Victorians walk with Pride
Victoria Pride Week gathers speed Friday with the Big Gay Dog Walk at Beacon Hill Park, one of four events on tap through Sunday.
The hugely popular annual event — celebrating the region’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit and queer communities — has grown to become one of the biggest cultural happenings in the city, with more than 10,000 participants expected for the Victoria Pride Festival on Sunday at MacDonald Park in James Bay.
Victoria Pride Week spreads into several parts of the downtown core, peaking with the 25th annual Victoria Pride Parade at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
An expected 35,000 spectators will take in the parade, with the bulk of those situated in the area of the Fairmont Empress hotel. “We stack up pretty well,” Victoria Pride Society president David Tillson said of his event’s ever-expanding profile.
“We’re definitely the second largest parade in the city, for sure.”
The parade begins from the corner of Pandora and Government streets, and culminates after 90 minutes at MacDonald Park.
Various events and activities under the banner of the Victoria Pride Festival will take place at the park until 6 p.m.
The free Big Gay Dog Walk begins Friday at 6 p.m. at the corner of Dallas Road and Cook Street.
Pride in the Word — one of Canada’s largest Pride-related literary events — happens Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Ambrosia Conference Centre (638 Fisgard St.). Tickets cost $13.
For more information on the festival and its associated events, visit victoriapridesociety.org.
— Mike Devlin
Strawberries are highlight of Saanich festival
Bring your sweet tooth to Beaver Lake Park on Sunday for the annual Saanich Strawberry Festival, which runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The highlight of the always popular family fun day is the serving of strawberries and ice cream between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Each serving costs just 50 cents.
Admission is free.
There are plenty of other activities to enjoy as well. These include face-painting, bouncy castles, information displays, and arts and crafts stations.
Saanich municipality encourages everyone to bring a blanket and enjoy a day at the beach while a variety of performers entertain on the main stage.
Music on the main stage runs throughout the event:
• 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.: The Soul Shakers
• 12:15 p.m.-1:30 p.m.: Hung Jury
• 1:45 p.m.-3:00 p.m.: Commodores Big Band
Sunday’s weather is predicted to be sunny with a high of 19 C.
Anyone interested in more events in Saanich can go to saanich.ca/EN/main/news-events/events-list.html.
And while you are digging into strawberries and ice cream, look around at 442.7-hectare Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park, established in 1966. Amenities include a large trail system used by walkers, runners and horse riders.
It features washrooms, change rooms, a boat launch, picnic areas, and vehicle and bike parking.
— Carla Wilson
Metal workers display skills
Watch fourth-year sheet-metal apprentices carefully manipulate copper into a marine-themed piece of art as they compete to be the best at Ship Point on the Inner Harbour.
The 43rd Canadian Sheet Metal Workers and Roofers Apprenticeship Competition will be held today (sheet metal) and Friday (roofers) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
It’s all part of the annual conference for the Canadian branch of the SMART, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers union, being held at Victoria’s Delta Ocean Pointe hotel.
The competition includes the best sheet-metal and roofing apprentices in the union chosen from across Canada. There will be 11 sheet-metal apprentices and eight roofers competing.
Ryan Elder, of Sooke, who apprentices at Lewis Sheet Metal in Victoria and studied at Camosun College, Interurban campus, will be representing Vancouver Island local 276 today.
Bruce Scheltgen, of Courtenay, who apprentices at Nelson Roofing & Sheet Metal in Courtenay and studied at the Roofing Contractors Association of B.C. in Langley, will be in the roofing competition on Friday.
The projects that the competitors will be asked to create were revealed to competitors on Wednesday night.
The tradition is that before the apprentices go on to ply their trades as Red Seal approved workers, they create their masterpieces.
In past years, the sheet- metal apprentices have had to make a fountain in Ottawa and a fiddle on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.
The pieces are made from copper.
“You really have to have great hand skills to work with copper, otherwise it dents,” said Rick Carter, local 276 apprentice co-ordinator.
“Brass and copper look beautiful and shiny when they are completed.”
Roofers will have two types of roofs to complete using one- and two-ply systems.
— Cindy E. Harnett
All the world’s a stage at Folktoria
Depending on what time you stroll through Centennial Square on Sunday, you might see Polynesian performers, flamenco dancers, a Polish band, a Romanian flutist or a Ukrainian dance troupe.
Such is the cultural diversity that collides for Folktoria, a free, one-day multicultural fair taking place in downtown Victoria.
Folktoria aims to build on the now-defunct Folkfest, the popular cultural festival organized by the Inter-Cultural Association for 35 years until 2006.
Folktoria will feature food from around the world, including Indian curry and a variety of Filipino dishes. About 20 groups are expected to perform at the festival, which is organized by the Greater Victoria Folk Festival Society.
“A group of us got together and were reminiscing of the old Folkfest,” said Sheila Blake, a former folk- dance teacher and member of the organizing committee.
“And we hoped we could repeat what it was for Victoria.”
The group had to come up with a new name since Folkfest is under copyright.
Blake hopes that Folktoria will build enough momentum this year to become an annual event.
Many cultural organizations in Victoria have their own celebrations, but Folktoria is a chance for those groups to come together in the spirit of diversity, Blake said.
The festival runs in Centennial Square from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.
For a list and schedule of performers, visit Folktoria on Facebook. Anyone who would like to volunteer can email folkfestivalinfo@gmail.com.
— Times Colonist
Wooden boats in spotlight
The 33rd Annual Wooden Boat Festival is a two-day family event featuring boat races, boat displays, kids’ boat building, a fishing derby, a salmon barbecue dinner, a pancake breakfast, a chowder contest and more.
The event takes place Saturday and Sunday at Cowichan Bay Marina, 1761 Cowichan Bay Rd., Cowichan Bay.
For more information go to classicboats.org.
Old British cars hit the beach
Brits On The Beach is the 18th annual gathering of old British cars, trucks and motorcycles.
The show features more than 250 vehicles and 1960s music, plus food, traders and kids’ activities.
The free show takes place on Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Transfer Beach, Ladysmith.
For more information go to oecc.ca.
Fairgrounds host 52nd Corgi Picnic
The 52nd Annual Corgi Picnic takes place this Sunday with games for you and your dog, raffles and door prizes.
Bring a picnic lunch — dessert, coffee, tea and cold drinks are provided. The event starts at noon at the Saanich Fairgrounds, 1528 Stellys Cross Rd.
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