Canada Place is the best-known place to head for festivities on the big Canada150 event on July 1, but you may not realize the Vancouver landmark has already started throwing some major events to celebrate the big milestone.

Yesterday, the venue kicked off the Canada 150 light show, focusing on huge projected light sequences that play on three main themes: landscapes, diversity, and the 150th birthday. Running to the end of July, the display is viewable from the west side of Canada Place, with prime watching locations in Stanley Park, the Coal Harbour seawall, the Vancouver Convention Centre West, and, of course, from the surrounding water. The light show begins at dusk and runs continuously until midnight.

Tomorrow (June 24), on St. Jean Baptiste Day, Canada Place also hosts the free festival Fête Francophone, with concerts that include a collaboration of artists from Festival d’été francophone de Vancouver’s artists-in-residence program. Celebrating francophone culture and heritage with live music, children’s entertainment, and traditional cuisine, the event takes over the North Point of Canada Place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with shows throughout the entire day.

Then on Tuesday (June 27), check out UNITE! A celebration of Canadian multiculturalism, a day and evening full of demonstrations and performances from around the world. The event takes place at the North Point of Canada Place, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with a free  concert featuring Alex Cuba and Delhi 2 Dublin wrapping up the day's events.