Indigenous Cultural Event at the Cannery

Richmond celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site with First Nations performances in June.

In 2023 the special event takes place on June 17th. It’s called Welcoming the Sun and admission is free.

For details about the Welcoming the Sun event, see the Gulf of Georgia Cannery‘s website.

National Indigenous Peoples Day at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery

Located at Richmond’s Steveston Village at 12138 Fourth Avenue, the Gulf of Georgia Cannery is a museum that showcases local history and the region’s salmon-canning past. The National Historic Site hosts a number of special events each year including Welcoming the Sun: A Celebration of Indigenous Arts and Culture event.

In 2023 the First Nations-themed event runs on Saturday, June 17th. It features storytelling, live performances, community vendors, and more. Admission is free for everyone. Additional details about this year’s celebrations are to be confirmed.

Performers at the event in 2019 included the Starchild Drumming Circle, Eagle Connection Dancers and Coastal Wolf Pack. There was also storytelling with Rebecca Duncan. In 2019 the celebrations started at noon and continued until 4:00 pm. 2023 details are to be confirmed.

Inside the Cannery on Indigenous Peoples Day

What to Expect

There is typically a fair bit going on at the Cannery during National Indigenous Peoples Day.

On or around June 21st you can usually expect to see anywhere between a few dozen and a couple of hundred people at any given time enjoying various First Nations cultural performances. At times when there is dancing, the crowds get bigger.

There is usually a stage outside where storytelling, singing, drumming and dancing take place. Nearby there are also a small number of information booths from various organizations, like the Richmond Public Library, Port of Vancouver and Parks Canada.

Performances take place on or in front of the outdoor stage at various times of the day. There are a small number of seats for people to sit on, but most of the audience stands. The drumming, dancing and other events are both fun to watch and culturally educational.

There are also usually activities and entertainment inside the historic Cannery where, on the day, admission to the museum is free (which is awesome). In 2019 there was a large salmon-themed mural for visitors to help paint, plus drumming and dancing at various times. 2023 event details are to be confirmed.

Richmond’s Indigenous Peoples Day event is a medium-sized event compared to other similar festivities in other parts of the Lower Mainland. It’s much smaller than the celebrations in Vancouver at Trout Lake or in Surrey at Holland Park. It’s the same size or slightly larger though than those in smaller communities.

Indigenous Mural at Gulf Cannery — The completed salmon-themed mural

Strengths of the Event

A few things make the event at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery stand out. One is the venue. The Cannery is a great museum and admission on National Indigenous Peoples Day is usually free, so it’s an exceptional time to go! Between performances you can explore the historical attraction.

On days with poor weather (which isn’t uncommon in June), the fact that the event takes place both indoors and outdoors is also a huge advantage compared to similar events in other communities (which in most cases take place primarily just outside).

Another bonus about Richmond’s event is that it takes place in Steveston Village which is a wonderful place to explore. Either before or after your visit to the Cannery, go for a walk along the water. And if it’s a weekend day, go explore the fish market on the docks.

And finally, last but not least, the entertainment at the Indigenous Peoples Day event at the Cannery is excellent. It’s not non-stop, but there’s a considerable selection of performances and good variety. Some of the performances might attract a small audience, while with others up to a couple of hundred people might gather. It’s all very entertaining, enjoyable and educational. If you get a chance, we recommend you go!