![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/5f10a7f0e4041a480cbbf0be/7b4dcd22-90a0-46e1-8898-9705debd877a/VFMF+2025+Stir+2184X270.png?content-type=image%2Fpng")
Summer Arts Guide 2025: A region-by-region roster of B.C. festivals to keep you busy all season
From mural walks to outdoor concerts, a rich tapestry of arts and culture makes it well worth getting out of town—whether to Whistler, Kelowna, or beyond
Whistler Summer Concert Series.
B.C.’s VIBRANT ARTS SCENE stretches far beyond Greater Vancouver. With live music, theatre under the trees, cultural performances, artisan markets, and colourful towns filled with murals, summer’s the season for outdoor festivities and adventures.
These out-of-town festivals celebrate creative communities and invite arts and culture lovers to connect with nature.
Here’s a glance at some events to look out for in the coming weeks and months, organized by region.
Sea to Sky Gondola’s Mountain Music Series.
SEA TO SKY
Mountain Music Series at the Sea to Sky Gondola
Fridays to September 12
The Mountain Music Series returns to the Sea to Sky Gondola with live music, a seasonal barbeque menu, and summer sunsets at the Summit every Friday evening to September 12. Among the artists performing this year are Whistler favourites the Hairfarmers, fusion band Coco Jafro, Canadian filmmaker and musician Ryan Harris, and popular Squamish cover band the Wells.
Mountain Muse Festival
June 13 and 14
Celebrating arts and community, the Pemberton Arts Council presents the fourth edition of Mountain Muse Festival—featuring live music, children’s entertainment, and local artists and artisans. Friday’s family-friendly event will take place in the afternoon at Pioneer Park. Country singer Sheri Marie Ptolemy, Indigenous band the Spiritual Warriors, blues harmonica player Henry Chung and his band the Spontaneous Combustion, and Bu Von Blume, with their dance-inducing sounds, will perform that day. Saturday evening switches things up at the Pemberton Community Barn, going late into the night with Kiziah and the Kreatures, Mars Crossing, the Zummers, and Paris Pick & the Pricks.
Horseshoe Bay Art Walk
June 22
Local potters, painters, jewellers, and woodworkers showcase their works at various locations throughout the charming seaside community of Horseshoe Bay. Lil Chrzan, Helen Weiser, Tannis Turner, Krishna Neale, and many others will be displaying and selling their artworks from 11 am to 4 pm on June 22.
Whistler Summer Concert Series
July 1 to August 29
Five-time Juno award winner and Grammy nominee Bahamas will launch this year’s Summer Concert Series at Whistler Olympic Plaza on July 1. Apart from a break during Crankworx, every Thursday and Friday will kick off with a live DJ set at 6:30 pm, followed by headlining performers at 7:30 pm. This summer’s myriad of artists includes electro-folk duo Moontricks, Wild Rivers, Mo’Kalamity, 54•40, Chali 2na and the House of Vibe, Chantal Kreviazuk, Paco Versailles, Owen Riegling, and more.
Art on the Lake
July 10 to 11
Arts Whistler presents Art on the Lake 2025, celebrating creativity and nature at a new location—Lost Lake Park. This family-friendly arts festival offers an array of live performances and creative displays ranging from an outdoor art gallery to stand-up comedy acts. There will also be outdoor activities for all ages, a market filled with local artisan booths, open-air concerts, and live painting presentations.
Squamish Mural Walk Festival.
Squamish Mural Walk Festival
July 25 to 27
The Downtown Squamish Business Improvement Association organizes the Squamish Mural Walk Festival every July, inviting locals and visitors alike to an arts-filled weekend with food, live music, and family-oriented entertainment. Available year-round, the free self-guided tour expands across Downtown Squamish, featuring over 35 murals—some of which date back to 2000. This year, several new murals will be added to the collection.
Squamish Arts Festival
July 26 to August 16
Brimming and alive, the annual Squamish Arts Festival—hosted by Squamish Arts—promises three action-packed weeks of arts and culture: workshops, live music, performances, and an artist market. Sp’akw’us Feather Shakedown will finish off the event at Oceanfront Squamish, headlined by Smalltown DJs, Fort Knox Five, Astrocolor, and Leo D.E. Johnson.
Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival.
SUNSHINE COAST
Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival and Beyond
June 7 to 15
The Sunshine Coast Jazz & Entertainment Society presents the 29th annual Gibsons Landing Jazz Festival, at various locations in Gibsons, Roberts Creek, and Sechelt. Leading up to the festival weekend is Jazz Week, from June 7 to 12, filled with live music at local restaurants and other venues. Latino trio Coctel de Pasion starts off the week with an afternoon concert at Sunnycrest Mall, and Wanda Nowicki & Her City Guys finish it off with their evening performance at the Roberts Creek Legion. Jennifer Scott and Rene Worst play as a powerful duo for the festival’s opening night at St. Bart’s Church, on June 13. The rest of the weekend features a patchwork of artists, with the Jon Bentley Quartet, the Mary Ancheta Quartet, and Tumbling Tumbleweeds as the main events on June 15 at Winegarden Park. The final event is the Apré Jazz Jam, hosted by the Peter Van Quartet at the 101 Brewhouse.
PRISMA Festival’s concert by the beach.
PRISMA Festival
June 16 to 28
For over a decade, the Pacific Region International Summer Music Association has produced the PRISMA Festival in celebration of classical music in Powell River. Daily events including chamber-music concerts, masterclasses, and student recitals attract over five thousand concertgoers from around the province. Highlights include the PRISMA Festival Orchestra concert at Willingdon Beach Park.
International Choral q̓at̓ᶿaymɩxʷ (Kathaumixw)
July 1 to 5
The Powell River Academy of Music presents a five-day choral festival in venues around the city, with concerts, choral and vocal solo competitions, conductors’ seminars, and more. The Gala Opening Concert features a parade of choirs and the q̓at̓ᶿaymɩxʷ Festival Brass Ensemble and q̓at̓ᶿaymɩxʷ Festival Chorus.
Summer Music Series
July 1 to August 30
The District of Sechelt presents this free concert series spotlighting emerging and popular local musicians at Hackett Park. From blues and folk to jazz and rock, the event invites music lovers and outdoor enthusiasts to join in.
Jane Urquhart hits the Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts.
Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts
August 14 to 17
Canada’s longest-running summer gathering of Canadian writers and readers is back for its 43rd year at Rockwood’s heritage gardens in Sechelt. Daniel Heath Justice, Gurjinder Basran, Michael Crummey, and Jane Urquhart are just some of the names in the spotlight this year. There will also be a fiction workshop with Caroline Adderson on August 16, focusing on creating believable characters, as well as a Coffee Hour mingling event on the 17th.
qathet Studio Tour
August 23 and 24
This free, self-guided tour has welcomed hundreds of visitors into artists’ homes and studios for two decades. Featuring artists working everywhere from Lang Bay to Lund, the annual community event highlights the lively art culture of the qathet region on the northern Sunshine Coast.
Sunshine Music Festival
August 30 and 31
Vancouver’s legendary SkaBoom!, country singer-songwriter Élise LeBlanc, and Celtic folk band Clanna Morna are among the main acts present at this year’s Sunshine Music Festival. It returns this Labour Day weekend with local food vendors, an artisan market, and live performances on a beachfront stage at Palm Beach Regional Park.
Aysanabee will appear at Tŝideldel Movable Feast. Photo by Jen Squires
INTERIOR
Tŝideldel Movable Feast
June 20 and 21
2 Rivers Remix, in partnership with the Tŝideldel Nation, presents a free two-day festival embracing contemporary Indigenous music at Bendziny Resort on Puntzi Lake. As part of the Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration in Tŝilhqot’in Territory, Tŝideldel Movable Feast features an all-Indigenous lineup of artists, headlined by Juno Award–winning singer-songwriters Aysanabee and Sebastian Gaskin. The event kicks off with workshops focused on music, healing, and community, as well as horseshoe and lahal tournaments, and a free community dinner and live jam session, followed by a day of music and live performances.
RockRidge Canyon Resort, home to Cascade Peaks ChamberFest.
