June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day. Events commemorating the day in celebration of First Nation’s Culture happen all over the Lower Mainland.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is a similar event. It happens on September 30th. See our article about National Day for Truth and Reconciliation for details about the day in the fall. Continue reading to learn about National Indigenous Peoples Day.
In 2026 National Indigenous Peoples Day is celebrated on Sunday, June 21st. June is National Indigenous History Month. As a result, special events celebrating Canada’s Indigenous people and their cultures take place throughout the month. In mid-June, for example, there are special events at the Fort Langley National Historic Site and Gulf of Georgia Cannery. There are special events at various venues in North Vancouver earlier in the month too.
Continue reading to learn about National Indigenous Peoples Day and National Indigenous History Month events taking place all over the Lower Mainland in June.
This article includes information about events in the following communities:
Fort Langley | North Vancouver | Richmond | Surrey | Harrison Hot Springs | BC Sports Hall of Fame (in Vancouver) | Bill Reid Gallery (in Vancouver) | City of Vancouver | Burnaby | New Westminster | Maple Ridge | Mission | Port Moody | West Vancouver | Whistler
National Indigenous Peoples Day in the Lower Mainland
Places to enjoy First Nations dancing, art and festivities in the Lower Mainland include events in Surrey, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, West Vancouver, downtown Vancouver and at various other locations. On June 21st, there is also a special event at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in Fort Langley
The Fort Langley Historic Site hosted National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations on June 14th in 2025. That was one week before the official day.
The celebrations are presented in partnership with the Stalew Arts and Culture Society. Indigenous-themed activities run from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. There are traditional dancing and singing performances, as well as a large market with Indigenous vendors. Admission is free for everyone on the day.
See our article about Fort Langley National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebrations to learn more.
Watch the video below for an idea of what to expect at the Fort Langley event.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in North Vancouver
The North Vancouver Recreation & Culture Commission hosts a variety of free celebrations. They take place on select dates in June.
On June 5th this past year, there was a Pow Wow Zumba session at Seylynn Park and a Coast Salish Wool Weaving Workshop at Lynn Creek Community Recreation Centre. Red Cedar Woman Weaving Workshops took place at Lynn Valley Community Room on June 12th and at Mahon Park on June 19th. There were also Dreamcatcher Workshops on June 16th at Lynn Valley Community Room, as well as a self-guided art tour to do at any time.
Click National Indigenous Peoples Day Activities in North Vancouver for more details.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in Richmond
The Gulf of Georgia Cannery hosted The Water We Call Home in celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day in 2025. The event happened on June 14th, so one week before the actual official day. Special activities ran from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm and included cultural performances, storytelling and other family-friendly activities. Admission to the museum was free for the whole day, so from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm.
Click National Indigenous Peoples Day in Richmond for more information about the event in Steveston Village.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in Surrey
The National Indigenous Peoples Day event in Surrey used take place at Holland Park. However, the event moved to a new location last year.
The celebrations now happen at the Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre which is part of the Cloverdale Rodeo Fairgrounds located at 17728 64 Avenue. The event typically runs from 2:00 pm until 7:00 pm on June 21st.
The Surrey event includes opening and closing ceremonies, a community kitchen, live entertainment and more. It’s a big event. Several thousand people attend most years, there are dozens of vendors and community stalls, and the entertainment is extensive.
See our article about Indigenous Peoples Day in Surrey for more information about this event.
Sasquatch Days in Harrison Hot Springs
The annual Sasquatch Days festival takes place close to National Indigenous Peoples Day. It’s held in the resort town of Harrison Hot Springs.
The festival ran on June 28th and 29th in 2025, so on the weekend after National Indigenous Peoples Day. Sasquatch Days typically features First Nations performances and vendors. There are also war canoe races, barbeque lunches and more most years. The festival is free to attend.
See our article about Sasquatch Days for more information about this event.
BC Sports Hall of Fame (in Vancouver)
The BC Sports Hall of Fame is home to the Indigenous Sport Gallery. At the time of writing, it was unclear whether the attraction would host a special event on National Indigenous Peoples Day in 2025. Regardless, the Indigenous Sport Gallery is a great place to visit at any time. It’s a celebration of First Nations athletes in the province.
See the BC Sports Hall of Fame website for more information about the exhibit or visit indigenoussportgallery.com for a virtual tour.
Check out the following video to see what the Indigenous Sport Gallery at the BC Sports Hall of Fame looks like.
Bill Reid Gallery (in Vancouver)
To commemorate National Indigenous Peoples Day, most years the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art is free to the public on June 21st. This was the case again in 2025, from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. With free admission, it’s a great time to visit and see some exceptional Northwest Coast First Nations art.
The gallery also hosted an Indigenous Artisans Market on June 7th from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm this year. Entry to the market was included with general admission to the museum and there were more than 15 local vendors to check out.
Click Bill Reid Gallery for more.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in Vancouver
A few different National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations take place in Vancouver.
