Home Metro Vancouver Municipalities and Parts of Town Port Coquitlam, British Columbia

Port Coquitlam, British Columbia

Port Coquitlam

Port Coquitlam is a city in Metro Vancouver situated between the Pitt River and Coquitlam River. The city is home to beautiful nature and a number of events.

Events that take place in Port Coquitlam include things like the BC Polish Festival and Port Coquitlam Car Free Day. There is also May Days, PoCo Car Show and Canada Day celebrations.

To learn about the city and its various events and things to do, continue reading.

 

The City of Port Coquitlam

Port Coquitlam (also known as PoCo by locals) is one of the three “Tri-Cities” in Metro Vancouver, alongside Coquitlam and Port Moody. Port Coquitlam is an area in the Lower Mainland located southwest of Coquitlam and north of the Fraser River. The city has a population of over 60,000 and features some great attractions.

 

Place des Arts

Car Free Day Port Coquitlam

 

Port Coquitlam’s Best Places

Some of the best places to check out in Port Coquitlam include the following:

  • Colony Farm Regional Park – a large park along the western border of Port Coquitlam with views of the Coquitlam River on Colony Farm Road. The park officially changed its name to ƛ̓éxətəm (tla-hut-um) Regional Park on July 1st, 2023, to better reflect Canadian history.
  • PoCo Heritage – located at 150 – 2248 McAllister Avenue, PoCo Heritage is the city’s only museum and archives building. It features exhibits and also hosts events from time to time.
  • Traboulay PoCo Trail – a 25.3-kilometre trail that winds around most of Port Coquitlam. Good for walking and cycling, the trail passes through a variety of environments including the city’s downtown area and scenic riverbanks.

 

Leigh Square Sign in Port Coquitlam
Leigh Square in Port Coquitlam

 

Events in Port Coquitlam

Port Coquitlam hosts several events throughout the year, including the following:

  • Canada Day – various celebrations take place in Port Coquitlam on July 1st.
  • May Days – an annual festival with art exhibitions, musical performances, a community parade and more throughout the city in May.
  • PoCo Grand Prix – cycling races for adults and kids as part of the BC Superweek series. (This event used to happen, but doesn’t anymore since COVID-19.)
  • PoCo Farmers Market – a weekly market takes place outside the Port Coquitlam Community Centre or at Leigh Square on Thursdays between May and October.
  • British Columbia Polish Festival – an event celebrating Polish food and culture in May.
  • Port Coquitlam Car Free Day – a free street party on McAllister Avenue in September with live entertainment and family-friendly activities in September.
  • PoCo Car Show – a free event in downtown Port Coquitlam in August.
  • Remembrance Day – November 11th is commemorated at Veterans Park.
  • Rivers and Trails Festival – in celebration of World Rivers Day, an annual community cleanup of the Coquitlam River is held on or around the fourth Sunday in September most years.

 

PoCo May Day Parade
Rotary May Day Parade

 

Car Free Day Video

As previously mentioned, one popular event in Port Coquitlam is Car Free Day. The video below was recorded at the event in 2023. It features the band Taxmen, along with scenes of McAllister Avenue, which is also where the PoCo Heritage Museum and Archives building is located.

 

 

Other Information

For more information about the city, visit the official City of Port Coquitlam website.

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