Quesnel summer festivals power mind, body and soul

Three big Quesnel festivals to fill your summer

Ready to cue up a summer full of fun in Quesnel? Read on for details, and check out the Quesnel events calendar to stay up to date.

Billy Barker Days 

July 17-20, 2025

Billy Barker is famous for being the first person to truly strike it big with a huge gold haul out of the region, resulting in the establishment of Barkerville—a community you can still visit today.  

Time your visit for mid-July, stay the week, explore the Barkerville Highway while taking in the 49th annual celebration honouring the region's gold rush history. 

"I grew up in the community and always looked forward to Billy Barker Days," explains Taylor Gilkerson - one of the festival producers.  

Growing up here meant she never missed the midway for a classic rip on the Zipper! Learn how to pan for gold, gain insight into how people back in the day financed their lives through gold while "getting your shop on" at their Gold Dust Mall, one of Canada's biggest outdoor markets.

There is a reason 3,000 people show up every year for Billy Barker Days!

Lhtako Dene Pow Wow

Aug 1-3, 2025

An event founded 25 years ago by the Quesnel Tillicum Society Native Friendship Centre has now grown into one of Canada's leading cultural festivals, headed up by Lhtako Dene Nation. 

"Last year via www.powwows.com the Lhtako Dene Pow Wow experienced 19,000,000 video views when we streamed the event, and it will be streamed again there this summer as well," says event coordinator Jessica Peters.

"It's a once in a lifetime experience. If you've never witnessed a Pow Wow before, it's very culturally immersive. 

People who are not native are of course welcome to attend, learn our culture and perhaps embrace our ways. You are learning history and experiencing sacred ways coming back to life.  

It's a massive experience that I don't think anyone will forget."

Power your mind, body and soul with Quesnel summer festivals

Start planning your trip to Quesnel now, for festivals that will fuel your mind, body and soul

Especially for the 2025 event as Peters explained, given this year is a competition Pow Wow - meaning they are forecasting up to 1,000 dancers and dozens of drum groups in attendance vying for quality cash prizes. 

Admission is $10/day or $20/weekend. To support, or become a volunteer, you can do that here. 

Lhtako Dene Mountain Bike Festival 

Aug 22-24, 2025

"The feedback we receive on the festival says it all," explains one of the Lhtako Dene Bike Festival producers Michelle Klapatiuk. 

"Last week I received an email from a dad inquiring if the event was back this summer. His family attended four or five events last summer, and said their kids thought our event was the best by far." 

John Courtney, co-founder of local outdoor goods retailer, Rocky Peak, and Quesnel's Mountain Bike Club president sums up what they offer this way, "our festival is an extremely participant-centric event—between the festival's board members and the volunteers, we've participated in 1000's of events, so we know what it takes to make it a great vibe for the participant."

Friday night jump jams, a rubberized pump track, the enduro race catering to the whole family, everyone going home with a swag bag and let's not forget the ice cream truck on site—all make up the Lhtako Dene Mountain Bike Festival. 

"Quesnel has done a great job building relationships with our First Nations," says Klapatiuk.  

"The local First Nation in Quesnel area, the Lhtako Dene, asked how they could be more visible, and we are honoured that they've become the major sponsor of the event."

"It almost brings me to tears having this cross relationship as it builds a sense of pride and is an example for other events across the Province," says Klapatiuk. 

When you Go 

As mentioned in the Billy Barker piece of this story, build out a week's itinerary and live in gold rush times. Get all the event and festival info you need via Tourism Quesnel. 

Getting to Quesnel

• 1h20 via Prince George, south along Highway 97
• 4h20 via Kamloops north on Highway 97 

More things to do

Pack the bike, the hiking boots, and perhaps the canoe!

Stay in Quesnel and day trip out to Barkerville, a full-on historic town with actors and everything who will take you back in time. 

Quesnel is loaded with hiking and biking trails, while right next to Barkerville is the funky community of Wells, home to the Bowron Lake Park and its world-famous 116km canoe circuit! 

Share your adventure

Let us know what you discover, please include the #explorequesnel and #festivalseekers hashtags in your social media posts so we might be able to feature you on our social media.