June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day. Events commemorating the day in celebration of First Nation’s Culture happen all over the Lower Mainland.
NOTE: In 2026 most National Indigenous Peoples Day events in the Lower Mainland actually take place prior to June 21st. They include free events at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery and Fort Langley National Historic Site on June 13th. There are also special events in North Vancouver including ones on June 4th, 7th, 11th, 18th and 25th. For details about these, see the official Gulf of Georgia Cannery, Fort Langley, and North Van Rec & Culture websites.
Events taking place on the official date, on June 21st, include ones in Vancouver at Grandview Park, Kitsilano Beach and Carnegie Community Centre as well as at Ambleside Park in West Vancouver.
Continuing reading to learn about National Indigenous Peoples Day events taking place all around the Lower Mainland.
This article includes information about events in the following communities:
Fort Langley | North Vancouver | Richmond | Coquitlam | Surrey | City of Vancouver | Burnaby | New Westminster | Maple Ridge | Mission | Port Moody | West Vancouver | | Harrison Hot Springs | Whistler
National Indigenous Peoples Day in the Lower Mainland in 2026
In 2026 National Indigenous Peoples Day is officially 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 earlier in the month too.
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 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, however, to learn about National Indigenous Peoples Day events at various venues.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in Fort Langley
The Fort Langley Historic Site usually has National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations on a Saturday one week before the official day. In 2026 the event happens on June 13th.
The celebrations are presented in partnership with the Stalew Arts and Culture Society. Indigenous-themed activities run from 10:00 am until 4:30 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 or low-cost celebrations. They take place on select dates in June.
In 2026, on June 4th, there’s a Cedar Mat Weaving Workshop at Delbrook Community Recreation Centre. At the same location, on June 7th, there’s a Dreamcatcher Workshop that costs $5 per person. On June 11th, there’s a Pow Wow & Hoop Dancing Workshop at Lynn Valley Village Community Complex. Seylynn Park is where this year’s Pow Wow Zumba event takes place on June 18th, as well as the Hoop Dancing Workshop on June 25th. There’s also a self-guided art tour to do at any time.
Click National Indigenous Peoples Day Activities in North Vancouver or visit the nvrc.ca website for more details.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in Richmond
The Gulf of Georgia Cannery hosts their National Indigenous Peoples’ celebration on June 13th in 2026, so about one week early. Admission is free for the whole day. Last year’s event included cultural performances, storytelling and other family-friendly activities.
Click National Indigenous Peoples Day in Richmond for more information about the event in Steveston Village.
National Indigenous History Month Events in Coquitlam
A few events take place in June to celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day in Coquitlam. In 2026 they include the following:
- Indigenous Plant Walk – an event hosted by the Coquitlam Public Library on Saturday, June 13th, starting at 2:00 pm. On the walk participants can learn about native, medicinal and edible plants in the area.
- Lure Opening Reception: Fishing Kitchen Party – an event hosted by Evergreen Arts to celebrate the start of a new art exhibition on Thursday, June 11th, at 6:00 pm.
- Wool Weaving – an art workshop on Tuesday, June 23rd, at 6:30 pm at Evergreen Arts.
To learn about the above events, visit the City of Coquitlam’s Website.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in Surrey/White Rock
The National Indigenous Peoples Day event in Surrey used take place at Holland Park. Last year it happened at the Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre in Cloverdale. In 2026, however, the celebrations take place at Semiahmoo Park, at 15782 Marine Drive, near White Rock. This year the event runs from 3:00 pm until 8:00 pm on Friday, June 19th.
The Surrey/White Rock event includes opening and closing ceremonies, a community kitchen, live entertainment, and more. It’s a fairly 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/White Rock 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 runs on June 13th and 14th in 2026, so on the weekend before National Indigenous Peoples Day. Sasquatch Days features a few First Nations market vendors. There are also war canoe races, barbeque lunches and more. The festival is free to attend.
See our article about Sasquatch Days for more information about this event.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in Vancouver
A few different National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations take place in the City of Vancouver including at Grandview Park, Kitsilano Beach, the Carnegie Community Centre and Bill Reid Gallery.
