Annual Events on the Sunshine Coast
There’s always an event or festival to look forward to on the Sunshine Coast. Read on for details on the most anticipated annual events, and be sure to visit our calendar of events and use the date filters to see what's happening during your visit to the Sunshine Coast.
Year-round
Enjoy community Farmers’ Markets all along the Sunshine Coast. They include a mix of seasonal and year-round farmers’ and artisan markets full of locally grown and crafted goods. You'll also find live music and concerts throughout the year, held at venues like breweries and cideries, local legion branches, community centres, theatres, and more.
January | February | March
Watch for Polar Bear Swims on January 1, where brave locals and visitors plunge their bodies into ocean to celebrate the new year. Then there's the Sunshine Coast Loppet ski and snowshoe races at Dakota Ridge in February (weather dependent), and a range of cool events in March like the qathet International Film Festival, a celebration of film at the historic Patricia Theatre; the Sunshine Coast Flavour Festival, featuring participating restaurants and operators from Gibsons to Lund; and the TTHE Hockey Tournament, a women’s/trans/two-spirit/non-binary inclusive hockey weekend where you can cheer on the players.
April | May
April kicks off with the Townsite Jazz Festival in Powell River, the Festival of the Performing Arts in Sechelt, and the April Tools Wooden Boat Challenge in Pender Harbour. And if you’re feeling up to it, consider signing up for the Marathon Shuffle, which takes place along a 29-kilometre section of the Sunshine Coast Trail.
In May, you can check out the qathet Accordian Fest, or join in the Pender Harbour May Day festivities which include a parade, live music, and community celebration in Madeira Park.
June
Discover a variety of music events that draw visitors from all over the map, including the Pender Harbour Blues Festival, PRISMA Festival (Pacific Region International Summer Music Association), and the Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival. There are also community events and activities to participate in on June 21, which is National Indigenous Peoples Day here in Canada. June is also PRIDE month - a celebration of 2SLGBTQI+ pride, commemorating the contributions of the community and culture. The Sunshine Coast Pride Society and the qathet Pride Society host great events all year round, with special celebratory events during June.
July
Enjoy Canada Day celebrations on July 1, along with a wide variety of other events throughout the month. On the Northern Sunshine Coast, you can check out the Powell River Logger Sports event and the International Choral q̓at̓ᶿaymɩxʷ (which takes place once every two years). On the Southern Sunshine Coast, don’t miss the Davis Bay Sandcastle Competition, Music in the Landing, the Sunshine Coast Slow Food Cycle, and more.
August
The Northern Sunshine Coast will be abuzz with the Texada Island Blues & Roots Festival, the Blackberry Festival & Street Party, and the qathet Region Studio Tour. The Southern Sunshine Coast plays host to events such as the Pender Harbour Wooden Boat Show, the Sleepy Hollow Rod Run & Show n' Shine, Creek Daze, the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts, and the Hackett Park Artisan Fair.
September | October
Come September, you can check out events such as the Sunshine Music Festival and the 3 Ears Indigenous Film Festival in Powell River, or the Harvest Cider Stroll in Sechelt. October is full of arts and culture events such as the hotly anticipated annual Sunshine Coast Art Crawl, as well as fall activities at local pumpkin patches.
November | December
Leading up to the holiday season, you’ll find plenty of holiday markets and crafts fairs along the coast. Other seasonal events include the Sechelt Festival of Lights, the Pender Harbour Winter Festival, and the Powell River Santa Claus Parade.
Visit our calendar of events for details on what’s happening on the Sunshine Coast.
