Summer Bucket List: Activities & Fun Things to Do across Canada this Summer
Summer in Canada is an exciting time! 🌞😎
From an array of national parks and outdoor activities to the exciting return of concerts and festivals – Canada has no shortage of country-wide activities to light up your summer plans this year.
Spend quality time relaxing outdoors, indulge in new cuisines, discover new music and everything in between. Enjoy the best of Canadian summertime and make some great new memories this season!
Vancouver
- Grab your mat and head outside!
Mat Collective offers accessible yoga classes at a range of pricing including free and by donation. They have recently expanded to include various community events and are focused on bringing inclusivity, diversity and kindness to their classes in over 8 different locations around the city.
Find their full schedule and more information at:
- Vancouver Jazz Festival
Vancouver International Jazz Festival is a community-based, not-for-profit event that brings jazz, blues and creative improvised music to the city! From June 21 to June 30 catch over 300 concerts at 35 different locations.
- Vancouver Pride
This year marks the return of Pride festivals across Canada! Grab your brightest colours and your biggest smile and head out Sunday July 31st for Vancouver’s annual Pride Parade.
For more information and more Pride events visit:
Calgary
- The Calgary Stampede
Offering 10 days of rodeo, music, great food and exciting events – the Calgary Stampede is one of Calgary’s most famous offerings! Immerse yourself in history, culture, education and loads of fun at one of the world’s largest outdoor celebrations. Runs from July 8 to 17
- Calgary Fringe Festival
If you love theatre, you will love the Calgary Fringe Festival. Celebrating creative freedom and providing opportunity for local artists, Calgary Fringe brings you an accessible and uncensored theatre experience from August 2 to August 10! For more information and this year’s schedule visit:
- Calgary Blues Festival
Bring your family down to Shaw Millennium Park to enjoy world-class music, colourful arts market, delicious cuisine by local food trucks, and 4 days & nights of non-stop music during the Calgary International Blues Festival. July 29 – August 4, 2024.
Toronto
- Electric Island
Back for their 10th anniversary events, Electric Island is a concert series located at the infamous Ontario Place! Hosting an eclectic lineup of house, electronic and techno artists over 3 stages, E.I. is a huge outdoor festival destination in the city where you can find local food trucks and vendors along with a great party atmosphere.
- High Park
If you are looking for some greenery in this busy city, High Park is one of Toronto’s largest parks offering a spacious off leash dog park, walking trails, a swimming pool and two baseball diamonds. Bring your friends and family and visit the many attractions including the High Park zoo, the High Park amphitheatre and the various gardens you can stroll through.
- Toronto International Film Festival
For all the Canadian and International film lovers, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) offers 11 days of film screenings and special events featuring some of today’s biggest names in film. TIFF offers an extensive program of films to enjoy and exciting celebrity sightings in the city!
Ottawa
- RBC Bluesfest
Ranked among the world’s top 10 outdoor music festivals, RBC Bluesfest is one of the largest international music festivals in the world. Presenting over 200 musical acts between July 4 to 14; eat, drink, dance, explore all day and all night and enjoy the hundreds of concerts available at this massive event!
- Ottawa Asian Fest
Since 2015, the Ottawa Asian Fest has “grown into one of the biggest cultural events of the region.” Attracting the very best in Asian culture and cuisine across Ontario, Ottawa Asian Fest is truly an event to remember. Running from May 31 to June 2 find K-Pop dancers, musicians, quality food and tons of culture and fun! This event aims to bring together people of all cultures, ages and backgrounds in a true celebration of diversity and inclusion!
- Museums and Galleries
Ottawa is stocked with some of the most incredible museums and educational displays in all of Canada. From the Canadian Museum of Nature for those with a fascination for animals, nature, and of course – Dinosaurs, to The Museum of Science and Technology with it’s locomotives to cars, science to space, and more to the National Gallery of Canada, with the amazing giant Spider outside, and the not-to-be missed Group of Seven collection and more – there’s something for everyone to explore at the many amazing Ottawa museums.
Montreal
- Montreal Jazz Festival
Festival International de Jazz de Montreal turns Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles into one of the world’s biggest indoor and outdoor jazz clubs! With over 3000 performers from over 30 countries, music lovers from around the world journey to Montreal for this epic event. Running from June 27 to July 6, find a list of concerts and ticket information at:
- Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs Montreal is a widely popular comedy festival running from July 13 to 30 bringing together comedians from all around the world. If you love to laugh, this is the event for you! Featuring club shows, galas, industry events and free outdoor shows – find some of the biggest names in comedy participating in this highly anticipated series of shows!
- Montreal Pride Festival
Montreal Pride Festival/Fierté Montreal runs from August 1 to August 7. Find an array of community events, performances and special guests throughout the week finishing with a scheduled moment of silence and the Montreal Pride Parade Sunday August 7. Join the celebration for equality, inclusion and #love in one of the most exciting and inclusive cities in Canada.
Halifax
- Taylor Head Provincial Park
Located an hour and a half from Halifax, Taylor Head Provincial Park offers beautiful sandy beaches, coastal hiking trails and kilometres of unspoiled coastline along the Atlantic Ocean. Grab a picnic basket, your favourite book and your hiking shoes and head out to enjoy a relaxing day at this gorgeous destination!
- The Hidden Waterfalls
Halifax is filled with hidden gems and secluded nature! If you are looking for an outdoorsy way to spend your day, the Hidden Waterfalls of Halifax are a great place to start. Begin your day at the farmers market or a local restaurant before heading out to cross off a list of hidden waterfalls! Plan your adventure at:
- Tea Party in the Park
If you’re looking for a family-friendly activity, follow Alice down the rabbit hole for afternoon tea at the Rabbit Hole Cafe! Tea Party in the Park: An Afternoon Adventure is a magical way to spend the afternoon. Take a stroll through the Halifax Public Gardens, enjoy afternoon tea and a selection of brightly colored cakes at the Rabbit Hole and finish the experience by visiting the local restaurants and shops of Spring Garden Road!
Charlottetown
- The Charlottetown Festival
The Charlottetown Festival is the largest theatre festival in Atlantic Canada since 1965! Running from June 14 to September 24, this festival has helped create over 80 new musicals in its history and caters to the Atlantic’s finest performers, creators and designers. Explore this year’s offerings at:
- Summerside Lobster Carnival
- Confederation Trail
With 435 km of walking and biking trails covering PEI, every trip is a different journey, with breathtaking scenery and wildlife close at hand. From Charlottetown, you can easily access the Confederation Trail, taking you into parts of PEI unknown to those touring by automobile.
No matter where you’re located or where your summer plans may take you, Canada is filled with a diverse selection of great events this summer. Celebrate culture, diversity, inclusion, creativity and the beautiful outdoor attractions our amazing country has to offer across every province all summer long! 🌞😎