The Vancouver Turkic Festival is a free cultural festival with live entertainment, cultural exhibits and great food at North Vancouver’s Shipbuilders’ Square.
After being cancelled for four consecutive years following the pandemic, the festival returned in 2024. In 2025 it ran again on June 15th (which was Father’s Day).
See our June Calendar or article about Festivals & Events to learn about other event happening this time of year. Continue reading to learn about the Vancouver Turkic Festival.
Turkic Festival at North Vancouver’s Shipyards
The Vancouver Turkic Festival celebrated its fifth year in 2025 with a showcase of Turkic culture, food and music in North Vancouver’s Shipyards District. The festival is free to attend, although you must reserve a spot in advance online. Click Turkic Festival to do so.
The event takes place throughout the afternoon and evening at The Shipyards with plenty of live entertainment as well as food, kid-friendly activities and other fun.
An important note is that this festival is not just about Türkiye. Turkic refers to all people who speak a Turkic language, which also includes Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
When and Where
In 2025 the event took place on Sunday, June 15th, from noon until 8:00 pm. It happens at The Shipyards which is located at 125 Victory Ship Way just a short walk from Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver.
The festival is free to attend. Attendees are asked to register their spot in advance, however.
What to Expect
The Vancouver Turkic Festival isn’t a huge event. Expect to be entertained by dancers, musicians and other performing arts groups. There are also usually about 12 stalls selling food and souvenirs (or at least there were in the years before the pandemic).
The festival starts at noon and runs until around 8 pm. Things begin slowly, though, and start to pick up around 3:00 pm or 4:00 pm. The headliner band usually plays beginning at around 6:00 pm.
The exact schedule for 2025 had not been released at the time of writing. Check the Vancouver Turkic Festival Facebook page for more information.
Tips & Advice
Below are some tips to help you make the most of your experience at the Vancouver Turkic Festival.
TIP #1: Don’t expect large crowds or non-stop entertainment. There is live music, but there are breaks between acts. If you arrive and find the stage empty and things pretty quiet, hang around for a bit or come back in 15 or 30 minutes and there will likely be a new performance by then.
TIP #2: Unless you are Turkic, the Vancouver Turkic Festival probably isn’t something you would travel all the way across the Lower Mainland to see. If the weather is nice, however, North Vancouver’s Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood is worth traveling to. The festival, therefore, is a nice bonus to an already popular place.
TIP #3: While in the area go for a stroll along Shipbuilders’ Pier, visit the Polygon Gallery next door and explore the Lonsdale Quay Market. Check out any one of a number of nearby restaurants if hungry or thirsty. Click North Vancouver Restaurants for a list of good places.
TIP #4: Shipbuilders’ Square is just a five-minute walk from the Lonsdale Quay SeaBus terminal, which makes it convenient to get to via public transit from Vancouver.
Other Information
Visit the Vancouver Turkic Festival Facebook page for more information about this event.
Another event that might be of interest is the Vancouver Turkish Film Festival. It takes place in the fall.
Check out any of the following for ideas on other things to do:
