Looking for some fun, family-friendly events in Vancouver’s Westside? Vancouver West had long been known for its family-oriented nature with close-knit communities and ample of green space – a perfect place to spend the weekend with your family exploring what it has to offer. We have rounded up a list of 5 exciting events including performances, outdoor movies and engaging exhibitions that will fuel your little one’s creativity through art, culture and food in this wonderful part of the city!

1. Outdoor Movie at Connaught Park in Kitsilano – August 26

Outdoor movie returns to Connaught Park in Kitsilano this year featuring the beloved, award-winning children’s animation “Coco”. Bring a blanket and some snacks for a picnic with your family and friends while enjoying the show under the stars. Live music will fill the park starting at 4pm to keep you entertained before the movie starts at dusk. What better way to enjoy a breezy summer afternoon with your family?

Visit the event page here.

Event details

2. Live Cultural Performances on the Kitsilano Showboat (June – August)

The Kitsilano Showboat at Kitsilano beach is a wonderful place to enjoy live cultural performances with the beautiful sunset and ocean as the backdrop. This family-friendly event happens every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night at 7pm, from June to August 18th with a variety of entertaining live performances. From Hawaiian Hula dancing to tap dancing, to incredible vocal performances and live bands, the programme celebrates Vancouver’s cultural diversity on the iconic showboat stage.

See the performance schedule here.

Event details
Location: Kitsilano Showboat at Kits beach (2300 Cornwall Ave, Vancouver)
Time: Now – August 18th, every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 7pm

3. UBC Farmers’ Market (June 2-October 27)
A great way to educate your little ones about food! Colourful, fresh produce coming straight from the UBC farm fills the market along with a variety of vendors selling locally baked goods, crafts and more! Enjoy hot lunches at the numerous food trucks while listening to local musicians at the UBC farm for a fun-filled day in Vancouver’s Westside.

For a full list of participating vendor businesses at the UBC Farmers’ Market, click here.

Event details
Location: UBC Farm (3461 Ross Drive, Vancouver)
Time: June 2 – October 27, Every Saturday from 10am-2pm

4. Children’s high tea at The Secret Garden in Kerrisdale

Your little ones will love the “real life tea party” with a children’s high tea set specially designed for them at the Secret Garden in Kerrisdale. The $25 high tea set includes fun and delicious treats like egg pinwheel, tropical fruit tarts, cakes, scones and a pot of caffeine-free fruit tea. A wonderful way to spend some quality one-on-one time with your kids while indulging in beautiful and delicate finger food.

To learn more about the children’s high tea set, visit here.

Location: The Secret Garden (2138 W 40th Ave, Vancouver)
Time: Daily with 3 seatings at 12pm, 2:15pm & 4:30pm.

5. Art exhibition at the Gryphon Musée (July 2nd – August 24th)

Let your kids’ imagination run wild at Gryphon Musée’s summer art exhibition “Every Art Original”. The engaging exhibit at Arbutus Ridge will be filled with large-scale 3D animal drawings by local artist Fiona Tang for an interactive experience that will heighten your senses. Vibrant West Coast landscape paintings by Caitlin Reid will bring a fun splash of colour for a mesmerizing and inspiring art walk inspiring for children and adults alike. Admission is Free!

Want to witness how an art piece is being created from scratch? Come in from July 9th – August 2nd, Monday and Thursday between 11am-4pm, where Fiona Tang will be drawing a brand new piece LIVE at the Gryphon Musée!

Gryphon Musée’s #EveryArtOriginal exhibition is an extension of Gryphon Development’s commitment to celebrating the presence of art in our everyday lives. Whether it’s your 17-step tea ceremony, 5 warm-ups before a game of tennis, or the 30-step process to maintaining your collectible car, each process illustrates our individual art of living, and this exhibition illustrates the unique artistic process for our showcased artists, taking a deep dive into how they created each art piece.

Event details

Location: Gryphon Development 5659 Dunbar St, Vancouver (corner of Dunbar and 41st)
Time:
Regular exhibit hours – July 3rd – August 10th, Monday to Friday, 11am-4pm
Fiona Tang Live Demo – July 9th – August 2nd, Monday and Thursday between 11am-4pm