MAY
Colour Fest
- May 18
Celebrate the spring festivals of Holi and Vaisakhi at Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam). Organized by Diwali Fest, the Colour Festival includes music and dance performances by South Asian artists, as well as a Colour Zone where attendees can throw colourful powder. Tickets are not required to access the Artisan Market or food trucks. The event starts at 5 p.m.
Tickets: Eventbrite.ca or facebook.com/DiwaliFest
Fishing derby
- May 26
Kids ages 16 and under can win prizes in the Como Lake Family Fishing Derby, an annual event organized by Festival Coquitlam, the Kinsmen Club of Coquitlam and the Port Coquitlam & District Hunting and Fishing Club. Awards will be presented for the biggest and smallest fish — and the strangest catch. Bring a fishing pole and bait, and some cash for the pancake breakfast. The event is free to children and runs from 6 a.m. to noon.
Website: festivalcoquitlam.ca
Walk for Alzheimers
- May 26
Grab your runners for the IG Wealth Management’s Walk for Alzheimer’s, an annual fundraiser for the Alzheimer’s Society of BC from 10 a.m. to noon at Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam). Cash collected for the Walk will help provide programs and services for families on the dementia journey and enable research into the causes of and cure for the disease.
Website: alzheimer.ca
Polish Fest
- May 26
Enjoy pirogies and colourful entertainment at the 17th annual BC Polish Festival, taking place at the Port Coquitlam Centre (2150 Wilson Ave., Port Coquitlam). The day-long event is organized by the Polonez Tri-City Polish Association. Last year’s celebration drew more than 4,000 attendees from around Metro Vancouver.
Website: poloneztri-city.org/polish-festivals
JUNE
Coquitlam Crunch Challenge
- June 1
Get your running shoes on for the 13th annual Coquitlam Crunch Diversity Challenge, a fundraiser for the Coquitlam Foundation. Register in one of these categories: Stair Master (the fastest climber of the 437 stairs); the 8-km Run; the Make It Or Break It (how many times to ascend and descend in four hours); the Recreational (non competitive). Gold, silver and bronze medals will be handed out to top participants in four age groups. The Crunch is 2.2-km uphill with a 240 metre elevation change. The Tri-City News is a media sponsor.
Website: coquitlamcrunch.com
Teddy Bear Concert
- June 8 and 9
Kids and their families can head to Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) for the annual Teddy Bear Children’s Concert and Picnic. There will be roving artists, face painters, demonstrations and lots of fun. Don’t forget to bring your favourite stuffed animal.
Website: festivalcoquitlam.ca
The Shuffle
- June 14
The Art Shuffle is back for 2024. The free, self-directed, one-night neighbourhood art walk is held on one of the longest evenings of the year: June 14, from 4 to 9 p.m. in Port Moody’s Old Town Centre, Rocky Point and Brewery Row areas. There are 24 indoor and outdoor venues hosting visual and performing artists, artisans and community groups, along with art activities and demonstrations. The venues include artist studios, galleries, museums and small businesses supporting the arts.
Website: pomoshuffle.ca
ScotFestBC
- June 14 and 15
The 92nd annual BC Highland Games returns to Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) for Celtic performances and competitions. On Friday night, catch the free Pipes in the Park concert on the Main Stage with the world-champion SFU Pipe Band Drum Corp and the 78th Fraser Highlanders. The Heritage Stage will have the Open Piobaireachd contest while the ticketed whisky tent and oysters event will be run by Macaloney Distillery. For Saturday’s ticketed event, cheer on the piping, drumming, pipe band, Highland dancing and heavy event competitors, and learn about Scotland at educational workshops. The headliner is fiddler Ashley MacIsaac. To get to Town Centre Park, take the SkyTrain to the Lafarge Lake–Douglas station and walk 10 minutes east. Parking is limited. The Tri-City News is a sponsor.
Website: scotfestbc.com
Family Fishing Day
- June 16
Take mom and dad to Lafarge Lake in Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) for the annual Family Fishing Day. Organized by Festival Coquitlam, the event runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. during BC’s free fishing weekend — when anglers can fish the province’s waters without a licence. Fishing experts will be on site to teach participants new ways to catch a rainbow trout. Prizes will be awarded afterwards.
Website: festivalcoquitlam.ca
Indigenous Day
- June 21
Witness the three remaining house posts from the In the Presence of Ancestors project raised in Port Moody on National Indigenous People’s Day.
