B.C. Interior's Thompson Okanagan features a summer full of fun
The Thompson Okanagan region in B.C.’s Central Interior hosts an enormous number of events-from jazz fests to powwows to sports events-all within driving distance of Vancouver. Here’s a rundown of what’s happening this year.
Music Festivals Arts & Culture Wine Festivals Fishing Derbies Western Heritage
Birdwatching Air Shows Sports Events First Nations Culture Country Fairs
Music Festivals
Shuswap Lake Accordion Festival in Sorrento | June 4-5 |
Bluegrass Camp Out in Summerland | June 11-13 |
Singin’ Good News Southern Gospel Jamboree in Enderby | June 25-27 |
Bluegrass Country Jamboree in Falkland | June 25-27 |
Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival in Penticton | June 25-27 |
Music in the Park (free every night) at Rotary Bandshell in Riverside Park in Kamloops | July 1-August 31 |
Canoe Mountain Rodeo & Music Festival in Valemount | July 9-11 |
Komasket Music Festival in Vernon | July 30–August 1 |
Rarearth Jazz & Blues Festival in Vernon | August 6-8 |
Mardi Gras Summer Festival in Kelowna | August 7 |
Roots & Blues Festival in Salmon Arm | August 13-15 |
Robson Valley Music Festival in Dunster | August 20-22 |
Princeton Traditional Music Festival in Princeton | August 20-22 |
Summer Jam in Lake Country | August 21 |
Sorrento Bluegrass Festival in Sorrento | August 28 |
Pentastic Hot Jazz Festival in Penticton | September 10-12 |
Similkameen Pepper Festival in Keremeos | September 18 |
Rootstock in Naramata | October 1-10 |
Arts and Culture
Cherryville Artisans’ Shop Earth Day in Cherryville | April 22 |
Okanagan Symphony in Kelowna, Penticton, and Vernon | May 7-9 |
Shuswap International Writers’ Festival in Salmon Arm | May 28-30 |
Creative Chaos Crafts in Vernon | June 4-6 |
Blind Bay Painters Show & Sale in Blind Bay | July 4-5 |
Shuswap Lake Festival of the Arts in Sorrento | July 10-18 |
Beach Blanket Film Festival in Penticton | July 16-18 |
Midsummer’s Eve of the Arts in Vernon | July 21 |
Mt. Kobau Star Party in Osoyoos | August 7-15 |
Art Walk in Summerland | September 11-12 |
ArtWalk in Lake Country | September 11-12 |
Wine Festivals
Okanagan Spring Wine Festival | April 30 - May 9 |
Summer Wine Festival at Silver Star Mountain | August 13-14 |
Fall Wine Festival throughout the region | October 1-10 |
Winter Wine Festival Sun Peaks Resort | January 15-23, 2011 |
Fishing Derbies
Mabel Lake Fishing Derby in Mabel Lake Provincial Park | May 14-15 |
Valemount Fishing Derby in Valemount | September 4-5 |
There are plenty of Western-heritage events across the Thompson Okanagan region for those who enjoy spending time with cowboys. Tourism B.C. photo.
