From May to late August, musical celebrations beckon RV travelers, allowing them to enjoy the sights and sounds while also becoming immersed in the country’s history, heritage, and scenic beauty.
By Jan Lee
May 2023
When spring and summer roll around in Canada, music enthusiasts hit the road. Canada’s warm summertime weather inspires perfect opportunities for cele-bration and travel. Every one of Canada’s 10 provinces and three territories host popular music events. Many of them have been around for decades and are now world-renowned.
Whether your favorite music is regional ethnic folk, rhythm and blues, soul, classical, or country, you’ll find plenty of events to choose from. But you’ll also find opportunities to experience Canadian culture at its finest. During the summer, many of Canada’s eth-nic communities host regional celebrations, offering a birds-eye view of Canadian history and heritage.
Dancing and colorful costumes are part of the Vancouver International Children’s Festival.
Most arts and music festivals in Canada are scheduled between May and late August in order to take advantage of Canada’s best weather. Venues can be crowded, so it’s smart to purchase tickets (when required) and book RV sites as early as possible. Route planning, especially for out-of-the-way journeys (such as to the Yukon; see below), is always recommended to ensure you top off the fuel for those spectacular backcountry drives.
Most festivals don’t allow pets on the grounds, so if you have four-legged companions, you’ll want to leave them in the RV or arrange alternate accom-modations. Late-spring and summer weather can be quite warm, especially in cities and drier areas (yes, Canada does have its desert climates!). So, you’ll need to ensure a cool, well-ventilated setting for your pet if you intend to leave it in the RV during a Canadian summer festival.
Some festivals offer camping to guests, either for free or at an additional charge. A small number have disability-accessible sites that are closer to the festivi-ties and services. They do fill up fast, so plan to arrive early. Public and private campgrounds also are avail-able in surrounding areas, offering a quieter setting for enjoying Canada’s many flavors of regional beauty.
Most of the events we surveyed have accessible seating arrangements in place for individuals with disabilities (upon request). Some events are on the grass with limited paved areas for scooters or wheelchairs, or in a city center that doesn’t have central parking nearby (the Highland Games events and the Penticton Peach Festival in particular). Regional visitor centers (see the sidebar) can be great resources for trip planning.
MAY 2023
May 20-21
Bagpipe music fills the air at the Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival.
Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival
Where: Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Region: West Coast
victoriahighlandgames.com
The 160th anniversary of the Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival takes place on Canada’s Victoria Day weekend and is a “must” for those who enjoy traditional Celtic music, Irish and Highland dances, piping, drumming, and Highland games. The event is held on the grass at Topaz Park, just north of downtown. Tickets are available via the website. Camping is scattered in and around Victoria. Public ferries link the mainland with Vancouver Island.
May 30-June 4
Vancouver International Children’s Festival
Where: Vancouver, British Columbia
Region: West Coast
www.childrensfestival.ca
The Vancouver International Children’s Festival ranks among North America’s top family-oriented festivals. Brimming with music, theater, games, and educational events, it offers attractions for all ages and abilities. Parents can sample age- and ability-appropriate events online. It’s held at Granville Island, close to restaurants, open markets, parking, and public transportation. Acces-sible parking usually is plentiful. Campgrounds are scattered throughout the mainland. Tickets are available via the website.
JUNE 2023
June 29-July 5
Adäka Cultural Festival celebrates the music, dance, and heritage of the Yukon’s First Nations.
Adäka Cultural Festival
Where: Whitehorse, Yukon
Region: North
www.adakafestival.ca
Heading to Alaska this summer? The Adäka Cultural Festival in Whitehorse, Yukon, just happens to be on your route. This multidisciplinary festival features the music, dance, and culture of the Yukon’s First Nations, including the Dene. Learn about Dene heritage while enjoying the music of Canada’s northern cultures. Some events are accessibility friendly. Campgrounds and dry camping are available outside of town, but parking in town is designed for small vehicles, so you may wish to plan for transportation.
