The Nativity of the Theotokos Antiochian Orthodox Church Festival is a free event in New Westminster in September. It features food, music and other activities.
In 2026 the festival takes place in downtown New Westminster on September 6th. That’s the Sunday of the Labour Day Long Weekend.
In this article you’ll find details about the festival as well as a little bit of information about the church behind it.
Middle Eastern Mediterranean Orthodox Church Festival
The Nativity of the Theotokos Antiochian Orthodox Church Festival is a community event that features traditional Mediterranean foods, music and family-friendly activities. It’s a small festival celebrating a feast day of the church. It’s also a fundraiser for the congregation, many of whom are of Syrian origin, including refugees.
The New Westminster Church is part of the Antiochian Orthodox Church of North America. The majority of the congregation is of Syrian origin. As a result, the festival features a wide selection of Syrian foods, all of which are tasty and popular throughout the world. Kubbeh in particular is time consuming to make and very popular. You’ll see it on the right in the photo below. Make sure you try it!
Admission to the festival is free. The children’s activities at the event are also free.
When and Where is the Festival
In 2026 the festival happens on Sunday, September 6th, from 2:00 until 7:00 pm. It takes place outside the Holy Eucharist Ukrainian Cathedral (which is a different organization, but the same building where the Antiochian Orthodox Church rents space and meets).
The Festival is outdoors, in the parking lot of the church, with tents and umbrellas. The venue’s address is 501 4th Avenue which is in the heart of the Uptown District of New Westminster.
The festival happens annually on the Saturday or Sunday immediately before the liturgical Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos (which takes place on September 8th each year). That’s why in 2026 the event happens on September 6th.
Interestingly, Theotokos is the title of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. The word means “God-bearer” or “Mother of God” in Greek. The first major feast of the liturgical year for the Eastern Orthodox Church, the festival is essentially a celebration of Mary’s birthday.
Last year the festival took place in North Delta at Trinity Lutheran Church at 11040 River Road, which is just across the Fraser River from Annacis Island. This year, however, as mentioned above, the event happens at its new location, at 501 4th Avenue in New Westminster.
What to Expect
The Nativity of the Theotokos Antiochian Orthodox Church festival is a community event where a big part of the focus is on food. Tasty things you can expect at the festival include Falafel (deep-fried balls made from chickpeas), Shawarma (thin slices of shaved seasoned meat), Tabuleh (parsley salad), and Kubbeh (charcoal barbecued spiced lean ground meat). There is also a variety of sweets including Baklava pastries. It’s all quite delicious and most interesting to try if you’ve never had it before.
In addition to traditional Middle Eastern foods and drinks, at the event there is live entertainment, including singing. There is also a Kids’ Zone with family-friendly activities.
The festival is both a fun and interesting cultural experience. It’s open to the public and all are welcome. You don’t have to be Orthodox, a churchgoer or Christian to attend and appreciate the experience. If you happen to be in downtown New Westminster on the day, then check it out!
Funds raised at the event support the church’s existence as a non-profit organization as well as help people in need, including recent refugees to Canada.
About the Church
Whereas the Antiochian Orthodox Church has been around for 2000 years, the congregation in New Westminster is fairly new. 2026 is its third year of existence, and first in New Westminster. The majority of its members are of Syrian origin, with many of them being refugees to Canada.
The New West congregation is part of the Antiochian Orthodox Church of North America, which is an Orthodox Christian organization dating back to first century Antioch, the city where the Apostles Paul and Barnabas established the church. Antioch was a Roman city located in what is now southeastern Turkey, where the city of Antakya is today, not far from the Mediterranean Sea and the border with Syria.
Sometimes called the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Antiochian Orthodox Church is related to other Orthodox churches including the Greek Orthodox Church. It is one of the world’s oldest religious institutions still in existence!
Today, and for the past year or so, the Antiochian Orthodox Church rents space from the Holy Eucharist Ukrainian Cathedral in New Westminster. There is also an Antiochian Orthodox Church in Langley, as well as in communities all across North America (and many other places around the world).
Other Information
The congregation in New Westminster currently does not have a website. They will have a Facebook page or ad about the event, however, close to the date of the festival.
To learn more about the church, visit antiochian.org (which is the website for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America).
Other articles you might also find of interest include the following:
Another website you might also find of interest is VancouverFoodFestivals.ca.
