Summer Events in the Okanagan – August
Wondering what’s happening this August in the Okanagan? As always, there’s lots of events and activities to keep you occupied on your summer break. For those of you visiting us over the August long weekend, we’ve also got you covered in the events listed below.
Festivals
There’s plenty of festivals coming up, so why not plan your visit around one of these?
- Do you love arts, crafts, food and music? If the answer is yes, then check out the Lumby Art & Music Festival which is happening August 11th to August 13th. This is a free 3 day festival that features local musicians, artists and over 200 vendors. There will be homemade jams, fresh baked goods, recycled art and a range of other interesting treats. On Friday night, they are selling tickets for a Wild Dance Party – families are encouraged to attend – featuring a funky bluegrass and folk band named Blackberry Wood. Their music encompasses a bit of everything so get on your dancing shoes, snag some tickets (only $20 for a family of 4) and prepare for a high-energy event!
- If you’re in the Okanagan between August 12th & August 19th, then be sure to join in the Okanagan Pride Festival. This is the 10th anniversary of Okanagan Pride so it’s going to be full of celebration. They have a lot of fun, quirky events scheduled such as an 18-Carat Golf Tournament on August 14th and Kelowna’s Next Drag Superstar on August 18th. Don’t miss the Pride March & Festival in the Park though – this one’s going to be epic! The theme this year is ‘Shine Bright’ so get out the glitter, gemstones and diamonds. We hope to see you there!
- On August 26th & 27th, Kelowna is putting on their annual Dragon Boat Festival. The festival is taking place at Tugboat Bay in Waterfront Park, Kelowna. There are quite a few teams registered to compete this year, so why not pop down to the bay and see the action? If anything, this makes for an awesome photo opportunity and if you’ve never seen Dragon Boat racing – now is your chance! Pick your team and cheer them on. It’ll be great fun all round.
Farms, Wines & Museums
Everyone knows that the Okanagan is Wine Country. Let’s take a look at the upcoming events happening at local Farms & Vineyards.
- Are the kids a bit restless? Tired of sitting at the pool? Well, we’ve got just the thing. Take them down to the Kelowna Orchard & Wine Museum on August 9th or August 11th between 10:00am and 14:00pm and they can learn all about pollination with the Bee an Okanagan Pollinator Protector event. This educational, family activity runs each week with no registration required. What a great opportunity to get the young ones interested in saving the bees and the butterflies!
- On August 13th, it is the 9th Annual Okanagan Feast of Fields. This is a three hour event that takes guests around Caldwell Heritage Farm on the hunt for local gourmet food. You’ll get to taste yummy plates whislst wandering through a beautiful farm – there is also live music! This is sure to be an event worth buying tickets too. Don’t miss out on trying all sorts of creations sourced from BC’s top chefs, bakers, brewers and more! Perhaps the most lovely aspect of this festival is that all proceeds fundraised go to support FarmFolk CityFolk’s work to sustain local food systems. Tickets are likely to sell fast so reserve your place here (and then, tell us all about it!).
- Every Wednesday and Friday night during August, Blind Tiger Vineyards are putting on a Live in the Vineyard event. Join them for wood fired pizzas, music and wine of course. This vineyard is in Lake Country (around an hour away from La Casa Cottage Resort) but enjoy the beautiful drive around Lake Okanagan and reward yourself with a refreshing glass of pinot when you arrive at the Vineyard. They even offer a brilliant dessert pizza with cream cheese icing – if that’s not enough reason to brace the one hour drive, then what is?!
Something Different?
Looking for something a bit out of the ordinary to complete the perfect holiday itinerary? Here are our favourite upcoming special events.
- On August 5th & August 6th you can participate in Big White Ski Resort’s GEO Hiking. This is the perfect excuse to get the whole family out on the mountain. There are prizes to be won and hidden treasures to find – an adventure for all ages! The hiking trails on Big White offer gorgeous views of nature so be sure to take your camera. If you want to take part in this exciting event, just register at the Concierge Desk in the Village Centre Mall and pick up your GPS system.
- What about watching an opera? This summer Opera Kelowna are putting on Puccini’s La Boheme, one of the most popular operas in the world. Looking to be a stunning production about art and love, with a storyline that is relevant even now, this will be a night out you won’t regret. Performance are on August 18th & August 19th at the Kelowna Community Theatre. If you’re not sure whether opera is your thing but want to give it a try, you could attend Opera in the Park on August 2nd, 3rd & 4th. This is a summer concert series – the perfect introduction to classical music! Bring the family, grab a picnic spot in one of Kelowna’s parks (different locations depending on the date) and relax under the stars.
- Every Friday you have the chance to watch The Cowboy Dinner Show at O’Keefe Ranch in Vernon. O’Keefe Ranch is a historic attraction which tells stories of BC ranching. Journey to Canada’s wild west with song, music, re-enactments and more! The evening includes a traditional cowboy dinner of juicy steak and a campfire finale. Interested? We thought so.
And that’s all for now! We’re excited – are you? Looks like August is going to treat us to awesome weather, delicious food and action-packed day trips. We can’t wait to hear what you get up to!
Click here to see our other suggestions of things to do in the Okanagan.
Written by Hannah Poaros
