If you have been searching for Canada Day fireworks in New Westminster this July 1, we want to be upfront with you right away: there are no fireworks in the Royal City on Canada Day. The city made the shift away from traditional fireworks in recent years, and the evening show at Queen’s Park is often a drone light show at dusk, which is genuinely worth staying for. The good news is that the Canada Day event at Queen’s Park runs from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm, is free for all ages, and is packed with live music, food trucks, a beer garden, and a kids zone full of activities.

We also know that some of you came here specifically looking for fireworks, and we have got you covered on that front too. Burnaby is running its StreetFest Canada Day event at Central Park with fireworks at 10:15 pm, and you can get there on the Expo Line without a car. New Westminster does have its own annual fireworks over the Fraser River, but that happens in August at the Hyack Summer Music and Fireworks Festival. We will walk you through all of it so you can plan the right Canada Day for your crew.

Canada Day at Queen’s Park: Free, All Ages, Drone Show at Dusk

The official Canada Day celebration is typically at Queen’s Park, 51 3rd Avenue in New Westminster, and is free to attend. Queen’s Park is a 75-acre flagship park with plenty of room to spread out with a blanket, find a spot near the main stage, or let the kids loose in the Kids Zone. Live music runs on both the main stage and the band shell throughout the afternoon and evening, so there is something happening from the moment you arrive.

The food truck lineup and food vendors will keep everyone fed, and if you are 19 or older there is a beer garden on site. One of the more unexpected activity options is often bubble soccer, which is drop-in and exactly as chaotic and fun as it sounds for families with older kids. The event closes with a drone light show at dusk, which is the new evening highlight replacing fireworks and has drawn genuine interest in other cities that have made the same switch.

Getting to Queen’s Park without a car is straightforward if you allow a bit of extra time. Columbia SkyTrain Station on the Expo Line is about a 17-minute walk from the park, or you can catch Bus 123 from New Westminster Station to get closer. Parking is available on site but fills up quickly on event days, so we always recommend arriving early or skipping the car altogether on Canada Day.

Why No Fireworks in New West on July 1, and Where to Find Them Nearby

New Westminster made the transition away from Canada Day fireworks as part of a broader shift across Metro Vancouver, driven by concerns around fire risk, noise, and environmental impact. The city has held public engagement about the future of Canada Day events, and the celebration is typically centred on Queen’s Park, with a non-fireworks evening feature closing the night. For residents who love the ritual of fireworks on July 1, this is a real change, and we think it is worth being honest that the drone show is a different experience even if it is an impressive one.

The closest Canada Day fireworks to New Westminster are often in Burnaby at the StreetFest event, which centres on Central Park and Central Boulevard. Performer lineups and event times change from year to year, so confirm the current schedule before heading out for the fireworks. Admission is free and you can get there on the Expo Line to Patterson Station, which puts you right at the edge of Central Park.

Other nearby options if you want to make a full day trip of it include Coquitlam at Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way, fireworks at 10:00 pm, accessible via Lafarge Lake-Douglas SkyTrain Station), Port Coquitlam at Castle Park (2252 Castle Cres., fireworks after dark, free), and Surrey at the Bill Reid Millennium Amphitheatre at 17728 64 Ave. (fireworks at 10:15 pm). A quick note on Vancouver: Canada Place generally hosts a daytime Canada Together festival, but there are no fireworks in Vancouver on July 1.

The Waterfront on Canada Day: Westminster Pier Park and the Quay

Even when the official Canada Day event is centred on Queen’s Park, the New Westminster waterfront is still a wonderful place to spend part of July 1 and the whole area stays open to the public. Westminster Pier Park runs along Front Street and gives you a boardwalk right on the Fraser River with open sightlines across the water and a real sense of the city’s riverfront history. Before you go, check the city’s latest park notices for any construction, closures, or detours around Westminster Pier Park. The main boardwalk and park areas are usually the most reliable waterfront options, and Eats at the Pier often operates through the summer season.

The Quayside walkway along Quayside Drive connects through to the River Market at Westminster Quay (810 Quayside Drive), which is a good stop for browsing the food vendors and shops along the water. Also worth knowing: the pedestrian connection between Pier Park and the River Market can shift during waterfront construction, so check the latest detour information before committing to the shoreline route. It adds a few minutes but the views from Columbia looking downhill toward the river are genuinely nice on a clear summer day.

The Fraser River Discovery Centre at 788 Quayside Drive is running its Summer Discovery Days programming on July 1, 2 and 3 with summer hours of 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, seven days a week, which makes it a solid anchor for a family morning at the waterfront before heading over to Queen’s Park in the afternoon. The Samson V Maritime Museum at 880 Quayside Drive, the last floating steam-powered stern paddlewheeler in North America, is also worth a look and is expected to be open during summer hours on the holiday, though we recommend calling ahead to confirm. You can also check out our Westminster Pier Park day trip guide for more ideas on making the most of the waterfront.

