The Latin American Experience is a series of events celebrating Latin music, food and culture. It includes Vancouver’s famous Carnaval del Sol festival.
In 2024 Carnaval del Sol begins on July 5th and runs for a couple weeks. There is Flamenco, Tango & Wine Night on July 11th, a Soccer Tournament on July 12th and 13th, a Brazilian Festa on July 19th and the Chiquitzin Kids Fiesta on July 20th. A couple of months later, on September 7th, there is a Carnavalito on the Road event in Langley at Douglas Park.
Continue reading below for dates and other details about the various events.
Visit carnavaldelsol.ca for the festival’s official website.
This article includes information about the following topics and events:
Latin American Experience Schedule | Carnaval del Sol | Soccer Tournament | Tango & Flamenco Night | Brazilian Fiesta | Chiquitzin Kids Fiesta | Carnavalito on the Road | Other Information
Latin American Week and the Latin American Experience
Close to 40,000 people of Latin American and Caribbean origin call the Lower Mainland home. Hence why the City of Vancouver dedicates a week or two in early July or August each year as a special time to celebrate Latin American culture.
There are about two weeks of festivities to enjoy in 2024, plus a little extra late in the summer. Dates for some of this year’s events are listed further below.
To learn more about the largest Latin festival in the Pacific Northwest, see our article about Carnaval del Sol. To learn about Latin American Week events, continue reading.
For the official Carnaval del Sol website, click carnavaldelsol.ca.
Latin American Experience Schedule in 2024
As of early June, the following events are scheduled to take place during the Latin American Experience series of events in 2024. (Note: Dates and details are subject to change.)
- Carnaval del Sol – Vancouver’s major Latin festival happens on the weekend of July 5th to 7th at Jonathan Rogers Park in Vancouver.
- Flamenco, Tango & Wine Night – dance performances at the Pipe Shop in North Vancouver on Thursday, July 11th.
- World Soccer Tournament – a fun tournament on the Friday and Saturday of July 12th and 13th at Empire Field.
- Brazilian Festa – music and dancing at the Fox Cabaret in Vancouver on Friday, July 19th.
- Chiquitzin Kids Fiesta – a free event with lots of kid-friendly activities at The Amazing Brentwood in Burnaby on Saturday, July 20th.
- Carnavalito on the Road – not part of the main Latin American Experience series, but a smaller, one-day version of the Carnaval del Sol at Douglas Park in Langley on Saturday, September 7th.
For the official Carnaval del Sol website, click carnavaldelsol.ca.
Dates: July 5th to 7th in 2024
Carnaval del Sol is a family-friendly festival and the week’s number one attraction. This year, Carnaval del Sol takes place before most if not all of the other events.
In 2024, the main event happens at Jonathan Rogers Park. The festival begins on Friday, July 5th, with the Opening Night event featuring DJ music and a beer garden. Tickets for this first event in 2024 start at about $20 online (but likely a little more at the door).
Carnaval del Sol continues on the Saturday and Sunday of July 6th and 7th. The weekend features a number of zones including a Kids’ Plaza, Food Plaza, Beer Plaza, Artisans Plaza, Experience Plaza, Family Plaza, and more. In each area there are different things to do and see. There is also plenty of live entertainment to enjoy.
Click Carnaval del Sol to learn more about this event.
Soccer Tournament
Date: July 12th & 13th in 2024
The annual Soccer Tournament takes place on the Friday and Saturday of July 12th and 13th. The two-day event is held at Empire Field at 2901 East Hastings Street near the PNE in Vancouver.
The tournament features eight teams of up to 10 players each. The games are 7 vs 7 and 20 minutes long. Admission for the full team costs $300. Each team is guaranteed to play three games in the group stage, with the top four advancing to the playoff round. The winning squad receives a $1000 prize, while second place gets $500.
Families and friends of the players are welcome to attend as well. In fact, on the 13th there is a fan contest! The group of fans that’s loudest and most passionate wins prizes of their own.
For more information, visit the Carnaval del Sol website.
For the official Carnaval del Sol website, click carnavaldelsol.ca.
Flamenco, Tango & Wine Night
Date: July 11th in 2024
Note: This event often sells out, so be sure to book your spot well in advance!
