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North Vancouver’s Osprey Festival at Maplewood Flats

Osprey Festival in North Vancouver

A small event at Maplewood Flats in North Vancouver, the Osprey Festival offers live music, food and the opportunity to learn about nature and history.

Admission to the event is by donation. As far as we know, the last time the festival happened was in 2022. Whether it happens again is to be confirmed.

 

The Osprey Festival

In its 15th year, the Osprey Festival in 2022 celebrated the life of Chief Dan George, a famous and beloved member of the Tsleil-Waututh nation who passed away in 1981.

The same as every year, the festival has entertainment as well as educational components. There is music, poetry and a barbecue accompanied by guided walks through nature and an exhibit on Chief Dan George.

 

Where and When is the Osprey Festival

The festival is held on either July 24th or the Saturday closest to it. This is because that date is the birthday of Chief Dan George. Note: As of early July, details about the event in 2023 were still to be determined.

The event’s location is the Maplewood Flats Conservation Area at 2649 Dollarton Highway in North Vancouver and runs from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. 2023 details are to be confirmed.

There is parking at Maplewood Flats, but not a lot. Additional parking is available half a block away, just west of the main entrance on Dollarton Highway. People also park in various places on the side of the road.

 

Activities and Events

While not the biggest event around, the Osprey Festival still has a variety of activities to enjoy. To give you an idea of what to expect in future years, below is what was scheduled for 2022.

 

Music Stage

The 2022 event’s live music and poetry performances were broadcasted online on the Maplewood Flats Facebook page.

Below was the schedule and list of performers in 2022.

  • 10:00 am – Opening Welcome
  • 10:05 am – Alex Archibald
  • 10:45 am – Rachelle George
  • 11:10 am – Corrina Keeling
  • 12:00 pm – Tsleil-Waututh Warriors
  • 12:40 pm – Mohammad Assani
  • 1:30 pm – Wil George
  • 1:55 pm – Kin Balam
  • 2:35 pm – Valeen Jules
  • 2:55 pm – Rennie Nahanee

 

Maplewood Trails in Early Fall
Trails at Maplewood Flats

 

Guided Walks

While you are able to walk along the different trails at Maplewood Flats on your own, you can also join a guided walk which is a great way to learn about both the surrounding nature and the Lower Mainland’s local indigenous communities.

Here are the walks and workshops that took place in 2022:

  • 10:30 am – Nature Walk with Florian Reurink
  • 11:30 am – Invasive Species Identification Walk & Weaving Demo with Sam Mactavish and Erica Mulder
  • 12:45 pm – Plants & Pollinators Walk with the Native Bee Society
  • 1:30 pm – Seed Nugget Workshop with Ethnobotanist Cease Wyss
  • 2:00 pm – Rethinking Land Use Walk with Irwin Oostindie
  • 2:45 pm – Indigenous Plant Walk with Senaqwila Wyss

 

Wild Bird Trust Owl Exhibit
Owl Exhibit in 2021

 

Educational Exhibits

In addition to the site’s regular year-round exhibits and things to see, there are additional displays during the festival. In 2022, for example, there was an exhibit on repairing ecological and cultural relations. Experts were on hand to answer questions and provide additional information.

The Chief Dan George Activist & Actor Exhibit is available to visit not just on the day of the festival but throughout the summer. The exhibit is a chance to learn about his career both on-screen and as a champion in the fight for Indigenous rights in Canada.

Maplewood Flats is also home to the Coast Salish Plant Nursery. In addition to its usual exhibits, there are special plants brought in for the festival.

 

Children’s Activities and BBQ

There are some picnic tables near the greeter hut at Maplewood Flats and that’s a good place to hang out during the festival. 2022 saw a word search and scavenger hunt for the young ones held in that area.

One of the main attractions at the festival is the food. Elk BBQ burgers and bannock are two staples with a vegan option as well. The eating portion of the event was from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm in 2022.

 

Other Information

For more information, visit the Osprey Festival website.

To learn more about the area see our articles about North Vancouver and the North Shore.

Other places of interest close to Maplewood Flats include Deep Cove, Cates Park and Maplewood Farm.

Places that are similar to Maplewood Flats elsewhere in the Lower Mainland are the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta and Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve in Chilliwack.

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