Sponsored by
Good morning, Kelowna! 🏒
The Memorial Cup semifinals are tonight and the Final is Saturday — and the whole city is buzzing. We've also got 30°C hitting today, the Night Market in full swing, national volleyball champions in our midst, and Pride Week kicking off Sunday. What a time to be in Kelowna. Let's get into it (after a quick word from our sponsor 👇)
Bad news is good business. Not everyone buys it.
Every morning, financial news follows the same script. Headlines panic, coverage catastrophises, and somewhere inside the noise is the story that actually matters — the one that tells you where the opportunity sits, not just where the fear is pointing.
Most sources have stopped looking. The alarm is easier to sell.
The Daily Upside was created by Wall Street insiders for readers who crave real insight over recycled anxiety. Five minutes of global business and finance, before the noise sets the agenda — just the facts, context, and analysis your decisions need.
Join 1M readers — including managing directors and principals at some of Wall Street’s largest institutions — who trust The Daily Upside to filter through the chaos.
The upsides are always there. We’ll find them before breakfast.
☀ Good News Only
🏐 Kelowna Teens Are National Volleyball Champions
The Kelowna Barn Owls U17 boys volleyball club just pulled off one of the most impressive upsets in local sports history. Entering the Volleyball Youth Nationals in Calgary ranked fourth in the country, the team — made up of Grade 10 and 11 students from Kelowna Secondary, Okanagan Mission, Kelowna Christian, and George Elliot — went undefeated in the championship rounds and defeated the reigning national champions in the final to claim gold. The head coach said it may be the first time an Okanagan-based team has ever won a true National Club Volleyball Championship at any level. Fourteen young men from our community are national champions. Let that sink in.
Source: Kelowna Capital News
🌿 DeHart Community Park wins provincial sustainability award
The City of Kelowna has been recognized with the Southern Interior Local Government Association's Community Excellence Award for Environmental Sustainability for its work on DeHart Community Park — the second major environmental award the nine-acre park has received. The $8.6 million park was designed with carbon neutrality as a core requirement from day one, incorporating habitat restoration, pollinator-friendly landscaping, water-wise design, and protection of mature trees. It features a playground, water play area, dog park, pickleball and basketball courts, walking paths, a pump track, picnic areas, and gardens. If you haven't visited yet, it's worth the trip.
Source: City of Kelowna · Castanet
🍷 BC's Top 50 Wines of 2026 — Okanagan dominates
Wine Growers BC and the Okanagan Wine Festival Society have released the 2026 BC Wine Awards Top 50 list through a blind tasting by nine respected judges. Laughing Stock Vineyards on Penticton's Naramata Bench took home both Wine of the Year for their 2023 Syrah and the inaugural Winery of the Year award. The full Top 50 list is available at winebc.com — a great excuse to plan a valley wine route this summer.
Source: Wines of BC · Castanet
🚴Free downtown Bike Valet is back for summer
The City of Kelowna's free Bike Valet program is back in operation through September 4, giving locals and visitors a safe place to park their bikes while exploring downtown. Perfect for cycling to the Night Market, Meet Me on Bernard, or just making the most of summer in the city. With GoByBike Week wrapping up this weekend, there's never been a better time to leave the car at home.
Source: KelownaNow
🌈 Kelowna Pride Week kicks off this Sunday
Kelowna Pride Week runs May 31 to June 6 — one of the largest Pride celebrations in the BC Interior, with over 30 official and affiliate events across the city. The week includes drag performances, live music, community gatherings, the Big Gay Dog Walk, a Queer Zine Fair, and more, culminating in the Kelowna Pride Festival at City Park on Saturday June 6 where over 10,000 people gather for a full day of entertainment, vendors, food trucks, and celebration. Full schedule at kelownapride.com.
Source: Kelowna Pride
📆 This Week in Kelowna
🏆Sports & Recreation
🏆 Tonight & Saturday - Don’t miss it!
2026 Memorial Cup Semifinal & Championship Final
Prospera Place · Tonight May 28 (Tie-Breaker if necessary) Semifinal Friday May 29 6pm PT · Sunday May 31 Final 4pm PT · Watch on TSN & RDS
The Memorial Cup comes down to its final couple of games this week. The semifinal is Friday at 6pm. Whether or not you have tickets, the Real Canadian Superstore Hockey Hub fan zone outside Prospera Place is free to attend and will have big screens, live entertainment, and electric energy both nights. This is Kelowna's moment — be part of it.
Free · All weekend - last days
Hockey Hall of Fame Travelling Exhibit
Laurel Packinghouse, 1304 Ellis St · Through May 31st
Last chance to see the world's largest travelling hockey collection before it leaves Kelowna. Priceless CHL and NHL memorabilia and interactive exhibits right in the heart of downtown. Free and open to all — don't let this one slip by.
🍷 Food & Drink
Sunday - Book Ahead
Sunday Brunch at Hotel Eldorado
Hotel Eldorado, 500 Cook Rd · Every Sunday
Voted Best Brunch in the Okanagan year after year, Hotel Eldorado's lakeside Sunday Brunch is one of Kelowna's most beloved dining experiences. The Sunday after the Memorial Cup Final is the perfect occasion — a relaxed, celebratory way to close out the most historic sporting week in the city's recent memory. Reservations strongly recommended. Find out more
New - Opening Season
Don-O-Ray Farm Adventure — Now Open
Don-O-Ray Farm, Kelowna · Open through October 31
Don-O-Ray Farm has opened its gates for the 2026 season — a family-run agri-tourism destination with fresh produce and farm experiences that connect you to the land that makes the Okanagan so special. A great weekend excursion now that the weather has fully turned. Learn More
Only a Few Tickets Left!
