Few communities support their local festivals and events as enthusiastically as New Westminster does. All year long, this city comes alive with festivals that showcase its diverse history, culture, food, and more.
Hyack and Heritage Festivals
Heritage Week in New Westminster (February) features a different theme each year, like 2008's "Taking Care of Business: Heritage of Trade and Commerce." Walking tours, art contests for children, photography exhibits, and other events are staged for visitors and residents to explore the history of Western Canada's oldest incorporated city.
The Hyack Festival (May) is a colourful nine-day event with amusement park rides, a parade, an antique fair, and a May Day celebration where a May Queen is crowned. The latter tradition dates back to 1870, and always features May Pole dancing, as well as square dancing by the Royal Lancers in Queen's Park.
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Show and Shine
Car buffs congregate at the Hyack Antique Car Easter Parade (April), where vintage cars drive along city streets and end up at a family fair in Queen's Park. The Royal City Show and Shine (July) is a weekend-long celebration of classic automobiles, and often gets more than 400 entries. It's one of the biggest outdoor car shows in British Columbia.
FraserFest (July) spotlights the history of the Fraser River with live theatrical and musical performances, a tug boat parade, and food vendors, climaxing with nightly fireworks.
Arts and Culture
For culture lovers, there are other festivals worth checking out. The Royal City Multicultural Festival (May) showcases food, crafts, and dancing from Africa, Asia, and Europe at the New Westminster Quay. The Royal City Jazz Festival (August) highlights the talents of local musicians at the Quay, and the Santa Claus Parade of Lights (December) packs downtown with floats, bands, and costumed performers.
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