Embrace Asia's many cultures, languages and customs at Vancouver's ExplorASIAN Festival throughout May each year. The event offers film screenings, comedy sketches, poetry evenings, writers' workshops, live music shows and other events citywide that tap into all corners of Asia.
Celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, wine, beer and cheese seminars and, of course, plenty of food tastings make stomachs growl at the annual EAT! Vancouver festival at Vancouver's newly renovated BC Place. A Wellness Pavilion also offers advice on nutrition and lifestyle.
Families watch fireworks over the Fraser River and go on the carnival rides at the annual week-long Hyack Festival in New Westminster. Don't miss the Anvil Battery Salute commemorating Queen Victoria and the International Parade, with marching bands and floats.
Children arrive full of energy to be welcomed by stiltwalkers and clowns to the Vancouver International Children's Festival. An international banquet of mime, multimedia and new theatre awaits on Granville Island. Kids lose themselves in storytelling, puppetry and circus entertainment.
Musicians, cinematographers, dancers, DJs and other specialist artists express themselves in the intimate setting of Vancouver homes and their backyards during the In The House Festival every year. Performance afternoons and evenings, sandwiched by a dinner hour, strengthen community ties.
City of Bhangra applauds the fiery Punjabi art form throughout Vancouver every year. Wild dancing and music lights up outdoor squares, conferences on Bhangra culture stimulate minds and the hippest and most established international and local groups compete.
Around 180 dragon-boat teams take to the water of False Creek and Creekside Park every year for the thrilling Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival. Scream your lungs out cheering at the race, hear live music and eat international food.
Soak up the multicultural flavour of the international Francophonie through outdoor performances at Vancouver's Francophone Summer Festival, in the heart of the city. Organised by the city's Francophone Cultural Centre, there is storytelling, live music and other fun events.
The yearly Vancouver Half-Marathon passes beaches with a mountainous backdrop. Runners take off from the University of British Columbia Thunderbird Arena and finish in Stanley Park. Around 5000 contestants compete and for the less energetic, there is a 5km run.
Vancouver's waterfront is a seething patriotic mass of smiley faces and fluttering red and white flags on 1 July, Canada Day, every year. Head to Canada Place to watch polished dance shows on stages and the passing Canada Day Parade.
Vancouver parks, concert halls, clubs and other venues fill with the finest jazz, Latino, fusion and funk sounds during the International Jazz Festival. Many events are free and over 1800 musicians take part.
The Vancouver International Jazz Festival attracts over 1000 musicians from around the globe every year. The line-up of established greats and up-and-coming stars has been constant since 1986. Attend free and ticketed concerts in theatres, nightclubs and elsewhere across Vancouver.
The Vancouver Folk Music Festival fills Jericho Beach Park with the best of local and international folk talent. In addition to high quality singer-songwriters and world music groups, there are also hip-hop artists and spoken word performers.
Soak up the upbeat Caribbean vibes at Vancouver's Caribbean Days Festival in Waterfront Park every July. A boisterous steel band parade, live music on the outdoor stage and a tropical boat cruise make for a loud and fun summer party.
Rainbow flags brighten up Vancouver at the outrageously fun Vancouver Pride Parade & Festival every year. Follow the colourful Pride Parade, with its exuberant floats and marching bands. The Pride Festival has live music and dancing in the beer garden.
Primarily showcasing new Canadian theatre, Vancouver's annual Neanderthal Festival also makes room for premieres of new international plays or re-interpretations of classics, especially Canadian. Catch exciting performances of fresh material at The Cultch - Vancouver East Cultural Centre - every summer.
Vancouver's Celebration of Light is the largest fireworks competition in the world, attracting around 1.4 million spectators every year. In previous years, countries like Canada, South Africa, the UK and China battled with astonishing displays over English Bay.
Learn to write elegantly with Chinese brushes, see Chinese folk art, taste Chinese delicacies and peek inside temples and heritage buildings at the annual Vancouver Chinatown Festival. The Dr Sun Yat Sen Classical Garden Courtyard is a key venue.
For some, Vancouver's old neon signs were the thrilling embodiment of the glamour and edge of a big city, for others they signalled simply the destruction of the city's natural beauty. Decide for yourself at the Museum of Vancouver's Neon Vancouver/Ugly Vancouver.
MusicFest Vancouver treats the city to a feast of classical, world music and jazz at The Orpheum, Chan Centre, Christ Church Cathedral, VanDusen Botanical Garden and other venues. The annual festival consistently presents diverse, high-quality professional music by international performers.
Theatre Under the Stars at Stanley Park's Malkin Bowl in is a traditional Vancouver summer favourite, presenting the best of Broadway's musicals since 1940. Bye Bye Birdie and Anything Goes play in rep in 2011.
Watch the best of independent queer cinema at venues across the city at the Vancouver Queer Film Festival. There are also hot parties, galas, workshops, panel discussions and the opportunity to meet with film makers and actors.
A Superdogs show, a sandcastle competition, fun-fair rides and live music make up just a fraction of the entertainment at The Fair every year. Over 800 attractions and events keep the whole family happy at Vancouver's Pacific National Exhibition.
In the run-up to Canada's largest cycling event, The Grand Fondo, two wheels are definitely good at the Vancouver Convention Centre. VeloSpoke showcases entertainment, exhibits and feature presentations - all related to recreation cycling. Over 100 exhibitors showcase the latest cycling trends.
The Mid-Autumn Moon Festival is a major event on the Chinese calendar. On this day, farmers celebrate the end of summer and the looming harvesting season. Vancouver's Chinese Garden organises a friendly get-together with storytelling, music and moon cakes.
