Festivals & events

42 celebrations through the year — pick a day to see what's on.

• New Year's Day (1, Ontario) — Canada's national public holiday marking the start of the new year with celebrations across the country.
• Family Day (2, Ontario) — A statutory holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February across most Canadian provinces, dedicated to family gatherings.
• Whistler Blackcomb Winter Festival (2, British Columbia) — A week-long celebration of winter sports and mountain culture at Canada's largest ski resort featuring competitions and live entertainment.
• Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race (2, Yukon) — An epic 1,000-mile sled dog race between Whitehorse and Fairbanks showcasing Arctic tradition and mushing excellence.
• Polar Bear Swim (1, British Columbia) — An iconic New Year's Day tradition in Vancouver where thousands plunge into English Bay's frigid waters for charity and adventure.
• Good Friday & Easter Monday (4, Ontario) — Canada's primary Christian holidays observed nationwide, with Easter celebrations varying in dates each year between late March and late Ap…
• Calgary Stampede (7, Alberta) — Canada's most famous rodeo and exhibition, known as the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, featuring bucking broncos, chuckwagons, and Western…
• Victoria Day (5, Ontario) — Canada's statutory holiday on the Monday before May 25 celebrating the monarchy with fireworks, parades, and the unofficial start of summer.
• Canadian Tulip Festival (5, Ontario) — One of the world's largest tulip festivals celebrating over one million blooming tulips across Ottawa with Dutch heritage traditions.
• Montreal Jazz Festival (6, Quebec) — North America's largest jazz festival featuring hundreds of performances across venues and outdoor stages celebrating world-class musicians.
• Canada Day (7, Ontario) — Canada's national birthday celebrated nationwide with fireworks, parades, concerts, and patriotic festivities honoring Confederation.
• Just for Laughs Festival (7, Quebec) — The world's largest comedy festival in Montreal showcasing international and Canadian comedians with outdoor shows and gala performances.
• Midnight Sun Festival (6, Yukon) — Whitehorse's celebration of nearly 24-hour daylight featuring outdoor concerts, sports, and cultural events under the midnight sun.
• Canada's National Indigenous Peoples Day (6, Ontario) — A national celebration on June 21 honoring Indigenous cultures, history, and contributions with events, performances, and ceremonies across…
• Labrador Straits Bakeapple Festival (8, Newfoundland and Labrador) — A quirky celebration of the golden bakeapple (cloudberry) fruit unique to Atlantic Canada featuring jam-making, pies, and local heritage.
• Fringe Festival (8, Alberta) — Edmonton's renowned theatre festival showcasing independent and experimental performances, one of North America's largest Fringe festivals.
• Osheaga Music Festival (8, Quebec) — Montreal's major music festival on an island featuring indie, rock, hip-hop, and electronic acts with a focus on sustainability.
• Civic Holiday (8, Ontario) — Canada's statutory holiday on the first Monday in August (names vary by province) marking summer's end with long weekends.
• Halifax International Busker Festival (8, Nova Scotia) — One of North America's top street performance festivals featuring international buskers, acrobats, and musicians in Halifax's waterfront.
• Toronto International Film Festival (9, Ontario) — One of the world's premier film festivals showcasing hundreds of international and Canadian films attracting major stars and industry profe…
• Labrador City Mining & Exploration Services Show (9, Newfoundland and Labrador) — An annual trade show celebrating the region's mining heritage and economic importance with equipment displays and industry networking.
• Oktoberfest (10, Ontario) — North America's largest Oktoberfest in Kitchener-Waterloo celebrating German heritage with beer, food, parades, and traditional music.
• Thanksgiving Day (10, Ontario) — Canada's harvest festival on the second Monday in October where families gather to give thanks with traditional feasts.
• Vancouver International Film Festival (10, British Columbia) — One of North America's most prestigious film festivals showcasing international cinema and emerging filmmakers.
• Nightmare on King Street (10, Ontario) — Toronto's iconic Halloween street party attracting hundreds of thousands of costumed revelers along King Street West.
• Remembrance Day (11, Ontario) — Canada's national day of remembrance honoring fallen soldiers with ceremonies, moments of silence, and memorial services across the country.
• Winterlude (2, Ontario) — Ottawa's massive winter festival celebrating ice skating, ice sculptures, and Canadian winter culture across three weekends.
• Christmas Day & Boxing Day (12, Ontario) — Canada's major winter holidays celebrated nationwide with family gatherings, gift-giving, and festive traditions.
• Toronto Christmas Market (11, Ontario) — One of North America's largest outdoor Christmas markets featuring European-style chalets, food, crafts, and holiday entertainment.
• New Year's Eve Celebrations (12, Ontario) — Celebrated across Canada with major festivities in cities like Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal featuring fireworks and street parties.
• Banff Mountain Film Festival (10, Alberta) — The world's premier mountain film festival in Banff showcasing adventure, mountaineering, and outdoor cinema.
• Pride Toronto (6, Ontario) — Canada's largest Pride celebration featuring parades, performances, and cultural events celebrating LGBTQ+ communities.
• Vancouver Pride Parade & Festival (8, British Columbia) — A major Pride celebration in Vancouver featuring a vibrant parade, performances, and community events.
• Great Canadian Cheese Festival (6, Ontario) — A celebration of Canadian artisan cheeses in the Kawarthas region featuring tastings, farm tours, and culinary experiences.
• Canadian National Exhibition (8, Ontario) — Toronto's iconic summer fair since 1879 featuring agricultural displays, entertainment, food, and rides over 18 days.
• Stratford Shakespeare Festival (4, Ontario) — North America's largest English-language Shakespeare festival running for multiple months with productions by world-class actors.
• PEI Shellfish Festival (10, Prince Edward Island) — A celebration of Atlantic Canada's famous oysters and seafood featuring cooking demonstrations, tastings, and local producers.
• Nova Scotia International Busker Festival (8, Nova Scotia) — Halifax's premier street performance festival attracting world-class buskers and acrobats to the waterfront.
• Breakglass Festival (5, Manitoba) — Winnipeg's progressive music and arts festival celebrating electronic music, indie rock, and contemporary culture.
• Saskatoon Perogy Festival (7, Saskatchewan) — A quirky celebration of Eastern European heritage in Saskatchewan featuring perogy eating contests, cooking, and live music.
• Montreal en Lumière (2, Quebec) — A winter festival transforming Montreal with spectacular light displays, outdoor concerts, and cultural performances.
• St. John's St. Patrick's Festival (3, Newfoundland and Labrador) — The second-largest St. Patrick's Day celebration in North America featuring multi-day festivities and traditional Irish culture.