Things to Do in Vancouver – August 2025

So Much Live Music!
Throughout August
If your vacation isn’t complete without catching a live show or two, then this August, you’re in luck! August is usually a great month to catch live music thanks to the annual Summer Night Concerts series at the PNE—the 2025 line-up includes Counting Crows, Bleachers and Wilco. But this year, we also have a host of shows across the city in August, from Tate McRae (August 4 and 5) and Nine Inch Nails (August 10) at Rogers Arena, to Sam Barber (August 11) and Lucy Dacus (August 12 and 13) at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Clutch (August 7) and Budos Band (August 29) at the Commodore Ballroom, and Keshi (August 16) and Teddy Swims (August 30) out at UBC.

Outdoor Movies
Throughout August
Think your popcorn tastes best al fresco? Throughout the city you’ll find a wealth of options for catching a movie outdoors this summer. Downtown, Sunset Cinema takes place on the plaza outside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Wednesday nights with choices ranging from Shrek (August 6) to Raiders of the Lost Ark (August 20) – all for free. In Stanley Park, Summer Cinema offers free general admission with a paid option to upgrade to the VIP section. Located in the meadow right by Second Beach, Tuesday night screenings in August include Top Gun (Aug 12) and The Hunger Games (Aug 19). Other options for catching a flick outside include Summer Movie Nights outside the Vancouver Art Gallery on Thursday evenings (August 7 and 14), and Deckchair Theatre on the North Shore by the Polygon Gallery (suggested donation $10 – $20), also on Thursdays, which is leaning in hard with a sci-fi theme this year!

Powell Street Festival
August 2 & 3
As the city’s celebration of Japanese culture, the Powell Street Festival (49 years old this year!) has everything from martial arts demonstrations to live music, arts and crafts, and fun (and Instagrammable!) food. The festival takes place in Oppenheimer Park on the Downtown Eastside, historically the base for Vancouver’s Japanese community, and we love the authentic, earnest, grassroots vibe of this event. Along with musical and dance performances, and plenty of family-friendly crafts, you can also participate with the chance to try sumo wrestling or experience a tea ceremony.  

Pleasant Day Festival
August 9
Mount Pleasant is one of our favourite Vancouver neighbourhoods, with a vibrant arts community, restaurant and café scene, and lots of great boutiques. Pleasant Day is a street party running along Main Street from 12 pm – 8 pm between 16^th and Kind Edward avenues. Four live music stages featuring a host of local talent, including ACTORS, Haley Blais and Fionn. You’ll also find food trucks and stalls, market vendors, beer gardens, and lots of family-friendly games and activities.