Canada Day in Richmond, BC: The Insider’s Guide

Ready to wear your bright red T-shirt, wave some little paper flags and paint your face with a maple leaf or two? The Steveston Salmon Festival—Metro Vancouver’s most beloved Canada Day celebration––is back for its 78th edition. And, once again, around 75,000 locals and visitors are expected to gather for the joyful July 1 festivities.

As in previous years, 2025’s family-friendly party includes a jam-packed roster of free or low-cost fun in the heart of shoreline Steveston Village. From live music to seafood feasting and from kid-focused activities to a gigantic street parade, there’s a huge menu of things to see and do. Keen to plan ahead? Check out our exclusive insider’s guide for all the details on this year’s event.

WHEN SHOULD I ARRIVE?

If you want to make a full day of it, get here for the chatty Pancake Breakfast in the Steveston Community Centre parking lot. Served from 8:00am onwards, it’s available for a minimum donation of $5 per plate. After that, there are multiple performances and activities to enjoy––including the event’s centrepiece street parade. We recommend arriving early to stake out a great viewing spot for this.

TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE PARADE?

Metro Vancouver’s biggest Canada Day street parade is a meandering cavalcade with dozens of decorated floats, vintage vehicles, marching bands and—of course—Sammy the Salmon, the event’s famous mascot. Moving through the village from 10:00am to noon, the parade’s 2.5km route starts at Garry Point Park and ends at Railway Avenue. This map shows the parade route plus the location of all the festival’s sites, stages and attractions.

But before the main procession, don’t miss the charming 9:30am Kids’ Bike Parade, where a host of local children proudly ride past the cheering crowds. This extra parade––including decorated bikes, wagons, scooters and kids in Canada-themed costumes––starts at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site parking lot.

WHAT ELSE CAN I SEE?

In and around Moncton Street’s Steveston Community Centre, you’ll find lots of cool displays and activities. Returning favourites for 2025 include an Art Show, presenting the work of talented local creatives, and a Japanese Cultural Show with craft displays and demonstrations. Ready to shop? The nearby Marketplace Net Shed will be hosting a boutique selection of well-chosen vendors.

IS THERE ANYTHING SPECIFIC FOR KIDS TO DO?

Steveston’s Canada Day celebration is a family-forward event with lots of attractions and activities for children of all ages. Younger kids will love Sammy’s Fun Zone in the Community Centre playground area––complete with button making, face painting and more. There may even be an appearance from Sammy himself!

Older kids should check out this year’s new Salmon Run Youth Zone, which will be bursting with brilliant hands-on options. They’ll find activities from golfing to street hockey as well as cool circus and dance performances here.

WHAT ABOUT LIVE MUSIC?

A daylong playbill of toe-tapping performances is scheduled at the 2025 Steveston Salmon Festival––with several stages dotted around the site. Among this year’s eclectic and entertaining acts are crowd-pleasers such as The Dimes, The Aristo-Cats and Dr. Strangelove. You’ll also find Norman Foote, The Good Vibe Guys and Richmond-based junior rock band, The Buttery Biscuits.

Consider snagging a spot in the Spirit of Steveston Zone, which has its own stage and adult beverages bar. And be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the festival’s roving performers––from stilt walkers to a bubble artist to a pair of colourfully costumed 17th-century characters called The Molieres. Check out this year’s full roster of performers and performance times here.

WILL THERE BE ANYTHING TO EAT?

The day’s culinary highpoint is the iconic Salmon Bake, which runs from 11:00am until supplies are exhausted and which typically serves more than 1,100 pounds of barbecued wild salmon. It costs $22 per plate, including salmon fillet, sides, dinner roll and a drink (soda or water). Eat early to avoid the long queues!

The popular Chow Mein booth will also be back this year ($9 per person; from 11:00am, while supplies last). And there will be lots of tasty food trucks and concession stands around the site, serving everything from Cambodian skewers to Japanese-style hotdogs to deep-fried mozzarella and much more.

WILL THERE BE ANYWHERE TO GET OUT OF THE SUN—OR TAKE A BREATHER FROM THE CROWDS?

The free-entry Steveston Tram, Steveston Museum and Post Office and Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site will all be open on July 1. And the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site will also be welcoming visitors––while waiving its regular admission fees as part of the celebrations.

If you need a refreshing breather, we also recommend a short walk to shoreline Garry Point Park to find a relaxing spot by the water. In addition, there will be a special Sensory Free Space located on the festival site where you can take your children if they are feeling overwhelmed and require a break.

HOW DO I GET THERE?

We recommend leaving the car at home. The roads around Steveston will be full and some will be closed on the day. Parking will also be limited. The festival will be operating a free shuttle bus on July 1.

Alternatively, a day out at the Steveston Salmon Festival is also a great opportunity for a summertime bike excursion. Some great cycling routes lead directly to Steveston, and there will also be an additional free Wheel Watch service on the festival site.

Richmond’s popular (and also free) Discovery Shuttle and Bike Valet will be running on weekends and statutory holidays this summer, offering extended service for four straight days from June 28 to July 1, including Monday, June 30th. In addition, multiple public transit routes serve the village––plan your trip here.

EVENT DETAILS

Steveston Salmon Festival
Date: Monday July 1, 2025 (Canada Day)
Location: Steveston Village
Admission: FREE

Last Updated on June 27, 2025 by Tourism Richmond