VanPrideFest

VanPrideFest is a big Vancouver Pride Festival event at Concord Community Park. It includes live entertainment, food, drinks and more on a weekend in August.

Years ago there was the Sunset Beach Festival which was one of the two biggest events during the Vancouver Pride Festival. The other major event was the Vancouver Pride Parade. The last couple of years, however, instead of happening at Sunset Beach, there has been VanPrideFest at Concord Community Park near False Creek. The event is very similar, just at a different location.

Other events celebrating the 2SLGBTQIA+ community around this time of year are baseball’s Pride Night with the Vancouver Canadians at the end of July, the Vancouver Pride Boat Party and Pride Day at Bard on the Beach in the first week in August, and Forbidden Vancouver’s Really Gay History Tours which take place throughout the weekend of the VanPrideFest.

To learn about other events that might be of interest, see our August Calendar or articles about Lower Mainland Pride Events or the BC Day Long Weekend. To learn about VanPrideFest, continue reading.

Vancouver’s VanPrideFest in 2024

The Vancouver Pride Festival is a series of events in late July and early August that celebrate the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. One of the festival’s biggest events each year is VanPrideFest. It’s free to attend and features a variety of things to do.

Formerly known as the Sunset Beach Festival, the event used to take place as a one-day affair at Sunset Beach. However, since 2023, the popular event has moved to a new location in False Creek. Festivities now run for two days and include all sorts of live performances and market vendors. There are also food trucks on site as well as places where you can buy alcoholic beverages.

Where and When?

VanPrideFest is now held at Concord Community Park. The venue is located at 50 Pacific Boulevard. It’s situated along the beautiful False Creek Seawall, which is a popular attraction for walking and cycling. The park is north of Science World and east of BC Place Stadium.

In 2024, VanPrideFest took place on the weekend of August 3rd and 4th. The event happened from noon until 7:00 pm on both days.

Admission Details

General admission to the event is free. Tickets are not required.

However, for those interested, there are VIP tickets available. The 2024 event had a separate VIP Lounge. It came with several benefits, including a private bar and separate washrooms. The VIP area offered some of the best and most comfortable views of the entertainment as well. These tickets cost around $150.

What to Expect at VanPrideFest

Like other events in the Vancouver Pride Festival, expect to see people of all ages wearing bright colours and costumes at VanPrideFest.

The event offers a couple of stages with entertainment throughout the weekend. There are singers, drag queens and other types of performances. Several DJs play dance music. The entertainment schedule for 2024 is further below.

VanPrideFest also has a market most years with different types of vendors. There’s an area with food trucks at the event too, along with a bar for adults. Last year’s event had a special Low Sensory Zone, which was intended to be a calm place for folks who needed a break or were feeling overwhelmed. At the time of writing, it was unclear whether or not this would be the case again in 2024.

Entertainment Schedule (for 2024)

Below was the list of performers at the 2024 event. Exact times were not listed as to when performers took to the stage.

Saturday, August 3rd, 2024

Note: All featured performers on this day were drag queens.

VENUS – winner of Canada’s Drag Race Season 4
Gisèle Lullaby – winner of Canada’s Drag Race Season 3
Icesis Couture – winner of Canada’s Drag Race Season 2
Aurora Matrix – appeared on both Canada’s Drag Race and 1 Queen 5 Queers
Girlfriend Experience – appeared on both Canada’s a Drag and Canada’s Drag Race
Kendall Gender – winner of Vancouver’s Next Drag Superstar in 2017
Melinda Verga – appeared on Canada’s Drag Race
Synthia Kiss – appeared on Canada’s Drag Race
Ilona Verley – the first Indigenous and two-spirit person to compete on Canada’s Drag Race

Sunday, August 4th, 2024

Note: All featured performers on this day are musical artists.

Rêve – a Quebecois artist who has had two platinum singles on the Canadian charts
LU KALA – a Congolese-Canadian singer who has charted in both Canada and the US
Witch Prophet – a Toronto-based musician who was the subject of the documentary Leilani’s Fortune
BoiBnd – a new Canadian pop group that formed in 2023

Tips & Advice

Below are things that are good to know before attending VanPrideFest.

TIP #1: Leave your furry friends at home! Pets are not permitted on the festival grounds. Exceptions are only made for registered service animals.

TIP #2: There are multiple paid parking lots close to Concord Community Park. If taking public transit, the venue is about a five-minute walk away from Main Street-Science World SkyTrain Station.

TIP #3: If you don’t mind carrying a water bottle around, bring one with you. It will likely be hot on the weekend of the event, and there are stations to refill your bottles in the park.