Residents and visitors are invited to enjoy a full weekend of activities across Penticton, with events taking place along both Okanagan and Skaha lakeshores.
Festivities begin tonight (Thursday) with the return of the Penticton Night Market at Gyro Park, featuring local vendors, food and live entertainment.
On Saturday, June 13, the Okanagan Super Sprints bring fast-paced dragon boat racing to Skaha Lake Park, followed by outrigger races on Sunday, June 14. This event attracts a few hundred participants and members of the public are invited to head down to cheer on the teams.
On Sunday, June 14, Wildstone’s Colours4Kids Run will draw hundreds of participants to the Okanagan Lake waterfront, starting at 10 a.m. outside LocoLanding Adventure Park. This family-friendly event invites participants of all ages to walk or run 2.5 or 5 kilometres while getting doused in washable, non-toxic colour along the way, with water, foam stations and plenty of entertainment. Registration is available on-site.
To support this event, Lakeshore Drive and Riverside Drive will be fully closed between Churchill Avenue and Front Street from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., with no parking available along that stretch during that time. Local traffic will continue to have access to Lakeshore Drive properties. Drivers are advised to watch for signage and traffic control personnel and plan alternate routes
Residents are also reminded of the street closures also taking place Saturday on Main Street as part of the Penticton Farmers’ Market and Downtown Community Market.
Major summer events
- Peach City Beach Cruise (June 26-28): Hundreds of show cars line up along Lakeshore Drive to take part in this hot rod, antique and classic car show. This event also features live entertainment, an outdoor beverage garden, vendors and the much-loved cruise through the community.
- Elvis Festival (June 26-28): Celebrate the king of rock ‘n’ roll at this tribute artist competition deemed to be the largest Elvis festival in Canada.
- Canada Day (July 1): Oh Canada! Let’s celebrate with a full day of activities and entertainment.
- Penticton Scottish Festival (July 3-4): Crowd favourites include Highland dancing, bagpiping, drumming and caber toss. Enjoy pipe band competitions, a beer garden and other live entertainment.
- Okanagan Trestle Tour (July 5): This epic bike ride along the historic Kettle Valley Rail Trail ends in Penticton with an outdoor celebration.
- Peach Classic Triathlon (July 18-19): Ranked among the oldest triathlons in Canada, this event is growing fast, attracting everyone from beginners to professional triathletes and Olympians.
- Ultraman Canada (July 24-26): Split up over three days, Ultraman Canada has been held in Penticton since 1993.
- Peach Festival (Aug. 5-9): This must-do event of summer is one of the largest free family festivals in Canada, dating back to 1947. This event features live outdoor concerts, parades, sport and dance competitions, and more.
- Dragon Boat Festival (Sept. 12-13): Cheer on the 80+ teams as boats take to the water off Skaha Lake Park. The festival will have a vendor’s market, food trucks and a beverage garden, attracting participants in the thousands.
For more festivals and events, visit penticton.ca/events.