Flamenco, Tango & Wine is an evening of flamenco and tango dancing hosted by Latincouver. In 2024 the event takes place at 7:00 pm on July 11th at the Pipe Shop in North Vancouver. The venue is located at 115 Victory Ship Way.
Performers at this year’s event include Tango in Fusion and Qairo Band. Tickets start at about $85 each. For folks who want dinner and wine, tickets cost about $125 in advance. The experience lasts around four hours in total. There’s no parking at the venue itself but there is public parking at the nearby Shipyards lot and Pinnacle Hotel.
For an idea of what to expect at the event, check out the video below. It includes scenes from the 2023 Flamenco, Tango & Wine Night, which featured a performance by Lussilia.
To learn more about the event, see our Flamenco, Tango & Wine Night article.
For the official Carnaval del Sol website, click carnavaldelsol.ca.
Brazilian Fiesta
The Brazilian Fiesta is a night of music and dancing featuring musicians from across the country. The event happens at the Fox Cabaret in Vancouver at 7:00 pm on Friday, July 19th.
The fiesta is a 19+ event. Tickets cost $20 for students and $25 for everyone else. The show itself begins at 7:30 and runs until 10:00 pm. The headline acts at the 2024 event are Flavia Nascimento and the Tio Chorinho ensemble, who are all Canadian-Brazilian musicians. Also taking the stage is the Vancouver-based all-female group AmarElas.
The event promises to be a fun, energetic night so make sure to bring some comfortable shoes! There should be plenty of people on the dance floor.
For more details check out the Brazilian Fiesta webpage.
Chiquitzin Kids Fiesta
For those not old enough to go to the Brazilian Fiesta event, don’t worry because the following day there’s the Chiquitzin Kids Fiesta! This family-friendly event happens at The Amazing Brentwood in Burnaby from noon until 7:00 pm on July 20th.
The Kids Fiesta is free for everyone although some of the activities require pre-registration. There’s a talent show, magic performances, a puppet show, arts and crafts, cultural workshops and other fun activities to enjoy.
The special guest at the 2024 event is Mexican actress Alpha Acosta who will lead a storytelling activity for the little ones.
To learn more click Chiquitzin Kids Fiesta.
The Carnavalito isn’t part of the Latin American Experience series like the other events listed above, but it’s hosted by the same organization. Think of it as a smaller (and free) Carnaval del Sol!
The Carnavalito on the Road event takes place on September 7th, 2024, in Langley’s Douglas Park. The event runs from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm and is completely free to attend. There are six plazas to check out including over 10 vendors at the Food Plaza and a number of breweries to sample at the Beer Plaza.
The entertainment schedule for the Main Plaza is listed below.
- 12:00 pm – Opening Ceremony
- 12:30 pm – Mexico Vivo
- 1:30 pm – Ivonne Ley
- 2:45 pm – TBD
- 4:00 pm – Grupo RM
- 5:15 pm – Abraxas
- 6:15 pm – Los Duendes
- 7:20 pm – Rumba 7
To learn more check out our Carnavalito on the Road article.
For the official Carnaval del Sol website, click carnavaldelsol.ca.
Other Information
For a list of other major events in the Lower Mainland throughout the year, see Vancouver’s Festivals & Events Calendar.
For ideas on what to do on the first weekend in July, click Canada Day in Metro Vancouver.
Other Latin American and Caribbean events you might enjoy at other times of the year include the following:
- Trail of Coffee – an event for coffee lovers at the Pipe Shop in North Vancouver. It features coffee-themed workshops, exhibits, tastings and more in April.
- Cinco de Mayo – Mexican holiday celebrations in early May.
- Surrey Latin Festival – a Latin festival in Surrey in July.
- Caribbean Days Festival – a festival in North Vancouver in late July.
- Maple Ridge Caribbean Festival – a cultural event in Maple Ridge in early August.
- Fiesta Mexicana – a Mexican festival in Yaletown or Robson Square in early to mid-September (although it doesn’t happen every year).
- Latin American Heritage Month – a series of events celebrating Latin American culture in the Lower Mainland in October.
- Day of the Dead Latin Market – an event on Granville Island in late October.
- Flamenco, Tango & Wine Night – an event that happens in the summer each year as well as in the fall during Latin American Heritage Month.
