Special Events in Vancouver

Connect with neighbors, meet new friends and enjoy the art, culture and natural beauty of Vancouver at special community events!

Annual Summer Events

Waterfront Park Concert Series (Thursdays)
Presented by Waterfront Taphouse

Sunday Sounds Concert Series
Presented by Riverview Bank

Free Friday Night Movies
Presented by HAPO Community Credit Union 

Summer Event Opportunities

Partner/Community Organization Opportunities

Are you a community organization or non-profit looking for ways to connect with the community? The City of Vancouver’s Special Events team invites you to join our summer event series! Partner and community organizations must adhere to these core principles:

  1. Be open to the public
  2. Provide services to Vancouver, Washington residents
  3. Not advocate for or against any political cause, party or candidate
  4. Be non-commercial
  5. Not promote any religion or religious viewpoint
  6. Be in alignment with the strategic plan and operating principles of the City of Vancouver

To table at City of Vancouver summer events, please complete the Partner Tabling Application and provide all the necessary materials requested in the application.

Submission Timelines
To be considered for the 2024 Special Event season, applications are due by May 31, 2024.Submitting this application does not guarantee your spot at the event(s). Only applications that are filled out completely will be considered. If approved, our Special Events staff will contact you to confirm within a month of submittal.

If you need help completing the form or have additional questions, please contact us at covspecialevents@cityofvancouver.us.

Food Vendor Opportunities

The City of Vancouver prefers to partner with local food vendors for City-sponsored and partnered events. After submitting an interest form, you will be added to a directory of food vendors that the City’s Special Events team will use to identify qualified food vendors for future events. This is not an application. Event specific applications will be sent to vendors that:

  1. Have submitted a food vendor interest form
  2. Fit the needs of the event

Complete this interest form at any time to be added to our directory. The interest form only needs to be completed once.

What to expect at City-sponsored events:

Crowds

  • Free Friday Movie Nights – between 100 and 400 people on site.
  • Sunday Sounds Concert Series – between 1,500 to 3,000 people on site.

Event Times/Dates

  • Free Friday Movie Nights – Location varies by week – 7 p.m. until the movie ends (between 9:30 and 11 p.m. depending on movie length)
  • Sunday Sounds Concert Series – Columbia Tech Center – Sundays – 6 to 8 p.m.

Number of Food Vendors

  • City-sponsored and partnered events have between 3 and 6 food vendors on site, depending on expected attendance. A variety of food options is best for attendees.

Approval Process

Submission Timelines
The interest form and subsequent food vendor application should be completed and approved by May 15, 2024, for the summer season. The interest form will remain open after that date for future opportunities. If you need help completing the form or have additional questions, please contact us at covspecialevents@cityofvancouver.us.

Private Events in Parks and Community Centers