EVENTS
Richmond Celebrates Soccer
The City of Richmond and Tourism Richmond present Richmond Celebrates Soccer, a series of free community events welcoming the FIFA World Cup 2026™. Events include watch parties, family-friendly celebrations, live music, public barbecues, soccer activities for all ages, and community performances. Festivities begin June 12 at the Richmond Olympic Oval and conclude in July with a closing celebration at Aberdeen Neighbourhood Park.
(Various venues across the City of Richmond, June 12–July 19)
Hope Meets Action: Echoes Through the Black Continuum
Created by the BC Black History Awareness Society (BCBHAS) in partnership with the Royal BC Museum (RBCM), Hope Meets Action: Echoes Through the Black Continuum highlights the contributions of BC’s Black leaders across the centuries. The exhibition follows the seldom-told stories of Black people such as Sylvia Stark, who was born an enslaved person in Missouri, taught herself to read by secretly listening to her master’s children’s lessons, and eventually became a pillar of the Black pioneer community on Salt Spring Island. Her daughter Emma Stark would later become the first Black teacher on Vancouver Island. In addition, exhibition panels use artwork by young Black artists speaking to the history of the Hogan’s Alley community in Vancouver, BC.
(Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, BC V6J 3J9, Jun. 14, 2026, to Sep. 13, 2026)
Connection Salon: Mad Pride Festival
The Connection Salon Artists Collective presents Mad Pride Festival this summer from June 25 to July 25, 2026, at the Gathering Place Community Centre. The free event features a diverse line-up of visual artists, stand-up comics, theatre actors, musicians, poets, and more, all in celebration of art-making by people who identify as living with mental illness, psychiatric disabilities, or “madness.” The festival aims to reclaim the term “mad” while celebrating neurodiversity and challenging psychiatric stigma. Programming includes an all-Indigenous Mad Arts Coffee House on June 25 featuring artists like Joseph Dandurand, Trevor Jang, and Randy Tait; an evening of Stand Up for Mental Health led by David Granirer; a double-bill film screening at the Cinematheque titled Desiring Bodies; a visual arts exhibition Gifts of Madness; and more engaging events culminating in a Mad Pride Parade and Cabaret to close out the festival. Visit connectionsalon.ca for the full festival program. Admission to all events is free.
(Gathering Place Community Centre, 609 Helmcken St., Vancouver BC V6B 5S4, Jun. 25 – Jul. 25, 2026)
River of Migration
On the first Sunday of July and August, you are invited to drop in and explore Becoming: The Art of Gu Xiong and contribute to the evolving installation, A River of Migration. Visitors can add their own “shipping label” to a growing participatory artwork by Gu Xiong. Inspired by Canadian Pacific shipping labels that once tracked the movement of people and goods across long distances, these labels become spaces for reflection. Share a message, memory, drawing, hope for the future, or story about your journey to Vancouver. Tickets are part of PWYC Sunday. Artist and curator on-site: noon - 3:00 PM.
(Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver, BC V6J 3J9, Sunday, Jul. 5, 2026 and Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
Indian Summer Festival: 16th Annual Celebration of South Asian Arts
Indian Summer Festival presents its 16th annual celebration of South Asian arts with a lineup of evocative mixed programming, including comedy, live music, theatre, literature, and interdisciplinary exchange, from July 9–19, 2026, at various venues across Vancouver, Burnaby, and Surrey. The festival's 2026 theme, Ragas for a Ruptured World, is a call to artistic expression, creative defiance, and collective meaning in an increasingly fractured world. The program features more than 90 Canadian and international artists, including Sri Lankan comedian Vidura Bandara Rajapaksa, acclaimed singer-songwriter Rashmeet Kaur, and filmmaker Julian Brave NoiseCat, co-director of the Academy Award–nominated documentary Sugarcane. Festival-goers can also enjoy free performances, exhibitions, and community events, including a performance from Gong Library, video works by Farheen Haq, and the festival's closing celebration—Rishta, an evening of poetry and live music. For tickets and full programming details, visit indiansummerfest.ca.
