The Port Coquitlam May Days Festival happens on the Mother’s Day Weekend. It includes a pancake breakfast, the Rotary May Day Parade and other fun activities.
In 2024 the festivities took place on Saturday, May 11th. They’ll likely happen again on May 10th in 2025, although exact details are to be confirmed.
BC POLISH FESTIVAL
Another great event in Port Coquitlam is the BC Polish Festival. In 2024 it took place on Sunday, May 26th. It’s also a free event and it takes place outdoors at the Port Coquitlam Community Centre (which is where the Party in the Park part of the May Days Festival takes place on the Mother’s Day Weekend).
PoCo Rotary May Day Parade & Festival
The May Days Festival in Port Coquitlam is one of the longest running celebrations of its kind in the Lower Mainland. The first edition of the PoCo May Days Festival took place in 1923, making 2024 its 101st anniversary.
Festivities run for about one week each year. The May Days Festival and Rotary May Day Parade happen in Port Coquitlam (PoCo) on the Saturday before Mother’s Day.
The official opening of the May Days Festival actually happens a week earlier. In 2024 it was on Sunday, May 5th, which coincidentally was also the day of the Cinco de Mayo Mexican festival.
Opening Ceremonies of the May Days Festival took place indoors at the Jon Baillie Arena at the Port Coquitlam Community Centre. The event featured the 2024 May Day Royal Party (which is a group of kids). There was also Maypole dancing and family-friendly entertainment.
In 2024 Port Coquitlam’s May Days Festival celebrated its 101st anniversary! The parade is usually hosted by the Rotary Club of Port Coquitlam Centennial. The rest of the festival is organized by the city.
On the Saturday in 2024 there was a pancake breakfast at 8:00 am. It took place at the Outlet which is an arts organization at 2248-2250 McAllister Avenue. Funds raised at the pancake breakfast benefitted the 4th PoCo Scouts.
After breakfast there were kids’ bike races from 10:00 until around 10:45 am. There were races of 100 metres in distance for children ages 3 to 5. Kids ages 5 to 8 entered a 1.3 km race. And finally, youth between the ages of 9 and 12 were able to do a 2.6 km route.
Other activities on the Saturday in 2024 included the Rotary Parade and Party in the Park festivities. For details about those events, continue reading.
HYACK PARADE & FESTIVAL
Another great community event with a parade is the Hyack Festival which takes place in New Westminster. In 2024 it happened on Saturday, May 25th.
Rotary May Day Parade
The parade typically starts at 11:00 am and lasts for about an hour. Actually, the last entries reach the end of the route by about 12:30 pm, or a bit before. It’s a great small-town parade with lots of floats, a few marching bands, decorated cars and kids dancing.
The parade starts around the corner of Shaughnessy and Kelly. It goes north along Shaughnessy, right on Elgin and then right again on Maryhill Road as far as Hawthorne.
May Day Party in the Square
After the parade and running from noon until 8:30 pm, there is Party in the Square. It takes place at Terry Fox Hometown Square at the Port Coquitlam Community Centre, plus on the block of Kelly Avenue behind the centre.
The Party in the Square event offers plenty of things to do. Food trucks are on site all day and there’s a beverage garden with locally brewed beers available for purchase. Party in the Square also includes an artisan market with more than 50 vendors.
The live entertainment at Party in the Square in 2024 was the following:
- 12:00 pm – Choral Connections
- 12:35 pm – The Coyotes
- 1:15 pm – Carmelina Cupo Trio
- 2:20 pm – Royal Oak
- 3:20 pm – Golden Spike Dancers
- 4 pm – Side One (first set)
- 5:45 pm – Annika and the Earthlings
- 6:45 pm – Side One (second set)
Carnival-type activities set up along a block of Kelly Avenue. That’s where you’ll find free games, a climbing wall, inflatable play structures and a few food trucks. In 2024 there was also a model train display.
Food vendors at the event in 2024 included Dos Amigos, Reel Mac N Cheese, Rocky Point Ice Cream, Teriyaki Express, Tornado Potato, Gary’s Kettle Corn, Lemon Heaven and a few others. There was also a beer garden.
Tips and Advice
The tips below are good to know if you plan on attending the May Days festivities in Port Coquitlam.
TIP #1: Organizers encourage everyone to walk, cycle or transit to the festival. On the day of the event, there are typically free shuttles travelling to and from Port Coquitlam Community Centre, which is where Party in the Square takes place. Stops include Minnekhada Middle School, James Park Elementary School, École Mary Hill Elementary School and Castle Park Elementary School.
TIP #2: The Party in the Square event features lots of things to see and do. Check the event schedule on the City of Port Coquitlam website so you know where to be throughout the day.
Other Information
For more information about the parade visit the Rotary May Day website. To learn more about the festival in general visit the PoCo May Days page.
To learn about the event’s host city and other communities in the Tri-Cities area, see our articles about the City of Port Coquitlam, Port Moody and Coquitlam.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Fort Langley May Day Parade and Fair
- Ladner May Days
- May Long Weekend Events
- Vancouver Festivals and Events
