Vancouver Ice Cream Festival returns with 40+ shops through August
Self-guided festival kicks off June 19, featuring over a dozen new vendors across Richmond, Vancouver, and North Vancouver.
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The Vancouver Ice Cream Festival is celebrating its fourth year with 40 ice cream shops and cafes participating from June 19 to August 3.
Organized by Noms Magazine and partnered with BC Dairy this year, the self-guided festival is expanding significantly. Six Richmond spots are featured, including Matcha Cafe Maiko, Sweet Surrender Gelato in Steveston, Soft Peaks, Little Pisces, The Praguery, and newcomer Fluffle Cafe. New additions across the region include Burnaby's Matcha Tea Lab, Vancouver's Plain Jane and Kobo Ice Cream, and North Vancouver's Krave Kulture.
Last year, the festival drew more than 20,000 participants visiting participating businesses. This year is expected to attract even more thanks to the new North Vancouver locations, according to Jason Yeh, founder of Noms Magazine.
"Every year this festival gets bigger, but 2026 feels like a real milestone for us," Yeh said. "We can't wait for people to taste what this year's vendors have been working on."
Participants earn stamps for a "festival passport" — each completed passport enters readers into a festival prize sweepstakes. Prices are set by individual vendors, with all money earned going back to each business. The full list of festival items will be released closer to the event start date.
It's a perfect excuse to venture beyond your usual spot and discover what's new in the city's ice cream scene.