Bike, Ride, Walk or Bus to Car Free Day in Vancouver!

car free day vancouver 2018

Image sourced from Car Free Day Vancouver | Facebook.com

Can you picture a world without cars? Pretty hard to imagine these days. But, this weekend will give you a glimpse at a car-free world with the annual Car Free Festival being held in Kitsilano, the West End, and on Main Street. (Note: There is also a Car Free Day Festival on Commercial Drive, but it is held in July.)

On Saturday, June 16 and Sunday, June 17 (Father’s Day!) the Car Free Festival will take over some of Vancouver’s busiest roadways to celebrate the community. Local organizers create each event with a slightly different feel, reflective of the neighbourhood.

For 2018, here’s an idea about what will be happening in each of the neighbourhoods:

car free day west end 2018

Car Free Day: West End

WEST END CAR FREE DAY FESTIVAL

In the West End of Vancouver (near English Bay), Denman Street will be blocking off car traffic from Robson Street to Davie Street to offer a lively street festival that’s fun for the whole family! There are music stages and jam sessions to listen to, art being exhibited and created live on the street and plenty of places to grab a bite to eat or something to drink. Denman Street is also lined with hundreds of tasty restaurants, so make sure you arrive with an empty stomach.

  • When: Saturday, June 16, 2018 from noon – 7pm
  • Where: Denman Street (Robson to Davie)
  • More info: West End Car Free Day

Image sourced from Car free Day Vancouver | Facebook.com

MAIN STREET CAR FREE DAY FESTIVAL

The biggest of Vancouver’s Car Free Day festivals spanning 21 blocks, Main Street has 15 stages and mini festivals along the entire street. This is a fun, family-friendly event with kid-zones, skateboarders, funky artisan shops and popular food vendors. Like Denman Street, Main Street has tons of unique and delicious restaurants to choose from. So, make sure you skip breakfast to make room for all the food you can try!

  • When: Sunday, June 17, 2018 from noon – 7pm
  • Where: Main Street from Broadway until 30th.
  • More info: Main Street Car Free Day
kits block parties 2018

Photo Sourced from Car Free Festival

Kitsilano Block Parties

For Car Free Day, the neighbourhood of Kitsilano does things a little differently. Instead of closing off a major street (they’ll be doing that for the upcoming Kahtsahlano Festival!), people throughout the neighbourhood host block parties. These parties are as individual as the people who pull them together. Some have dancing, some have music, some have couches, chairs and carpets in the middle of the street and some share chips and a drink together. You never know what to expect, which is what makes the Kitsilano Block Parties so fun.

  • When: Saturday, June 16 and Sunday, June 17 and new this year: June 30 – July 2
  • Where: Various locations in Kitsilano
  • More infoavailable here

Image sourced from Car Free Day Vancouver | Facebook.com

JULY 8: COMMERCIAL DRIVE CAR FREE DAY FESTIVAL

This is where it all began. As the originator of Car Free Day, Commercial Drive always goes all out for the festivities. On July 8, Commercial Drive will host their own independent 15-block festival that will be packed with amazing local artisans, vendors & community groups, delicious food, and tons of entertainment and activities for all ages. Expect drum circles, bike races, a parade, swordplay demos, and so much more!

  • When: Sunday, July 9 from noon – 7pm
  • Where: Commercial Drive from Grandview to Venables
  • More infoFacebook event page

With over 400,000 people attending all of the festivities, Car Free Day(s) in Vancouver is one of the most popular events of the summer. In fact, it’s consistently won awards as the Best Local Street / Community Festival for 8 years running.

If you’re heading to the festivities, don’t forget to walk/bike/transit in spirit of the event!

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