Summer 2026 Events Take Centre Stage at Britannia Mine Museum

Britannia Beach, BC (June 4, 2026) – This summer, the Britannia Mine Museum invites visitors to enjoy a vibrant lineup of special events celebrating history, heritage, diversity, and community. From Old Town, New Queens on Saturday, June 13th, Canada Day on Wednesday, July 1st to BC Day on Monday, August 3rd, these events offer visitors unique opportunities to explore British Columbia’s rich mining history while celebrating the diverse communities that continue to shape the province today.

The dazzling Old Town, New Queens event returns on Saturday, June 13th (6 – 9:30 p.m.) with an evening of show-stopping drag performances from 14 electrifying 2SLGBTQ+ artists from all over British Columbia. With the unique and stunning Mill No. 3 building as its stage backdrop, high voltage musical queens, campy comedy kings, non binary drag things and disco divas will “werk” the stage with two fierce and sassy drag show performances. Food and beverage will be available for purchase onsite from Totomoxtle by La Poblanita, a local family-run, Mexican food concept rooted in the traditions of Puebla, Mexico.

Celebrate Canada Day on Wednesday, July 1st with family-friendly activities and live musical performances from Riverbank Roses, a Squamish-based pop/folk/soul duo whose music blends catchy pop melodies with the heartfelt storytelling of folk and the soulful grooves of R&B. Live performance times are at 12 p.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.

On Monday, August 3rd, visitors can enjoy BC Day activities and live music from the ensemble band The Little Mountain Brass Band, who will perform 30-minute sets at 12 p.m., 1 p.m. and

2 p.m. The Vancouver-based British-style brass band ensemble is a group of musicians with dazzlingly polished brass instruments featuring cornets, flugelhorn, Eb alto (tenor) horns, baritone horns, euphoniums, trombones, basses and percussion. From humble beginnings, the band has developed over the years to become a popular ensemble in Greater Vancouver performing concerts in the Lower Mainland, the Okanagan, and Whistler, amongst others.

New this summer is the museum’s latest exhibit, “Giants at Work: Big Jobs, Bigger Machines,” which runs till September 7 and showcases the incredible scale and power of monumental mining equipment that keep today’s mining industry moving. Learn about towering mining trucks to massive excavators, bulldozers and loaders that support large-scale mining operations and discover the skilled people who operate, maintain, and work alongside them every day.

Kids of all ages can explore the science and engineering behind these giant machines through interactive, hands-on activities designed for curious minds. The family-friendly interactive exhibit highlights how the mining industry has and continues to innovate and evolve to meet the needs of modern society, not only through advances in technology and heavy machinery, but also through the people behind the work. From early hand tools to today’s automated giant machines and data-driven systems, it showcases the innovations that have transformed how resources are discovered, extracted, and managed.

At the heart of the exhibit is the museum’s new ginormous Cat® 793C Mining Truck, generously donated by Finning Canada towering over 21 feet tall and weighing more than 325,000 lbs. Visitors get to climb up onto the upper platform of one of the largest mining trucks they’ll ever experience up close and see mining from the perspective of those who operate these massive machines. This mining truck once operated in a northern British Columbia mine, working over 78,500 hours and hauling more than 43 million metric tons.

Visitors can also “step into the driver’s seat” of the brand-new Cat® Mining Truck Simulator, where guests can take the controls and experience what it’s like to operate a massive mining truck, haul loads and navigate through a virtual mine environment. Experience the focus and skill required to operate machines of this scale safely and efficiently, all within a guided, hands-on simulation. This new ticketed attraction is the closest most people will ever get to driving a 325,000-pound mining giant.

Located 45 minutes north of Vancouver on the picturesque Sea-to-Sky highway, the Britannia Mine Museum provides unique and memorable experiences that engage visitors of all ages. Visitors can enjoy fun exhibits and crowd favourites like the underground mine train, gold panning, the award-winning special effects BOOM! show inside the historic 20-storey concentrator Mill building, the minerals and gem gallery, the gift shop and the Beaty Lundin Visitor Centre.

General admission tickets and annual memberships are available online at www.britanniaminemuseum.ca.

About Britannia Mine Museum:

The Britannia Mine Museum is a mining legacy site and a vibrant, internationally recognized education and tourist destination located between Vancouver and Whistler on the Sea-to-Sky highway. It is a National Historic Site and a non-profit organization encouraging mining awareness through entertaining, experiential education programs and exhibits, important

historic collection preservation and insightful public engagement that allows guests to leave with a better understanding of mining in BC; past, present and future. www.britanniaminemuseum.ca

Facebook: @BritanniaMineMuseum Instagram: @BritanniaMineMuseum Tiktok: @BritanniaMineMuseum

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Media contact: Yvonne Chiang, 604-880-5090, ychiang@bcmm.ca