Celebrations, Festivals, Events…
There are always new and special events popping up in the Similkameen, so be sure to contact the local Visitor Centres; they will have the latest information on events in their areas, located in Keremeos, Hedley, Princeton, and Manning Park.
Check out these event calendars: Similkameen Country, the Old Grist Mill and Gardens, and Manning Park Resort.
Here are the highlights from across the Similkameen Valley from Manning Park to Cawston.
Upcoming Events
Princeton, HEDLEY & MANNING PARK Area
Manning Park Resort – Winter Lantern Workshop – Dec 23
Get ready to glow! Join us for our annual Winter Lantern Workshop, 3:30-9:30 p.m. For $15 per kit, create your own glowing masterpiece with all materials provided and friendly guidance throughout. Create a lantern for the Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade or take it home for a touch of extra festive magic.
Manning Park Resort – Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade – Dec 24
Celebrate Christmas Eve with a dazzling torchlit descent down the mountain from 7-8 p.m. with festive fireworks and a special visit from Santa. This beloved tradition brings together families and friends for magical winter memories under glowing lights and starlit skies. Don’t miss the holiday magic!
Manning Park Resort – Snowshoe & S’mores
December 26-March 28 – Guided Snowshoe & S’mores – Experience the magic of winter on a guided 2-hour snowshoe adventure beneath a starry sky. After exploring snow-laden trails, gather around the fire at Strawberry Flats to enjoy hot chocolate and s’mores. Meet at the Nordic Centre by 6:30 pm; tours run from 7 pm to 9:30 pm.
Manning Park Resort – New Year’s Eve – Fireworks – Dec 31
Celebrate the New Year with our annual fireworks, from 9-9:30 p.m., set against towering peaks and the quiet beauty of winter. Gather loved ones, bundle up, and enjoy a magical evening. Whether you’ve been on the slopes, Nordic trails, or simply savoring the snowy scenery, our fireworks are the perfect finale to a memorable winter day.
Manning Park Resort – Cascade Cup Jan 31
Calling all Nordic enthusiasts! Get ready for an adrenaline-fueled race as the Cascade Cup returns. This race promises heart-pounding XC skiing along the North Gibson Trail to Lightning Lake.
Live Music at Thomasina’s Cafe, Princeton
Check Facebook for the schedule. 279 Bridge Street.
KEREMEOS & CAWSTON Area
Old Grist Mill & Gardens – Keremeos
Check out the Winter Workshop Series
- Tea & Tunes Dec 21, Jan 18, Feb 15.
- Introduction to Cheesemaking – Jan 2 & 4th
- Introduction to Candymaking – Jan 9th
- Growing Sproats & Microgreens – Jan 10
- Introduction to Smoking & Curing – Jan 10
- Introduction to Sourdough – Jan 16 & 17th
- How to make Pizza from Scratch – Jan 17
- Everything Butter – Jan 23
- Introduction to Frugal Cooking – Jan 24
- Introduction to Canning – Jan 24
- Introduction to Fermentation – Jan 30
- Make Your Own Sodas – Jan 31
- Perfect Condiments – Feb 6
WINTER HIGHLIGHTS
Yes, winter does get a little chilly. Manning Park Resort hosts winter events, including Winter Lantern Workshop, Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade, Guided Snowshoe & S’mores, New Year’s Eve Fireworks, Cascade Cup XC Ski Race, with more to come. Join the locals for their annual Light Up The Night and parades in Keremeos and Princeton.
We don’t necessarily think you should huddle inside, but if you’re not a fan of the cold, be sure to check out the annual Christmas Craft Fair at the Grist Mill or their Workshop Food Series in Keremeos or winery open houses. Cheer on the Princeton Posse Junior hockey team for adrenaline-filled family fun!
Key Annual Events Keremeos / Cawston Area
- Check out ALL EVENTS and gatherings at the Grist Mill & Gardens, Keremeos
- March – Seedy Saturday – Grist Mill – Keremeos – info to come
- April – Celebration of Traditions Pow Wow
- April – Chopaka Rodeo
- April – Easter Egg Hunt – Grist Mill – Keremeos – info to come
- May – Second Annual Similkameen 5K Walk/Run
- May – MacKenzie Rd Art & Wine Crawl, Klippers Market & Cafe & Row Fourteen
- May Long Weekend – Elk’s Rodeo, Keremeos
- June – 1st Annual Similkameen Cider & Music Festival
- June – Sharpe Distillery Second Annual 5 km Run/Walk
- July 1 – Canada Day Celebrations – Memorial Park – Keremeos
- July – Keremeos Bluegrass Jamboree
- Memorial Park Market, Keremeos (Kool Beans, Keremeos)
- August – Kars under the K
- Aug – Labour Day Longweekend – Similkameen Pow Wow
- Sept – Keremeos Bluegrass Jamboree
- Sept – Similkameen Sizzle Pepper Festival
- Sept – 11th Annual Heritage Fall Fair – Grist Mill – Keremeos
- Nov – Grist Mill Christmas Craft Fair – Keremeos
- Dec- Orofino Winery Open House – Keremeos
- Dec – Keremeos Light Up, Craft Fair & Parade
- Dec – Winery Open Houses – Orofino, Hugging Tree
- Dec – Grist Mill Workshop Food Series – Keremeos
- Dec – Enjoy the warmth of our wineries one weekend each December at the annual Holiday Open Houses
- Big Daddy’s Hot Rod Round Up & Charity Car Show Returns in 2026 – held every two years
Key Annual Events Princeton Area & MANNING PARK
- Jan 31, 2026 – The Cascade Cup XC Ski Race – Manning Park Resort – Events
- February – Family Day Fun
- May – Meadowlark Nature Festival
- May-Sept – Community Market every Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Veterans Square
- June – Stan Thompson Memorial Rodeo
- July 1 – Canada Day Festivities
- July – BC Parks Day, Lightning Lake at Manning Park Resort – Events
- August 1, 2026 – Lantern Festival at Lightning Lake, Manning Park Resort – Events
- August Long Weekend – Tulameen Family Fun Days
- August – Copper Valley Music Festival
- August – Rise Wellness Festival, Hedley
- August – Princeton Show & Shine
- September 5, 2026 – Kite Festival & Workshop – Manning Park Resort
- September – BC High School Rodeo & Harvest Festival
- October – Halloween Family Festival & Fireworks
- November 11 – Remembrance Day at Veterans’ Square
- November 28 – Christmas Light-Up Community Party, Bridge Street Plaza, with a parade to Christmas Light-up at Veterans Square
- Dec 23, 2025 –Winter Lantern Workshop– Manning Park Resort
- Dec 24, 2025 – Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade – Manning Park Resort
- December 26, 2025 -March 28, 2026 – Guided Snowshoe & S’mores – Manning Park Resort
- Dec 31, 2025 – New Year’s Eve Fireworks – Manning Park Resort
- Princeton Chamber of Commerce Events Schedule
SPRING HIGHLIGHTS
You can tell spring is in the air when you can smell the scent of the new blossoms, and wildlife is abundant throughout the Valley.