Cascade Peaks ChamberFest
June 20 to 22
Langley Community Music School presents a musical weekend filled with chamber music performances, open rehearsals, and various masterclasses and lectures at the lakeside RockRidge Canyon Resort in Princeton. Alongside resident ensemble Borealis String Quartet, guest performers this year feature the Vancouver-based swing-jazz quartet Van Django, the Gryphon Trio, violinist Jonathan Crow, and Juno Award–winning clarinetist James Campbell. The programs include a range of works by Dohnányi, Brahms, Messiaen, Martinů, Grieg, Mozart, Bernstein, and Mendelssohn.
Silver Star Summer Music Series
June 21 to September 6
After its debut last year with over a hundred artists, this series is making its annual appearance this summer for twelve weeks of free, live music at Silver Star Village. Presented by Destination Silver Star and set in the heart of the Okanagan Valley, the concerts will take place on the Nokian Community stage every Saturday. Among the artists performing this year are Apollo Suns, Pickle Juice, Miina, and the Boom Booms.
Theatre Under the Trees
July 7 to 26
Project X Theatre presents an outdoor summer theatre festival for families and young audiences at Prince Charles Park in Kamloops. Formerly known as X Fest, Theatre Under the Trees will run two productions Monday through Saturday from July 7 to 26, alternating Thumbelina by emerging local playwright Jakob Kopytko and The Emperor’s New Threads by Peter and Melody Anderson.
Gipsy Kings come to Mission Hill.
Mission Hill Family Estate Summer Concert Series
July 7, 17, 31 and August 21
With an amphitheatre seating nine hundred people overlooking Lake Okanagan, this scenic, family-owned winery has hosted its annual summer concert series for over 15 years. It also offers wine-paired, three-course dining packages on its Terrace, Loggia, or Oculus Patio. Award-winning Blue Rodeo launches the event on July 7; Canadian singer-songwriter Jann Arden performs on July 17; American singer-songwriter Andy Grammer takes the stage on July 31; and Gipsy Kings, featuring Nicolas Reyes, conclude the series on August 21.
Rock the Lake Music Festival
July 11 to 13
Rock the Lake heads back outdoors for its eighth annual edition at Prospera Place in Kelowna. The all-Canadian rock lineup is composed of Matthew Good and His Band, I Mother Earth, JJ Wilde, Simple Plan, Down With Webster, Dear Rouge, Crush XO, the Sheepdogs, Sam Roberts Band, Crash Test Dummies, and Lucky Monkey.
Salmon Arm Roots and Blues
July 25 to 27
The 33rd annual Roots and Blues festival honours culturally diverse music ranging from blues and bluegrass to Celtic and Afrobeat. This year’s headliners include Grammy Award–winning Los Lobos, iconic rock ’n’ roll artist Burton Cummings, and acclaimed blues-rock singer-songwriter Colin James. An artisan marketplace will sell handcrafted local goods and artworks, and a food market will offer a global selection.
Electric Love Music Festival
August 7 to 10
The grassroots electronic music and arts festival is marking its 10th anniversary this year at Meadows of Cel7wet Festival Ground in Pritchard, B.C. Three nights of celebration bring together DJs, producers, and visual artists on four vibrant, themed stages, including the returning Arcade Stage. Bensley, Defunk, DEF3, Father Funk, Neon Steve, and PAV4N are some of the main acts in this year’s program.
Nelson International Mural Festival.
Nelson International Mural Festival
August 8 to 10
The Nelson & District Arts Council presents the eighth annual Nelson International Mural Festival, inviting street artists, muralists, and art enthusiasts from around the world. Each year, artists paint murals around the city, and then the festival including live music and performances takes place. In addition to an online map showing all the locations of the murals, there is a self-guided audio tour available in both English and French.
Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival.
VANCOUVER ISLAND
Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival
June 18 to 22
Victoria BC Ska & Reggae Society keeps the music scene alive with its 26th annual festival featuring ska, reggae, rocksteady, dub, and more, at Ship Point in Victoria’s Inner Harbour and other venues. Alongside a groovy lineup of artists, Propagandhi, the Pharcyde, and Jakobs Castle will be rocking the stage.