One of the most notable ones this year was a celebration at Grandview Park at 1657 Charles Street. At this event, live entertainment and an Indigenous market ran from noon until 4:00 pm. There was also a Celebration Walk at 11:00 am. See Britannia Centre‘s website to learn more.
Another event that happened this year was the National Indigenous Peoples Day Block Party hosted by the Carnegie Community Centre. The festivities at 401 Main Street began at noon and ran until 6:00 pm. There were cultural performances, giveaways, and more. See the event’s Facebook page for additional information.
See our article about National Indigenous Peoples Day Events in Vancouver for more details about these and other events in the city.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in Burnaby
The City of Burnaby hosts a free community celebration on National Indigenous Peoples Day. The event runs from 3:00 pm until 7:00 pm on June 21st at Civic Square in 2025. There’s lots of dance, storytelling and spoken word performances. The event also features artisan vendors and activities for all ages.
Visit the City of Burnaby‘s website for more details.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in New Westminster
Special activities happen on June 21st at Moody Park in New Westminster between 9:30 am and 3:00 pm. There are arts and crafts, storytelling sessions, live entertainment and other activities. The 2025 performances featured the Coastal Wolf Pack, Garrett Currie, Dysphoria, Jane Wiley, IndigiCree and Murray Porter.
See the City of New Westminster‘s website for the latest details.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in Maple Ridge
Maple Ridge celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21st.
Hosted by the Fraser River Indigenous Society, the event runs from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Memorial Peace Park. Festivities include drumming, dancing, storytelling, artisan vendors and other activities for all ages.
Memorial Peace Park is in downtown Maple Ridge at 11900 224th Street by McIntosh Avenue.
Click Indigenous Peoples Day in Maple Ridge for further details.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in Mission
This year’s National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations happened on June 20th. They were hosted by the Mission Friendship Centre Society. The activities ran from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm at Fraser River Heritage Park. Admission to the event was free and there were interactive activities, artisan vendors, live entertainment and more.
Visit the Mission Friendship Centre Society‘s website for more information about this event.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in Port Moody
National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations take place in Port Moody at Rocky Point Park.
The event happens from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at the PCT Performance Stage in Rocky Point Park which is located at the 800 block of Murray Street. The event honours the cultures, contributions and histories of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples across Canada. This family-friendly celebration features cultural performances including drumming, singing and traditional dancing.
The program includes a learn-to-dance session open to all ages. Participants can also take part in a hands-on art activity inspired by the Japanese practice of rock wrapping.
Bannock bites are served at the conclusion of the event at 3:00 pm. All performances, activities and food are free.
Click Indigenous Peoples Day in Port Moody for more details.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in West Vancouver
National Indigenous Peoples Day activities happen at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver on June 21st.
Celebrations run from 4:30 pm until 9:00 pm. They take place on the traditional, unceded territories of the Skwxwu7mesh (Squamish) People. Activities at the event mostly include cultural sharing and teaching through live music, storytelling, dance performances and more. This past year’s event featured a salmon dinner as well.
See the District of West Vancouver‘s website to learn more.
Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler
The Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre is a great place to visit and learn about Indigenous culture and history any time of the year. Located in Whistler’s Upper Village at 4584 Blackcomb Way, the centre has exhibits and a really nice gift shop. The centre also offers tours daily and hosts special events for the public at various times.
This year there was an entire month of special programming in June. That included forest walks, dreamcatcher and medicine bag workshops, a vendor market and more.
The 2025 celebration took place on Saturday, June 21st from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm with a schedule of cultural experiences. Guests could explore art, music, food and storytelling that reflect the traditions of the First Nations community. Below was the program’s schedule for 2025.
Schedule for 2025’s celebration:
- 10:30 am: Curator Storyboard Tour
- 11:30 am: Legends of the Land Tour
- 12:30 pm: Spiritual Warriors live on the Mezzanine
- 1:30 pm: Spo7ez Cultural Sharing on the Mezzanine
- 2:00 pm: Keith “Bubbas” Nahanee Comedy Show in the Theatre
- 2:00 pm: Interpretive Forest Walk
- 3:00 pm: Sea to Sky Fashion Show with DJ Kookum
- 4:00 pm: Spiritual Warriors on the Mezzanine
See our article about the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre to learn more about the venue and its events.
Other Information
The Lower Mainland is on the unceded traditional lands of the Coast Salish people. In Vancouver this includes the territories of the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish nations.
First Nations in other parts of Metro Vancouver and the Lower Mainland include the Hwlitsum, Katzie, Kwantlen, Kwikwetlem, Matsqui, Qayqayt, Semiahmoo, Sto:lo, Tsawwassen and other nations.
Click Lower Mainland First Nations for information about other related events at other times of the year.
Click Festivals & Events Calendar for a list of other types of events throughout the year.
Since 2021, another holiday in both Canada and BC is National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. It takes place on September 30th and is a somber reflection of the cruelties of the infamous Canadian residential school system.