There are annual 5Km walk runs, MacKenzie Rd Art & Wine Crawl, and the Similkameen Cider & Music Festival at Klippers Market & Cafe & Row Fourteen.
Since 1998, the annual Meadowlark Nature Festival held in May has presented interactive, multi-disciplinary events that explore and celebrate the spectacular natural environment of the Okanagan Similkameen. It is a divine celebration of nature and wildlife that is sure to pique your interest.
Spring is when tasting rooms open, which is a reason to celebrate unto itself. Sip your way through the valley and be among the first tasters of the Similkameen’s terroir. Winemakers dinners, vertical tastings in a cave, farm-to-table events, roaming expansive vineyards, bike riding through the valley, and discovering what’s new this season.
Spring is rodeo season in the Similkameen. Kicking things off in April is the Chopaka Rodeo, followed by the the Elk’s Rodeo in May in Keremeos and in June Princeton’s Stan Thompson Memorial Rodeo. From heart-pounding bronc riding to family-friendly festivities, these authentic, small-town rodeos are more than just competitions—they celebrate tradition, community, and the Western spirit.
SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS
A Similkameen summer…hot temperatures, cooling river, breezy valley… yep, sounds like summer.
In Manning Park, annual events include BC Parks Day, Lantern Festival, and the Kite Festival. In the Princeton area, check out the yearly Princeton Show & Shine, and enjoy an evening of live music and community fun at the Princeton Street Plaza. The Copper Valley Music Festival (Princeton) and Tulameen Family Fun Days are held in August. If you’re into fitness, sign up for the Fat Dog 120 held throughout the valley in August.
In Keremeos, there are summer events at the Old Grist Mill and Gardens, including a Garden Tea Party, Sunday Dinners, Concerts, Gardeners’ Gatherings, the popular Teddy Bear Picnic, Day Camps, and Summer Night Markets.
The annual Similkameen Pow Wow is hosted at the Ashnola campground. For music fans, the Keremeos Country Bluegrass Jamboree is held in July and early Sept. Car fans will enjoy Kars under the K for a full day of family fun.
In the Cawston and Keremeos area, wineries, cideries, and our only distillery offer special tours and events, many featuring music, art, and farm-to-table food experiences. Tasting Rooms and Patios are Open, many are pet-friendly.
Special ANNUAL Events in the Similkameen Valley
May – Meadowlark Nature Festival
A must for nature lovers, photographers, and outdoor enthusiasts, the Meadowlark Nature Festival is a deep dive into the incredible biodiversity of the Similkameen and South Okanagan. Through guided nature walks, birdwatching excursions, Indigenous cultural experiences, and hands-on workshops, this festival connects people with the land in meaningful ways. Whether you’re learning about local ecosystems from expert naturalists or spotting rare bird species in their natural habitat, this festival is a celebration of the beauty that surrounds us.
August – Fat Dog 120
Beginning in the community of Keremeos, and finishing in iconic E.C. Manning Provincial Park, the course is 124 Miles long, incorporating a point-to-point style route. The cumulative elevation gain is approximately 26,000 feet or just under 8000 meters. Travel from valley bottoms, through forests, and up into high sub-alpine terrain. The course offers incredibly stunning alpine views, including mountain vistas, wildflower meadows, and sub-alpine forests.
FALL HIGHLIGHTS
The fall harvest is a big deal around these parts. As such, the locals know how to throw quite a fall celebration! Some of the staples include getting spicy at the annual Similkameen Sizzle Pepper Festival in September, Canada’s only celebration dedicated to the pepper harvest.
Check out a variety of fall events at the Old Grist Mill and Gardens, in Keremeos, including Sunday Dinners, Concerts, and the annual Heritage Fall Fair. For farm-to-table dining or tasting at wine, cider, and distillery Tasting Rooms, come for the harvest.
Canada’s only Pepper Festival, the Similkameen Sizzle, mid-morning until early evening on one hot day in September at Memorial Park, Hwy 3, Keremeos. Start your day with a pancake breakfast by the Keremeos Rodeo Association, then browse our market packed with amazing vendors. The hot sauce competition kicks things off mid-morning, and bouncy castles open around noon for the kids (and the kids-at-heart) until late afternoon. In the early afternoon, the Similkameen Independent Winegrowers open the popular beverage garden, just in time to cool off before the legendary hot pepper eating contest and an evening of live music in the park, where pool access is free.
