11 things to know about BC CrabFest happening in Victoria this summer

Get your bibs ready, Victoria! BC CrabFest is getting closer.

Local BC crab, live music and a beautiful setting for the festival—what’s not to love?

We’ve made a list of everything you need to know to make sure you make the most of this year’s BC CrabFest! So grab your forks and let’s get started.

Here are 11 things you need to know about BC CrabFest 2026:

Taking place Saturday, July 18th

Taking place Saturday, July 18th, this festival will be right in the middle of summer, just where a crab festival belongs!

Get your shorts and tank tops (covered with a bib, of course), because it’s bound to be a beautiful day.

The festival will be held all day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Held at the beautiful Inner Harbour

The venue this year will be at Victoria’s beautiful inner harbour, right in the heart of Victoria’s downtown core.

What better place to enjoy the festivities than right on the water?

The venue will be loaded with tables and festival tents, but make sure you bring your sun screen anyway!

Entrance to the festival is by donation

One of the best parts of the festival is that entrance is by donation!

Attendees will be able to enjoy live music and performances, the family zone, chef demonstrations, and all the rest of the festivities for whatever they can pay.

Donations help fund food access programs at the Mustard Seed, culinary training and education at Camosun College, as well as ocean stewardship initiatives through the BC Crab Fisherman’s Association.

While the entrance cost is up to you, remember to…

Buy your Crab Boil Buckets early!

There are a limited number of Crab Boil Buckets at the event, and they are expected to sell out.

Make sure you’re able to take part in the delicious main event of the festival and enjoy some local BC Dungeness crab, along with other goodies in the bucket.

Buckets are $58 plus fees for a mini bucket, or you can grab the larger size for an early bird price using this link. Entrance to the festival is covered in these prices.

If you’re coming with a larger group of friends, make sure to book a Captain’s Table!

Pickup windows for grab boils are as follows:

• Lunch Boil: 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• Afternoon Boil: 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
• Harbour Dinner Boil: 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Reserve a Captain’s Table for your group

For groups of four to eight people, make sure to book a Captain’s Table!

These bookings are $675 plus fees, and give groups a large table with premium seating right on the harbourfront, four free welcome drinks, a family-style BC Crab Boil equivalent to four large Crab Boil Buckets, served directly to your table.

And the best part? No need to wait in any lines!

Live music and performances

With entry to the festival, attendees will be able to enjoy live music all day long, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

DJs, live bands, cultural performances, and shanty choirs, BC CrabFest has got it all!

Even if you don’t partake in the delicious food, there will be plenty going on to keep you entertained.

A kids zone with family-friendly activities

Bringing the kids with you?

The Seaside Family Zone will have activities to keep the young ones (and the young at heart) entertained.

Hands-on creativity, face painting, bubble shows, children’s book readings and a musical undersea tale will all be part of the fun.

Who needs a babysitter? Bring the kids down for the fun!

Exciting chef demonstrations

The festival’s culinary program will be led by Executive Chefs David Lang, Paul Stewart, and Scott Doust.

The demonstrations will celebrate Canadian food culture and local harvesters.

They’ll be held for 10 to15 minutes at the top of every hour.

Get to know a little bit more about what goes on behind the scenes when it comes to BC crabbing!

A focus on Canadian and local ingredients

All the food from this festival, from the BC Dungeness crab and BC mussels to the potatoes, corn and baguettes is made using local ingredients. Even the butter is Canadian!

Cooked right on-site and shared dockside, it doesn’t get any more local than this.

Don’t forget to grab a local BC beverage or two, including sunset harbour drinks from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. with entertainment from Adrian Chalifour of Victoria’s own Tower and Trees band!

An educational marketplace

For anyone wanting to get a deeper look at what goes into the magic of crab boils, there will be an educational marketplace exploring ocean health, coastal food systems and stewardship of BC waters.

The marketplace will feature interactive booths from organizations working in ocean literacy, sustainable seafood and coastal communities.

This isn’t just about the food. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to learn more about your local ecosystems and how we interact with them.

It’s a zero waste festival

Last but certainly not least, this is a zero waste festival.

BC Crabfest is dedicated to reducing waste and protecting the coast that we all depend on.

With support from a CRD waste grant, the festival will use re-useable Crab Boil Buckets, a five-stream waste diversion system, and a dedicated green team helping attendees sort materials correctly and keep it out of the landfill.

What are you waiting for, Victoria? Get your tickets and Crab Boil Buckets before it’s too late! We’ll see you there!

BC CrabFest 2026

• Where: Ship Point, 812 Wharf Street (Victoria’s Inner Harbour)
• When: Saturday, July 18th – 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

BC CrabFest is proud to partner with Buy BC, a program that helps British Columbians identify and support local food producers. Their support ensures that the CrabBoil and festival offerings highlight ingredients grown, fished, and made right here in BC—connecting eaters to the source.

This summer, BC Crab Co. will be running direct-to-community crab sales at Fisherman’s Wharf in Victoria. Locals and visitors can buy live BC Dungeness crab straight from the boats. It’s fresh, it’s local, and it supports BC fishing families—the same people behind CrabFest. For more information on their dockside sales, visit their website here.

BC CrabFest is also put on proudly in partnership with Driftwood Brewing Co. and Sysco, and gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Province of British Columbia.