Best April events in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley

April in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley provides great opportunities to view incredible cherry blossoms, spring flowers, tulips, cultural performances and so much more. There are lots of fun-filled, family events for young and old to explore and to learn about making a impactful difference to our planet with Earth Day awareness events on April 20.

If you are planning a trip to explore some of the most incredible spots in Vancouver and the rest of B.C., don’t miss our suggestions to discover more.

Top 10 day trips from Vancouver you will want to explore, Discover 10 Best B.C. Provincial Parks Near Vancouver and Top things to do Sea to Sky Highway, one of the most scenic drives in North America.

Vancouver April Events and Festivals

Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival – Now to April 25, 2024

The Cherry Blossom Festival takes place all over Vancouver with a variety of events across the city, from Tree Talks and Walks to Bike the Blossoms. Find out more.

April is the best time to see cherry blossoms in Vancouver. Photo: Wendy Nordvik-Carr©

Food Truck Festival at UBC – April 4-5, 2024: 11 am to 7 pm

Get ready for two days of food and fun at this festival, which includes more than 20 food trucks, local entertainment and an artisan market. Gate admission is free, but you still need a ticket.

Location: UBC Commons, in front of AMS Nest

The Glamorama Gala – Vancouver International Burlesque Festival – April 5, 2024

North American burlesque artists will be celebrating the dynamic spectrum of sexuality and gender expression through comedy, drag, and sensual striptease. Be entranced by royal headliners, Red Tongued Raven, Moscato Sky and others. Adults only 19+.

Location: Vancouver Playhouse

Cherry Blossom Festival and Sakura Days Japan Fair at VanDusen Botanical Gardens – April 13-14, 2024

Celebrate Japanese arts and culture at the Sakura Days Japan Fair. The fair and festival include lots of interesting and fun outdoor and indoor experiences, including everything from taiko drumming to theatre performances, and woodworking demonstrations to sake sampling. As well, visitors can learn popular Japanese games, participate in traditional tea ceremonies, sample Japanese food, and enjoy the renewed Japanese Garden display. Tickets must be purchased in advance online. Find more information here.
Location: VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak St., Vancouver

BC Distilled Festival – April 13, 2024

The 8th annual BC Distilled Festival features 44 artisan distilleries from British Columbia and is the largest event of its kind in Canada. This year the event is being held at a new venue, the Italian Cultural Centre. Get tickets here.

The Science of Cocktails – Science World – April 11, 2024

Experience Canada’s largest cocktail laboratory under the dome of Science World. Come indulge in tasty food samples created by local Vancouver restaurants and caterers, along with tempting libations designed by some of the most talented bartenders. Be sure to explore the galleries and science shows while there.

This is Science World’s fundraiser to support students, teachers, and families across BC with free access to the exhibits offered.

Chor Leoni -Big Roar Choral Summit – April 13, 2024

Chor Leoni celebrates the human voice with two performance during the Big Roar Summit.

For 30 years, JUNO-nominated Chor Leoni has provided the gift of song and is recognized internationally as one of the vanguard choirs in North America.

Harmonia – April 11, 2024 – This eight member choir performs to highlight the power of a cappella voice.

Big Roar Festival – April 13, 2024

Formerly known as the “Men’s Choir,” Big Roar is the gender-neutral name change.

Location: St. Andrew’s-Wesley United, 1022 Nelson Street, Vancouver.

Monsters of the Abyss – Vancouver Aquarium – Until September 2, 2024

Discover Monsters of the Abyss, an all-new interactive exhibit, where today’s most famous and feared aquatic predators clash with their prehistoric ancestors! Come face-to-face with some of the “monsters” still roaming today’s oceans, rivers and lakes in new, live habitats. Feast your eyes on supersize sculptures, marvel at the massive jaws of a Meglodon and more!

Be sure to book your tickets online.

Vaisakhi Parade – April 13, 2024

Vancouver’s annual colourful Vaisakhi Parade, known as Nagar Kirtan, starts at the temple and will follow the traditional route along parts of Main Street and Fraser, on Saturday April 13th. (note the Surrey Vaisakhi is held the following week on April 20, 2024)

Here is a map of the route.

From traditional Indian foods and sweets to more mainstream food, parade goers are treated to a wide range of delicious offerings.

Sasha Velour – The Big Reveal: Why Drag Matters – April 18, 2024

RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Sasha Velour provides a unique perspective in her talk, “The Big Reveal: Why Drag Matters.”