Western Heritage
Princeton Rodeo in Princeton | May 15-16 |
B.C. Open Gold Panning Championships in Cherryville | May 21-23 |
Falkland Stampede in Falkland | May 22-24 |
Kettle Valley Train Robbery and Barbecue in Summerland | May 23, June 13, June 20, July 4, July 18, August 1, August 15, August 29, September 12, September 26 |
Ashcroft & District Stampede in Ashcroft | June 19-20 |
Okanagan Miniature Horse Show in Armstrong | July 1-4 |
Thoroughbred horse races and parade in Princeton | July 2-3 |
Cowboy Festival at the O’Keefe Ranch in Vernon | July 31 & August 1 |
Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo and Fall Fair in Merritt | September 4-5 |
Professional Bull Rider Finals in Princeton (Princeton Rodeo Club Bull Riders Final) | September 11-12 |
Provincial Winter Fair (includes Top Hand Ranch Competition) in Kamloops | September 24-27 |
Birdwatching
Meadowlark Festival in Penticton | May 20-24 |
Valemount Adventures in Birding | May 29-30 |
Air Shows
Lumby Hanggliding and Paragliding Air Races in Lumby | June 11-13 |
Princeton Air Show in Princeton | July 17 |
Sports Events
Knox Mountain Hill Climb in Kelowna | May 23-24 |
Okanagan Shuswap Century Ride in Armstrong | May 30 |
Cow Trail Classic Mountain Bike Race in Merritt | June 6 |
Kingfisher Kayak Rodeo in Enderby | June 14-15 |
Shuswap Dragon Boat Festival in Salmon Arm | June 26 |
Funtastic Mixed Slowpitch Tournament in Vernon, Armstrong, Lumby, and Enderby | July 1-4 |
Five Peaks Trail Running Series at Sun Peaks Resort | July 10 |
Dragon Boat Festival in Vernon | July 23-25 |
Intermontane Challenge in Kamloops | July 26-31 |
Tulameen Mini Triathlon in Tulameen and Princeton | July 30–August 2 (triathlon takes place on 31) |
Pushor Mitchell Kelowna Apple Triathlon in Kelowna | August 21-22 |
Subaru Ironman from Penticton to Osoyoos | August 29 |
Canoe Regatta in Clearwater | September 11 |
Kelowna International Dragon Boat Festival in Kelowna | September 17-19 |
Pacific Forest Rally in Merritt | October 1-2 |
Okanagan Marathon in Kelowna | October 10 |
First Nations Culture
National Aboriginal Day celebrations in Kelowna | June 21 |
Squilax Pow Wow in Chase | July 16-18 |
Kamloops Pow Wow in Kamloops | July 30 - August 1 |
Bonaparte Pow Wow in Cache Creek (Hat Creek) | August 6-8 |
Neskonlith Traditional Pow Wow in Chase | August 28-29 |
Country Fairs
Rotary International Children’s Festival in Penticton | May 27-29 |
Cherryville Days in Cherryville | June 5-6 |
Graffiti Days in Cache Creek | June 11 |
Fat Cat Children’s Festival in Kelowna | June 11-12 |
Lumby Days Family Festival in Lumby | June 11-13 |
Sunshine Festival in Vernon | June 19 |
Harvest Pumpkin Festival in Armstrong | August 22-23 |
Princeton Agricultural Fall Fair in Princeton | August 27-29 |
Interior Provincial Exhibition & Stampede in Armstrong | September 1-5 |
North Thompson Fall Fair in Barriere | September 4-6 |
Salmon Arm Fall Fair in Salmon Arm | September 10-12 |
Ashcroft Fall Fair in Ashcroft | September 12 |
Rock Creek & Boundary Fall Fair | September 18-19 |
Related Thompson Okanagan content:
B.C. Interior's Thompson Okanagan features a summer full of fun
Five ways you can enjoy B.C.'s Thompson Okanagan
Okanagan wine tours appeal to all tastes
Comments
3 Comments
Crystal
Apr 22, 2010 at 12:02pm
Uh, what about Music in the Park that occurs every night in Kamloops' Riverside Park July-August? Or the Cattle Drive? Or Kelowna's Downtown Mardi Gras. Your researcher SUCKS Georgia Straight!
Charlie Smith
Apr 25, 2010 at 3:50pm
Hi Crystal,
I added Music in the Park in Kamloops, as well as the Kelowna Mardi Gras. This site didn't provide information about the date of the cattle drive:
http://www.bcadventure.com/cattledrive/index.htm
Please e-mail us at contact@straight.com if you or anyone else has information about the date of a cattle drive, and we'll add it to the list.
Charlie Smith
Georgia Straight
Lisa Deacon
Mar 21, 2011 at 5:32pm
Just wondering if the Mabel Lake fishing derby is May 1-3 or May 14, 15?
I've seen both dates in my search...help please.