TD Victoria International JazzFest
June 20 to 29
Among the stellar performers at this year’s edition of Vancouver Island’s longest-running music festival are acclaimed singer-songwriter Madeleine Peyroux; Grammy Award–winning Latin pop artist Alex Cuba; Cameroon-born, Grammy Award–winning musician Richard Bona and his Asanté Trio; internationally renowned Brazilian artist Eliane Elias; and multinational supergroup ARTEMIS. Highlights include free outdoor concerts, ticketed shows, and interactive workshops occurring all over Victoria and Esquimalt.
Transformation on the Shore
June 25 to 29
This year marks the 29th anniversary of Transformation on the Shore, an annual woodcarving festival produced by the Campbell River Shoreline Arts Society. During the event, held along the Sea Walk and throughout the city of Campbell River, locals and visitors can enjoy watching dozens of woodcarvers bringing their creativity to life.
Tofino Jazz Festival
June 26 to 29
Founded by musician Sophie L’Homme in 2018, this multicultural celebration of jazz is in its seventh year in Tofino. Among the acts performing are Indigenous artist Hasaatuk; white queer settler folk duo No Attraction; “funky, fruity” band the Phigs; Vancouver-based Latin fusion band Frankie Hidalgo & the MVP’s; and Afrosoul and jazz fusion artist TK the Artist.
More than 100 artisans will be selling their goods at Nanoose Bay Art in the Garden.
Nanoose Bay Art in the Garden
July 4 to 6
The annual Nanoose Bay Art in the Garden celebrates its 15th year, hosting over a hundred artisans alongside local food vendors and live musicians. Taking place at BumbleBees Farm & Garden in Nanoose Bay, this art market features everything from stained glass and ceramics to handcrafted soaps and prints.
Phillips Backyard Music Festival
Tilt Weekend—July 4 to 6
Reverb Weekend—August 8 to 10
Phillips Brewery presents one of Victoria’s biggest summer music events, the Phillips Backyard Festival series, highlighting Canadian and international artists. The main acts on Tilt Weekend include Cold War Kids, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, and G-Eazy. Reverb Weekend features Peach Pit, Phantogram, and the Roots.
Art Gallery Paint-In 2025
July 19
Attracting around 50,000 visitors, the annual Art Gallery Paint-In is back, hosted by the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. Amid music, food, and entertainment, Vancouver Island artists bring Moss Street to life as they share their works with the community.
Islands Folk Festival
July 25 to 27
Hosted by the Cowichan Folk Guild, this annual three-day music festival has been going strong for over four decades at Providence Farm in Duncan. This year’s headliners include indie singer-songwriter Boy Golden, blues-rock duo Wide Mouth Mason, award-winning contemporary roots-and-blues artist Ndidi O, and folk band the Paperboys.
ArtisTREE Festival
ArtisTREE Festival
July 26 and 27
Around 150 artists showcase their works on the lush grounds of Victoria’s historic Government House. Visitors can purchase original creations and enjoy art installations, live performances, local musicians, and food trucks. The festival will also host Indigenous makers and traditional teachings.
Sooke Fine Arts Show
July 26 to August 4
The Sooke Fine Arts Society presents its annual art show, displaying some 370 original works by artists living on B.C.’s coastal islands. Taking place at SEAPARC Recreation Centre, the show also features a Youth Art Gallery for emerging young artists in the region. There will be daily live demonstrations, artist talks, tours, and live music. The on-site bistro will serve coffee, baked goods, snacks, and simple lunches.
Filberg Festival
August 1 to 3
A selection of over a hundred artisans and makers embraces arts and culture alongside musicians at the annual Filberg Festival in Comox. Surrounded by nature at the Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park, visitors can find anything from leather purses and jewellery to cigar-box guitars and paintings. This year’s lineup of performers includes Donovan Woods, Great Lake Swimmers, Dana Sipos, and Desmond Day.
World of Art 2025
August 16 and 17
This two-day art fair celebrates culture, travel, and nature as inspiration for artistic expression, at the Cowichan Community Centre in Duncan. Attendees can expect to see art displays, live music, and performances. O’Brien Irish Dancers, Maple Leaf Ballet, Samuel Kjell Smith, and Fusión Chibcha are just some of the acts reflecting the event’s appreciation for diverse cultural traditions. 
Related Articles
