The Father’s Day weekend in Metro Vancouver includes festivals, live music events, and other family-friendly festivals and activities in mid-June.
Events that take place most years include ScotFestBC in Coquitlam and Old Car Sunday in Mission. There is also Playland at the PNE, Vancouver Canadians baseball games at Nat Bailey Stadium, and the Father’s Day Run for Prostate Cancer at Burnaby Lake. Lots of other great events happen on the third weekend of June too including Father’s Day Brunches and Dinners at area restaurants.
Continue reading to learn about events that happen on the Father’s Day weekend. Or, for suggestions on what to give dad, see our article about Father’s Day Gift Ideas.
Below is information about the following Father’s Day Events:
ScotFest & BC Highland Games | Improv Centre Theatre | Vancouver Canadians Baseball | Sasquatch Days | Old Car Sunday | Father’s Day Brunches & Dinners | Welcoming the Sun in Richmond | Burnaby Village | Kilby Historic Site | Surrey Fest Downtown | Longest Day Road Race | Walk Run for Prostate Cancer | GearUp4CF Bike Ride | Playland | Railway Museum of BC | Other Father’s Day Activities | Other Information
Father’s Day in the Lower Mainland
Below is a list of festivals and events that typically take place on or around the Father’s Day weekend. Most of these activities happen again in 2025.
In addition to festivals, there are also lots of fun activities for dads to do with their families in the Lower Mainland. Top choices include Whale Watching Adventures, walking tours with Forbidden Vancouver or Historical Chinatown Tours, outdoor adventure games with Vancouver Mysteries, and ziplining and ropes course opportunities with WildPlay in Maple Ridge. The rides at Playland at the PNE also operate on weekends in June.
For baseball fans, the Vancouver Canadians play all weekend at Nat Bailey Stadium. And for lovers of Shakespeare and live theatre, there are plays at Bard on the Beach.
ScotFest & BC Highland Games
ScotFestBC is a great cultural event that happens on the Father’s Day weekend in June most years. In 2025 it takes place at Coquitlam’s Town Centre Park on the weekend of June 20th and 21st, so a weekend later this year.
ScotFestBC features a wide variety of events and things to see. There is live music, dancing, a beer garden, market vendors, pipe bands, workshops and family-friendly activities. Also at the event are the BC Highland Games where athletes compete in all kinds of sports including the Stone Putt and Caber Toss.
To learn more about the event, see our article about ScotFestBC: The BC Highland Games or visit the website scotfestbc.com.
Pops & Hops at the Improv Centre
The Improv Centre on Granville Island is a theatre specializing in comedy improv. The last number of years the centre has had a special Pops & Hops Father’s Day-themed show where all the jokes were about dads.
Last year Pops & Hops began at 2:00 pm on the Sunday, and it included alcohol served on a waterfront patio. 2025 will likely be the same, although exact details are to be confirmed as of the beginning of May.
To learn more about the venue and its show, see our article about The Improv Centre at Granville Island.
Baseball at Nat Bailey Stadium
The Vancouver Canadians play baseball against Spokane at Nat Bailey Stadium each day between June 12th and the 15th in 2025. The game on the 14th is also Blue Jays day which will feature an appearance from a former Toronto Blue Jays player.
Last year on the Father’s Day Sunday it was Family Fun Sunday, which meant that kids under the age of 12 could run around the bases after the game was done. This may or may not be the case again in 2025.
Sasquatch Days
Sasquatch Days is a two-day community festival at Harrison Hot Springs. At the event there are war canoe races and a salmon BBQ. Live entertainment and craft activities are typically included as well. Admission to the event is free.
The festival usually runs on the Saturday and Sunday of the Father’s Day Weekend. In 2025, however, it happens at the end of the month instead, on June 28th and 29th.
Click Sasquatch Days for more information.
Old Car Sunday in Mission
Old Car Sunday in the Park takes place on Father’s Day in Mission. The venue is Fraser River Heritage Park at 7494 Mary Street. The event attracts hundreds of collectible and vintage automobiles and their owners, and thousands of car fans.
Old Car Sunday happens on the Sunday and admission for spectators is by donation. To participate with your vehicle costs about $20 if paid online in advance. The 2025 edition takes place on Sunday, June 15th.
Click Old Car Sunday to learn more about the car show.
TREAT DAD TO AN EVENING WITH SHAKESPEARE!
The Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival runs from June until September. The plays in 2025 include The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Much Ado About Nothing, The Dark Lady and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. See our article about Bard on the Beach for details about the festival.
Father’s Day Brunches & Dinners
A great way to treat your dad, grandfather or father-in-law is to take him out for one of many Father’s Day Brunches and Dinners. A number of restaurants in the Lower Mainland offer special menus for the occasion.
In North Vancouver at the Shipyards, for example, the Pier 7 Restaurant & Bar usually has both brunch and dinner options available on Father’s Day. The restaurant’s brunch menu last year featured braised short rib benny, whereas the dinner menu featured a three-course meal with options such as seafood chowder, spot prawn ravioli and cheesecake. This oceanfront restaurant also has a patio with stunning views of downtown Vancouver on the other side of the water.
For a list of other restaurants on the North Shore, see our articles about places to eat in North Vancouver and West Vancouver.
Dinner Options in Vancouver
There are also lots of restaurants to take dad to in the City of Vancouver. An example is the P2B Restaurant & Bar at the Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel. This restaurant has an outdoor patio that’s really nice. At the restaurant on Father’s Day, there was a burger and beer special, as well as complimentary beer or house wine with either the grilled New York striploin or grilled ribeye steak in 2024. Menu options for 2025 are to be confirmed.