(Various venues across Vancouver, Burnaby, & Surrey, Jul. 9–19, 2026)
Press Start: A Vancouver Game History Pop-Up
Did you know that Vancouver played a role in Nintendo establishing their North American headquarters? Or that one of the top manufacturers of video game controllers during the late '80s and early '90s was located right in Burnaby? The Canadian Video Game Museum (CVGM) is partnering with the Museum of Vancouver (MOV) to open a temporary exhibition called Press Start: A Vancouver Game History Pop-Up, opening July 9, 2026 and running until Fall 2026. Press Start explores Vancouver’s many contributions to gaming, from mobile games like Marvel Contest of Champions to big-budget blockbusters from publishers like Electronic Arts and Microsoft to award-winning indie games like Celeste and Darkest Dungeon and includes the chance to get hands-on with retro gaming hardware with made-in-Vancouver connections. To showcase these made-in-Vancouver stories, the pop-up will include vintage video game systems, playable arcade cabinets, game demos, and interactive glimpses into the game development process.
“Starting research for this project began all the way back in 2016, beginning with a database of game companies that have existed in Vancouver, later expanding to include all of BC. Over time, this concept evolved, recognizing a need for a physical entity to spread awareness and education around game development and Canada's role in the game industry.” —Ryan Dunnison, Executive Director and founder of the CVGM
For decades, Vancouver has been a global hub for video game development. The MOV is excited to partner with CVGM to share stories of how our community has helped to shape this half-trillion-dollar global industry. The gaming industry in particular is born out of Vancouver’s unique crossover of people in film, VFX, and games. Press Start will spotlight, celebrate, and document the people, stories, and games that make up the city’s ever-changing video game landscape.
“The Museum of Vancouver exists to share Vancouver’s stories, and the people who’ve built Vancouver’s video game industry have made an indelible mark on global storytelling. We are excited to provide a platform to an emerging museum focused on video games and the people who make them.” —Ryan Hunt, CEO of MOV
(Museum of Vancouver, 1100 Chestnut St, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Jul. 9, 2026 - Fall 2026 (Every Thursday-Sunday))
Richmond Celebrates Soccer: Signature Closing Event
The City of Richmond, Tourism Richmond, and the Richmond Hotel Association are proud to present Richmond Celebrates Soccer, a series of free community events that honour the historic arrival of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and the spirit of sport, play, and culture in the city. Closing out the six-week program is the upcoming Signature Closing Event on July 19 at Aberdeen Neighbourhood Park. Come out with family and friends to enjoy live music by Uncle Strut, circus performers and stilt soccer, and DIY crafts for all ages. Last but not least, don’t miss the live watch party for the tournament’s finale and experience the excitement as this year’s winning team is crowned. Admission to the event is free and open to the public. Full details and schedule are available at richmondcelebratessoccer.ca.
(Aberdeen Neighbourhood Park, 8331 Cambie Rd., Richmond, BC V6X 1J8, Jul. 19, 2026)
Fostering Connection Through Difficult Histories
Museums and heritage organizations often face a shared challenge: how do we help people connect with difficult histories they have not lived through themselves? This webinar explores practical ways to engage contemporary audiences with histories that may feel distant, complex, or emotionally challenging. Drawing on current Canadian research on Holocaust education, alongside community heritage work in Victoria’s Chinatown, the session uses place attachment as a practical way to think about how museums and heritage organizations build meaningful connections between people, place, and historical memory. Speakers will discuss approaches that strengthen visitor engagement and help make difficult histories relevant without oversimplifying them. Participants will leave with inspiration for designing programs and interpretive strategies that honour complexity, foster connection, and support thoughtful learning in museum and heritage settings. Presenters: Dr. Ann-Kathrin McLean, Assistant Professor, Royal Roads University; Ching Hei Cheung (Chris), Program Associate, Royal Roads University; Linda Tzang, Associate Director, Victoria Chinatown Museum.
(Heritage BC, Online, Jul. 30, 2026, 12 PM - 1 PM)
National Geographic Live: Wild Cats Revealed with Sandesh Kadur
Discover India’s wonderful world of wild cats with BAFTA-winning filmmaker Sandesh Kadur!
(Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 6265 Crescent Rd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Nov. 18, 2026, 7:30 PM)
National Geographic Live: Earth After Dark with Babak Tafreshi
From the Milky Way to meteor showers to fireflies that emerge at dusk on neighbourhood streets, our eyes open a little wider at the stunning photos and videos of National Geographic Explorer Babak Tafreshi. He has spent his career documenting wildlife, humanity, and the cosmos—from dark national parks to bright urban areas—with the belief that people everywhere can connect through the shared experience of simply looking up.
(Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 6265 Crescent Rd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Jan. 20, 2027, 7:30 PM)
An Evening with Chani Nicholas
Join us for an evening with B.C. native Chani Nicholas, who has redefined astrology for a generation seeking clarity, connection, and collective care.
(Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, 6265 Crescent Rd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Feb. 11, 2027, 7:30 PM)
