We Take Our Hats Off to the Community!
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Hats Off Day has been a grassroots festival celebrating the best of the Burnaby Heights community since the early 1980s. Today, the event has gradually grown from a small sidewalk event to a day-long celebration that begins with a Family Fun Dash, followed by a mainstreet-style Parade and Street Festival. Watch our history!
LOCATION
Hastings St
From Boundary Rd To Gamma Ave.
DATE
June 6, 2026
From 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
COST
Free
For all visitors
OUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC SAFETY
Public Safety is paramount for us all. The Hats Off Day festival organizers, together with the City of Burnaby and the Burnaby RCMP, have many safety measures in place to better protect the public for the duration of the festival in 2026. We ask the public to please be understanding and accommodating of our safety practices. If you have any questions about any of these measures, please e-mail info@burnabyheights.com.
We are committed to creating a festival that unites the community, that puts our differences aside, that celebrates who we are as neighbours to one another. We believe society and communities have the right to celebrate what we share together, and to remain safe while doing so. You can be assured that as we gather together at Hats Off Day, all the organizing bodies have taken great steps to secure the public and the festival site.
2026 Theme
Step right up! Hats Off Day 2026 is rolling into town with all the colour, energy, and wow moments of the circus with the theme “Under the Big Top”
Expect live music, roving performers, the Family Fun Dash, Show and Shine, and the always crowd favourite Hats Off Day Parade.
Bring the family and get ready for a day full of surprises.
Scroll down to learn more and start planning your day at the circus.
Festival Components
Get Involved
You’ve come to the right place. Hats Off Day would not be possible or fun without you! Please see below for ways to be part of the festival.
Volunteering
Hats Off Day needs a couple of hundred volunteers: from manning barricades, to assisting with the parade, to distributing volunteer lunches and other materials around the festival site, we need you! You can work for a half-day shift or a full-day shift. Volunteers receive a Hats Off Day t-shirt (barricade volunteers receive a Hats Off Day limited edition baseball hat). Lunch is provided. Youth receive hours toward their volunteering credits for graduation. Barricade volunteers also receive a special gift card thanks.
Not-for-profit societies, local cultural groups, and local amateur sports teams are invited to volunteer as a group of 6 or more, to be barricade volunteers. These groups will receive a donation to their organization as a way of thanks.
Sponsorship
Community-minded organizations help make Hats Off Day possible. We are so grateful to our many past sponsors and take our hats off to them. Please contact the Heights Merchants Association to inquire about sponsorship eligibility and recognition opportunities.
Entertainment
Our festival entertainment varies from local community bands, to high school performers, to professional musicians, roving entertainers and so many others. Much of our entertainers are hired by individual merchants, and some of it is hired by the Heights Merchants Association. Please click on the button below to learn more about being considered for this, or future Hats Off Days’ entertainment roster.
Community Display Zone
The Community Display Zone of Hats Off Day is where Burnaby-based charitable and not-for-profit groups are showcased and have an opportunity to be involved in the festivities. Space is limited and demand may be high, so apply early. Please click on the button below to learn more about being considered for this element of Hats Off Day!
Parade Participation
The Hats Off Day Parade is the highlight of Burnaby’s most vibrant street festival, kicking off the event with a showcase of community pride, creativity and fun! Featuring Burnaby Heights BIA businesses, local non-profits, schools, places of worship, sponsors, and government agencies, the parade celebrates the heart and soul of our community.
Please click on the button below to learn more about being considered for this element of Hats Off Day!
Show & Shine Car Show
Since 2002, the Show and Shine has been the ultimate stage for car lovers to flaunt their wheels and wow thousands of spectators.
Got the car that turns heads? Please click on the button below to learn more about being considered for this element of Hats Off Day!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Hats Off Day?
Burnaby’s biggest annual street festival that attracts over 60,000 attendees every year. There is a colourful parade, vintage car show, thrilling race, live music, fun entertainment, delicious food, and lots of activities appropriate for all ages.
Where & When is Hats Off Day?
The festival has activities planned on Hastings St, all the way from Boundary Rd. to Gamma Ave.
It takes place Saturday, June 6, 2026 – the festival almost always falls on the first Saturday of June
What are the main events, and how can I find more information?
The program changes each year. Visit the Event page on our website for more info.
A detailed Event Program will be published closer to the event. It is a printable document with all the programming information, including entertainment and other details.
What is the cost to attend?
It’s FREE! Enjoy the parade, vintage car show, and live entertainment along Hastings St. at no cost thanks to our sponsors, community, and merchants.
Will the festival still take place if it rains?
Rain or shine, Hats Off Day is on!
Is there an Information Booth? Where?
Yes, it is located between Gilmore Ave and Macdonald Ave at 4019 Hastings St.
Where are the bathrooms?
There are portable washrooms at these locations, either to the north or south of Hastings St. Look for directional signage.:
- Esmond Ave (SE)
- MacDonald Ave (SE)
- Madison Ave (NW)
- Alpha Ave (SW)
What do I do if I get injured, or need medical attention?
St. John’s Ambulance is located at 2 different intersections along Hastings Street; Gilmore, Madison and are intended to be used for minor incidents. If it is an emergency, phone 9-1-1.
What do I do if I lost someone?
Go to the RCMP Community Police Office located at 4191 Hastings Street (next to the Dairy Queen) to report the lost child/person. Follow their instructions on how to proceed.
What do I do if I found a lost child/person?
The lost child procedure is a three-step process:
1) DO NOT LEAVE THE CHILD. We do not want to re-lose them.
2) Stay with the child and have another volunteer go and report to the RCMP Community Police Office located at 4191 Hastings Street (Next to the Dairy Queen).
3) Wait for RCMP to arrive.
Where is the lost & found located?
For lost items, go to the Burnaby RCMP Community Police Office at 4191 Hastings St. or the event information booth located at 4019 Hastings St. Contact the Heights Merchants Association after Hats Off Day at 604-294-8899.
Wheelchair accessibility?
Hats Off Day is fully accessible by wheelchairs, with no stairs to go up/down on.
I am participating in the parade - where do I take my parade entry to line up?
Small vehicle and pedestrian entries should enter off of Gamma onto Albert Street and settle on Albert at the Parade Assembly area. Large Vehicle entries should enter at Gamma and Hastings, and park along Hastings Street, lining up to Beta. Parade entries must all register with the Parade Coordinator (high-vis vest) at Beta and Hastings.
I am participating in the Show & Shine with my car/motorcycle - where do I go?
Burnaby North Secondary School (Parking Lot off Curtis St.), from 8:30 a.m. until 10:00 a.m.
Where do I catch the bus?
The buses that normally run along Hastings Street have been rerouted to Pender Street (one block to the south of Hastings Street).
Are there handicapped parking?
There are two handicapped parking spots
- Carleton – Both sides (Pender to laneway to the north)
- City Parking Lot at Alpha & Pender
My vehicle has been towed. Where do I find it?
Vehicles may be picked up at Confederation School off Dundas (west of Gamma), before noon. After 12 p.m., the vehicles will be moved to Mundie’s Towing at 5938 Kingsway at Griffiths, where a towing charge will be applied.
Is there bicycle parking?
There are bike racks along Hastings Street that you may use.
