One of Canada’s longest running community events, the Steveston Salmon Festival, is back again on Monday, July 1.
The City of Richmond, Steveston Community Society and Richmond Agricultural and Industrial Society will present the 77th annual Steveston Salmon Festival across Steveston Village.

The one day community-wide celebration features a parade, live music, performances, food and much more. It kicks off at 9:30am with the Kids Bike Parade followed by the official festival parade from 10:00am to noon, starting at Garry Point Park and ending at Moncton Street and Railway Avenue.

A major highlight of the festival is the Salmon Bake, which is just one of many culinary delights for visitors to experience. The pancake breakfast will begin at 8:00am in the Steveston Community Centre parking lot at 4111 Moncton Street, and food trucks will be located throughout the festival to provide numerous culinary options all day. 

There will be two live music zones with performances from noon to 7:00pm. Dr. Strangelove will perform from 5:30 to 7:00pm. Roving entertainers will keep crowds amused around the village, including jugglers and stilt walkers. 

New and returning programs for this 77th festival include:

• The Japanese Cultural Show with demonstrations and performances
• Sammy’s Fun Zone where younger attendees can experience face painting, interactive games and button making
• A Youth Zone with music and games
• An Art Show featuring local artists and their work
• Programs and exhibits at the Steveston Museum and Post Office, the Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site and the Gulf of Georgia Cannery

To learn more about this year’s festival, visit stevestonsalmonfest.ca. 

About the Steveston Salmon Festival

The Steveston Salmon Festival originally began as a July 1 “Sports Day” themed event, which was held as a fundraiser to build a playground in Steveston Park in 1944. Today, it is one of the largest non-profit driven Canada Day celebrations in the country. There have been a myriad of changes since 1946 such as the parade route and, more notably, a name change from the Richmond Salmon Queen Carnival to Steveston Salmon Festival. While the selection of a Salmon Queen ended in 1986, other elements such as the salmon bake have remained.  The Steveston Salmon Festival pays homage to the community’s salmon fishing heritage, and the dedication of the citizens of Steveston still drives “Canada’s biggest little birthday party” each year.