The 22nd Annual Richmond Maritime Festival offers a weekend of nautical fun and activities.
The 22nd Annual Richmond Maritime Festival will take place at Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site on Saturday, August 23 and Sunday, August 24 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
This beloved nautical-themed event will offer visitors a chance to engage in the rich maritime legacy of Steveston through fun, family-friendly activities, live music, puppet shows, art exhibitions and more. The festival is free with something for people of all ages.
2025 festival highlights include live music with the largest music stage yet, showcasing local bands with a maritime flair. Performers include Murfitt & Main, Collage Trad, Irish Wakers, Nautical Notes, and The Whiskeydicks.
Family activities feature the Seaside Puppet Theatre, with music by accordionist Dan Propp and puppet friends Lulu the Mermaid and Rikki the Rat. The Octopus Garden will offer free face painting and street-theatre picture-card shows.
Hands-on workshops include activities like the Knitting Tree, cyanotype prints with Grace Gihm, net-making with Cat Hart, design-your-own-boat crafts with Ralph Heading, and origami with Aiko Matsushiba.
Restored heritage boats will be on display, including the 103-year-old SS Master tugboat, the MV Gikumi, Midnight Sun, Sandra Jean II, and Island Provider. Visitors can explore the Richmond Boat Builders workshop’s current restoration work on the 62-year-old Crystal S.
Multicultural food options abound, with more than 15 food trucks on site, including new offerings from Mangy Yummy, Golden Bannock, and Rolled West Coast ice cream.
This year’s festival coincides with the FreshCo Richmond Dragon Boat Festival on Saturday, August 23, at Steveston’s Imperial Landing, offering additional attractions for visitors.
The festival is presented by the City of Richmond in partnership with the Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site Society and Richmond Arts Coalition, with funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Province of British Columbia.
For more details on getting to Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site and this year’s program, visit richmondmaritimefestival.ca.