• kid enjoying festival

Arts, Festivals & Culture

Powell River’s large and passionate community of artists & musicians showcase their talents at a growing festival & events scene in town

Powell River Festivals

Logger Sports

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.

International Choral Kathaumixw

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 Street Festival

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.

PRISMA Festival

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 Fall Fair

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.

Sunshine Music Festival

The Sunshine Music Festival takes place at Palm Beach south of Powell River every September. It focuses mostly on local Canadian musicians, and has a friendly atmosphere for the family. The beach-front is full of food vendors, artesian markets, and more.

The festival has been running for over 30 years, and the family setting and environment has been a mainstay of the Powell River music scene for three decades now!

Blackberry Fest is one of the most anticipated Powell River festivals

Shopping, Galleries & Markets

Artique Art’s Collective

Artique is a collective gallery just off Marine Drive in the Westview neighbourhood of Powell River that showcases the work of over 30 different local artists and artisans. Artwork includes textiles, watercolours, stained glass, oils and acrylics, sculpture, leather work and more.

Open Air Farmer’s Market

Powell River Farmer’s market is located at Paradise Valley Exhibition Park and held every Saturday morning during the summer months. Fresh produce is widely available from local farmers, and many local artists and artisans are manning booths and selling everything from jewelry and t-shirts to handmade yew bows and medicinal plants!

local art gallery

The Historic Townsite

The Patricia Theatre

The Patricia Theatre is considered the oldest operating theatre in British Columbia. It was first built in 1913, just 3 years after Powell River was settled around its pulp and paper mill. Throughout Powell River’s history, the Patricia has been its heartbeat. It is where people have met, mingled, and caught up on news and entertainment from all over the world for decades.

Today the Patricia Theatre plays everything from Hollywood blockbusters to arthouse and classic films to a new generation of local and out-of-town audiences.

Townsite Heritage Society

Formed in 1992, the Townsite Heritage Society aims to protect, enhance, maintain and promote the historical character and integrity of the traditional neighbourhood and business section of the Powell River Townsite.

The society hosts a resource and interpretive centre in the historic ‘Dr. Henderson’s House’ in Townsite, and facilitates walking tours through the neighbourhood.

Patricia Theatre in Powell River