For lists of other places to check out, see our articles about Bars & Restaurants in Vancouver and Father’s Day Meals in the Lower Mainland.
Drag Brunch at the Waldorf
- Bacon & Leggs Father’s Day Brunch – a family-friendly drag brunch takes place on Sunday, June 15th, with What the Frock Productions. It happens at the Howe Sound Taphouse & Kitchen at the Waldorf Hotel at 1489 East Hastings Street in Vancouver. Seatings are at 11:00 am and 1:30 pm and admission is by donation (but you have to pay for whatever food you order).
Welcoming the Sun in Richmond
The Gulf of Georgia Cannery has a special Welcoming the Sun event to celebrate National Indigenous People’s Day (which takes place on June 21st). The event in 2024 happened at the cannery on June 15th, which was a few days before National Indigenous Peoples Day, but on the Saturday of Father’s Day Weekend.
At the event there is live entertainment and other activities. Admission on the day is also free.
Details about the Welcoming the Sun event in 2025 are to be confirmed.
Father’s Day at Burnaby Village
Burnaby Village Museum is always an interesting place to visit in the summer months, especially because it’s free! Father’s Day is an especially interesting time to visit, though, as the venue usually hosts vintage motorcycles and classic cars.
In 2025 the place is open from 11:00 am until 4:30 pm on Father’s Day. Admission, as always, is free. Typical activities include a scavenger hunt, carnival games for kids, demonstrations, and various exhibits to explore. Details about what’s happening at the museum on Father’s Day in 2025 are to be confirmed (although things will likely be very similar to last year).
Click Burnaby Village for more information about the attraction.
Kilby Historic Site
Kilby Historic Site hosts a special event on the Father’s Day weekend most years.
In 2025 the Father’s Day event is only on the Sunday. It runs from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm. Families get to make kites together and then fly them outside. Each kite costs an additional $5 on top of admission.
To learn more about the venue, see our article about Kilby Historic Site.
Surrey Fest Downtown
Surrey Fest Downtown is a community event at Central City Plaza. On the day, community organizations set up stalls and there is usually live entertainment on a stage.
The 2024 event happened on the Saturday from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm. Details about the event in 2025 are to be confirmed.
To learn more, see our article about Surrey Fest Downtown.
Longest Day Road Race
The PH&N Investment Services Longest Day Road Race is a family-friendly running event that raises money for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank at UBC. In 2025 the race takes place on Friday, June 13th. The event features 5 km and 10 km races as well as a one mile run for kids. It also includes an after-party with food, music and a beer garden.
To learn more about this event see our article about the Longest Day Road Race.
Father’s Day Walk Run for Prostate Cancer
The Father’s Day Walk Run for Prostate Cancer is an annual fundraising event hosted by Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada. The walk and run can be done either in-person or online, which means you can participate from anywhere in Canada. In 2025 the event is on Sunday, June 15th. The local in-person option takes place at Burnaby Lake Park.
For more information or to donate, see the Father’s Day Run website.
GearUp4CF Bike Ride
GearUp4CF is a 100 km non-competitive bike ride from South Surrey to Abbotsford and then back again. There is a shorter, 50 km option too.
GearUp4CF is a fundraising event to help Cystic Fibrosis Canada in its search for a cure for a disease affecting many Canadians including children. In 2025 the event happens on Saturday, June 21st (so a week later than last year, and the weekend after Father’s Day).
For full details about the event and to donate or register, click gearup4cf.com.
Playland Amusement Park
Playland is Vancouver’s main amusement park. In 2025 the rides operate on select dates between May 17th and August 15th. The attraction is open on both the Saturday and Sunday of the Father’s Day weekend.
To learn more about the amusement park, see our article about Playland Rides.
Railway Museum of BC
The Railway of Museum of BC is located in Squamish and is open on both the Saturday and Sunday of the Father’s Day weekend. The museum features plenty of historic buildings along with a real steam locomotive and a miniature railway that has 3 km of track (making it perhaps not so miniature!).
It’s a great place to check out for anyone who loves trains. To learn more about it click Railway of Museum of BC.
Other Ways to Celebrate Father’s Day
In addition to all the above special events, there are many other ways to celebrate Father’s Day including the following:
- Spend the day at the beach – if the weather is good then a fabulous way to spend the day is at one of Vancouver’s Best Beaches. Popular spots include White Rock, Jericho, Kitsilano, Boundary Bay, Stanley Park and more.
- Go for a hike – take dad and the family on any of Vancouver’s Best Hiking Trails at some of the region’s best parks.
- Take dad out to a restaurant – go out for brunch, lunch or dinner at any of Vancouver’s Best Restaurants (or at least order take-out or delivery).
- Spend time with dad on a boat – rent paddleboards, kayaks or canoes at Alice Lake, Cultus Lake, Deep Cove, Deer Lake or any one of numerous other places in Metro Vancouver and the surrounding area.
- Take dad fishing – great fishing spots include North Vancouver’s Rice Lake and in West Vancouver off the pier at either Ambleside or Dundarave. Many of the Lower Mainland’s other waterfront locations are great places too.
Other Information
For ideas on things to do at other times in the month, see Vancouver’s Calendar of Events.
For a list of great kid-friendly activities throughout the year, check out our article about Best Places for Children.
To learn more about what’s happening in the Lower Mainland on the Father’s Day weekend see the following articles:
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Vancouver on a Budget
- Lower Mainland Summer Activities
- Outdoor Swimming Pools
- Vancouver’s Best Beaches
- Hiking in the Lower Mainland
- Vancouver Festivals and Events