Spring and Summer Family-Friendly Events in Vancouver

Spring has definitely sprung in Vancouver, with warmer days that bring a bounce to everyone’s step. If you’re in the mood to get outdoors and do more things, you’re in luck. This is the time of year when the city hosts tons of fun, family-friendly events, festivals, and block parties.

Here are events to add to your calendar to experience Vancouver’s natural beauty and celebrate its lively arts and culture scene.

100 Years at the Peak of Vancouver

Bring out a big sheet cake that fits lots of candles, 100, to be exact. Grouse Mountain is celebrating 100 Years at the Peak of Vancouver with a packed schedule of events to celebrate its milestone birthday. The Peak of Canada, which will run June 11 to July 19, gets you into the FIFA World Cup™ spirit on game days, Canadiana-style with poutine, BeaverTails, and lumberjacks. They’ll then swing into full party mode during Grouse Centennial Festival, taking place July 23 to August 3. The whole family can enjoy live music, shop for artisan goods at a mountaintop marketplace and dig into a slice of that cake. Aren’t birthdays the best?

Canada Together

Canada Together, the annual Canada Day event at Canada Place, gives everyone a chance to have a good time. This year is the 40th anniversary of the event, so it’s going to be a huge bash. The 2026 theme is “Weaving together the fabric of the nation,” highlighting Indigenous cultures and the diversity across the country. The whole family will have a blast taking in live music, playing in the Kids’ Zone and browsing crafted items at the Indigenous marketplace.

Fleur de Villes WONDER

VanDusen Botanical Garden is lovely on any given day, but add in floral displays from Fleurs de Villes, and wow, strolling around really becomes magical. From May 22 to 31, Fleurs de Villes’ new show WONDER takes over the garden, with 20 installations and mannequins that celebrate what makes the natural world awe-inspiring. Besides lots of chances to take selfies with the whole family, you can buy fresh flowers at the weekend floral market or try your hand at floral arranging during one of their workshops.

Spring Strings at VanDusen Botanical Garden

If you like Bridgerton’s instrumental versions of your favourite pop songs, VanDusen Botanical Garden has the concert for you. Spring Strings is in honour of all the moms in our lives, happening on Mother’s Day weekend on May 9 at noon and 3:30pm. Wander through the stunning gardens, then claim a spot on the Great Lawn as 8 string artists from the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra serenade you with hits by Adele and Coldplay. See who in the family can recognize each song first!

Vancouver International Children’s Festival

The Vancouver International Children’s Festival has become an annual event in the city for close to 50 years. This feel-good event, featuring local and international performers, takes place May 25 to 31 at Granville Island. This year’s theme is South Korean arts and culture, with shows like Doodle Pop, a playful twist on K-pop that brings whiteboard drawings to life through animation and sound. Make sure to get your face painted before you head home!

Vancouver International Jazz Festival

For over two weeks, from June 19 to July 5, the Vancouver International Jazz Festival fills the city's streets and venues with joyful music. The Festival helps people appreciate what makes jazz so incredible and diverse. You’ll find yourself dancing to local and international artists. Many of this year's shows are free, making it a great way to introduce kids to jazz.

Vancouver Folk Music Festival

The world really slows down when you’re sitting in Jericho Beach Park with the water next to you, and local and international folk artists singing on stage. The 49th Vancouver Folk Music Festival, set for July 17-19, is heartwarming, with kids, their parents, and even grandparents attending together. While the music is the first thing that connects everyone, the festival is a full experience, with tasty food, an artisan market, and a community village for learning about important social causes.

Greek Day on Broadway

Summer turns the city’s cultural fests into big block parties. If you’re Greek or want to become an honourary Greek, head to Greek Day on Broadway June 28. At this annual event, the street, known for its vibrant Greek community, features live entertainment and an agora (marketplace) for shopping for traditional goods. And the food! Vendors will grill souvlaki and lamb chops while serving spanakopita and baklava. Get in line for loukoumades, honey-soaked donut holes. Grab one before the kids gobble them all up.