Be part of the energy, pride and possibility of the 2026 BC Summer Games

As part of Kelowna’s Year of Sport, the City is preparing to welcome the 2026 BC Summer Games from July 22 to 26, 2026. For five days, nearly 3,000 of British Columbia’s top young athletes will arrive in Kelowna with the hopes, determination and pride of their home communities behind them—ready to compete, grow and create memories that can last a lifetime.

A community-wide event

Bringing the Games to life will be a monumental community-wide effort. Across multiple venues in Kelowna, fields of play will fill with competition, cheering crowds and moments of achievement, while local schools will become temporary homes for athletes during the event.

To support the full Games experience, organizers are looking for approximately 2,500 volunteers in areas such as food services, logistics, marketing, protocol, accommodation, sport operations, transportation, hospitality and event support in more than 20 venues spanning Kelowna, West Kelowna, Vernon, Lake Country. 

Volunteers wanted: take part and leave your mark 

Residents are invited to contribute to the spirit of the Games by volunteering for the 2026 BC Summer Games. Every shift, welcome, meal, direction and helping hand will be part of the story Kelowna tells as host city—one that helps young athletes feel supported as they take an important step in their sport journey. Athletes range in age from 12-18, travelling from all corners of the province to take part in the games. 

Sign up to shape the Games experience

A family legacy behind the 2026 Games

For 2026 BC Summer Games President Devin Rubadeau, the Games are both a community milestone and a family story. Devin has a long  long history with the games  with three generations taking part as athletes, coaches, and volunteers.  

His father, Ron, served as president when Kelowna hosted the BC Summer Games in 2008 and his mom, Donna is a chairperson. Devin first competed in the games as a teenager and both his sons followed suit.  Since then, he has coached sailing - a role his son is taking on this year, while his youngest helps out on land and his wife, Julie, oversees the accommodation sites.

Their story reflects the spirit of the BC Summer Games: athletes becoming coaches, families becoming volunteers and communities coming together to build strong ties and a lasting legacy.

 

For many athletes, this will be their first opportunity to compete on a provincial stage. For volunteers, it will be a chance to contribute to something meaningful. For Kelowna and the Central Okanagan, it is an opportunity to show the very best of who we are. - Devin Rubadeau, BC Summer Games 2026 President. 

What it means to be a host city

This will be the fourth time Kelowna has hosted the BC Summer Games, following previous Games in 1980, 1994 and 2008. Being host city means more than opening venues and coordinating services. It means opening our community to thousands of athletes, coaches, officials, families and visitors, and showing them the warmth, pride and generosity that define Kelowna. It is a chance to line the path for young athletes as they test themselves, build confidence, represent their regions and feel the power of a community cheering them on. 

In 2026, the major sporting events are expected to deliver a significant boost to Kelowna’s local economy by attracting visitors who stay in accommodations, dine at restaurants, shop downtown, and use local services. Combined with the hundreds of tournaments, races and sporting events the city hosts annually, the Memorial Cup, Kelowna Hoopfest, Touchdown Kelowna, BC Summer Games and Skate Canada International are forecast to generate over $150 million in total economic impact, supporting jobs and helping local businesses.

About the BC Summer Games

The BC Summer Games are one of the province’s premier multi-sport events, bringing athletes, coaches, officials, families and visitors together through competition, community and shared celebration.

The 2026 BC Summer Games are delivered in collaboration with the support of Westbank First Nation, community partners, sport organizations and volunteers across Kelowna and the Central Okanagan.