Grandview Park
One of the most notable events in Vancouver is the celebration at Grandview Park at 1657 Charles Street. At this event in 2026, live entertainment and an Indigenous market run from noon until 4:00 pm on June 21st.
To learn more about this event, click National Indigenous Peoples Day Events in Vancouver.
Kitsilano Beach
Another place that Vancouver celebrates National Indigenous Peoples Day is at Kitsilano Beach with Kitsilano Showboat.
Kitsilano Showboat hosts free live music on Wednesday to Sunday evenings throughout much of the summer. On June 21st, however, they do something extra with a First Nations theme. For details, see our article about Kitsilano Showboat or visit kitsilanoshowboat.com.
Carnegie Community Centre
Another event that happens in Vancouver each year is the National Indigenous Peoples Day Block Party hosted by the Carnegie Community Centre. In 2026 the activities at 401 Main Street begin at 10:00 am and run until 2:00 pm on June 21st. There are cultural performances, giveaways, and more. See the event’s Facebook page for additional information.
Bill Reid Gallery
To commemorate National Indigenous Peoples Day, most years the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art is free to the public on or around June 21st.
This year the gallery hosts an Indigenous Artisans Market on June 20th (a day early) from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. It’s on this day that admission is free in 2026. Over two dozen vendors participate.
Click Bill Reid Gallery to learn more about the venue.
See our article about National Indigenous Peoples Day Events in Vancouver for more details about the above events in the City of Vancouver.
National Indigenous Peoples Day in Burnaby
The City of Burnaby hosts a free community celebration on National Indigenous Peoples Day. The event runs from 1:00 pm until 5:00 pm on June 20th at Civic Square in 2026. 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
In 2026 special activities happen on June 19th at Moody Park in New Westminster between 9:30 am and 2:30 pm. There are arts and crafts, storytelling sessions, live entertainment and other activities. Performances and entertainment this year include Juno Award winning Fawn Wood (at 12:05 pm). Also at the event this year are Tyson Nahanee’s canoe teachings, the Coastal Wolf Pack drumming and singing, miyo-pimatisiwin with big drums and hoop dancing, and more!
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 20th in 2026.
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 happen on June 19th. They are hosted by the Mission Friendship Centre Society. The activities run from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm at Fraser River Heritage Park. Admission to the event is free and there are 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 used to take place in Port Moody at Rocky Point Park. In the past there were activities in the afternoon by the stage at Rocky Point Park which is located at the 800 block of Murray Street. The event honoured the cultures, contributions and histories of First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples across Canada. The family-friendly celebration featured cultural performances including drumming, singing and traditional dancing.
To our knowledge, it doesn’t appear that the big event has taken place for a number of years. In 2026, however, a number of smaller events are happening, including a walk that starts at Rocky Point Park.
Click Indigenous Peoples Day in Port Moody or see the City of Port Moody’s Website 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 (which makes it one of the few events that actually take place on the official date of National Indigenous Peoples Day in 2026).
This year the celebrations run from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm. They take place on the traditional, unceded territories of the Skwxwu7mesh (Squamish) People. Activities at the event include cultural sharing and teaching through live music, storytelling, dance performances and more. Like most years, there is a salmon dinner cooked over an open fire to enjoy as well.
See our article about West Vancouver on National Indigenous Peoples Day 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 is an entire month of special programming in June. It includes forest walks, dreamcatcher and medicine bag workshops, a vendor market and more.
The main 2026 celebration takes place on Sunday, June 21st, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm with a schedule of cultural experiences. Guests can explore art, music, food and storytelling that reflect the traditions of the First Nations community. Below is the program’s schedule for 2026.
Schedule for 2026’s celebration:
- 11:00 am: Spo7ez Cultural Sharing
- 11:30 am: Storytelling
- 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm: Interpretive Forest Walk
- 1:00 pm and 3:30 pm: Dancers of Damelahamid
- 2:00 pm and 2:30 pm: Keith Bubbas Nahanee Comedy Show
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.
