Photo: Caroot_ee/Public Disco
It’s time to celebrate the summer by grooving out to some great live music at one of Vancouver’s many outdoor festivals or events. Travel to different unique locations and venues around the city hosting many local bands, DJs, and singers in the crisp fresh air and many scenic backgrounds.
Khatsahlano
Kitsilano‘s biggest outdoor festival, the free Khatsahlano Street Party, returns for its 12th edition, closing traffic on West 4th Avenue (from Burrard to Macdonald Street) for pedestrians only, on Saturday, July 6. Prepare for an action-packed day of music, activities, shopping, food, and fun.
This year’s theme of #ShineYourLight encourages visitors to don their most sparkly outfits and let their personality shine! There will be over 50 performers across seven stages, including the anthemic sounds of Hotel Mira, 5-piece femme-powered hip-hop group Naduh, alternative rock band Bend Sinister, and many more on the Burrard Stage!
Also, catch Babe Corner with their catchy guitar riffs, dreamy synths, and soothing melodic vocals and Toddy‘s winning combination of drag, stand-up comedy, opera, and pop music on the Macdonald Stage alongside rock n’ roller Garret T. Willie, troubadour singer Emmett Jerome, and others.
To browse their full lineup and schedule, visit Khatsahlano’s website.
Vancouver Folk Music Festival
Head to the beach for the 47th annual Vancouver Folk Music Festival (VFMF) at Jericho Beach Park from July 19-21. Get ready for everything from beloved folk and roots songwriters to dance-inducing rhythm makers, heart-stopping harmonizers, and instrumental aces.
VFMF carries on its legacy of musical excellence and eclectic discovery with some of the world’s finest traditional and contemporary folk, world, and roots musicians spending a weekend amidst the urban seaside beauty of Kitsilano.
Over 45 musical acts from over 15 countries, including six provinces and territories and nine U.S. states, will perform on three daytime stages and an evening main stage over the festival weekend headlined by the fierce all-female Māori group Māmā Mihirangi & The Māreikura (Friday), Nigerian blues band Etran de L’Aïr (Saturday), and classically-trained Canadian Indigenous tenor Jeremy Dutcher (Sunday).
There will also be a wide range of food vendors, 35 Artisan Market vendors offering both handmade and imported wares with everything from jewelry to artworks, clothing, ceramics and more for shopping enjoyment between stages, and a Community Village featuring the initiatives of local organizations.
To purchase festival passes, visit VFMF’s website.
The Cup
Photo: Kuna Lu/The CP Group/Parade Agency
Come get fancy for The Cup (formerly Deighton Cup), the most stylish, must-attend event of the summer, when it returns to the iconic Hastings Racecourse on Saturday, July 20 for another unique blend of horse racing, fashion, culinary delights, and live music.
This year’s edition of the races features a new trackside dining experience from Michelin-starred restaurant Kissa Tanto, an exciting roster of entertainment, unparalleled fashion, games of chance, bottle-popping action, even bigger hats, and electrifying performances by celebrity DJ Brandi Cyrus and the ever-cool electronic duo Youngbombs.
Kick things off at this year’s Cocktail Jockey, a ’70s-inspired pop-up speakeasy competition bringing together top mixologists in an exclusive 200-person lounge for a showcase of handcrafted custom cocktails surrounded by retro-cool visual art installations and classic vinyl DJ sets. Enjoy more drinks and bites from Laowai, Pax Romana, Bagheera, Hundy, Loula’s Taverna, and more.
To sign up for pre-sale access, visit The Cup’s website.
Public Disco
Photo: Caroot_ee/Public Disco
Public Disco‘s Summer Series of music events hits its peak in a collaboration with SLAB (an events series curated by Max Ulis) for their first ticketed open-air, all-day block party to remember headlined by West Coast favourite Justin Martin alongside Mi Domina label founder Nala at City Centre Artist Lodge in Mount Pleasant on Saturday, July 20.
The Public Disco x SLAB block party will be fully licensed with pop-up bars offering both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, food from Good Dogs Plant Foods and Meet2Eat food trucks, and social hangout spaces.
Its setup promises to be a vibrant cultural space showcasing an incredible lineup of international and local DJs, also featuring Dane MacDonald, Just Sheila, and rapper G. Love in a unique 17,000-square-foot event space and creative hub featuring 75 open artist studios.
To purchase Public Disco tickets, visit AdmitOne.