The Port Alberni Salmon Festival is back for Labour Day Weekend 2026, bringing fishing, food, and live entertainment to Tyee Landing from September 4 to 7. The four-day event takes place at 3300 Harbour Road on the traditional territories of the Tseshaht and Hupacasath First Nations.
Organized by the Port Alberni Salmon Festival Society and the Alberni Valley Tyee Club, with Alberni Valley Tourism promoting the event, the festival welcomes residents and visitors to the Port Alberni waterfront for a weekend of community celebration. The highlight is the historic salmon derby, where anglers compete for cash prizes while fishing in the Alberni Inlet.
Last year’s derby saw more than 3,000 salmon weighed in over three days. Port Alberni angler Don Kimura took the $15,000 grand prize with a 30 lb 14 oz Chinook. The all-time derby record remains a 60 lb 8 oz Chinook caught by Art Berlinski in 1982.
The festival has deep roots in the community. The Tyee Club was founded in 1932 by local businesspeople to promote sport fishing, and Port Alberni was named Canada’s Ultimate Fishing Town in 2010. During its peak years, the derby attracted about 4,000 participants; around 1,500 anglers now take part annually.
The event returned to full form in 2024 after a five-year pause caused by COVID-19 and volunteer shortages. Organizers say the Labour Day tradition remains an important boost for harbour businesses and a key gathering for people across the Alberni Valley.
