B.C. Interior's Thompson Okanagan features a summer full of fun

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      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 SorrentoJune 4-5
      Bluegrass Camp Out in SummerlandJune 11-13
      Singin’ Good News Southern Gospel Jamboree in EnderbyJune 25-27
      Bluegrass Country Jamboree in FalklandJune 25-27
      Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival in PentictonJune 25-27
      Music in the Park (free every night) at Rotary Bandshell in Riverside Park in KamloopsJuly 1-August 31
      Canoe Mountain Rodeo & Music Festival in ValemountJuly 9-11
      Komasket Music Festival in VernonJuly 30–August 1
      Rarearth Jazz & Blues Festival in VernonAugust 6-8
      Mardi Gras Summer Festival in KelownaAugust 7
      Roots & Blues Festival in Salmon ArmAugust 13-15
      Robson Valley Music Festival in DunsterAugust 20-22
      Princeton Traditional Music Festival in PrincetonAugust 20-22
      Summer Jam in Lake CountryAugust 21
      Sorrento Bluegrass Festival in SorrentoAugust 28
      Pentastic Hot Jazz Festival in PentictonSeptember 10-12
      Similkameen Pepper Festival in KeremeosSeptember 18
      Rootstock in NaramataOctober 1-10

      Arts and Culture

      Cherryville Artisans’ Shop Earth Day in CherryvilleApril 22
      Okanagan Symphony in Kelowna, Penticton, and VernonMay 7-9
      Shuswap International Writers’ Festival in Salmon ArmMay 28-30
      Creative Chaos Crafts in VernonJune 4-6
      Blind Bay Painters Show & Sale in Blind BayJuly 4-5
      Shuswap Lake Festival of the Arts in SorrentoJuly 10-18
      Beach Blanket Film Festival in PentictonJuly 16-18
      Midsummer’s Eve of the Arts in VernonJuly 21
      Mt. Kobau Star Party in OsoyoosAugust 7-15
      Art Walk in SummerlandSeptember 11-12
      ArtWalk in Lake CountrySeptember 11-12

      Wine Festivals

      Okanagan Spring Wine FestivalApril 30 - May 9
      Summer Wine Festival at Silver Star MountainAugust 13-14
      Fall Wine Festival throughout the regionOctober 1-10
      Winter Wine Festival Sun Peaks ResortJanuary 15-23, 2011

      Fishing Derbies

      Mabel Lake Fishing Derby in Mabel Lake Provincial ParkMay 14-15
      Valemount Fishing Derby in ValemountSeptember 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 PrincetonMay 15-16
      B.C. Open Gold Panning Championships in CherryvilleMay 21-23
      Falkland Stampede in FalklandMay 22-24
      Kettle Valley Train Robbery and Barbecue in SummerlandMay 23, June 13, June 20, July 4, July 18, August 1, August 15, August 29, September 12, September 26
      Ashcroft & District Stampede in AshcroftJune 19-20
      Okanagan Miniature Horse Show in ArmstrongJuly 1-4
      Thoroughbred horse races and parade in PrincetonJuly 2-3
      Cowboy Festival at the O’Keefe Ranch in VernonJuly 31 & August 1
      Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo and Fall Fair in MerrittSeptember 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 KamloopsSeptember 24-27

      Birdwatching

      Meadowlark Festival in PentictonMay 20-24
      Valemount Adventures in BirdingMay 29-30

      Air Shows

      Lumby Hanggliding and Paragliding Air Races in LumbyJune 11-13
      Princeton Air Show in PrincetonJuly 17

      Sports Events

      Knox Mountain Hill Climb in KelownaMay 23-24
      Okanagan Shuswap Century Ride in ArmstrongMay 30
      Cow Trail Classic Mountain Bike Race in MerrittJune 6
      Kingfisher Kayak Rodeo in EnderbyJune 14-15
      Shuswap Dragon Boat Festival in Salmon ArmJune 26
      Funtastic Mixed Slowpitch Tournament in Vernon, Armstrong, Lumby, and EnderbyJuly 1-4
      Five Peaks Trail Running Series at Sun Peaks ResortJuly 10
      Dragon Boat Festival in VernonJuly 23-25
      Intermontane Challenge in KamloopsJuly 26-31
      Tulameen Mini Triathlon in Tulameen and PrincetonJuly 30–August 2
      (triathlon takes place on 31)
      Pushor Mitchell Kelowna Apple Triathlon in KelownaAugust 21-22
      Subaru Ironman from Penticton to OsoyoosAugust 29
      Canoe Regatta in ClearwaterSeptember 11
      Kelowna International Dragon Boat Festival in KelownaSeptember 17-19
      Pacific Forest Rally in MerrittOctober 1-2
      Okanagan Marathon in KelownaOctober 10

      First Nations Culture

      National Aboriginal Day celebrations in KelownaJune 21
      Squilax Pow Wow in ChaseJuly 16-18
      Kamloops Pow Wow in KamloopsJuly 30 - August 1
      Bonaparte Pow Wow in Cache Creek (Hat Creek)August 6-8
      Neskonlith Traditional Pow Wow in ChaseAugust 28-29

      Country Fairs

      Rotary International Children’s Festival in PentictonMay 27-29
      Cherryville Days in CherryvilleJune 5-6
      Graffiti Days in Cache CreekJune 11
      Fat Cat Children’s Festival in KelownaJune 11-12
      Lumby Days Family Festival in LumbyJune 11-13
      Sunshine Festival in VernonJune 19
      Harvest Pumpkin Festival in ArmstrongAugust 22-23
      Princeton Agricultural Fall Fair in PrincetonAugust 27-29
      Interior Provincial Exhibition & Stampede in ArmstrongSeptember 1-5
      North Thompson Fall Fair in BarriereSeptember 4-6
      Salmon Arm Fall Fair in Salmon ArmSeptember 10-12
      Ashcroft Fall Fair in AshcroftSeptember 12
      Rock Creek & Boundary Fall FairSeptember 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.