Velour examines the crisscrossing of pop politics and pop culture, explores the roots of drag, its historical significance in queer culture, and its evolution into a politically-charged art form that delights and disrupts.“Drag embodies the queer possibility that exists within each of us,” Velour states, “the infinite ways in which gender, good taste, and art can be lived.”

Presented by the UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs in partnership with the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, the 2024 Phil Lind Initiative Speaker Series. Tickets are free, but registration is required.

Celebrate Earth Day at Trout Lake – April 20, 2024

Fun for the whole family. Celebrate Earth Day at Trout Lake Community Centre by learning how to be better stewards of our environment. Play games, make crafts, take part in a nature hunt, join a workshop, or just educate yourself by visiting informational booths. Registration required.

Femme Festival – various dates in April

The Cultch’s seventh annual Femme Festival celebrates female-identifying voices and experiences.  This event uses an inclusive definition of femme and includes all self-identifying female, trans, and non-binary folks.

Whisky and Words – April 26, 2024

Support the year-round programs of the Vancouver Writers Festival by attending the 22nd Annual Whisky & Words fundraiser. Sample unlimited tastings from top whisky distilleries across Vancouver and the world, featuring the finest spirits from Scotland, Canada, Japan, and more. Enjoy local tastings and live music.

Vancouver Opera’s Carmen – April 27 – May 5, 2024

One of the most adored and widely performed works in operatic history, Georges Bizet’s Carmen closes out Vancouver Opera successful 2023-2024 season.

A story about rebellious love and passion in conflicting worlds, the performance updates its original setting from late-1800s southern Spain to an unnamed, pan-Latin city in the mid-1950s, where mounting political tensions and romantic desires match the scorching midsummer temperatures. Eye-catching, but peeling billboards, bustling town squares and dive cafés, and costumes that range from proletariat denim to opulent bullfighting regalia, give a vivid but distressed texture to this timeless tale of class division and teeming emotion. Ticket are likely to sell out. Find out more.

A Series of Concerts by Candlelight, now until December 31, 2024

Enjoy a series of live concerts illuminated by candlelight in a variety of locations throughout Vancouver. “Swifties” will be excited to know this annual live-concert series launches with a tribute to Taylor Swift until April 25.

To find out more or to book tickets, visit Concert by Candlelight.

Burnaby Events and Festivals

Burnaby Farmers Market – May through the end of October, 2024

Shop for an assortment of BC crafts, farm-fresh produce, and delicious baked foods, while listening to live music. The market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., May through the end of October.

Location: Burnaby City Hall near Deer Lake

North Vancouver and West Vancouver April Festivals and Events

Brewhalla Beer and Music Festival – April 19, 2024: 5-10 p.m.

Brewella takes place at the Shipyards in North Vancouver and features more than 25 craft beverage makers, including beer, wine, cider, zero-alcohol options, and spirits, along with great local music. Get tickets here.

Earth Day at Moodyville Park – April 20, 2024

Come rain or shine for this family-friendly event to celebrate Earth Day. Help with the invasive plant pull, stop by the educational booths, and enjoy activities hosted by local environmental and other organizations. The event is located in the main grass area, east of the playground.

Earth Day Ambleside Beach Clean Up – April 20, 2024: 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Help make a difference to our environment by pitching in to clean up Ambleside Beach and shoreline. Learn about the impact pollution plastics have on our oceans and rivers through games and interactive displays, and track your waste collection.

Bring your own resusable gloves, buckets and bags. Bring a mug for hot drinks.

This clean up is organized by WV Positive Voices, in partnership with Ocean Ambassadors Canada and Hollyburn Sailing Club.

Ambleside Farmers Market – Until the end of October, 2024

Shop the Ambleside Farmers Market for an assortment of BC crafts, farm-fresh produce and delicious prepared foods. The market is open from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Sundays at Ambleside Park.

New Westminster April Festivals and Events

Curtains and Corks – April 21, 2024

Curtains and Corks is a wine and cheese tasting event held at the Massey Theatre. There will be 14 white, red and sparkling wines from four BC wineries: CedarCreek, Liquidity, Mission Hill, and Road 13. Winery representatives will present stories about the wines and the wineries.

Tickets include a individual sized platter of artisanal cheese from Les Amis du Fromage, and a sweet and sparkling finish with dessert from Le Chalet Patisserie.

Mary Poppins The Broadway Musical – April 25-May 12, 2024

The Royal City Musical Theatre presents the delightful story of the magical nanny, Mary Poppins. It is a timeless classic and a longtime favourite of many. The enchanting heartwarming tale is a brilliant display of family strength, kindness, love and power of imagination in a world of whimsy.

