Biggest Metro Vancouver festivals and cultural events zt

http://www.biv.com/article/20130514/BIV050106/130519984/-1/BIV/biggest-metro-vancouver-festivals-and-cultural-events

Ranked by attendance at most recent event

Rank '13	Event Website	Event host Phone	Venue(s)	Date of most recent event	Next event date	Attendance: most recent/ previous
1	Celebration of Light www.vancouverfireworks.ca	International offshore fireworks competition	English Bay	July 28, August 1, 4, 2012	July 27, 31, August 3, 2013	1,000,000 1,000,000
2	The Fair at the PNE www.pne.ca	The 17-day fair at the PNE is the largest annual ticketed event in B.C. The Fair, which began in 1910, includes over 700 shows, exhibits, events and attractions that are free with admission. It is an agricultural and entertainment showcase of British Columbia.	PNE Fairgrounds	August 16 - September 1, 2012	August 17-September 2, 2013	763,689 803,598
3	Vancouver Pride Parade and Festival www.vancouverpride.ca	Annual gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender celebration that has over 140 parade entries	Downtown Vancouver	August 5, 2012	August 1, 2013	640,000 640,000
4	TD Vancouver International Jazz Festival www.vanjazzfest.ca	Internationally acclaimed music and arts festival featuring the full spectrum of jazz, blues, funk, world, and electronica dance music; 300 concerts and 35 indoor and outdoor venues; 150 free concerts	Various indoor and outdoor venues in Vancouver	June 22 - July 1, 2012	June 21 - July 1, 2013	560,000 520,000
5	Canada Day at Canada Place www.canadaplace.ca/canadaday	Canada day celebration	Canada Place	July 1, 2012	July 1, 2013	250,000 200,000
6	CelticFest Vancouver www.celticfestvancouver.com	Western Canada's biggest annual Celtic festival	Various venues in downtown Vancouver and the Village on False Creek	March 9 - 17, 2013	March 8 - 16, 2013	200,000 200,000
7	Surrey Vaisakhi Parade www.surreyvaisakhiparade.ca	A parade celebrating Vaisakhi, one of the most important festivals in the Sikh calendar	Gurdwara Dashmesh Darbar Temple	April 20, 2013	2014	200,000 NP
8	Vancouver International Film Festival www.viff.org	International film festival	Various venues in Vancouver	September 27 - October 12, 2012	September 26 - October 11, 2013	142,000 152,000
9	Surrey Canada Day www.surrey.ca/canadaday	Canada Day celebration with free concerts, family activities and fireworks	Cloverdale Millennium Amphitheatre	July 1, 2012	July 1, 2013	110,000 110,000
10	Rio Tinto Alcan Dragon Boat Festival www.dragonboatbc.ca	Live world music, dragon boat racing, food from around the world, activities for kids, marketplace and more	False Creek and Creekside Community Centre	June 15 - 17, 2012	June 21 - 23, 2013	100,000 100,000
10	Surrey Fusion Festival www.surrey.ca/fusionfestival	Multicultural festival of food, culture and entertainment	Holland Park	July 2012	July 20-21, 2013	100,000 100,000
12	Festival of Lights at VanDusen Botanical Garden www.vandusengarden.org	Annual light display with 1.4 million lights, Dancing Lights on the Lake, Gingerbread Wood, make-a-Wish Candle Shrine, Santa's Living Room, Gold Chain Walk and more	VanDusen Botanical Garden	Dec. 6, 2012 - Jan. 1, 2013	December 2013	93,000 92,000
13	Dine Out Vancouver Festival www.dineoutvancouver.com	Canada's largest restaurant festival over 17 days featuring restaurant meals, culinary themed experiences and hotel package deals	Various restaurants in Metro Vancouver	January 18 - February 3, 2013	January 17 - February 2, 2014	87,000 70,000
14	Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival www.bardonthebeach.org	Annual Shakespeare festival staging four professional productions in open-backed theatre tents	Theatre tents in Vanier Park	Summer 2012	June 12 - September 14, 2013	86,000 84,000
15	Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair www.cloverdalerodeo.com	The country fair features family-friendly entertainment and activities, while the Cloverdale Rodeo offers up world-class rodeo action and the second-largest payout in Canada	Cloverdale Rodeo and Exhibition Fair Grounds	May 16 - 20, 2012	May 17 - 20, 2013	74,000 77,000
16	Fort Langley Cranberry Festival www.fortlangley.com	Cranberry festival - cranberry sales, artisan, produce and marketplace, entertainment stage, events and annual regatta	Fort Langley	October 6, 2012	October 12, 2013	65,000 40,000
17	Coquitlam Celebrates Canada Day www.coquitlam.ca/canadaday	Canada Day celebration with live music and entertainment, fireworks, free arts activities, food from around the world, canoe rides on the lake, roving entertainment, free bike valet, interactive workshops, and more	Lafarge Lake and Evergreen Cultural Centre	July 1, 2012	July 1, 2013	60,000 50,000
18	Caribbean Days Festival www.caribbeandays.ca	British Columbia's first, original, and major annual Caribbean cultural event	Waterfront Park, North Vancouver	July 28 - 29, 2012	July 27 - 28, 2013	50,000 48,000
19	The Vancouver Sun Run www.vancouversun.com/sunrun/	Canada's largest 10-kilometre road race	Downtown Vancouver	April 21, 2013	April 27, 2014	48,196 48,904
20	Vancouver Fringe Festival www.vancouverfringe.com	B.C.'s largest theatre festival with over 500 shows in 11 days on and around Granville Island	Granville Island and various venues around Vancouver	Sept. 6-16, 2012	Sept. 5-15, 2013	38,998 34,831
21	Circle Craft Christmas Market www.circlecraft.net	Arts and crafts show featuring over 300 Canadian artisans in attendance	Vancouver Convention Centre West	Nov 7 - 11, 2012	Nov. 7 - 11, 2013	37,000 42,000
22	Richmond Maritime Festival www.richmondmaritimefestival.ca	Free family event with maritime-themed entertainment including roving performers and impromptu performances, historical exhibits , arts and cultural activities, displays and demonstrations, plus tours of heritage boats	Britannia Shipyards, National Historic Site of Canada	August 2012	August 9-11, 2013	35,000 30,000
22	Theatre Under the Stars www.tuts.ca	Musical theatre productions	Malkin Bowl, Stanley Park	July 9 - August 20, 2012	July 8 - August 17, 2012	35,000 30,000
24	Vancouver Folk Music Festival1 www.thefestival.bc.ca	The festival offers three evenings and two full weekend days of live folk, roots and world music on seven outdoor stages	Jericho Beach Park	July 13-15, 2012	July 19-21, 2013	34,000 27,878
25	Push International Performing Arts Festival www.pushfestival.ca	International performing arts festival - theatre, dance, music, multimedia performance	Various venues in Vancouver	January 15 - February 3, 2013	January 14 - February 2, 2014	34,000 23,000