Guide to Canada’s Events and Festivals

British Columbia

Vancouver

Vancouver hosts a range of festivals and events throughout the year. A highlight being the Honda Celebration of Light is the longest running offshore fireworks competition in the world, held over three nights each summer.

For more information on Vancouver's events and festivals: Vancouver Events

Whistler

Whistler is a renowned Ski destination with World Ski and Snowboard Festival in April bringing competitions, live music, art and nightlife to the slopes. Summer belongs to Crankworx, often called the Super Bowl of mountain biking, drawing the world's best riders for days of racing and slopestyle competitions. Along side a selection of free concerts and movies in the park from July to August. Autumn brings Cornucopia, a festival of food and drink for the seriously epicurious, before the Whistler Film Festival wraps up the year each December as one of Canada's most respected showcases for independent film.

For full details of events happening in Whistler, visit: Whistler Events & Whistler Summer Concert & Events

Victoria

Victoria is home to one of the oldest Fringe Festivals in Canada, as well as the Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival, which has been running for over 150 years. The city also comes alive each spring during its famous flower season, with gardens and hanging baskets in full bloom throughout the streets.

For more information on Victoria's events and festivals: Victoria Events

Alberta

Banff

The Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival, now in its 50th year, showcases the best in adventure cinematography from around the world. In winter, the Snow Days festival brings the alpine region to life with ice carving competitions, snow sculpture exhibitions and winter sports.

For more information on Banff's events and festivals: Banff Events

Jasper

Each October, the Jasper Dark Sky Festival draws astronomers and stargazers to the second largest dark sky preserve in the world, with two weeks of guided stargazing, Indigenous storytelling around campfires and performances from the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra Strings.

For more information on Jasper's events and festivals: Jasper Events

Calgary

The Calgary Stampede, often called the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, is a ten day celebration of western culture held every July. It features rodeos, chuckwagon races, live performances, artisan markets and fair food, drawing millions of visitors each year.

For more information on Calgary's events and festivals: Calgary Events

Ontario

Toronto

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is one of the most important film events in the world hosted every September it’s great for celebrity spotting in the city. The city also hosts the Toronto Caribbean Carnival each summer, one of the largest of its kind in North America, and Nuit Blanche, an all night celebration of art that takes over the streets each autumn.

For more information on Toronto's events and festivals: Toronto Events

Ottawa

Winterlude is held each January and February across Ottawa and Gatineau. The centrepiece is the Rideau Canal Skateway, which at 7.8 kilometres is the largest skating rink in the world, and the festival draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. In summer, RBC Bluesfest is ranked among the world's top ten outdoor music festivals, taking place over two weeks in July.

For more information on Ottawa's events and festivals: Ottawa Events

Quebec

Montreal

The Montreal International Jazz Festival is one of the largest jazz festivals in the world, with hundreds of concerts, workshops and jam sessions taking place across the city each summer, including free outdoor performances. Just for Laughs, the Montreal Comedy Festival, has been an annual event since 1983 and is equally unmissable.

For more information on Montreal's events and festivals: Montreal Events

Quebec City

The Carnaval de Quebec is the world's oldest and biggest winter carnival, with roots going back to 1894. Each February, over a million visitors join locals to celebrate winter with food, drinks, events and outdoor adventures. In summer, the Festival d'été de Québec is a world class music festival with over 300 outdoor performances across 11 days, covering everything from rock and hip hop to classical music

For more information on Quebec City's events and festivals: Quebec City Events

Atlantic Canada

Halifax

The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, held each July, is a week long event featuring military demonstrations, highland dancers and bagpipes, attracting over two million spectators. The Halifax International Busker Festival brings street performers from around the world to the waterfront each summer, with music, acrobatics, comedy and more drawing crowds of over 500,000.

For more information on Halifax's events and festivals: Halifax Events