Looking to fill up your summer social calendar? Cowichan hosts a variety of events for travellers of all ages and interests. From camping at a music festival to learning local history to hanging out with motor enthusiasts, there truly is an event for everyone.
Here are ten events you should put into your summer schedule.
Laketown Shakedown
June 28 – 30 Laketown Ranch, Youbou
Snoop Dog is coming to Cowichan for the Canada Day long weekend! Experience live music in a venue that allows you to combine a large festival setting with chill time floating down the Cowichan River at Laketown Shakedown!
The lineup for this year’s Laketown Shakedown doesn’t stop with Snoop Dogg; Incubus, Sublime, Smashmouth and Vancouver Island’s own Jesse Roper are all taking the stage. Check out the full lineup here.
39 Days of July
June 28 – August 5, Downtown Duncan
‘It is nice to live in a community that allows one to be ‘crazy’ and it appears my community enjoys encouraging me to be so, I like that.’ – 39 Days of July founder Longevity John.
Imagine live music, played on intimate stages, every day for 39 Days! That’s the 39 Days of July. This unique festival, located in Downtown Duncan, offers hours of live music for free! Enjoy a day in Duncan, stroll through the quaint downtown area, grab yourself a treat and enjoy the live music!
BC Bike Race
July 6, Mount Tzouhalem and Maple Mountain
The BC Bike Race opening stage is hosted in Cowichan for the second year in a row. This epic seven-day mountain bike race travels across Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and Squamish with 650 riders from 36 countries. In Cowichan, the riders will start their day on Mount Tzouhalem and finish it on Maple Mountain.
Spectators can enjoy the race (a safe distance from the riders) and soak in the race day energy! Learn more about the Cowichan stage here.
Photo: Margus Riga
Cowichan Bay Wooden Boat Festival
July 6-7, 2019, Cowichan Bay
Get ready for an adventure! The 34th Annual Wooden Boat Festival is the perfect event for nautical enthusiasts and maritime lovers alike! The festivities include boat races, a children’s fishing derby boat, boat building, a Best of the Bay Chowder Contest (delicious!) and a decadent salmon barbeque dinner.
This event is the perfect seaside weekend. Enjoy the Wooden Boat festival then explore the shops and restaurants of the Cowichan Bay Village.
Chemainus Bluegrass Extravaganza
July 13, Waterwheel Park, Chemainus
Enjoy an afternoon of live bluegrass at the 9th annual Chemainus Bluegrass Extravaganza. With music in the air, this is the perfect time to explore this seaside community. Come early for lunch and explore the historic downtown area! Check out the full list of this year’s performers right here!
Islands Folk Fest
July 26 – 28 Providence Farm, Duncan
Hosted at the historic Providence Farm in Duncan, the Islands Folk Festival is a weekend of family fun, camping and music. The folk fest is all about nurturing the next generation of music lovers, which makes it the perfect venue for kids (and parents) to play and dance freely and safely. Book your camping spots and enjoy a full weekend of music and festivities.
Situated at the base of Mount Tzouhalem, Providence Farm is an organic 400-acre therapeutic farm. Check out the full line-up here.
Sunfest Country Music Festival
August 1 – 4 Laketown Ranch, Youbou
Get out your cowboy boots and daisy dukes, because the ACM’s Artist of the Decade, Jason Aldean is coming to Cowichan.
Sunfest is a country music lover’s paradise! Hosted at Laketown Ranch in Cowichan Lake, this all-star line up is the perfect way to celebrate the BC Day Long Weekend. Headliners include Terri Clark, Kip Moore, Michael Ray, Martin Morris, Andrew Hyatt and many more!
Beverly Corners Show & Shine
August 18, Cowichan Sportsplex, Duncan
This year marks the 20th Annual Beverly Corners Show & Shine! This family-friendly event hosts vehicles of all makes and models, as well as special activities for the kids. All proceeds from the event are donated back into the community through local charities such as the Food Bank and Cops for Cancer.
Cowichan Valley Wine Festival
August 23 – 25, Shawnigan Lake School and across the Cowichan Region
Take advantage of Canada’s only maritime Mediterranean climate at the Cowichan Valley Wine Festival. Our warmer year-round temperatures allow for the production of excellent wines.
On Friday, August 23rd, start your weekend right at the tasting event at Shawnigan Lake School. Then spend the weekend touring the region, tasting great wines, and meeting our local producers.
Light Up The Night & Arts on the Avenue
August 24 & 25, Ladysmith
Let the kids stay up late! Light Up the Night on Saturday, August 24th is a night festival and market along Ladysmith’s historic First Avenue. The festivities are free and family friendly. Enjoy the evening from 6:30 – 10:00 pm.
After a night of festival fun, Sunday is the 21st anniversary of Arts on the Avenue. Also on First Avenue, over 55 artists set up and display their work. Stroll along the avenue taking in the incredible arrangements of artisan creations and fine art. Don’t forget to enjoy the food vendors who are dotted along the avenue and all the live music!