Website: portmoody.ca
Golden Spike Days
- June 29 and 30, July 1
Take the family to the 47th annual Golden Spike Days Festival, a three-day celebration at Rocky Point Park (2800-block of Murray Street, Port Moody). Grab some food and drinks from the on-site vendors and enjoy the entertainment from the Can Can dancers and the competitors in the Tri-Cities Got Talent competition. The festival — one of the oldest and longest running family gatherings in BC — commemorates the construction of the CP Railway line and its arrival at the original western terminus in Port Moody, where the last spoke was driven. Admission is by donation.
Website: goldenspike.ca
JULY
Canada Day
- July 1
The Tri-Cities will be covered in red and white to mark the country’s 157th year with festivities in Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody. Coquitlam’s party will be at Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) while Port Coquitlam’s is up at Castle Park (2252 Castle Cres., Port Coquitlam ), also starting at noon. Both cities will have fireworks in the evening. In Port Moody, the city and the Golden Spike Days Society join forces for the holiday blast at Rocky Point Park (2800-block of Murray Street, Port Moody). All events are free.
Websites: coquitlam.ca / portcoquitlam.ca / portmoody.ca
Worldwide Food Fest
- July 6
Bring your appetite to the Worldwide Food Festival, a fundraiser for the Low Entropy Foundation to build awareness and collect money for its social services programs in the Tri-Cities. Try out new fare and enjoy the live entertainment at Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Website: lowentropy.org
Summer Concerts
Starting July 7, you can take your lawn chairs, blankets and picnics to Rocky Point Park (2800-block of Murray Street, Port Moody) for the afternoon Summer Sundays Concerts, a benefit for the Crossroads Hospice Society. All shows start at 2 p.m. on Sundays. Today’s launch begins with entertainment from Rain City 6. The last act is on Aug. 25 with Eagle Eyes. Admission is free. The Tri-City News is a sponsor.
Website: summersundays.ca
RibFest
- July 19, 20 and 21
Tuck into some tasty meat at the annual RibFest, a three-day celebration hosted by the Rotary Club of Port Moody. The popular event sees more than 50,000 visitors at Rocky Point Park (2800-block of Murray Street, Port Moody) and includes a stellar lineup for live music, programmed by the Summer Sundays Concerts. Take SkyTrain to the Moody Centre station. Admission is free.
Website: portmoodyribfest.ca
Caribbean Days
- July 27 and 28
The Trinidad and Tobago Cultural Society of BC welcomes you to Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) for its annual Caribbean Days Festival. More than 60,000 visitors attended the event last year over the two days. It runs on July 27 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and July 28 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The parade of colourful costumes will wind its way through the park on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Hear the musicians playing Soca, Reggae, Calypso, Latin and African beats on the main stage. Admission is free. Ride SkyTrain to the Lafarge Lake–Douglas station. The Tri-City News is a sponsor.
Website: caribbeandays.ca
AUGUST
BC Dumpling Fest
- Aug. 10
Grab a box of dumplings and some non-alcoholic drinks at the 3rd annual BC Dumpling Festival at Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam) and soak in the multi-cultural entertainment and fun from the Asian Arts and Culture Society. Admission is free to the event, which tends to attract more than 50,000 visitors. ATMs are on site. The opening ceremonies start at 11 a.m. followed by the dumpling eating contest by VIPs. Hop on SkyTrain and walk 10 minutes east to the festival site from the Lafarge Lake–Douglas station. The Tri-City News is a sponsor.
Website: bcdumplingfest.ca
Car-free Day
- Aug. 18
Port Moody will close five blocks along St. Johns Street in Moody Centre for its annual car-free day, a celebration that encourages shared and public transit. The afternoon event includes vendors, musicians, food and family-friendly fun.
Website: portmoody.ca
SEPTEMBER
Culture Days
- Sept. 20 to Oct. 13
Various free events are happening in the Tri-Cities for Culture Days, a national celebration of the arts and cultural. The programs invite the public to get hands-on and behind-the-scenes experience.
Website: culturedays.ca
Terry Fox Run
- Sept. 15
The annual Terry Fox community runs are in Fox’s hometown of Port Coquitlam, as well as Coquitlam, Port Moody and Anmore. Help raise money for the Terry Fox Foundation for cancer research and honour the Tri-City hero who attempted to run across Canada in 1980 with one leg. The Port Coquitlam event starts outside the Hyde Creek Recreation Centre (1379 Laurier Ave., Port Coquitlam) at 10 a.m.
Website: terryfox.org
Be sure to check the websites for up-to-date information before attending the events.
