Canada’s largest annual Celtic festival..
CelticFest Vancouver brings Western Canada’s largest annual Celtic festival to Vancouver, annually every March. The registered non-profit society formed in 2004 and celebrates its 20th year in 2024.
Every year CelticFest brings the local community together in a week-long festival celebration of Celtic culture culminating in a free, all-ages, outdoor, weekend festival in downtown Vancouver.
Weekend festivities include live music, performance, food and drink, Irish dancing, a Celtic-themed market, Irish Wolfhounds, a family zone, sports demonstrations and more.
uniting Canada’s diverse cultures..
Over its 20 year history, CelticFest Vancouver has consistently delivered a rich cultural celebration of the Celtic nations’ kinship and community to thousands of festival goers. Despite a last minute festival cancellation in 2020 and a virtual event in 2021, the organization has remained committed to connecting Western Canada’s Celtic community by sharing arts and music.
The organization aims to deliver education on global and local Celtic heritage, art and cultural traditions uniting Canada’s diverse cultures by merging local and international music, dance, spoken word, theater, film, art and crafts.
For information on CelticFest Vancouver’s 2024 events follow @celticfestvan and check out the events page!
Kudos & Testimonials
Kudos & Testimonials
Testimonial
Crack OnCrack On
“Celtic Fest is one of the highlights in the Crack On calendar every year. Not only is it very well run and organised but it also gives us the opportunity to feed the Irish of Vancouver with our Chicken fillet roll! Rachel and her team do an amazing job every year and we cannot wait for Celtic Fest to return next year!”
Testimonial
O’Brien School of Irish DanceO’Brien School of Irish Dance
“The O’Brien School of Irish Dance is incredibly proud to be a part of CelticFest Vancouver each year and to share our love of Irish dance and Irish culture with the Vancouver community. This family friendly festival, held in the heart of stunning downtown Vancouver, is the perfect place to celebrate and enjoy the music, dance, art and culture of Ireland. As participants in the festival, we feel so lucky to be invited back each year to perform for such lively, enthusiastic crowds and to be a part of such a wonderful celebration run by the most charismatic and passionate group of organizers. Whether you’re attending to watch some of the incredibly talented musicians and performance groups take the stage or looking for a fun day of cultural activities fit for the entire family, CelticFest truly has something for everybody! We promise you’ll leave with your toes tapping and a smile on your face!”
Testimonial
Irish in BCIrish in BC
“CelticFest is one of the most exciting events that occurs for the diaspora in Vancouver! Irish in BC look forward to CelticFest each year because it’s a great way for our committee members to engage and connect with the broader Irish community in the Metro Vancouver area. We relish the opportunity to meet people in person and to encourage them to subscribe to our weekly newsletter which helps foster a more vibrant sense of community and of Irish identity by sharing what’s going on among all the Irish community organizations in the province.
The atmosphere is celebratory and there’s a real sense of community spirit, with a packed kid’s programme which is every parent’s dream. There’s a great variety of community organizations ready to chat about their exciting initiatives, plus lots of stalls offering produce from local businesses and a great range of musical talent keeping everyone entertained.
It’s great to see many nationalities enjoying the annual event and learning about the Irish community living in beautiful British Columbia.“
Irish Families Vancouver
Irish Families Vancouver
Our community of Irish Families in Vancouver looks forward to CelticFest every year. The family zone offers parents and families a home-base where kids can play, snack and meet with one another. Having free activities like games, colouring, crafts, face painting and children’s storytelling ensures the family friendly nature of the festival. The multi-generational nature of this event is what makes it so incredible. The opportunity to share our Celtic heritage with our children, first generation Canadians is a very special annual tradition for many Irish Families in Vancouver.
