KITSILANO SHOWBOAT

Kitsilano Showboat season kicks off June 21

The Kitsilano Showboat is still afloat – and ready to offer another season of fun family entertainment.

The Showboat team of volunteers has been busy getting the iconic seaside venue shipshape. That’s been quite a challenge, due to the fire that severely damaged the facility in April 2023.

But it’s all systems go, with the season set to kick off at 7 pm on June 21 with a special program marking National Indigenous Peoples Day.               

“We’re still recovering from the fire,” says Kitsilano Showboat Society President Barry Leinbach. “We are putting on 20 nights of entertainment with over 40 acts performing in front of a burned building.”

This summer’s Showboat calendar includes special events such as Multicultural Day (June 27) and a full day of activities for the kids on Canada Day (July 1).

The cream of local talent will be entertaining the Showboat audience, including the Kitsilano High School Band (June 23), the Royal City Concert Band and the West Van Concert Band (July 5), Wailele Wai Wai (July 26) and the Kits Point Allstars (July 28).

Showboat’s 2024 edition also features two acts from the U.S.: Orange County Song and Dance (July 7) and steel drum group Bram Bata (July 19).

And don’t forget that Showboat is one of the best places to watch the Honda Celebration of Light fireworks display, with Simulcast Fireworks Music scheduled for July 20 (Portugal) and July 27 (United Kingdom).

“The Showboat still going strong after the fire to bring you our 89th year of free outdoor entertainment,” says Leinbach. “Our team of dedicated volunteers is really good at performing miracles.”

Shows start at 7 pm – and admission is free!

Kitsilano Showboat is a beloved Vancouver institution that dates back to 1935, when it was launched to keep unemployed artists performing for audiences that couldn’t afford entertainment. Since then generations of local performers have treated audiences to shows spanning the whole entertainment gamut, all set against the magnificent backdrop of English Bay and the North Shore mountains.