The Death Café is a gathering of people in an informal and relaxed atmosphere, talking about experiences, fears, and thoughts about the inevitable. The objective is to increase awareness of death to help people make the most of their (finite) lives.

There is no standard or official format, but generally, a Death Café event lasts between 90-120 minutes, is free to the public, and provides coffee + tea, soft drinks, and light snacks for participants.

A Death Café is a relaxed and unscripted conversation about death and dying held in a safe public space. It might take place in a community centre, a coffee shop, a church, or even a fire hall. There’s no lecture and no set agenda.

A host welcomes everyone and offers a simple starting point for the conversation. From there, the group takes the lead. People share thoughts, tell stories, ask questions, or just listen. The discussion moves wherever the group is curious to go.

It’s not about reaching a conclusion. It’s about having a real conversation that many of us do not get to have anywhere else. Everyone is free to express their own views. What is shared stays in the room. The goal is an open space where people can talk honestly and feel respected.

It can be, because death touches everyone. Tears are always welcome and tissues are available. But most conversations are driven by curiosity and thoughtful questions, not by reliving personal grief. People often come to explore ideas, listen to others, and speak freely in a supportive space. You’re welcome to share feelings if they show up, and you’re equally welcome to keep things light. There’s room for the whole human experience.

Yes. Our Death Café is free and open to anyone who wants to talk about death and dying in an honest, respectful way. We welcome people from all walks of life.

Because space is limited, you’ll need to RSVP on the website. Once you do that, we’ll send you a confirmation email to hold your spot.

No. A Death Café is not a bereavement support session or grief counselling. It’s a community led conversation, not guided therapy. If you’re not comfortable discussing death openly, this might not be the right setting.

If you’re seeking grief support or bereavement counselling, please reach out to the BC Bereavement Helpline or our local Hospices. Their service is free, confidential, and anonymous. They can help you find the right support for your situation. You can reach them Monday to Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM PST at 1-877-779-2223 or contact@bcbh.ca

Chris and Megan live in Black Creek and run Passage Marine in Campbell River. Chris volunteers with the Oyster River Fire Hall. Megan volunteers with Hospice. Their work keeps them close to the real experiences of death, dying, and grief.

They’ve hosted a handful of Death Cafés since 2023 and love the connections that come from honest conversation. They show up as two regular humans who believe talking about death helps us live with more understanding and ease.

Warm welcome. Snacks. No pressure. You’re invited to join the conversation when you’re ready.

Death is universal, yet most of us don’t get the chance to talk about it. Chris and Megan see every day how much people want those conversations but don’t know where to start.

Hosting Death Cafés brings these talks back into the community. The hope is simple. People leave feeling a little more prepared, more informed, and more connected to others facing the same human truth.

The idea originates with the Swiss sociologist and anthropologist Dr. Bernard Crettaz, who organized the first café mortel in 2004. Jon Underwood, a UK web developer was inspired by Crettaz's work and developed the Death Café model in 2011. As he saw it, western society has long outsourced discussions about death to doctors, priests and funeral directors. The result, says Underwood, is that we have lost control of one of the most significant events we ever have to face. He created the Death Café a scheduled non-profit get-together for the purpose of talking about death over food and drink, usually tea and cake.

As of today, there have been 13,956 Death Cafés held in over 81 countries (since 2011).