Kentucky Derby Garden Party
Sunday May 31st · 3PM - 7:30PM · 1449 Ethel St., Kelowna · eventbrite.ca
Join us for an unforgettable day at the Kentucky Derby Garden Party! Soak up the sunshine, sip on your favorite drinks, and enjoy good vibes all around.
Put on your cutest hat or stylish outfit and get ready to mingle with friends in a beautiful garden setting. Whether you're here for the fun, the fashion, or the fabulous company, this in-person event is the place to be.
Enjoy delicious cocktails, BBQ food truck, complimentary grazing boards, fun interactive stations, DIY charm bar, fashion walk and a Horse race! This is something Kelowna has never seen.
Can't wait to see you there! eventbrite.ca.
🎭 Entertainment
Tonight - Ticketed
This Is Adele — A Tribute to Adele
Kelowna Community Theatre · Thursday May 28 · 7:00pm
A full tribute evening to one of the world's most powerful voices, presented by Wax Pencil Imagery. A great night out at the Kelowna Community Theatre if you need a break from hockey — or a fun pre-game option before tonight's Memorial Cup semifinal. Buy Tickets
Free - Every Friday
Live Music at The Marmalade Cat Café
2903 Pandosy St · Every Friday · 5:00–7:00pm · Free
A rotating lineup of local talent covering folk, blues, jazz, and open mic nights every Friday evening at one of Kelowna's most charming spots on Pandosy Street. Free to attend and a lovely way to ease into a Friday evening in the South Pandosy neighbourhood. Learn More
Sunday - Ticketed
Tribute to Garth Brooks
Mary Irwin Theatre, Rotary Centre for the Arts · Sunday May 31 · 7:00pm · $49
CCMA-nominated country singer Chris Buck leads one of the most electrifying Garth Brooks tribute shows on the circuit. A high-energy night of classic country at one of Kelowna's most intimate venues — a great Sunday evening option as the Memorial Cup wraps up. Buy Tickets
🌿 Outdoors & Wellness
30°C today — go outside!
Knox Mountain Park — Get Up There This Morning
Knox Mountain Park · Drive closed to vehicles until June · Free
With 30°C forecast today and cooler temperatures rolling in Friday, this morning is the perfect time to hike Knox Mountain. The vehicle road closure means it's quiet and peaceful — ideal for hiking, running, or cycling to the summit for views over Okanagan Lake. One of Kelowna's great natural assets right in our own backyard.
Free - Last Days
GoByBike Week — Wraps Up June 5
Kelowna · Through June 5 · gobybikebc.ca
GoByBike Week wraps up this Friday. Log your rides at gobybikebc.ca for a chance at provincial prize draws — and take advantage of the free downtown Bike Valet while you're at it. A great excuse to commute by bike this week before the habit sticks.
Okanagan Lake — Water Season is Open
Kelowna Waterfront · All summer
The Cook Road boat launch is dredged and open, the paddleboard rentals are out, and Okanagan Lake is at its spring-fresh best. Whether it's a kayak, a paddleboard, or a boat day — get on the water this weekend while the temperatures are still warm enough to enjoy it fully.
🎉 Community
Free - Tonight
Downtown Kelowna Night Market
Kerry Park & 200–300 Block Bernard Ave · Every Thursday · 4:30–9:30pm
Week three of the Night Market — and with the Memorial Cup this week and 30°C in the forecast today, the downtown atmosphere is going to be electric. Get there early, browse the vendors, and soak it all in!
Sunday - Free - All Ages
Multicultural Community Showcase
Kelowna Event Centre · Sunday May 31 · 6:00pm
The capstone event of Asian Heritage Month arrives this Sunday — a free celebration of cultural diversity at the Kelowna Event Centre. A meaningful community event happening the same night as the Memorial Cup Final, making for an unforgettable day in Kelowna regardless of which you choose. Learn More
Kelowna Pride Week Begins — May 31
Various Downtown Venues · May 31 – June 6
Pride Week kicks off this Sunday with over 30 official and affiliate events running through the following Saturday. Highlights this week include the Big Gay Dog Walk at City Park on Tuesday June 2, the Queer Zine Fair on Thursday June 5, and the Pride Festival at City Park on Saturday June 6. Full schedule at kelownapride.com.
💎 Hidden Gem of the Week
📍 DeHart Community Park — 375 Commonwealth Rd., Kelowna
Now that it's won a second major environmental award it's time to actually visit if you haven't. Nine acres of thoughtfully designed green space with a playground, water play area, dog park, pickleball and basketball courts, walking paths, a pump track, and pollinator gardens — all built with sustainability at its core. With warm weather arriving and the water features open for summer, this is one of Kelowna's most complete community parks and it deserves more foot traffic. Bring the kids, bring the dog, bring a picnic.
Interested in featuring your business in this newsletter?
Reach a growing number of Kelowna locals every Thursday at 6am. Please contact us at [email protected] for more info.
🥸 Dad Joke of the Week
Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants to the Okanagan course?
In case he got a hole in one.
🏠 Home Tip of the Week
With 30°C on the way, now is a great time to check that your ceiling fans are set to run counter-clockwise for summer. This pushes cool air downward and can make a room feel up to 4°C cooler — without touching the thermostat.