Beach Volleyball

KitsFest is a summer festival at Vancouver’s Kitsilano Beach that features DJ music, volleyball, basketball and other outdoor sports in August.

In 2024 the festival takes place on the weekend of August 9th to 11th. Also happening that Saturday and Sunday is the African Descent Festival which is a free event featuring live music with a number of high-profile bands at English Bay Beach.

To learn about other events happening around the same time, click August Events Calendar. To learn about Kitsfest, see below.

KitsFest at Kitsilano Beach

KitsFest takes place on a weekend in August at Kitsilano Beach which is located between Cornwall Avenue and Arbutus Street. If looking for an address, use 1305 Arbutus Street which is where you’ll find the Kitsilano Boathouse Restaurant which is located close to the centre of the beach.

In typical years activities include basketball, beach volleyball, spin classes, tennis, touch football and yoga. Some years there has even been tub racing and water polo.

In 2024 KitsFest runs from Friday, August 9th, until Sunday, August 11th.

KitsFest Activities

At KitsFest there are usually lots of sports to participate in as well as free things to do and watch. You need to register in advance for the competitions, but for other things and to be a spectator you just need to show up.

In a typical year, non-competitive sport activities include the KCC Family Zone that features DJ music, community booths, crafts activities and even family yoga and Zumba sessions at specific times, plus a bouncy castle on certain days. In normal years, there are also spin classes that are free for adults ages 18+, but advanced reservations are usually required (and they sell out well in advance).

KitsFest 2024 Schedule

Below is the tentative schedule of events for 2024. (Note: Times and other details are subject to change.)

Basketball – every day from 9:00 am until sunset.
Beach Volleyball – adult coed games run from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm on Saturday and from 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm on Sunday.
Touch Football – youth games are from 9:00 am until 5:30 pm on Saturday. Adult games are on Sunday from 9:00 am until 5:30 pm.
Family Fun Zone – various sports and activities from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm on Sunday.
Tennis – mixed doubles on Friday from 4:00 pm until 6:00 pm and then the UBC Tennis Center Skills Session starts at 6:00 pm. More tennis then takes place on Saturday from 8:30 am until 7:00 pm and again on Sunday from 9:00 am until 5:30 pm.
Chess – from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on both Saturday and Sunday.
Water Polo – competitions in the Kitsilano Pool. Exact times for this year are to be confirmed.

Tips & Advice

Below is some extra information and suggestions to help you make the most of your KitsFest experience most years.

TIP #1: For the yoga, remember to take your own towel and mat.

TIP #2: When Zumba happens, arrive early as participation is restricted to just the first 350 or so people. Arrive early for the yoga as well to stake your claim to a good piece of sand for your mat.

TIP #3: If you plan to compete in a sport, make sure you and your team sign up well in advance.

TIP #4: Parking in the area is a challenge so take public transit if you can. If you drive, remember to leave lots of time to find parking prior to your event.

TIP #5: If you like farmers markets then check out the Kitsilano Farmers Market on the Sunday between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm outside the Kitsilano Community Centre at 2690 Larch Street. It’s a bit of a drive from the beach, but it’s a fabulous market and a great place to pick up ingredients for a picnic at the beach.

TIP #6: Regardless of what you do at the festival, don’t forget to take a water bottle, hat, swimsuit and sunscreen. Also, don’t forget that one of Canada’s finest outdoor swimming pools is right by the beach.