9 things to do in the Fraser Valley this June

School is winding down, and people are gearing up for fun summer events in the Fraser Valley.

Whether you’re interested in a women-only backpacking trip, a queer country celebration, an amateur radio field day, or a series of free yoga lessons, there will be something up your alley in the valley this month.

Saturday, June 21 also marks National Indigenous Peoples Day, and the Fraser Valley has a few events to help everyone celebrate and learn about Stó:lō history and culture.

Langley

Queer country, wild brewskis, and Shakespearean comedy are all on the agenda this month in Langley.

Rainbow Rodeo Honky-Tonk Dance

Put on your cowboy boots and get ready to celebrate queer country music at the Fort Langley Community Hall on Friday, June 6. The Rainbow Rodeo dance will feature Chilliwack country dance band The Unbranded, as well as Victoria crooner Elise LeBlanc, Vancouver banjo-picker Leah Barley, East Van troubadour Beastie. Drag King Butch Sassidy will also be on site to keep the party pumping.

The night begins with a two-step lesson at 8pm, and continues with queer country anthems until 11pm. The dance is for LGBTQ people and allies of all ages and all genders. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.

Brew at the Zoo

Grownups will go wild at the Greater Vancouver Zoo in Aldergrove with an after-hours, adult-only event on Saturday, June 21. Brew at the Zoo will bring a variety of local breweries to the zoo for an evening of craft drinks, live music, and animal encounters. The event includes a keepsake tasting mug, as well as the opportunity to watch carcass feeds (for the animals, not for guests).

General admission is $70, with designated drivers getting in for $45. The event runs from 4 to 9pm, and tickets are available online.

Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor

The world is your oyster, and what better way to celebrate than with the play that coined the iconic phrase? Bard in the Valley opens its season with Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor at Township 7 Winery. The classic comedy follows the attempts of Sir John Falstaff to seduce two married women in order to get access to their husbands fortunes.

The production takes place at 7pm each night from Thursday, June 26 to Sunday, June 29. Because the June performances are part of Bard in the Valley’s preview week, tickets are $25 rather than the usual $35. If you miss the performances in June, it continues at two Langley venues until the end of July.

Abbotsford-Mission

This month, Abbotsford and Mission are getting busy with kids festivals, ham radio, and free yoga lessons.

Fraser Valley Children’s Festival

The Fraser Valley Children’s Festival returns to Fraser River Heritage Park on Sunday, June 8. Starting at 10am, the festival will feature a vibrant mix of live performances, hands-on activities, storytelling, dance, and other activities that will keep kids of all ages entertained. The festival will also include nearly 100 vendors, as well as roving princesses, jugglers, and Star Wars cosplayers.

The festival starts at 10am and goes until 4pm. It is free to attend, although parking is $5 at the gate. The full day schedule is available online.

Amateur Radio Field Day

Ham radio enthusiasts will be ready to connect with other radio operators a world away during the Abbotsford Amateur Radio Emergency Services Society field day at the end of June. Radio operators will be set up at Mill Lake Park from noon on Saturday, June 28 to noon on Sunday, June 29 for the North America-wide event.

Visitors will be able to ask the radio operators about their set ups, learn about high-frequency radio, and connect with long-distance stations elsewhere in the world. The event is free, and radio enthusiasts will be on site overnight.

Yoga in the Park

Downtown Abbotsford brings a moment of relaxation to the week each Wednesday with Yoga in the Park. Starting on Wednesday, June 18, instructor Jessica Hart will lead a free yoga class at Jubilee Park starting at 6pm. Remember to bring your water bottle and yoga mat.

Although the class is free, registration is required for the Wednesday, June 18 class and the Wednesday, July 16 class. (Registration is encouraged, but not required, for other dates. If you sign up online each week, you’ll earn entries for an end-of-summer prize draw.)

Eastern Fraser Valley

June in the Eastern Fraser Valley features a Canadian-focused concert, an outdoor music festival, and a girls-only backpacking adventure.

Séan McCann - Great Big Canadian Road Trip

Canadian musician Séan McCann is taking his love of small-town Canada across the country with his Great Big Canadian Road Trip—and landing in Ryder Lake on Friday, June 6. McCann is the co-founder of the Newfoundland band Great Big Sea, and his departure from the group in 2013 caused the band to call it quits. His solo tour across the country will focus on Canadian togetherness in a time of discord rising up from the south.

McCann’s concert will take place on Friday, June 6 at Ryder Lake Hall starting at 7pm. (You can also catch him on June 5th in Penticton, and June 7th in Parksville.) Tickets are $30 and available online.

Intro to Backpacking for Women

The Hope Mountain Centre is working to get women out on the trails in a new way. The centre is holding a three-session intro to backpacking for experienced female hikers who want to get into backpacking. The workshop includes: a Zoom session focused on hike packing and planning on Saturday, June 11; a test run day hike on Thacker Mountain on Saturday, July 5; and a full backpacking adventure on the HBC Heritage Trail from Friday, July 18 to Sunday, July 20.

The registration is extremely limited—the group has a maximum of 15 participants. Tickets are around $450, and available online.

Forest Echoes Music Festival

Wannabe festival-goers will be able to get their fix locally this June with the annual Forest Echoes Music Festival. Taking place from Friday, June 27 to Sunday, June 29 at Cultus Lake, the music festival will feature local rock bands and folk artists, including Uncle Strut, the History of Gunpowder, and High Def Chicks.

A full weekend pass including camping is $180, while a day pass is $100. (Youth passes for teens aged 13 to 17 are $60, but they have to be accompanied by an adult.)

National Indigenous People’s Day

National Indigenous People’s Day isn’t a statutory holiday, but it has been recognized in Canada since 1996 as a time to recognize and celebrate the variety of First Nations, Inuit, and Metis cultures within the country.

Rooted Waters and Cultural Showcase

The Ch’íyáqtel First Nation, the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce, and the Chilliwack Cultural Centre are coming together with a celebration of local Indigenous history and art on Tuesday, June 17. The evening event begins at 4pm with a vendor marketplace. A ticketed screening of Rooted Waters film begins at 6pm, as well as a live puppeteer performance of the Sturgeon Story. After the performances, attendees can sample more food and vendors and watch live wood-carving.

Chamber of Commerce members can get their tickets for $45. Non-members will have to pay $70. Tickets are available online.

National Indigenous Peoples Day Celebration

On Friday, June 20, the City of Abbotsford and the Abbotsford School District are hosting a celebration of Indigenous culture and knowledge at Mill Lake Park. The event is free, with no registration, and will include activity stations, as well as storytelling, dance, and art. The event starts at 9:30am and goes until 1:30pm.

Ruby Creek Art Gallery Beadathon

The Ruby Creek Art Gallery hosts a First Nations Beadathon on Saturday, June 21 from 10am to 4pm. Seasoned and beginning beaders are invited to share the cultural significance of Indigenous beadwork, and learn from the beading knowledge of others. Visitors will also be able to shop finished pieces and enjoy food from the bannock truck.

Admission is free, but pre-registration is recommended. Interested participants can email [email protected] call 604-796-4833, or stop by the Ruby Creek Art Gallery for more details.