The musical features a memorable soundtrack with songs like “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” and “Feed the Birds.”

Performances are at the Massey Theatre.

Coquitlam April Festivals and Events

Coquitlam Block Party – Greater Vancouver Food Truck Festival – April 27-26, 2024

Two days of food and fun with more than 20 food trucks, local beers, local musicians, and artisan market. Gate admission is free, but you still need a ticket.
Location: Coquitlam Town Centre

Surrey April Festivals and Events

Vaisakhi Parade – April 20, 2024

Surrey’s annual Vaisakhi Parade is the largest of it kind in the world. Sikh communities world-wide considered Vaisakhi one of their most important festivals of the year. Approximately 500,000 people are expected to attend the Surrey celebration.

The parade begins at the Gurdwara Dashmesh Darbar Temple located at 12885 85th Avenue. Here is a map.

From traditional Indian foods and sweets to more mainstream food, parade-goers are treated to a wide range of delicious offerings.

Party for the Planet Celebrates Earth Day – April 27, 2024

This annual Earth Day event in Surrey is billed as the largest celebration of its kind in B.C. The free party includes a sustainable marketplace, live music, dance battles and environmental workshops, featuring Indigenous education. There will be a plant sale and food trucks. Find out more.
Location: Surrey Civic Centre

Langley April Festivals and Events

Food Truck War – April 19-21, 2024

Two days of food and fun with more than 45 food trucks, local beers, talented local musicians and artisan market. Gate admission is free, but you still need a ticket. Location: UPC Langley Campus, 20901 Langley Bypass

Abbotsford April Festivals and Events

Bradner Hall Daffodil Flower Show – April 12-14, 2024

View hundreds of daffodils on display at this annual event, which has been ongoing since 1929. There will be arts, crafts, gardening ideas, and talks by gardening experts. Proceeds from cut flower sales will be donated to Abbotsford Hospital.
Location: Bradner Hall, 5305 Bradner Road, Abbotsford, B.C.

Legally Blonde The Musical – April 19-21 and 25-27, 2024

Legally Blonde The Musical follows a sorority girl who pursues law school to win back her ex-boyfriend, but ultimately discovers her own strength, intelligence, and determination. Location: Abbotsford Art Centre.

Ripples Winery and New Wave Distilling Spring Cocktail Crawl – April 26 and 27, 2024

The cocktail crawl at Ripples Winery features five taster cocktails and five appetizers during the event. With 12 pairing stations to vist, attendees will have a wide array of options to select from, promising a truly delightful experience. Entertainment each night is included in the ticket price. Location: 3387 Tolmie Road, Abbotsford

Abbotsford Tulip Festival by Lakeland Flowers – April, 2024

Lakeland Flowers presents the largest tulip display in Canada. There are 27 acres of more than 70 varieties of millions of tulips, blooming in all different colours, shapes, and sizes. Take a walk along five kilometres of pathways lined with tulips. Bring a picnic to enjoy. On select weekends, there are food truck and music.  Before planning your visit, check the field report. Lakeland offers six months of flower festivals and tickets and season passes are available now.

There is free onsite parking and the fields are open from early bird hours starting 6 am until dusk. Location: 3663 Marion Rd, Abbotsford.

Chilliwack April Events

The Harrison Tulip Festival – April 8 until May 5, 2024

The Harrison Tulip Festival takes place April 8 until May 5, 2024. There are 10 million bulbs planted on 35 acres. There are 50 different kinds of tulips to admire, along with more then 15 varieties of double daffodils, as well as dozens of different types of hyacinths. We highly recommend purchasing tickets in advance. Online tickets sell out fast and if the parking is full, online ticket holders have priority.

Location: 5039 Lougheed Hwy, Agassiz.

Harrison Tulip Festival is one of the best spring events in Metro Vancouver. Courtesy photo.

Step Back in Time – Rowena’s Inn on the River – April 20, 2024

The seasonally-focused Step Back in Time dinner is set in 1920s ambiance of the Upper and Lower Drawing room at Rowena’s Inn on the River April 20, at 5:30 p.m.  Enjoy an elegant evening of gourmet dining with views of mountains and river.
Rowena’s Inn on the River is a Gatsby-esque manor at Sandpiper Resort, Harrison Mills. The manor was eventually converted into a boutique inn on a secluded 160-acre waterfront estate.

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