About Canada Bubble Tea Festival
The largest independent bubble tea festival in Canada — founded in Metro Vancouver to celebrate the culture, creativity and community behind the drink.
Our Story
Founded in 2022 in Metro Vancouver, the Canada Bubble Tea Festival began with a simple idea: bubble tea deserved a stage of its own, not a corner table at someone else's food fair.
What started as one summer event has grown into Canada's largest independent bubble tea festival — a yearly gathering of brands, creators, performers and tens of thousands of fans.
Where Bubble Tea Comes From
Bubble tea is widely believed to have originated in Taiwan in the 1980s, with Taichung often credited as its birthplace. Burnaby, where the festival is held, is a friendship city of Taichung — a quiet but fitting bridge between where bubble tea started and where it is celebrated today.
From Taiwan to Canada
In the late 1980s, a child in Taiwan helped out at his family's small restaurant — serving guests, delivering dishes and occasionally hand-shaking bubble tea. A cup cost around NT$30, flavours came from powder mixes, and tapioca pearls were boiled fresh every morning.
Decades later in Canada, that same person started organizing community events. Bubble tea turned out to be a shared language across generations and cultures — and in 2022, that childhood memory became a festival.
Our Journey
2022 — The Beginning
Canada Bubble Tea Festival launches in Metro Vancouver. The Honourable Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, joins the inaugural celebration.
The first edition also features a supercar showcase, introducing lifestyle experiences alongside bubble tea culture.
2023 — Growing the Experience
The festival continues to grow, with British Columbia Premier David Eby joining the celebration.
An outdoor movie experience expands the festival beyond food and drinks and helps establish the event as a broader full-day cultural experience.
2024 — Bringing Culture to Life
The festival introduces the Taste of Taiwan experience, bringing elements of Taiwan-inspired street culture and atmosphere into the festival.
Programming continues to expand across food, performances and interactive experiences.
2025 — Expanding the Community
The festival continues to expand its participating community, with the number of bubble tea brands growing from seven to thirteen.
Food, market, stage and community programming continue to develop alongside the festival's growing audience.
2026 — A New Chapter
The fifth edition marks a new chapter, with the festival's Four Worlds, signature experiences and traditions taking clearer shape.
Boba District, Boba Market, Boba Dreamland and Boba Stage become a stronger framework for how visitors experience the festival.
Explore 2026 Highlights
Our Impact
- 90,000+
- Visitors since 2022
- 200+
- Businesses & organizations
- 5
- Editions
Our Vision
Our vision is to grow the Canada Bubble Tea Festival into a recognized cultural platform that connects communities, brands and bubble tea culture across Canada.
Bring the Festival to Your CityFounder
Eric Yang is the founder of the Canada Bubble Tea Festival.
He grew up around bubble tea in Taiwan and spent years building community events in Canada before launching the festival in 2022.
His focus today is simple: give small brands, creators and communities a stage worth showing up for.