June 29-July 8
Montreal International Jazz Festival
Where: Montreal, Québec
Region: Central
www.montrealjazzfest.com/en-ca
New Orleans may be known as the birthplace of jazz, but Montreal is where Canadians head to hear internationally renowned musicians each summer. This year’s fest includes many free events, along with paid indoor shows for which tickets are available online. Shows requiring tickets this year include Grammy Award winner Snarky Puppy, Ukrainian folk ensemble DakhaBrakha, guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela, and 14-time Grammy Award winner Herbie Hancock. Accessible and oversize parking is available. Campgrounds are scattered outside of Montreal.
JULY 2023
July 28-30, 2023
New Brunswick Highland Games Festival
Where: Fredericton, New Brunswick
Region: Atlantic
www.highlandgames.ca
If you love bagpipe music, but western British Columbia is too far for you to travel, the province of New Brunswick, in the Maritimes, has you covered. The Highland Games Festival is held each year at Fredericton’s historic Government House, where you can hear Scottish bagpipe music and watch traditional Highland competition sports. A plethora of rural and semi-rural campgrounds surround the city. Note: The Highland Games was still updating its online ticket portal for this year at the time of writing.
AUGUST 2023
August 4-6
Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival takes place in Dauphin, Manitoba.
Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival
Where: Dauphin, Manitoba
Region: Prairie Provinces
www.cnuf.ca
The small city of Dauphin, Manitoba, has a big reputation when it comes to music. It is home to Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival, which takes place at the Selo Ukraina heritage site. Dancers and musicians from all over Canada are featured each summer. The site also hosts other musical events throughout the year. For tickets and a full list of events, visit the website. Dry camping is available on-site. The spots are small, so most RVers book two sites. If you want to stay at the festival grounds, you’ll need to book early. You also can pick from a number of nearby campgrounds that offer services.
August 9-13
Penticton Peach Festival
Where: Penticton, British Columbia
Region: West Coast
www.peachfest.com
Hot summer weather and internationally acclaimed musicians make this a favorite for family summer entertainment. The Penticton Peach Festival takes place on the banks of the Okanagan Lake, surrounded by camping, fruit orchards, wineries, and city attractions. Parking is very limited, so visitors are encouraged to take public transit to the site when possible. Admission is free, and no tickets are necessary. There is not much information available as to accessible parking areas for events. Campgrounds are situated up and down Okanagan Lake.
August 10-13
The Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival is an August event in Nova Scotia.
Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival
Where: Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
Region: Atlantic
www.folkharbour.com
Canada’s Atlantic provinces are home to some of the country’s biggest names in folk music. Anne Murray, The Rankin Family, and Sarah McLachlan all hailed from Nova Scotia. So, it’s no surprise that folk enthusiasts flock to the small fishing town of Lunenburg for its August music festival. The Maritimes is also the perfect region for RVing and experiencing rural beauty. Festival tickets are available online, and box office volunteers will assist with accessible seating if needed. Parking is available in front of the community center. A small campground is located in town, with plenty of others surrounding Lunenburg. RVers can reach Nova Scotia by CAT ferry from Maine or via highway from New Brunswick.
Tourism Information
Looking for camping or travel information? Tourism information in Canada is organized by province or territory. Log onto the link to the respective area, or call the telephone number listed below.
British Columbia
Destination British Columbia: www.hellobc.com
Destination Vancouver: www.destinationvancouver.com; (604) 682-2222
Tourism Victoria: www.tourismvictoria.com; (250) 953-2033
Penticton Visitor Centre: www.visitpenticton.com; (800) 663-5052
Manitoba
Travel Manitoba: www.travelmanitoba.com; (800) 665-0040
Dauphin Tourism: www.tourismdauphin.ca; (204) 622-3200
New Brunswick
Explore New Brunswick: www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca; (800) 561-0123
Fredericton Tourism: www.tourismfredericton.ca/en; (888) 888-4768
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia, Canada: www.novascotia.com; (800) 565-0000
Lunenburg Visitor Information Centre: (902) 634-8100
Quebec
Bonjour Québec: www.bonjourquebec.com/en-ca; (514) 873-2015
Yukon
Yukon Department of Tourism & Culture: www.travelyukon.com/en; (800) 661-0494
Yukon Visitor Information Centre (Whitehorse): (867) 667-3084