June 2014 Vancouver Festival Guide

Head to Kitsilano for a little opa! this summer, where you can celebrate like the Greeks with festive music and dancing lessons, an Athenian market offering baubles fit for the gods, deliciously authentic Greek food and Herculean amounts of beer and wine. 

When: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Where: West Broadway between Blenheim and MacDonald
Cost: Free

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this summer, Vancouver’s annual Shakespeare festival brings A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Tempest, Cymbeline, as well as a modern work, Equivocation, to the Vanier Park stage. Experience the Bard’s words float off the stage and fill the air with tales of love and romance, intrigue and murder.

Where: Vanier Park
Cost: $35 to $47

Calling all crooners, scatters and Ella Fitzgerald fans – the Vancouver International Jazz Festival is coming to town. Lend your ear to modern influential jazz musicians, such as American saxophonist Maceo Parker, 10-time Grammy winner Bobby McFerrin and Japanese composer/pianist Hiromi, as they perform at iconic venues like The Orpheum and Vogue Theatre. 

Where: Various venues throughout Vancouver
Cost: Varies, tickets available online 

Dragon Boat racers row it out on False Creek during this weekend-long event. Head down to watch the competition and enjoy an array of attractions, including Italian, Thai and Jamaican food, a beer garden, live music, face painting and roaming entertainment by CircusWest, a young acrobatic circus performance troupe. 

Where: False Creek
Cost: Free for spectators

The second annual CBCMusic.ca Festival makes the move from Toronto to Burnaby. Recent Juno Award winners Tegan and Sara (you might have noticed them on the cover of our summer issue) will headline the mostly indie-pop lineup in Deer Lake Park’s natural amphitheatre. Other Vancouver-based bands on the bill include The Belle Game, Wake Owl and singer-songwriter Hannah Georgas. 

Where: Deer Lake Park
Cost: $76.75, tickets available at Ticketmaster

Andiamo over to Little Italy to celebrate more than 50 years of Italian culture in Vancouver with fashion shows, entertainment from The Vancouver Opera, grape stomping and, of course, lots of delicious food. 

When: 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Commercial Drive
Cost: Free

Even though Chinatown’s night market has been cancelled this year, three other local markets are keeping the summer tradition alive. Hop the Canada Line to Richmond for an evening at the International Summer Night Market or the Richmond Night Market todiscover live entertainment, food trucks and vendors that sell everything from Asian cuisine to the latest iPhone accessories. Or board the Seabus to North Vancouver for the Shipyards Night Market on Fridays until the end of September. With live music until 10 p.m., a beer garden, as well as organic and handmade local products, this event is like a market and festival all in one. 

With summer just around the corner, Vancouverites are eager to book their holiday getaways. But everything you need for a summer jam-packed with fun can be found right here at home. Here’s BCLiving’s guide to making the most out of June in your city.