Festivals, free produce and sports fill Metro Vancouver weekend

Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley have a full slate of summer events for the second weekend of August. Burnaby’s free Blues and Roots Festival takes place Saturday at Deer Lake Park, with museum stages beginning at 11:30 a.m., the community stage at 3:30 p.m. and main-stage performances at 4 p.m.

Surrey’s Ugly Potato Day begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at Cloverdale Fairgrounds. The free event distributes edible produce rejected by grocery stores for appearance, and organizers say advance online booking can secure an entry time. It also includes music, games and prizes.

A free, unsanctioned water fight is planned for 1 p.m. Saturday near the Fox’s Den Spray Park at Stanley Park’s Lumberman’s Arch. Light Up Chinatown runs Saturday and Sunday on the 500 block of Columbia Street, while the Pleasant Day Festival takes over Main Street between 16th and King Edward avenues from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday.

Port Moody’s Art Out Side Festival starts Friday and continues to Aug. 16, offering outdoor installations, live art and artist-led activities. The Abbotsford International Airshow runs Friday through Sunday, alongside the Chilliwack Fair; the Chilliwack Corn Festival is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

KitsFest2026 continues through Sunday at Kitsilano Beach with recreation and sport activities. The Vancouver Whitecaps host FC Juarez at B.C. Place at 7:30 p.m. Friday; on Saturday at 4 p.m., the B.C. Lions host Hamilton and Vancouver Rise FC hosts Calgary at Swanguard Stadium.