Things to Do in Vancouver During Summer Concert Season

Rogers Arena, Photo: Rick Chung/YVArcade

Summer concert season is kicking into high gear. Some of the world’s most popular recording artists are coming to town on their various world tours. Most of these popular musical acts are scheduled to perform for sold-out audiences at Rogers Arena, BC Place, or one of Vancouver’s many other live venues.

BC Place, Photo: Rick Chung/YVArcade

These are the biggest concerts coming to Vancouver between now and the end of summer:

Blink-182 @ Rogers Arena – June 27
Nickelback: Get Rollin’ Tour @ Rogers Arena – June 28
Charlie Puth: The Charlie Live Experience @ Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre – July 3
Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Too $hort & More: High School Reunion Tour @ Rogers Arena – July 7
Madonna: The Celebration Tour @ Rogers Arena – July 15
Rod Stewart with Cheap Trick @ Rogers Arena – Aug. 12
Noah Kahan: Stick Season Tour @ Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre – Aug. 16
Sam Smith: Gloria the Tour @ Rogers Arena – Aug. 22
Vance Joy: In Our Own Sweet Time Tour @ Deer Lake Park – Aug. 25
Drake & 21 Savage: It’s All A Blur Tour @ Rogers Arena – Aug. 28-29
Ed Sheeran: The Mathematics Tour @ BC Place – Sept. 2
The Chicks & Maren Morris @ Rogers Arena – Sept. 5
50 Cent: The Final Lap Tour @ Rogers Arena – Sept. 8
Beyoncé: Renaissance World Tour @ BC Place – Sept. 11
Lionel Richie & Earth, Wind & Fire: Sing A Song All Night Long Tour @ Rogers Arena – Sept. 12

Before heading to your venue, there are plenty of fun summer activities to do before any concert.

The Boxcar, Photo: Rick Chung/YVArcade

Happy Hour on the Patio

Patio season is upon us. Enjoy some beverages and dishes in the Vancouver sun before sunset to prepare yourself for rocking out well into the evening. If you can swing a spot with some good happy hour specials (usually from around 3-6pm and 9pm-closing), all the better. There are tons of options in and around downtown and the city, depending on where you’re headed.

Some choice destinations with downtown happy hour specials include GoodCo Bar on Granville, Tacofino in Gastown, and Steamworks Brew Pub, among many others. For a nice patio with good vibes, check out the outdoor dining spaces at Local in Gastown, Tap & Barrel Convention Centre, The Boxcar, and the Pac Rim Patio Pop-Up, to name a few spots.

If you’re trekking to UBC to see a show, you can head towards Wesbrook Village or just off-campus to grab some food and drinks from places like BierCraft, Downlow Chicken, or Wildlight Kitchen. As for restaurants open late night with more than just the usual pub food fare, try places like Social on Commercial, Joey Burrard, Hundy and The Parlour in Yaletown, or any Breka location (open 24/7) to satisfy those midnight cravings.

Water Street, Photo: Rick Chung/YVArcade

Shopping Spree

Why not partake in some retail therapy before a night of concert going? Shopping districts like West 4th Avenue, Gastown, and Robson Street have a good mix of cool boutiques and big brands for the latest in fashion, while neighbourhoods around Main Street and Commercial Drive are full of more niche independent shops featuring knickknacks, crafts, handmade goods, and vintage clothes.

Storm Brewing, Photo: Rick Chung/YVArcade

Brewery Tours

There are many craft brewery-rich neighbourhoods (like Brewery Creek) you can easily hit up with your own self-guided group tour before hitting your evening concert. In Mount Pleasant, walk from R&B Brewing to Faculty and Electric Bicycle in a cluster before venturing toward 33 Acres, Brassneck, and Main Street Brewing.

On the eastside in the much-lauded Yeast Van district, thirsty concert-goers can check out Parallel 49, Storm, Container, Strathcona, Strange Fellows, Superflux, Odd Society Spirits (for non-beer options), and more, all nearby.

There’s also the walkable Shipyards Brewery District (with seven breweries, one distillery, cidery, and a winery) in North Vancouver as another convenient option that’s just a Seabus ride away from downtown. Vancouver Brewery Tours also offers its own tour for your group or party transported by van.

Popina Canteen, Photo: Rick Chung/YVArcade

Visit Granville Island

For a scenic visit, Granville Island has various entertainment options from the Public Market, top-notch restaurants (try Alimentaria Mexicana, Popina Canteen, or Dockside), more local shops to browse, and live entertainment programming. Throughout the summer, check out festivals like Jazz Fest or the Talking Stick Festival, in addition to art installations and showcases from talented local artists.

If you want, there’s even the option of taking the Aquabus ferry (until 8pm) across False Creek to make your way into downtown for a short walk to Rogers Arena or BC Place from the dock at Plaza of Nations. In addition to being a great and convenient way to explore Vancouver, this is a nice life hack to beat the usual gridlock traffic that comes with a big concert coming to town.

False Creek, Photo: Rick Chung/YVArcade

Take in the Views

Daylight Savings Time and crisp, warm summer nights make some of the most perfect conditions for a nice stroll or bike ride in and around Vancouver. Depending on your starting point, planning a long walk/ride along the Seawall, False Creek, English Bay, or Stanley Park to take in the scenic views can make for an ideal pre-concert activity with stops for snacks or beverages along the way.

To purchase tickets or browse more concert dates, visit Ticketmaster’s website.