9 of the Top Summer Music Festivals in Vancouver, Coast & Mountains, British Columbia

By Mary Ann Bell

Summer is here which means that music festival season is upon us and the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region has music festivals to suit every musical taste! This summer festival-goers will enjoy everything from jazz and folk music to house music, blues and electronic dance music. And as amazing as the music will be, the locations are equally spectacular. With backdrops of mountains, oceans and rainforest this summer’s music festivals promise to be epic. Here are 9 of our favourites:

FVDED in the Park – Surrey, July 7-8

FVDED in the Park is an all-ages event held in Surrey and featuring world-class EDM (electronic dance music), R&B and hip hop artists, performing across two outdoor stages. Now in it’s third year “in the park”, the event is poised to become Western Canada’s premiere urban music festival. Headliners include The Chainsmokers, Wiz Khalifa, PartyNextDoor, Ty Dolla $ and local DJ Vanic.

Harrison Festival of the Arts. Photo: Harrison Festival Society

Harrison Festival of the Arts, July 8 – 16

The Harrison Festival of the Arts, set in the beautiful lakeside village of Harrison Hot Springs, has quietly built a national and international reputation for excellence. A lively celebration of music, theatre, dance & visual art, the Festival presents music from all corners of the globe, visual and literary arts, theatre, a large outdoor art market, workshops as well as a special day for children, while maintaining a relaxed, small town atmosphere.

Fusion Festival via Discover Surrey

Fusion Festival Surrey, July 22-23

Surrey’s Fusion Festival is the ultimate celebration of music, food and culture. The two-day event features over 70 acts on four stages and over 45 pavilions representing the music, food, traditional clothing and dance of many diverse national backgrounds. And be sure to go hungry, as the food vendors at Fusion Fest are top notch!

Mission Folk Music Festival, July 21 – 23

Mission Folk Music. Credit – Sam Chua – https://flic.kr/p/igNeK

Staged in one of BC’s loveliest parks, overlooking the Fraser River, the Mission Folk Music Festival presents a festival known for a unique blend of global, national and local music, easy-going comfort, affordability and small-town friendliness. To celebrate their 30^th anniversary and Mission’s 125^th birthday, Friday night will be community night and admission will be pay-what-you-can.

Electric Love, July 28 – 31

Touted by the Georgia Straight as one of the top five electronic music festivals to check out this summer, Electric Love promises festival-goers an impressive line-up of local and international artists. Set in the charming Cheam Fishing Village near Chilliwack along the Fraser River, camping is encouraged at this alcohol-free, all ages event.

Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival. Photo: Gord McKenna via Flickr

Burnaby Blues & Roots Festival, August 12

Burnaby Blues + Roots Festival returns, for it’s 18^th year, to Burnaby‘s Deer Lake Park for another family-friendly day filled with amazing music. This year’s line-up includes: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Matt Anderson, Sue Foley, Leroy Stagger, Jesse Roper, Murray Porter, Little Miss Higgins, Jesse Waldman, and Kaya Kurz.

Texada Blues & Roots Festival, July 28 – 30

The Texada Blues & Roots Festival is a two-day music event showcasing local performers who primarily hail from within 100 km of the festival site. Located on beautiful Texada Island, there will be food and craft vendors, a farmers market and a kid’s zone. Highlights include: The Ryder Bachman Band, Ron Campbell & the bLUES bUSTERS, Tina Jones and Andrea Smith.

Sunshine Music Festival via Facebook

Sunshine Music Festival, Powell River, Sep 2 & 3

The Sunshine Music Festival is the perfect way to wrap up a summer of awesome music festivals. Enjoy a celebration of music from across Canada, and the world, in the relaxed atmosphere of Powell River. Organizers take pride in maintaining an intimate concert experience with world-class performances on a picturesque beach forest on Powell River’s waterfront. The 2017 line-up includes: Dawn Pemberton, En Karma, Roots Roundup, Sophia Danai and Khari Wendell Mcclellan.

Whistler Concert Series – July – September

This free  – yes free – evening concert series is held in the Whistler Olympic Plaza and while not technically a music festival, it delivers an incredible line-up of musical talent all summer long.

Published: June 27, 2017
Last Updated: May 27, 2020

About the Author

As a tourism marketer and community manager for some of British Columbia’s most spectacular destinations, Mary Ann Bell spends her days writing, tweeting and posting! When she’s not online, Mary Ann can be found exploring Vancouver’s North Shore trails with her family and her camera, and trying new restaurants in the hunt for the best taco in Metro Vancouver.