Vancouver Dyke March and Festival 2025
- 2 Aug 2025
- Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver’s Dyke March & Festival is a grassroots celebration and protest that centres the experiences of those whose gender identities or sexual orientations have traditionally been marginalized. Run entirely by volunteers and funded through community support rather than corporate sponsorship, the march celebrates dyke culture in its broadest sense and invites everyone—regardless of whether they identify as lesbian, queer, trans, two‑spirit, non‑binary, bisexual, asexual or straight—to stand in solidarity with gender‑diverse communities. The event honours its location on the unceded territories of the xwməθkwəỵɛm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and Səḷílwətaʻ / Selilwitulh (Tsleil‑Waututh) nations【928092973966111†L174-L176】 and uses public space to celebrate queer joy while also challenging systemic oppression.
### 2025 date and schedule
The 2025 Vancouver Dyke March & Festival will take place on **Saturday, 2 August 2025**. Marchers gather at McSpadden Park at **11:00 a.m.**, and at **12:00 p.m.** the crowd leaves the park and proceeds down Commercial Drive; by **12:30 p.m.** the march arrives at Grandview Park where the festival proper begins【928092973966111†L70-L79】. The festival stage remains active until **5:00 p.m.** when performances and programming wrap up【928092973966111†L70-L79】. Before setting off, attendees can help paint the 2025 Dyke March banner, decorate signs for the accessibility vehicle, participate in a queer bachata dance lesson and meet this year’s Grand Marshals alongside community organizations invited to the Community Section【928092973966111†L79-L88】. These warm‑up activities create space for conversation and creativity while underscoring that the march is both a celebration and a protest.
### What to expect at the festival
Once the march reaches Grandview Park, the festival grounds transform into an outdoor village featuring more than **55 community groups, artisans and local businesses**【928092973966111†L94-L112】. Attendees are welcomed with land acknowledgements and speeches from the Grand Marshals, and there are live performances from singers, drag artists and spoken‑word performers throughout the afternoon【928092973966111†L94-L112】. A diverse range of food trucks offer everything from plant‑based snacks to West Coast comfort food, and booths selling Dyke March merchandise help to fund future editions of the event. Families can relax in the **kids’ activity tent** or visit the low‑stim tent designed for those who need a break from the noise and crowds【928092973966111†L94-L112】. Other community services include a Distro Disco donation drive, a pop‑up bike‑tuning station run by **Our Community Bikes** and a **cooling centre with arts and healing space** provided by Britannia 55+ where elder queer artists from the **QUIRK‑E** collective read their work【928092973966111†L94-L112】. At the 2025 Grandview Stage the line‑up is hosted by local personalities Mx. Bukuru and Acacia and features acts such as Son of a Butch, Lexxx, Kaleidoscope Crush, Nora Vision, Dislexia and many other performers【928092973966111†L126-L147】. The eclectic programme reflects Vancouver’s diverse queer creative scene and offers something for everyone.
### Tips for attendees
The Dyke March is a community‑driven event that relies on participants’ respect and preparation. Organisers encourage everyone to bring a refillable water bottle, sun block and other heat protection for the midday march and afternoon festival【928092973966111†L116-L122】. Drag artists and street performers donate their time, so bringing **$5 bills to tip performers** is suggested【928092973966111†L116-L119】. Because the event takes place in parks and along a major street, comfortable footwear and layered clothing are advisable. Attendees are asked to be mindful of accessibility needs by keeping the march route clear for those using mobility devices and by avoiding scents or pets that may trigger allergies. The march follows a policy of consent: photographs should only be taken with the subject’s permission and attendees should respect personal boundaries.
### Beyond 2025
For more than two decades the Vancouver Dyke March has served as both a protest against erasure and a joyful gathering that affirms lesbian and gender‑diverse lives. It grew out of dissatisfaction with mainstream Pride events that marginalized dyke communities and remains rooted in radical inclusivity. By hosting the march in a residential neighbourhood rather than the downtown parade route, the organizers signal that queer lives belong in every corner of the city. In recent years the Dyke March Society has also called attention to broader social issues: the 2025 campaign urges the Vancouver Police Department to stay away from the march and encourages participants to imagine alternatives to policing【928092973966111†L70-L79】. Whether you’re a long‑time participant or a first‑time visitor, the 2025 Vancouver Dyke March & Festival promises a day of activism, community building and celebration on Vancouver’s vibrant Commercial Drive.
For up‑to‑date information, accessibility details and volunteer opportunities, visit the official website of the Vancouver Dyke March & Festival.