Arts & Culture

Squamish is a hub for arts and culture, where creators of all kinds incubate their craft. Home to renowned photographers and filmmakers, novelists, painters and potters, metal workers and carvers, musicians and poets, brewmasters and chefs, Squamish inspires a creative spirit that must be shared and appreciated.

There are a myriad of ways to enjoy Squamish arts and culture and we invite you to #ExploreSquamish and enjoy these experiences first-hand.

Public Art

You can spend an entire day in Squamish touring the murals and street art and still have more to come back to on your next visit. Every year our public art collection grows as events such as the Squamish Arts Festival and Squamish Mural Festival sponsor new installations all over town. You can participate in the Squamish Mural Walk any day at any time. Here is a list of some of our favourite public art pieces to check out during your next visit. 

Cleveland and Victoria: Rainbow crosswalks: located between Squamish Integrated Health and Copper Coil Still & Grill

Cleveland and Main: Eye of the Creator mural

Sea to Sky Art House: Jessica Gilbert Mural

Second and Winnipeg: Train, Stawamus Chief and Bear murals

Second near Winnipeg: Squamish Wings & Squamish Eye by Leisl Petersen 

Squamish Youth Centre: "Good Vibes This Way" Mural by a Squamish Arts Council youth program

Clevland and Pemberton: Welcome to Squamish mural by Alex J Fowkes

Pemberton between Second and Third Ave: 'No Growth Without Rain' by Alex J Fowkes

Cleveland and Winnipeg: Squamish Eagle Wings by Leisl Petersen

O'Siyam Pavilion: Public art made by local youth

Cleveland and Victoria: Giant Eagle

... and many more! View the full map of local murals here. Summer 2022 will see the return of the Squamish Mural Festival with a planned 11 new murals to be created live during the event, which will be held June 24th-26th.

Live Music

Squamish is a musical place and if you open your ears you'll surely find a band or artist to tap your feet to. In the summer months there is often music outside at Junction Park in Downtown Squamish in the evenings or at the Squamish Farmers' Market on Saturdays. There is also live music at the summit of the Sea to Sky Gondola throughout the summer. Many Squamish restaurants offer live music at their venues, usually on weekends. Some popular spots for live music are Norman Rudy's, Cork & Craft Taphouse, Howe Sound Brewing and Zephyr Café. During the summer months you'll discover events with live music in the spotlight, like the Constellation Festival and Amped in the Park. Check our event calendar to find the next music event near you.

History

Cast your gaze over Howe Sound on any summer afternoon and you will be dazzled by the colourful kites and sails of wind sports enthusiasts dotting the seascape. The strong, consistent winds are the basis for Squamish’s name, meaning Mother of the Wind. Named by the area’s original Coast Salish inhabitants, Squamish is now home to members of Squamish Nation. Their profound relationship to the land has shaped the culture of appreciation for the surrounding mountains, forests and waters.

Although the British explorer Captain George Vancouver sailed into Howe Sound in 1792, the first non-native settlers did not arrive until 1888. A lot has changed in Squamish since then, but pieces of history remain throughout the Squamish Valley. Today Squamish has a diverse group of artists, artisans, historians and performers that weave a cultural mix into our adventurous and energetic recreational lifestyle.

You can learn about Squamish's history first-hand at one of the indoor-outdoor museums. Visit Britannia Mine Museum to learn about the mining history that shaped our local landscape and visit the Railway Museum of British Columbia to discover how rail transportation forever changed the industrial side of Squamish. 

Events

There are a number of events throughout the year that celebrate the diverse history and interests of the Squamish community. In the summer, Squamish Days Loggers Festival is an annual ritual and important reminder of Squamish's logging past. The Squamish Arts Festival offers workshops as well as several live music, live art and other artistic events for two weeks each summer. There are also yearly Pride Squamish events that celebrate diversity, queer culture and acceptance in the Sea to Sky. Each autumn there is a variety of Halloween, Oktoberfest and fall-themed events, or you might want to hop aboard the North Pole Express or check out the festive lights each Christmas season. You'll be surprised at the wonderful array of arts and culture events held here in Squamish. With the pandemic now in the rearview mirror, we are seeing more events returning as well as new ones just around the corner. For more information on events, visit our Event Calendar.