International Women’s Day is a celebration of women’s rights and achievements. Special events happen in Metro Vancouver on and around March 8th each year.

The international theme for the day in 2026 is “Give to Gain.”

International Women’s Day Events and Celebrations in Vancouver

International Women’s Day is a time to recognize women’s accomplishments, both in recent decades and throughout history. It’s also a day to increase awareness of remaining gender inequalities.

Celebrations take place around the globe, including in the Metro Vancouver region. International Women’s Day always happens on March 8th, which, in 2026, is a Sunday. There are usually special shows and events that weekend in Metro Vancouver. Continue reading below to learn about these.

(Also, don’t forget, arguably the best way to celebrate International Women’s Day is to honour the women in your life, and thank them for being who they are, and work harder yourself to counter still-existing gender injustices, not just on March 8th, but every day of the year.)

International Women’s Day March

One Vancouver event celebrating women is the International Women’s Day March. It takes place at šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square outside the Vancouver Art Gallery.

The fourth annual event happens on March 8th. It’s more than just a march. The event typically runs from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm and features various speakers. In previous years there have also been live performances and activities for children to enjoy.

Visit the Vancouver Women’s Day website for more information about the event.

The Improv Centre Shows

The Improv Centre is a popular theatre located at 1502 Duranleau Street at Vancouver’s Granville Island. The venue hosts several regular comedy shows each week, as well as shows with special themes from time to time.

Last year, the theatre celebrated International Women’s Day on Thursday, March 6th. The show Femme, Femme, Femme: International Women’s Day Edition started at 7:30 pm. It featured a full female cast and lots of hilarious moments. The show ran for 90 minutes and regular admission cost $18.50. 2026 details are to be confirmed.

See our Shows at The Improv Centre article for more information about the shows and the venue.

Friday Night Contra Dance

Festival du Bois is the largest Francophone festival in the province. Although it isn’t related to International Women’s Day, there was a free event that happened on March 7th last year.

The Opening Night Contra Dance ran from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm. It won’t be happening again in 2026. If it does run again, this is a fun, family-friendly event usually attended by around 200 people. There’s a dance caller who leads all guests. First is an opening performance by Collage Trad. Next, everyone learns how to folk dance (with instructions in English and French). Then, everyone dances in pairs to live music performed by the Sybaritic String Band.

Last year’s festival took place at Mackin Park in Coquitlam. It happened on the weekend of March 7th to 9th. See our Festival du Bois article to learn more about the festival and the free event on March 7th.