Photo via @celeboflight / Instagram
Get ready for an exciting weekend filled with dazzling fireworks, a hot sauce festival, a block party, and much more. Here are 10 of the best things to do in and around Vancouver this weekend (July 25-27).
Every year, the Early Music Festival invites audiences of all musical backgrounds to discover the beauty and artistry of the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque eras. This year’s theme explores the connection between music, nature, and the soul via “BACH & MOZART: In Endless Ascent,” taking place across multiple Vancouver venues from this Saturday through Aug. 8, 2025.
Festival highlights include an ensemble of over 50 established and emerging international and Canadian talent, including a solo show by keyboardist and Pacific Baroque Orchestra director Alexander Weimann, Montreal-based baroque dance company Les Jardins Chorégraphiques, and much more.
When: Saturday, July 26 to Aug. 8, 2025
Time: Varies per show
Where: Participating Vancouver venues
Cost: Varies per show
It’s the grand finale of the Honda Celebration of Light this weekend, which will be presented by Team Nova Scotia on Saturday, July 26, 2025. So get ready for an explosive evening surrounded by fellow Vancouverites, no matter which beach you decide to view them from.
When: Saturday, July 26, 2025
Time: Fireworks at 10:15 p.m.
Where: English Bay
Cost: Free admission
Every year, the iconic park throws a free beer and music festival that epitomizes its name. Picture picnic blankets sprawled across the grass, lawn chairs to lounge in, live music, and food and drink vendors galore.
This year, food and drink vendors include Main Street Brewing, Brassneck, Steamworks, The Pleasant, Carp Sushi, and AJ’s Pizza.
When: Saturday, July 26, 2025
Time: 1 to 7 p.m.
Where: 2390 Brunswick St.
Cost: Free admission
Vancouver’s Hot Sauce Festival is a celebration for, you guessed it, major spice lovers, featuring local chefs, DJs, bartenders, and an all-ages event followed by a 19+ DJ dance party.
When: Saturday, July 26, 2025
Time: 2 to 10 p.m.
Where: 250 West 3rd Ave.
Cost: Free admission
From noon until 6 p.m., the 100 Block of East 11th Ave. will come alive with live music, food, drinks, family activities, and locally grown flowers, and it’s all free to access. Peruse vintage vendors, enjoy live DJ sets, and take the kids to get their faces painted.
When: Sunday, July 27, 2025
Time: Noon to 6 p.m.
Where: 100 Block East 11th Ave.
Cost: Free admission
This week, the Whitecaps are up against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, July 26, 2025.
When: Wednesday, July 9, and Saturday, July 26, 2025
Time: 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Where: 777 Pacific Blvd.
Cost: $23.23 to $32+
The Malkin Bowl at Stanley Park has transformed into a magical summertime destination for this year’s Theatre Under the Stars program, which weaves Stanley Park’s beautiful surroundings with the stories of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Legally Blonde from June 27, 2025, to Aug. 16, 2025, with performances alternating every evening in between.
When: Friday, June 27 to Aug. 16, 2025
Time: Varies per show
Where: 610 Pipeline Rd.
Cost: $35 to $69
The 2025 Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival is in full swing, and you can check out one of four iconic productions: Much Ado About Nothing, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again], and The Dark Lady.
When: Tuesday, June 10, 2025, to Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Where: 1695 Whyte Ave.
Cost: $35 to $88 per person
Gastown Sunday Set is a car-free series that’s transformed the cobblestone streets of Gastown into a pedestrian haven. For 12 consecutive Sundays this summer, there will be a variety of open-air parties, concerts, and live events to check out.
When: Every Sunday until Aug. 31, 2025
Time: Varies per event
Where: Water Street in Gastown
Cost: Free admission
Cheer on the Vancouver Canadians at the Nat all weekend long as they face off against the Eugene Emeralds. Saturday’s game will have a special fireworks display!
When: Games from Friday, July 25 to Sunday, July 27, 2025
Time: 1:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m., depending on the day
Where: 4601 Ontario St.
Cost: $22+
Presented by Presentation House Theatre, World Ender is a musical exploring various publicly derived answers to one question: “How would the world end for you?” The show includes vignettes of songs and stories exploring themes such as global warming, existentialism, and the human condition.
When: Thursday, July 24 to Saturday, July 26, 2025
Time: 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Where: 333 Chesterfield Ave., North Vancouver
Cost: $15 to $20 per person
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