From classical to contemporary, flamenco to hip-hop, the Scotiabank Dance Centre Open House event is a rare opportunity to sample many dance styles under one roof, complete with open classes, studio showings and dance-related videos and photo exhibitions.
The Vancouver International Fringe Festival is part of an ever-expanding network of international fringe festivals, with performances all over town. Since 1985, it has stood by its mission: theatre for everyone. Around 100 artists from Canada and beyond perform.
White or cream? Fitted or flowing? The Grand Wedding Show helps answer all these dilemmas and more over two days at Vancouver Convention Center. The hot fashion, food and decor for the following year are all featured.
Every year, professionally produced Shakespeare plays are performed in Vancouver's Vanier Park during the Bard on the Beach festival. Join around 60,000 theatre-goers in large tents overlooking English Bay to watch some of the playwright's renowned plays and lesser-known works.
Art Deco Chic at the Museum of Vancouver displays around 66 pieces of clothing from the Art Deco era. Items from Vancouver, designer clothing and items from the private collecitons of MOV, Ivan Sayers and Claus Jahnke are all on show.
Vancouver's Library Square becomes a literary playground each year at The Word On The Street. Move from tent to tent to hear top West Coast authors, emerging and established poets, children's storytelling and more. Niche and mainstream publishers are also present.
Catch stand-up, musical, theatrical, improv' and sketch comedy at the annual Vancouver International Comedy Festival. International comics of a high calibre and the best of Canadian talent provoke giggles and raucous laughter at the Orpheum Theater and other Vancouver venues.
Cutting-edge, original and contemporary design are showcased at the Interior Design Show West (IDSwest) at Vancouver Convention Center. Manufacturers, retailers, guest speakers and independent designers mix with the public. Please note that Friday is open to trade only.
Founded in 1982, the Vancouver International Film Festival screens a world-wide selection of films in cinemas throughout the city. There is a comprehensive review of Canadian work, with documentaries and shorts, and a close look at East Asian film.
The UBC Apple Festival at Vancouver's UBC Botanical Garden celebrates one of British Columbia's preferred fruits. From classic favourites to newer flavours, visitors can sample up to 60 varieties of apples, watch cider-pressing demos and enjoy other apple treats.
Authors, poets and playwrights from around the globe convene on Granville Island each year for the Vancouver International Writers' & Readers' Festival. There is an eclectic mix of readings, lectures, a school programme and events in French at different venues.
Get your scariest costume on and head to Vancouver Island's Heritage Acres vintage-style village for family-friendly Enchanted Halloween. Lights, costumes, pumpkins and decorations all add to the eerie atmosphere along with music, theatre and performers. Be prepared to be spooked!
Feel better than ever at the Vancouver Health Show at the city's Convention Centre. Scores of exhibits display tempting health products, the demonstration area has yoga and dance workouts. Workshops and seminars cover all aspects of a healthy lifestyle.
Restore your inner calm with three whole days of yoga at YOGA Vancouver at the Convention Center. The show offers 39 classes and 120 exhibitors. The conference simultaneously incorporates around 130 workshops with leading experts, as well as individual classes.
Discover Vancouver's diverse Asian communities through work showcased by independent North American-Asian filmmakers at the yearly Vancouver Asian Film Festival. Watch shorts, feature films, animation and documentaries at Cinemark Tinseltown Vancouver. Film-goers must pay a small membership fee to attend.
Over 200 artisans from across Canada display their creations at the sprawling Circle Craft Christmas Market in Vancouver's Convention Centre. Watch the artists in action at glass-blowing, wood-turning and blacksmith demonstrations. Your ticket allows unlimited re-entry on any day.
Open to all zines, indie comics and micro-presses, Broken Pencil's annual Canzine celebrates alternative culture and all things zine, following the earlier festival in Toronto. Find hundreds of zany zines, comedic readings, interactive installations and workshops at Vancouver's Ukrainian Hall.
Watch feature films, shorts and documentaries trumpeting the diversity and richness of Jewish culture and life at the long-running Vancouver Jewish Film Festival. Every year film-goers can see unique foreign and Canadian films at cinemas across the city.
Colourful floats, live music and an appearance by the old man of Christmas heralds the festive season in Vancouver. Rogers Santa Claus Parade makes its way through downtown and attracts over 300,000 visitors each year.
The One of a Kind Craft Show and Sale at Vancouver Convention Cener is held every year at Christmas. Hundreds of artisans from across Canada sell their jewellery, pottery, glass and ironwork, clothing and visual art. Grab those last-minute stocking fillers!
The Winter Solstice Lantern Procession marks the year's longest night (and shortest day) with a celebration involving singing, drumming, music, dancing and lanterns, of course, throughout six Vancouver neighbourhoods. Each features special attractions, so why not visit them all?
Early Music Vancouver presents its annual Festive Bach Cantatas for Christmas at the Chan Centre for Performing Arts in Vancouver. The orchestra, led by Marc Destrubé, has trumpets, timpani, strings and oboes, accompanying the soprano, alto, tenor and baritone.
Vancouver's Carol Ships Parade of Lights is a tradition that began over 50 years ago with just one decorated boat docking at Coal Harbour. Today, watch over 80 of them don thousands of sparkling lights while gliding through the creek.
Celebrate the holidays at Vancouver's Grouse Mountain as it comes alive during the Peak of Christmas. There is a scavenger hunt, skating, carol-singing and ice shows as well as a unique opportunity to meet Santa and his reindeer.
Don a wacky costume and start the new year with an invigorating plunge into the icy water of Vancouver's English Bay at the Polar Bear Swim. Ten hardy souls first braved the freezing water on New Year's Day in 1920.