Arts, Festivals & Culture

Logger Sports is held in July each summer. It is an annual competition down at Willingdon Beach that showcases the strength and acrobatic feats of members of the forestry community. The spectacle is also a  celebration of the rich history of forestry in the Powell River region.

Events at the festival include tree climbing, chopping, relays and axe-throwing, and the contestants from all over the world compete for Canadian and World Championships in the process.

Logger sports is a highlight for Powell River’s summer festival scene, and it draws thousands of spectators over the three days of events.

The Kathaumixw festival is held every two years in Powell River, welcoming more than 1200 singers, conductors and choir members from all over the world to town for a five day choral festival. Concerts, common song singing, choral and vocal solo competitions, conductor’s seminars and social events are all on the bill throughout the week of celebrations.

Kathaumixw is a celebration of different people and cultures, all coming together to share and immerse themselves in the common language of song. It all happens in the middle of Powell River, in various locations around town on the edge of the Salish Sea.

The word ‘Kathaumixw’ comes from the Coast Salish language, and translates to “a gathering together of different peoples”. There is not a more perfect phrase to describe this event!

Blackberry Fest is a week long celebration of all things blackberry – which grow so abundantly in Powell River in mid-summer.

Each day holds diverse events, including live music, Arts Alive in the Park at Willingdon Beach, and a well attended firework display, and culminates with an awesome street party! Local businesses all make Blackberry specialty drinks and desserts in celebration of the blackberry.

The Pacific Region International Summer Music Academy is a classical music program, held every summer over two weeks in Powell River. Its goal it to prepare young musicians for a career in music performance. Amazingly talented musicians arrive from all over the world to work with some of the world’s most respected artists and symphony orchestras.

The students perform a number of concerts in Powell River for the public throughout the two weeks. The showpiece of the festival occurs on the opening night: an open-aired “Celebration of the Senses” at Willingdon Beach.

PRISMA is held in June each year.

Powell River has a great community of local farmers, artisans, musicians and artists that meet every weekend during the summer at Paradise Valley Exhibition Park. They hold an authentic country style farmers market with unique vendors selling produce, plants, soap, baked goods, woodcrafts, honey, jewelry and more.

In mid-September this all culminates with the celebration of the fall harvest in an epic Fall Fair. The market is transformed to a bustling fair with animal and produce contests, games and rides, music, awesome food, and a huge increase in the number of vendors.