As Surrey grows, the city has become an international hub for music, movie shoots, live theatre, visual arts and other creative pursuits.
Locals and visitors alike are drawn to Surrey's wide range of festivals, concerts, shows and more.
With almost a quarter of the region's under-30 population living in Surrey, the city boasts a vibrant community eager for new entertainment options.
One initiative is the Surrey Music City strategy, which aims to create a thriving local music economy and support artist development in Canada's up-and-coming "music city." Surrey is home to a diverse number of musicians and music businesses, including booking agencies, instrument stores, live music production support, publicists, music schools, event producers and recording studios.
Concerts, plays, comedy shows, dance and more are featured at Surrey Arts Centre, at Bear Creek Park. The facility is also home to Surrey Art Gallery, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025 with quarterly art exhibits featuring local, national and international artists.
In Surrey, a pair of comfortable, 1,000-plus-seat theatres are found at Bell Performing Arts Centre (at Sullivan Heights Secondary) and Chandos Pattison Auditorium (at Pacific Academy school, Fraser Heights).
Annual festivals and events draw big crowds in Surrey including the annual Vaisakhi Parade in spring, Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair in mid-May, the two-day Fusion Festival of multicultural music and food at Holland Park in mid-July, a huge Canada Day celebration in Cloverdale on July 1, summer's FVDED in the Park dance music festival and the city's annual Party for the Planet (an Earth Day event in April) at Surrey Civic Plaza (city hall), among others.
A unique performance venue is Surrey Centre Stage, a 200-seat theatre at city hall. When not used for concerts, plays and other live performances, the venue converts back to a place of business for Surrey City Council meetings.
Surrey's history and culture is showcased at venues including the Museum of Surrey and Surrey Archives (both in Cloverdale) and Historic Stewart Farm (South Surrey).
If you've watched any TV shows or movies, chances are you've seen Surrey on screen, as the city is among Canada's most film-friendly locations. Surrey's diverse backdrops have featured in some memorable film productions, including the Twilight series, Juno, Skyscraper and Sonic the Hedgehog, along with TV series such as Allegiance (a CBC police drama set in Surrey), Riverdale, The Good Doctor, Smallville, Once Upon a Time and more.
Popular filming locations include Surrey City Hall, City Centre Library, Clayton Community Centre, Cloverdale Fairgrounds, Cloverdale Town Centre, North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex and Surrey Operations Centre. Such sites are pinpointed on an interactive filming map found on the city's website, surrey.ca.
This content is part of the Surrey Economic Development 2025 magazine, produced by Surrey Now-Leader, the Surrey Board of Trade and the South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce. You can find the full e-edition here.
