The Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival is a community event that features a parade and logger-themed activities over the BC Day August long weekend.

It takes place in the town of Squamish which is in the Sea-to-Sky region about a 45-minute drive north of Vancouver.

NOTE: The main Sunday show at the festival is very popular and has sold out in the past. The Railway Museum of BC and Britannia Mine are close by and worth checking out while you’re in the area.

Other events that happen over the BC Day long weekend throughout the Lower Mainland are the Celebrate BC Festival, White Rock Sea Festival and Vancouver Pride Festival. See our article about BC Day Events or our August Calendar of Events to learn about these and other events on the same weekend. Continue reading to learn about the Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival.

This article contains the following information about the Squamish Days Festival:

Festival Activities | Thursday Events | Friday Events | Saturday Events | Sunday Events | Loggers Sports Show | Tips & Advice | More Information

Squamish Days Festival

The Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival takes place over four days on the August long weekend. In 2026, the event takes place from Thursday, July 30th, to Sunday, August 2nd. It’s the festival’s 68th annual celebration.

Squamish Days features a mix of ticketed and free events, with the main loggers’ sports competitions held at the Al McIntosh Loggers Sports Grounds. The address is 39155 Loggers Lane. Additional events and activities, including parades, races, family programming, and food events, take place at various locations throughout Squamish.

Tickets for the events are likely to go on sale in early 2026.

Festival Activities

The festival showcases logger sports, blending world-class competition with family-friendly entertainment. Spectators watch elite and up-and-coming athletes compete in traditional logger sports, from axe throwing to chainsaw racing. The weekend days feature nonstop action, cash-prize competitions, licensed seating areas, and the famous Rotary Beef BBQ. Saturday usually highlights rising talent. Sunday often showcases world-class competitors and championship events.

Below is the 2025 activity schedule. (Note: Exact details were subject to change.) 2026 programming is likely to be similar.

Thursday, July 31st, 2025

• Kettle Boil Challenge: The Squamish Days Festival officially kicked off with the Kettle Boil Challenge at the Squamish Valley Golf Course starting at 6:00 pm. Teams of two raced to boil a can of soapy water over an open flame using only axes, cedar blocks, matches, and lung power. The event was free to watch.
• Lumberjack Chili Cook-Off Invitational: Running alongside the Kettle Boil Challenge at 6:00 pm, the Lumberjack Chili Cook-Off Invitational brought local restaurants together to showcase their best chili creations. It happened at the Squamish Valley Golf Course. Spectators could sample a variety of chilis and vote for their favourite. This event was free to attend, with tasting and voting available for a small fee.

Friday, August 1st, 2025

• World Championship Chair Carve: The unique, free event ran from 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm at the corner of Winnipeg Street and Cleveland Avenue.
• Squamish Legion Bed Races: Teams of five people raced beds on wheels through a series of obstacles down Cleveland Avenue. The event was from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and was free to watch.

Saturday, August 2nd, 2025

• Kids’ Festival: This free event was for children and took place on Saturday morning. It ran from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at Junction Park, 37950 Cleveland Avenue. Activities included craft tables, face painting, live entertainment, and other child- and young-family-focused activities.
• Novice & Intermediate Loggers Sports Show: A competition for near-beginner and non-professional logger sports participants happened at the Al McIntosh Loggers Sports Grounds. The show started at 1:00 pm. Early bird tickets cost about $6 for adults and $4 for seniors and children (ages 6 to 12). During the Loggers Sports Show, the festival’s Rotary Beef BBQ also took place. (So if you attended the festival, you were encouraged to bring along your appetite and some extra money!)
• Axe Throw Invitational: An event that was free to watch at the Squamish Valley Golf Club. The show started at 7:00 pm. Up to 32 entrants competed to see who was the most accurate at throwing axes.
  

Sunday, August 3rd, 2025

• Pancake Breakfast: Pancakes with eggs and sausage were served at Chieftain Centre Mall between 8:00 am and 11:00 am. The cost was around $13 for adults and $8 for seniors and children ages 12 and under.
• Squamish Festival Parade: The parade started at 11:00 am and went down Cleveland Avenue, beginning at Vancouver Street and finishing at Pemberton Avenue. It was a nice, pleasant parade that lasted about 20 minutes. It featured logging trucks, bagpipers, community organization floats, and more. The top three floats collectively won $1,000, which they could donate to local charities.
• World-Class Open Loggers Sports Show: An international logging competition that featured contestants from New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and Canada. It happened at the Al McIntosh Loggers Sports Grounds at 39555 Loggers Lane. The event started at 1:00 pm and early bird tickets cost about $13 for adults and $7 for seniors and children (ages 12 and under). More BBQ was sold during this day’s show. The event usually sells out, so to avoid disappointment at the gate when you pay, it’s best to purchase tickets before.

World-Class Loggers Sports Show

A number of the events at Squamish Days are interesting and worth checking out. The main event, however, is the World-Class Loggers Sports Show, which usually takes place on Sunday afternoon. Thousands turn out for the world championship competitions, which are fun to watch for all ages.

At the World-Class Loggers Sports Show, there are axe-throwing contests, pole climbing races, log rolling competitions, saw cutting championships, and all kinds of logger sports-themed entertainment.

Tips & Advice

Below is a list of suggestions to help you make the most of your experience at the Logger Show.

TIP #1: Get to the event early to find good parking and a seat in the shade.

TIP #2: It can get hot in the stands. The shadiest spots are in the top seats in the middle and in the bleachers near the far end of the outdoor stadium.

TIP #3: Don’t forget your hat, water bottle, and sunscreen. Again, if the sun is out, it can get hot.

TIP #4: Great museums to check out while you’re in the area include Britannia Mine and the Railway Museum of BC. The first of these is about 15 minutes south of Squamish and open every day of the week. The museum about trains is only open one or two days a week in the summer.

Tips & Advice Continued

TIP #5: Have your mobile phone and social media tools handy. At the event, pretty good prizes are usually awarded to audience members, but in some years, you need to follow the announcer’s directions and post photos and other items as instructed.

TIP #6: Most of the competitions involve non-motor-powered saws and equipment. In the few cases where power saws are used, however, they can be really loud. Be prepared to cover sensitive ears. Some kids even bring earplugs and ear protectors.

TIP #7: There is usually a large bicycle parking area near the main gate on the grounds during the festival. Also, Squamish has a great paved cycling trail that goes right past the venue. If you can ride your bike to the logging competitions instead of driving, do it.

TIP #8: Try the Rotary Club’s BBQ Beef on a Bun if it’s available. It’s delicious and proceeds benefit worthwhile causes. The Rotarians usually sell out well before the end of the event. A good time to make your purchase is before 1:00 pm.

More Information

Click Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival for further details about this event.

Note: There is a lot to do nearby and on the way up from Vancouver. See our articles about Squamish or the Sea-to-Sky Region to learn more about the area.

Check out the August Calendar or click Festivals & Events for a list of other major Lower Mainland events at other times.

Click BC Day Holiday Events for ideas on other activities during the August long weekend.