July 1st is celebrated on Vancouver’s Granville Island with a parade. There are other free activities including live music to enjoy there on Canada Day as well.
There wan’t a parade at Granville Island in 2024, but there were a few smaller Canada Day activities.
This year’s Vancouver International Jazz Festival ran from June 21st to 30th (so it ended a day before Canada Day). On the last weekend in June, however, there was lots of Jazz on Granville Island.
For the Vancouver International Jazz Festival’s website, visit coastaljazz.ca.
Canada Day Celebrations on Vancouver’s Granville Island
Granville Island is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Lower Mainland. The district is home to a unique selection of stores and restaurants, along with stunning waterfront views of downtown Vancouver.
Canada Day celebrations take place on Granville Island almost every year. They were bigger in the years before the pandemic, but there are still several activities to enjoy. Most of them are free! Granville Island is a fun place to be on July 1st.
Canada Day Special Activities
On Canada Day there are usually special activities for visitors of all ages to enjoy. Each activity is typically only available at certain hours, so it’s a good idea to plan your day in advance (unless you plan to hang out there all day).
In 2024 there was a False Creek Ferries Water Ballet between 8:00 am and 9:30 am. This is an annual tradition where a full fleet of boats sail on False Creek waters.
Another interesting activity at Granville Island’s Canada Day event is the Opus Plein Air Painting Challenge and Creative Block Party. It happened this year from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. The paintings went on display in a small gallery as well.
Celebrations at the Kids Market ran from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm this year. There was face painting, sand art and free arts and crafts for children. There were also other events and special offerings at places like Lee’s Donuts and A Bread Affair.
Live Entertainment on the July 1st
Canada Day usually happens during the Vancouver International Jazz Festival. More than 10 bands participate typically, and each performs at different times and locations.
In 2024 things were a little different as the Jazz festival ended the day before Canada Day. However, there was still a series of free performances on June 29th and 30th to enjoy at Granville Island.
Artists who performed on the Canada Day weekend included Chris Gestrin, Raagaverse, Taras Luka Sextet, Sakina Abdou, Brian Horswill and Shazad Ismaily. All the shows were free and held at Performance Works, Ocean Art Works and the Revue Stage.
Check out our article on Free Jazz Festival Concerts to see the full schedule for 2024.
In addition to the live Jazz, there are usually roving performers and buskers found throughout Granville Island on Canada Day. It all makes for a fun, affordable and family-friendly time.
Shopping Opportunities
Granville Island is a popular place for shopping. The Public Market is where you’ll find high-quality fruit, vegetables, meats, chocolates, baked goods and much more. The food court has everything from pizzas to fish and chips.
The Net Loft building contains many unique specialty stores. For example, there’s a shop full of handmade pottery and another that sells millions of beads.
The Kids Market is a favourite place for children to explore. The building contains two floors of amazing stores that sell specialty toys, kites, clothes, sweets and more. It is usually open on Canada Day. There is also an indoor play area for children at the Kids Market in case the weather isn’t good enough for the outdoor spray park.
See our Shopping on Granville Island article for further details (including a video) about stores in the area.
Other Information
For more information about the district in general, click Granville Island.
To learn more about the venue on July 1st, see the Granville Island website.
Other articles that may be of interest include:
- Shopping on Granville Island
- Lower Mainland Canada Day Celebrations
- Vancouver on a Budget
- July Events Calendar
- Free Activities in July
