

Sea Festival Night Parade — White Rock Sea Festival Torchlight Parade

Sea Festival Activities

Below is the schedule of some of the main events and activities at the White Rock Sea Festival in 2018. The 2019 schedule will be similar.

Note: times and details are subject to change.

Friday, August 3rd, 2018

Friday Movie Night

8:30 pm – the outdoor movie Avengers: Infinity War shows at Semiahmoo Park

Saturday, August 4th, 2018

General Saturday Activities

8:00 am – Yoga and Live Music (near the giant White Rock)
9:00 am – Zumba (near the giant White Rock)
10:00 to 4:00 pm – Family/Kids Volleyball (at the East Beach)
10:00 to 4:00 pm – BC Kite Fliers Association Kite Making (at the East Beach)
10:00 to 4:00 pm – Quad Kite Flying Demonstration (at the East Beach)
10:30 am – Capt’n Korki’s Pirate Parade (at the East Beach)
11:00 to 2:00 pm – White Rock Skim boarding (at the East Beach)
11:00 to 4:00 pm – Pirates in the Park (at Semiahmoo Park)
12:00 to 7:00 pm – Traditional Salmon BBQ (at Semiahmoo Park)
1:00 to 1:30 pm – Opening Ceremonies (at the East Beach)
8:30 pm – Chinese Lantern Walk (at the White Rock Pier)
10:00 pm – Fireworks (on the East Beach near the White Rock)

Saturday Entertainment (On the Oceana Parc Main Stage)

The following performances take place on the Oceana Parc Stage which is located at Totem Park just a short distance west of the Moby Dick Restaurant at 15479 Marine Drive:

12:00 pm – The Apartment
1:00 pm – Opening Ceremonies
1:30 pm – Aaron Skepasts Band
2:00 pm – Curtis Heimberger
3:00 pm – Madison Bell
4:00 pm – Richard Tichelman
5:00 pm – White Rock Blues Society Tribute to Jason Buie
6:00 pm – Heidi McCurdy
7:00 pm – Coldwater & the Bootleggers
8:30 pm – American Woman Show

Saturday Entertainment (On the Spirit Stage)

The following performances take place on the Spirit Stage which is located at Semiahmoo Park at 15782 Marine Drive:

11:00 am – First Nation Blessing and Opening Ceremony
11:30 am – Kwel eng Sen Youth Group
12:00 pm – Starchild Mystic Pirate Band
1:00 pm – Ariel the Mermaid
1:45 pm – Mr. Bubbles Magic Show
2:30 pm – Seung-ri Academy
3:00 pm – BC Cage and Pet Bird
3:15 pm – The Smile Band
4:30 pm – Jessica Yue
5:00 pm – Duniya Dance Academy
5:45 pm – Chinese Village Dancers
6:15 pm – Serkan Sogukpinar

Sunday, August 5th, 2018

General Sunday Activities

9:00 am – Energy Bagua Meditation (near the White Rock)
9:30 am to 4:00 pm – Westcoaster’s Daze Car Show (in the Semiahmoo parking lot)
10:00 am to 2:00 pm – Family Fun Sandcastle Competition (at the East Beach)
10:00 am to 4:00 pm – Family/Kids Volleyball (at the East Beach)
10:00 am to 4:00 pm – Quad Kite Flying Demonstration (at the East Beach)
11:00 am to 2:00 pm – White Rock Skim boarding (at the East Beach)
12:00 to 4:00 pm – Pirates in the Park (in Semiahmoo Park)
12:00 to 6:00 pm – Traditional Salon BBQ (in Semiahmoo Park)
3:00 pm – Legendary Waiters Race (at the West Beach)
8:15 pm – Annual Torchlight Parade (along the Waterfront)

Sea Festival Parade Band — Torchlight Parade on Marine Drive

Sunday Entertainment (On the Oceana Parc Main Stage)

The following performances take place on the Oceana Parc Stage which is located at Totem Park just a short distance west of the Moby Dick Restaurant at 15479 Marine Drive:

12:00 pm – Elgin Park Secondary Guitar Class
1:00 pm – Esteva
2:00 pm – Jim Black Collective
3:00 pm – Quinn Pickering
4:00 pm – The Escapes
5:00 pm – Harley Small
6:00 pm – Sarah Jickling and Her Good Bad Luck
7:00 pm – Hawking

Sunday Entertainment (On the Spirit Stage)

The following performances take place on the Spirit Stage which is located at Semiahmoo Park at 15782 Marine Drive (so at the very far east end of the beach):

12:00 pm – Semiahmoo First Nation Blessing and Announcements
12:30 pm – Chris Hamilton
1:30 pm – Comedy Magic with Annie Bananie
2:00 pm – Teddy Bear Picnic and Cupcake Decorating
2:40 pm – Seung-ri Academy
3:00 pm – Tibetan Dancer
3:25 pm – The Smile Band

Tips and Suggestions

Below are some tips and advice on how to make the most of your experience at the White Rock Sea Festival.

TIP #1: The parade starts at the west end of the beach and travels east. If you want to get home earlier than later, watch the parade from near the start, so from west of the pier and museum.

TIP #2: Go at the very start of the day if you want to find parking anywhere near the beach. Just remember though that access in and out of the area will be extremely limited, especially during the Sunday night Torchlight Parade.

TIP #3: Take public transit if you can.

TIP #4: There is free shuttle service in White Rock most years during the Sea Festival, which means you can park in certain areas and then get a lift to the action. Click 2018 Festival Info for details.

TIP #5: Take your swimsuit, hat, sunscreen, picnic, lawn chairs, sandcastle-building equipment, beach umbrella, water bottle and anything else you think you’ll need. Just remember though that parking will be a challenge and you may have to walk a fair ways.

TIP #6: The White Rock Farmers Market takes place on Sundays at Miramar Plaza up the hill in downtown White Rock from 10 am to 2 pm. It’s a great market and worth checking out while in the area.

TIP #7: If you like cycling, don’t mind hills and have a bike rack, consider taking your bicycle(s) with you. Parking will likely be a long way away, but if at least the driver has a bike it’ll make it easier to get back and forth to your vehicle.