Celebrate Canada Day - Kelowna
Our Biggest Event of the Year
“Celebrate Canada Day – Kelowna” is an annual, free, community festival held at multiple locations along our lakefront and in the Cultural District. It is produced through collaboration between Festivals Kelowna, Folkfest, the Kelowna City Band, and many other community organizations.
Celebrate Canada Day 2025
Watch this space for the 2025 information.
While you’re here tho, Click the buttons below to view last year’s Canada Day Schedule and Map.
Activities are held from 11 am to 10:30 pm in Waterfront Park to bring residents and visitors together to celebrate our Nation’s birthday through interactive and drop-in activities, food, local artisans, and live performances. With a goal to be inclusive, activities are multi-generational, family-friendly, and designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and tastes.
Canada Day 2025
The Kelowna Canada Day celebration is produced as a community partnership between Festivals Kelowna, Folkfest, the Kelowna City Band, and our many activity partners.
Prospera Place
- Official Celebrate Canada Day Ceremonies, including a “Happy Birthday Canada” cake
- 50th Annual Kelowna Folkfest Celebrations – presenting Canada’s cultural mosaic through culinary experiences and live performances
Waterfront Park
Waterfront Park features the 26th annual “Celebrate Canada Day-Kelowna” including:
- Taste of Canada – a food fair featuring a variety of tasty treats from over 19 different vendors
- Made in Canada Marketplace – an artisan showcase of handmade, Canadian arts and crafts
- Century 21 Family Zone – an all-ages activity area with drop-in games, demos, craft stations, and more!
- Canada Day Bazaar – a marketplace of unique items by local small businesses
- Community Groups Display – information displays by local community organizations
- Canada Day at the Kelowna Art Gallery – drop by the gallery for plenty of Canada Day art fun and activities
- Kiwanis Family Stage – enjoy live musical performances for all ages in our Kid’s Zone area
- TD Beach Stage – the main entertainment stage for our festivities situated on the beach right next to beautful Okanagan Lake featuring a variety of musical genres and styles
- London Drugs Wellness Station – a NEW space to meet your event needs with free sunscreen, health & wellness info, bottled water, and more
Jim Stuart Park
- Valley First Power Stage – a rockin’ good time featuring Kelowna and B.C. based rock performers
Schedule Overview
- Folkfest Stage (Prospera Place) 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Kelowna City Band Canada Day Concert (Arts Common- beside RCA), 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
- Family Zone (Pioneer Gardens, Waterfront Park) 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Parks Alive! Power Stage (Jim Stuart Park – interim location for 2025) 1:30 – 9:30 pm
- Beach Stage (Tugboat Beach) 1:00 – 9:50 pm
- Family Stage (Pioneer Gardens) 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Canada Day Fireworks presented by the City of Kelowna and Festivals Kelowna (10:00 pm)
Admission to the festival is always free, but donations are greatly appreciated and help support the costs of this celebration.
Volunteers with donation bins will be located at the entrances to Waterfront Park and at the entertainment stages.
Your donations help keep the Canada Day Celebrations free and accessible to all.
How can you be a part of this fun community festival?
Need more information?
If you need more information about participating in the event but aren’t sure where you would fit, please call Renata Mills, Executive Director, at 250-868-3326 or our Program Coordinator at 250-868-3307.
As a performer
We feature a variety of artists on our stages across a diversity of styles and genres from Rock to Country, Folk to Jazz, Reggae to Celtic, and more. If you want to be considered please submit a performer application. Note: As much as we’d love to hire everyone who applies, we cannot. However, we hire plenty of performers for our other events so if you don’t mind we’ll keep your application handy.
As an artisan – “Made in Canada Marketplace” - WE ARE ALMOST FULL
This marketplace is for showcasing the artwork of Canadian artisans and their handmade, handcrafted artwork. Note: If you were approved for last year’s event and are not planning to sell new products, simply apply and indicate this on your form. If you are new, your artwork will need to be verified that it is your, original, handmade artwork.
As a small business – “Canada Day Bazaar” - WE ARE NOW FULL!
Are you a small or home-based business looking for a unique way to sell your products in a fun environment and reach new consumers? The “Canada Day Bazaar” provides space for small, retail, and commercial businesses to showcase and sell their products to over 60,000 people in one day for a low fee.
As a non-profit – “Community Group Showcase” - WE WELCOME YOUR PARTICIPATION
Non-profit associations are invited to host a booth in our “Community Area” at Waterfront Park as a fun way to connect with over 60,000 people in one day and share information about the important role they play in our community. A modest fee is charged for your space as a way to support this festival.
Please keep in mind that you are not permitted to sell products or solicit donations from your booth in this area. If you do wish to sell items, please contact Renata Mills, Executive Director, at 250-868-3326 and she would be happy to discuss a vendor option at the festival that would better suit your needs.
As a food vendor – “Taste of Canada” - WE ARE NOW FULL!
Have you got a cool food truck offering tasty treats? We accept applications for food and beverage vendors at the beginning of each year. As there are a limited number of spaces available, spaces are allocated based on such factors as creating a diverse mix of food products, capacity to service large attendance, and prior participation.
As an activity partner – “Family Zone” - WE'D LOVE YOU TO JOIN US!
Do you have an activity that children would enjoy participating in? Face painting, hula hooping, hockey shoot, balloon drop, parachute play, arts & crafts, storytelling – these are examples of the fun and interactive stations groups produce for Canada Day. We welcome organizations to set up an interactive display for free, and in return, we offer the opportunity to share information about their product or services to our festival patrons.
Face painting fun
Canada Day Bazaar
Canada Day drum circle
Lucky Monkey - Power Stage performer
Kelowna City Band and youth
Ladies with Canada flags
Power Stage at Waterfront Park
Dancer Stan Jack
A special thanks
We thank our generous, community-minded sponsors and partners for their investment in the community.
Festival Partners
Funders and Supporters
BCLC
C21 Assurance Realty
Urban Fare
Kelowna Cabs
Shoreline Pile Driving
Telus
