The Whistler Children’s Festival is back for its 43rd year, and it’s giving Metro Vancouver families every reason to pack up and head north for the weekend.

If you’ve been looking for an excuse to get out of the city before summer officially hits, consider this your sign. The Whistler Children’s Festival returns May 15 to 17, 2026, and this year’s lineup is genuinely worth planning a whole weekend around.

For the uninitiated: this is Whistler’s longest-running festival and Arts Whistler’s biggest annual event, now celebrating its 43rd year. That’s the kind of track record that tells you something. It keeps coming back because families keep coming back.

What’s New This Year

The festival is getting a bit of a refresh for 2026, and the changes are good ones. It’s moving to a more centralized layout around Florence Petersen Park, Whistler Olympic Plaza, and the Maury Young Arts Centre, which means less walking back and forth and more time actually doing things.

New this year: a Bratz Biz market, where local youth artisans sell their own handmade arts and crafts at Whistler Olympic Plaza. It’s sweet, it’s unexpected, and your kids will probably spend their allowance there. Also new is a Friday night pajama movie to kick off the weekend. This year they’re screening Zootopia 2, which honestly sounds like the perfect low-key arrival night if you’re driving up after school.

The Acts You’ll Actually Want To See

>> Find out more about the Whistler Children’s Festival!

This year’s lineup leans into creativity and inclusion in a way that feels really thoughtful, not just checkbox-y.

• Glamerly is one of the headline acts, described as a gender-creative dress-up party for families. It’s joyful, expressive, and the kind of show where your kid might walk in shy and walk out in full costume ready to take on the world.
• Powwow Mash-UP celebrates Indigenous culture through Powwow and hoop dance, and it’s exactly the kind of live performance that sticks with kids long after the weekend is over.
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• Yuki the Juggler is an award-winning Japanese Canadian circus performer who brings serious skill and playful energy to the stage. Equal parts impressive and delightful.
• Orbax and Pepper is a weird, wonderful, mad science live on stage. The kind of act that makes kids convinced science is actually the coolest thing on earth.

Beyond the main acts, there will be more free roving entertainment and craft stations than ever before scattered throughout the festival grounds, which means even if you didn’t book every ticketed workshop, there’s still plenty happening around you.

A Festival That’s Actually Built For All Families

This year the festival is making a real effort to be welcoming for everyone, and the details matter. There will be a designated space for neurodivergent kids to play, create, and decompress in a quieter environment. The entire festival footprint is wheelchair and stroller accessible.

There are also Helping Hands tickets available for purchase, which send one adult and one child to a show they might not otherwise have the chance to attend. A lovely thing to do if you’re in a position to.

Before You Book

Ticketed workshops and performances sell out ahead of time, so get in early. Each show also has recommended age ranges listed, so take a few minutes to check those before finalizing your picks. Nobody wants to sit through a puppet show designed for two-year-olds when you’ve got a nine year old who’s already bored.

Make it a full weekend in Whistler

Here’s the thing about driving two hours to Whistler: just stay. May in Whistler is genuinely underrated. The days are getting longer, the snow is mostly gone from the Village, and there’s a ridiculous amount to do outside the festival itself.

We’re talking hiking, biking, golf, ziplining, whitewater rafting, and UTV tours. Your kids will be begging to come back before you’ve even packed the car to leave.And here’s the practical kicker: stay three or more nights and you’ll receive a free Activity Voucher. That’s Whistler basically handing you a reason to extend the trip.

QUICK PLANNING LIST

• Festival dates: May 15-17, 2026
• Main Venues: Florence Petersen Park, Whistler Olympic Plaza, Maury Young Arts Centre
• Book ticketed shows early, they sell out
• Check recommended ages for each workshop or performance before booking
• Stay 3+ nights for a free Activity Voucher

Get tickets, explore the full lineup, and plan your spring Whistler trip:

>> Festival Tickets and lineup
>> Whistler Festival Guide
>> Spring activities in Whistler

This post is sponsored by Tourism Whistler

The Whistler Children’s Festival returns to Whistler,
May 15-17, 2026 with a mix of arts focused programming and workshops for children of all ages. This event is produced by Arts Whistler.