Jultagi – Korean tightrope walking. Image credit: Koreanfestival.ca
Looking for free fun for the month of August? Vancouver and surrounding cities have a lot of festivals planned to keep you occupied before the end of summer arrives. Here we’ve chosen 4 cultural festivals for you to check out. All are free, family friendly, and celebrate Vancouver’s multiculturalism.
4 Free Cultural Festivals for August in and around Vancouver
1. TD Vancouver Chinatown Festival – Saturday and Sunday, August 8th and 9th, 12pm-6pm
Thousands will be converging on the streets of Columbia and Keefer in historic Chinatown, downtown Vancouver, for this free festival. The theme for this year is Flair for Fashion. Activities will include a market, a walking tour, live stage performances, a talent show, food, a kids corner, and more.
2. Korean Cultural Heritage Festival – Saturday, August 8th, 10am-8pm
This annual festival showcases Korean culture through performances, food, and entertainment. Expect Kukkiwon Tae Kwon Do Black Belt demos, tightrope walking, live music, art, kids activities, prizes, and the best Korean food outside of South Korea. Swangard Stadium, Burnaby. Get your tickets here, they are free but recommended as this event quickly reaches full capacity.
3. Vancouver Chariot Fest of India – Sunday, August 9th, starting at 11:30am till dusk
In it’s 42nd year, this incredible free festival begins with a colourful and lively parade which starts at Beach Avenue at Howe Street (under the Granville Street Bridge) and finishes at Second Beach in Stanley Park. Then for the rest of the day it’s live music, dance, and theatre, plus yoga, meditation, cooking demos, kids activities, and free vegetarian food!
4. Pakistan Festival 2015 – Sunday, August 16th, all day
August 14, 1947 marks the day when Pakistan was born and entered the world as an independent and sovereign nation. To celebrate this highly significant day, the Pakistani-Canadian community decided to organize a Pakistan Festival to showcase the cultural heritage, diversity, geography, music, dress, cuisine, customs, and traditions of all corners of Pakistan. Check their website for more details to come. Holland Park, Surrey.
Last modified: July 31, 2015
And also – don’t forget about the Powell Street Festival happening next weekend (Aug 1st – 2nd): http://www.powellstreetfestival.com/
It’s the best Japanese cultural event of the year.