New Westminster Canada Day at a Glance

Here is a quick reference for all the key details you need to plan your Canada Day in and around New Westminster.

New Westminster does its annual fireworks in August, not July. The Hyack Summer Music and Fireworks Festival on late August at Westminster Quay (Quayside Drive) runs from 3:00 pm to 9:30 pm with a fireworks display over the Fraser River just after 9:00 pm. That is the local waterfront fireworks experience the Royal City is known for, and it is well worth marking on your calendar now.

Plan Ahead: Transit, Parking, and What to Bring

Canada Day is a statutory holiday and transit runs on a modified schedule, so check translink.ca before July 1 to confirm service times on the Expo Line and your connecting bus. The Expo Line is your best friend if you are planning to hit the Burnaby fireworks at Central Park after the Queen’s Park event in New Westminster, since Patterson Station drops you right at the park’s north edge and you avoid any parking headaches. If you are driving to Queen’s Park, on-site parking is available but fills early on event days, and street parking nearby can also get tight by mid-afternoon.

For the waterfront, paid parking options are available in the blocks near Front Street and along Carnarvon Street if you are exploring the Quay area. If you are planning to drive down Front Street, check newwestcity.ca for current road conditions before you head out. For Queen’s Park, bringing sunscreen, a blanket, cash for food trucks, and a light layer for the drone show after dusk will have you well set for the full 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm run of the event.

Local Tips for Getting the Most Out of Canada Day in New Westminster

Start your July 1 at the waterfront in the morning when it is calm and the Fraser River is at its most peaceful, and plan to catch the Fraser River Discovery Centre from 10:00 am onward since they are running special Summer Discovery Days programming that day and the Samson V paddlewheeler is moored right on the Quay. Get your waterfront time and lunch sorted at the River Market or a food truck near the Quay before the Canada Day crowds build at Queen’s Park.

Head to Queen’s Park by 2:00 pm to get a good spot on the grass near the main stage and to let the kids get into the bubble soccer and Kids Zone activities while there is still plenty of afternoon light. The beer garden is 19 plus and the rest of the event is all ages, so it is a genuinely all-family setup. Bring a blanket and stay through the evening for the drone light show at dusk, which is scheduled to close out the celebration around 10:00 pm.

If fireworks are the priority for your Canada Day and you have the energy for a quick SkyTrain trip, the Burnaby StreetFest fireworks at Central Park at 10:15 pm are absolutely doable after the Queen’s Park drone show winds down. The Expo Line runs late on holidays and Patterson Station is right at the park, so you can be in position well before the 10:15 pm launch. And if you are now curious about New Westminster’s own waterfront fireworks, mark August 22 in your calendar for the Hyack Summer Music and Fireworks Festival at Westminster Quay, which is the real local fireworks-over-the-Fraser experience.

Questions Often Asked

Does New Westminster have Canada Day fireworks?

No, New Westminster is not doing fireworks on July 1. The evening highlight at the official Canada Day event at Queen’s Park is a drone light show at dusk. The city transitioned away from Canada Day fireworks in recent years. New Westminster does hold its annual fireworks at the Hyack Summer Music and Fireworks Festival on late August at Westminster Quay, with fireworks over the Fraser River just after 9:00 pm.

Where is the official Canada Day event in New Westminster?

The official Canada Day celebration is at Queen’s Park, 51 3rd Avenue, New Westminster. It runs from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm and is free for all ages. Activities include live music on the main stage and band shell, food trucks, a beer garden for guests 19 and older, a Kids Zone, bubble soccer, and a drone light show at dusk to close the event.

Where can I see Canada Day fireworks near New Westminster?

The closest and most accessible Canada Day fireworks to New Westminster are in Burnaby at StreetFest, held at Central Park with fireworks at 10:15 pm. Admission is free and you can get there by taking the Expo Line to Patterson Station. Coquitlam also has fireworks at Town Centre Park (1299 Pinetree Way) at 10:00 pm, with the nearest SkyTrain being Lafarge Lake-Douglas Station. Port Coquitlam and Surrey have fireworks as well. Note that Vancouver’s Canada Place event is generally daytime-only with no fireworks.

Is Westminster Pier Park open on Canada Day?

Yes, Westminster Pier Park along Front Street is open to the public on Canada Day and is a great spot for a waterfront walk or picnic along the Fraser River. Check the city’s latest park notices before you go, as construction and access conditions around the waterfront can change. The main boardwalk areas are accessible and the Eats at the Pier concession is open noon to 8:00 pm. Note that the direct waterfront pedestrian path between Pier Park and the River Market at Westminster Quay is disrupted by construction and the detour runs via Columbia and Begbie Streets.