The Kelowna Visitor Centre is more than just a hub for travel information and local recommendations—it also serves as a vibrant community space where Tourism Kelowna hosts events and pop-up activations, and collaborates with its members and local businesses to create unique visitor experiences year-round.


Tourism Kelowna Hosted Events & Activations

Boots 'N Beer Event at KVC - 2025
Setting up for the Boots N' Beer event in September 2025

Since opening in 2017, the Kelowna Visitor Centre (KVC) has hosted a wide variety of events, from wine tastings and business events to many other unique activations and experiences.

In recent years, particularly since 2024, the space has evolved into a hub for community activations, including pop-up markets, collaborations with members and local businesses, beer and wine tastings, live music events, and celebrations tied to major events Kelowna has hosted.

These events become part of something bigger, bringing the community together and creating an exciting atmosphere for people visiting Kelowna during major events. An example of this is the two events hosted on the weekends leading up to Country Music Week in September 2025:

  • Boots N’ Beer – Complimentary local beer samples from Kelowna Beer Institute & a live music performance by local artist, Timmy Rhyno.
  • Countrify Your Closet – Customize your clothing with a country-themed workshop led by local artist Ashley Green.

The Kelowna Visitor Centre has also hosted pop-up markets, collaborating with a variety of vendors to light up the downtown boardwalk. The space features expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, a lakefront patio, tables and chairs, and the first downtown “KELOWNA” sign, which is often incorporated into activations alongside events and adorned with decorative elements to bring it to life.

More recently, the sign was activated for the Okanagan in Bloom Market that took place on the patio of the Kelowna Visitor Centre in March. The market was an ode to blossom season in the valley, featuring fresh bouquets from Honey Blooms Flower Farm’s DIY bloom bar, complimentary rosé wine tastings from Quails’ Gate Winery, beadwork from local Indigenous artist Justine Allison, and handcrafted jewelry from Adorables Studio, which is also a consignment vendor at the KVC.

The location offers locals and visitors the opportunity to take in sweeping views of Okanagan Lake and the surrounding mountains while attending events. It also holds a strong connection to Kelowna’s history, as the site once welcomed travellers when the dock opened in 1948 for the ferry link between Downtown Kelowna and the Westside.
 

Kelowna sign at KVC - Bloom Market
Okanagan in Bloom Market, March 2026

Event Collaborations

As mentioned above, our team at the KVC has collaborated with a variety of Tourism Kelowna’s Members, as well as other local organizations and businesses, to host events and activations.

Some of these collaborations include:

  • The Kelowna Yacht Club’s Earth Day Quest
  • The Downtown Kelowna Association’s DKA After 5
  • The Centre culturel francophone de l'Okanagan’s Nuit Blanche event.

These partnerships help bring the community together while showcasing the KVC as a welcoming space for locals and visitors to connect and experience our region in new ways. In addition to community-based activations, our team has used the KVC to host corporate events, including the recent Global Meetings Industry Day celebration. 


Looking Forward

As we move into the busy summer season, we're already planning multiple events and activations at the KVC. By considering community events, seasonal shifts, and tourism trends, the approach to hosting events has gradually evolved into a more thoughtful process that aims to showcase the many elements of Kelowna while helping bring the downtown waterfront area to life.

We will be celebrating the KVC's 8th anniversary on June 28 and aim to mark the occasion with a special activation—stay tuned to our social media channels for more details on this and other upcoming events.  


If you’re interested in collaborating with us on an event at the KVC or would like to explore an activation or pop-up idea, feel free to reach out to me by email at angelina@tourismkelowna.com.