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 There are tons of events that are organized in BC every year. Many of them attract tourists from all over the world to this beautiful region of British Columbia.

  • My all time favourite BC event is Okanagan Wine Festivals. They are held four times a year. We have Spring Wine Festival (first 10 days in May each year), Summer Wine Festival (held during second weekend of August at Silver Star Mountain resort in Vernon), Fall Wine (it is held in the Okanagan Valley during Autumn season) and Ice Wine Festival Resort (held in January at Sun Peaks Resort near Kamloops.) A Visit to one of these festivals  is a must for Wine Connoiseurs.  
  •  Kelowna’s Wakefest is a popular event among young people in North America. Although it was banned in 2008, it looks like it will be returning to Kelowna in 2009 after organizers of Wakefest agreed to a series of conditions set out by Kelowna’s Outdoor Events Committee. If you love wake boarding then do participate in this sporting event.
  • Merritt Mountain music festival is considered to be Western Canada’s number one country music festival. The 17th annual Merritt Mounatin music festival will be held July 9-12th 2009. Some of North America’s top country singers and artists showcase their talent and charm the audience at this annual mountain music festival.
  • Vancouver Folk Music Festival is held at Jericho Beach park every year and is scheduled for July 17-19, 2009. This will be the 32nd year for this folk festival and the tickets are already on sale. Buy them in advance to avoid disappointment later.
  • Pemberton Music Festival attracts music lovers from all across the nation to this small little town in July. Pemberton is a farming village in the shadow of Mount Currie and very near to the world-famous Whistler resort. Last year, over 120 artists performed over 4 days, across 4 stages, and headline acts included Nine Inch Nails, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Coldplay, Jay-Z, The Tragically Hip, The Flaming Lips, Interpol, and Black Mountain. There were about 40,000 fans at this event. Unfortunately, 2009’s Pemberton Music Festival has been cancelled.
  • Bulkley Valley Exhibition will be held for the 90th year from August 27 to 30, 2009 in Smithers, British Columbia. This non-profit, four-day fair held in late August and preceded by a festive parade includes livestock, horse and dog shows, rides at the Midway fairground and saddle bronc, steer wrestling, and the wild cow milking contests.
  • Wild at Art festival being held this year from March 6th-15th 2009 in Callaghan Valley, Squamish and Britannia beach includes music, dance, theatre and culinary arts.
  • If you are visiting Vancouver during May 22nd-May 24th 2009 then do check out Eat Vancouver food and cooking festival which is being held for the 7th year this season. EAT! Vancouver is Canada’s largest consumer food, beverage and cooking festival taking place at BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, BC on May 22, 23 & 24, 2009. This food show will feature hundreds of food, beverage and kitchen goods exhibitors along with wineries, breweries, restaurants, cooking demonstrations, wine and cheese seminars, cookbook authors, and chef competitions. You will be able to spot several chefs from Food Network at celebrity cooking stage. 

You will also get to watch the excitement of heated competitions at the ‘Iron Chef’ style Citytv’s Master Chef Competition, there will be wellness Pavilion where exhibitors will be featuring products specifically tailored to enhance your health and well being, food and nutrition for a healthy balanced life style, the chefs of favourite Lower Mainland restaurants will  be serving appetizer portions of their signature recipes for a nominal charge ($1 - $4) per item, Beer, wine and spirits will be well represented in the Tasting Pavilion where you can sip and taste hundreds of different beverages and of course you can shop too as there will be about 250 booths setup to cater to your taste buds.Show hours for 2009  Eat Vancouver event are:  Friday, 4 to 9 pm ; Saturday, 11 am to 9 pm ; and Sunday, 11 am to 5pm and admission costs are: $15.00 adult, $6 for children 7-14, 6 and under-free, Seniors (65+) $12

The other local events that might interest you include:

  • 15th annual BC wine and Oyster festival scheduled this year for Friday, June 19th 2009 (5.00 pm to 7.00 pm) is being presented by the Coast Victoria Harbourside Hotel & Marina and its’ famous Blue Crab Bar & Grill in support of Greater Victoria Eldercare Foundation. During this festival, you will get to savor juicy oysters on the half shell, or barbequed with a selection of delectable sauces prepared by the Blue Crab culinary team and if oysters aren’t your thing, there will be other tasty seafood treats along with a selection of bread, cheese and deli meats. For more information, visit: Greater Victoria Eldercare foundation.
  • The Brant Wildlife Festival runs this year from March 6 to April 26 in Parksville, Qualicum Beach and Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. The events at this festival include: Wildlife viewing, marsh walks, nature photography, Big Day Birding, eagle release, Voices of Nature concert and much more. For more information on the events, call the festival office at 250-586-1311.
  • Oh and don’t forget that BC is home to Winter Olympics in 2010 so be ready to catch the action right here on BC tours under Vancouver 2010 series