Touchdown Kelowna set to bring week-long celebration and headline events

When Kelowna hosts major events, it does more than just fill seats… it fills our parks, streets, patios, and neighbourhoods with energy and excitement that makes our city come alive. This summer, Touchdown Kelowna (June 26 to July 4) will bring our community together with a multi-day festival celebrating the BC Lions’ historic visit to Kelowna!  

Beyond the two BC Lions regular-season game days (June 27 and July 4), Touchdown Kelowna will offer a weeklong mix of ticketed headline events and free community activations, creating multiple entry points for people to participate - whether they’re long-time football fans, music lovers, families or visitors. 

At the heart of the festival are three ticketed major events at Waterfront Park - each adding a different kind of spark to Kelowna’s summer calendar: 

• Kickoff Concert featuring Alan Doyle – June 26 
• Flip Flop Gala – June 29 
• Boots on the Beach Concert featuring The Road Hammers – July 3 

Image caption: Waterfront Park stage.  

Festival details: 

The celebration opens with the Kickoff Concert featuring Alan Doyle (of Great Big Sea), presented by BCLC on Friday, June 26, followed by Game 1 (BC Lions vs. Calgary Stampeders) the next day. 

The Touchdown Kelowna’s TELUS Fan Fest starts on Saturday, June 27 and runs all week long with free and fun activities for fans of all ages. On Sunday, June 28, fans are invited to enjoy Breakfast with the BC Lions On Bernard, a family-friendly event that gives fans a chance to meet their favourite Lions players on before the official opening of the festival site. 

Monday, June 29 brings the Flip Flop Gala - a celebration where black tie meets beach party, and where local flavours take centre stage. It’s a chance to savour tastes of the Okanagan, enjoy dishes from local chefs, and sample signature cocktails. 

On Friday, July 3, the Boots on the Beach Concert featuring The Road Hammers, presented by Leavitt Machinery, welcomes another 4,000 fans to the waterfront and kicks off the second weekend of Touchdown Kelowna. 

A Fan March presented by Argus Properties takes place on Saturday, July 4 ahead the game against the Edmonton Elks that same day. The March begins at Lombardy Park through Clement and Rail Trail to the Apple Bowl. 

While many festival activities will be free to attend as part of Telus Fan Fest, tickets are required for the headline events. Fans are encouraged to purchase early, as high demand is expected.  

Tickets are available beginning April 9 through The Box Office. For more Touchdown Kelowna Festival details, including the full event schedule, and ticket info, visit kelowna.ca/touchdown. BC Lions tickets are available at bclions.com/touchdown-kelowna.