Upcoming Event: Vancouver Mural Festival, August 7 – 11, 2024

There was a time when you could paint a set of substandard wings on a wall, then stand back and watch the influencers (AKA anyone with a phone) flock to take their photo against it and post it to Instagram. Alas, these days, the standard is much higher for scoring a place on someone’s stories, never mind an elusive grid post. And Vancouver Mural Festival is just one of the reasons why that bar has been raised.

Since 2016, the VMF organization has brought artists together with businesses, developers, landlords and community organizations to create more than 400 murals in Vancouver. In the early years, the works were centred around the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, but these days, the murals are spread around the city, completed and unveiled around the start of the festival on August 7. You can book a guided walking tour of the murals in a number of neighbourhoods including Mount Pleasant, River District, Downtown, and even the West End – right by The Burrard (August 8 – 18, by donation, reservation required).

But VMF is about more than selfies and gawking at walls (although it is also about those things). It’s also about bringing together the artistic community for a good time! A highlight of the festival is the annual Mount Pleasant Street Party, a four-day extravaganza on August 8 – 11, featuring live music and art, food trucks, local vendors, lounges and gardens, both regular and zero-proof bars, and open artist studios at the City Centre Artist Lodge.

Kicking off the festival on August 7 is the VMF Artist Talk and Tunes event at Container Brewing, while August 8 and 9 feature ticketed “VMF After Dark” events for you to keep the party going after hours.

Heading to Vancouver to check out the murals? Visit our booking page for great deals.

Photo Credit: Vancouver Mural Festival