Summer in Vancouver is characterized with warm, sunny days with blue clear skies. Uninterrupted views of the North Shore mountains and lots and lots of outdoor festivals. Many head to beach to soak up the rays and splash in the cool waters. Others hide out in the mountains, hiking the trails and enjoying nature. However, it is these three activities in the summer that are standouts for me and they are the essences of summer in Vancouver.
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Celebration of Lights
For as long as I can remember, I had always looked forward to the Celebration of Lights. Performances of fireworks spread over two weeks, bringing together teams from around the world to compete. I went every year, ready to be wowed by the spectacular sight.
Crowds pack themselves on to English Bay Beach and Kitsilano Beach. The smart ones, watch from a boat in the bay, which I was lucky enough to do one year. When the sun sets, the skies come alive. The whole production is set to music so bringing a radio is a must.
In recent years, between my travels and my growing aversion to large (drunken) crowds I haven’t gone to watch the fiery displays. Perhaps this is the year I venture back down and experience this night time spectacular.
Bard on the Beach
A long time ago, I was dating a guy who really enjoyed the works of Shakespeare. I wasn’t as enamoured with the Bard, but went along with his interest. Summertime meant going down to Vanier park and taking in a production or two at Bard on the Beach.
Picture a fascinating tale of love, drama and sometimes sorrow, set against the backdrop that is beautiful Vancouver. As the sun drops, the atmosphere increases and under the red and white striped tents in Vanier Park, the Bard’s works come to life.
This year, Bard on the Beach is celebrating its 25th year. They’re #3 on the list of things to do in Vancouver on TripAdvisor and were recently named one of the top 10 Shakespearean festivals for travellers by Lonely Planet. I had the pleasure of watching A Midsummer Night’s Dream last night and it was incredible (full post coming soon!). It is a must do if you’re in Vancouver during the summer months.
Richmond Night Market
Night markets are a dime a dozen in most Asian cities and they’re starting to pop up more and more in Vancouver as well. There are a few around, but my favourite one and the one I go to most often is the Richmond Night Market. You go for the delicious food stalls, but you leave with cute socks and stationery from Korea and random knick knacks that you didn’t know you wanted nor needed.
The crowds are massive and often the lines long, but once you start browsing the food stalls and trying to decide what you want to eat, it all melts away. The great thing about the night market is that you can mostly see what you’re about to eat. If you’re curious about a particular dish, this is the place to try it. Be warned, it get’s very tightly packed and cash only.
How do you know it’s summer in your city? What is an iconic activity to do during the warm months?
Photos: 1 Jon Rawlinson // 2 Kenny Louie // 4 Mandy J
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I have always heard that Vancouver is a vibrant city and these photos/post certainly reflect that
Awesome, we are currently living in Bonn Germany and we have the same notice of summer with a big festival and fireworks – and that is how we know summer is here in Germany! Very fun and love to visit the markets in Asia, I think it is great that they are starting to take hold in North America I love them! Thank you for sharing!
Awesome! Festivals and fireworks are great in the summer.
The Celebration of Lights sounds fuuuun… 2 whole weeks of fireworks, wow! However, large crowds usually deter me from going somewhere as well.
Great photos of the fireworks – I had no idea fireworks teams existed! I’d love to see that. Summer in Vancouver sounds like a lot of fun 🙂
Those fireworks look spectacular… but you’d find me at the markets. No doubt about it.
The fireworks look spectacular, but I imagine 2 weeks of them might get a little old, especially if you have a nervous dog (ex-vet tech, so that’s the first thing I think of lol). I love signs of summer, though. 🙂
We have lots of fireworks festivals on the Côte d’Azur in summer too and they’re great, but I’d absolutely love to be able to see some outdoor Shakespeare. That would be perfect for me. #SundayTraveler
The celebration of lights looks amazing! Watching fireworks from a boat or along the waterfront is definitely the way to go. I always love how the light reflects off the water.
Agreed, the Celebration of Lights and Richmond Night Market look like the ingredients for a great Summers’ Night. 🙂
Two weeks of fireworks sounds amazing!
Here in Hamburg you know it’s summer when the Hamburger Dom is open for summer! & also everybody is lying on the grass eating an ice cream cone and catching some sun! awesome posts, props to the photographers!
Lying on the grass with ice cream cones sounds like the best way to spend summer. What’s inside to the Hamburger Dom?
it’s like a carnival.. they reopen it every season, but with the season name.. “sommerdom, winterdom”, etc… we haven’t visited it yet though, hopefully we get to visit it soon!
Oh cool! Sounds like it could be a lot of fun 🙂
2 weeks of fireworks sound fun. I guess drunkin crowds annoy me to, but perhaps if you find a good location..
I haven’t heard of any of these events, and they all sound like so much fun. I would really like to see the Celebration of Lights. On a boat seems like a good way to escape the drunken crowds. Your first photo of it is terrific.
…The Celebration of Lights looks magnificent–and who wouldn’t enjoy Shakespeare in tents???…
When does “The Celebration of Lights” end? We are heading to Vancouver next week and I would love to see this.
Hey Carmen – the next two celebration of lights shows are on July 30 and Aug 2. Hope you’re in town in time!
The fireworks look spectacular, and the night markets must be awesome … I am also averse to large (often rowdy) drunken crowds.
You keep making me want to go to Vancouver! I like the idea of a night market – I’ve never heard of one.
Bard on the Beach reminds me of Shakespeare in the Park in NYC. I’d love to check that out. In my old home, Washington D.C., summer festivals to look out for are the National Book Festival and the National Capital Barbecue Battle, just to name a couple of many awesome festivals there. 🙂
Thanks for the suggestions! I’ll have to check out Shakespeare in the Park the next time I’m in NYC.
Have never been to Canada or Vancouver. I would love to visit Canada in the winter and going skiing, it is on my bucket list, but it looks great in summertime too! That firework festival looks like great fun, and that night night market too. I love the night markets in Asia.
Sounds like a good place to be in the summer.
I love the idea of a night market. We have lots on markets here in Poznan, but only the florists booths remain open in the evening.
I love the markets of Europe! I guess it’s just a different way approaching markets compared to the ones in Asia. It would be cool to introduce the idea of night markets in Poland!
Wow I really have to visit! You’ve got a gorgeous harbour in Vancouver!
Yes yes come for a visit! 🙂
I have always heart good things about Vancouver.. Love your pictures