There are plenty of good places to see and celebrate the Olympic torch as it's carried by community members through Greater Victoria. The following outline lists the best places to see the torch and participate in events planned along the relay route.

DAY 1: Oct. 30

VICTORIA

- Party plans: The City of Victoria will be the first community to host the Olympic torch relay, with a formal ceremony in the Inner Harbour and on the the legislature grounds at 9:30 a.m. First torchbearer leaves the grounds at 10:40 a.m.

- Best viewing points:

Morning (from 10:30 a.m.): Inner Harbour; Belleville Street between Menzies and Government streets; Government to Pandora; Centennial Square; CRD Square, Chinatown, Wharf Street at Johnson Street.

Evening (from 6 p.m.): Oak Bay Avenue from Foul Bay Road to Fort Street; Rockland Avenue, from Pemberton to Cook Street; Cook Street Village and Beacon Hill Park at Cook; Dallas Road waterfront from Beacon Hill Park to Mile Zero; Government from Dallas to Belleville.

ESQUIMALT

- Party plans: Esquimalt has two celebration stations along the relay route -- one as it enters the community and another just before it leaves. The stations will feature entertainers and offer hand-held flags and face-painting. A healthy lunch is available to students on their way back to school after the relay. The torch will be blessed by the Esquimalt First Nation at 11:59 a.m. and the Songhees flame blessing will occur at 12:17 p.m.

- Best viewing points: Memorial Park, Esquimalt Road: L'ecole Victor Brodeur on Head Street

- Time: Torch gets to city hall at 11:24 a.m.; leaves Esquimalt at 12:25 p.m.

VIEW ROYAL

- Party plans: Community gathering place at Helmcken Centennial Park, with live music and food.

- Best viewing point: Helmcken Centennial Park

- Time: 12:25 to 12:50 p.m.

SIDNEY

- Party plans: Advance welcome party at the Mary Winspear Centre, with entertainment and refreshments; welcoming ceremony at Sidney Town Hall; "torch exit celebration" at Tulista Park.

- Best viewing points: Along Beacon Avenue from Pat Bay to Fourth Street; along Sidney Avenue in front of Town Hall; Beacon Avenue at First Street, Ocean Avenue; Lochside Drive at Tulista Park.

- Time: 1:15 to 1:30 p.m.

NORTH SAANICH

- Party plans: Gathering at Panorama Recreation Centre for Olympic-themed events; a big screen in tennis building to show an Olympic video. Plans include a hockey challenge among middle schools and demonstrations of the Olympic sports of speed skating and curling. Celebration jointly hosted by North Saanich, Sidney and Central Saanich.

- Best viewing points: Panorama Leisure Centre

- Time: 1:36 to 1:45 p.m.

CENTRAL SAANICH

- Party plans: As well as Panorama Recreation Centre events, Central Saanich offers other events, hosted by Butchart Gardens.

- Best viewing points: Saanichton Green Park, Central Saanich Municipal Hall, Centennial Park, Stelly's Secondary School; in Brentwood Bay along West Saanich, Wallace Drive from West Saanich to Benvenuto, Butchart Gardens.

- Time: Saanichton Green Park at 1:50 p.m.; West Saanich and Stelly's, 2:20 p.m.; 2:50 p.m. at Butchart (admission fees apply).

SAANICH

- Party plans: Celebration includes mixture of stage entertainment, interactive winter sports, virtual games, cultural displays and elementary school banner projects. Local athletes will be in attendance.

- Best viewing points: Elk and Beaver Lake Regional Park; Braefoot Community Park has a long stretch of sidewalk and grass shoulder for optimal viewing along McKenzie Avenue between Blenkinsop Road and Cedar Hill X Road.

- Time: 3:45 p.m. at Elk Lake; 4:30 p.m. on McKenzie Avenue.

UNIVERSITY OF

VICTORIA

- Party plans: Festivities in the Centennial Stadium parking lot include a barbecue, displays and interactive activities. Visitors will be able to meet current and former UVic athletes and Olympians.

- Best viewing points: On raised verges either side of McGill Road and along University Drive (also known as the Ring Road), from McGill Road to Henderson Road.

- Time: 5 to 5:25 p.m.

OAK BAY

- Party plans: Activities centred in the village include displays for all ages; "celebrity announcer" to describe location of the torch as it proceeds through Oak Bay.

- Best viewing points: Camosun College Lansdowne campus at Henderson Road; Foul Bay Road to Cadboro Bay Road; Oak Bay High School; Monterey Avenue to Oak Bay Avenue, Oak Bay to Foul Bay Road.

- Time: 5:25 to 6 p.m.

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DAY 2: OCT. 31

SOOKE

- Party plans: The second day of the Torch Relay begins early, with a ceremony at Sooke's municipal hall and fire hall, 2215 Otter Point Rd. at 7 a.m. The first torchbearer leaves at 7:19 a.m. There will be a breakfast and concert at Edward Milne Community School.

- Best viewing point: Sooke municipal hall

- Time: 7:19 to 7:50 a.m.

FORT RODD HILL AND FISGARD LIGHTHOUSE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

- Party plans: This is the first of several Parks Canada National Park or national historic sites on the Olympic torch route. Parks Canada staff and volunteers in uniform and in period costumes along with youth groups including Navy League cadets will line the torch route at the site. The Band of the 5th (B.C.) Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery will perform.

- Best viewing point: The torch will go up to the top of Fisgard Lighthouse tower. To see the torch coming in and going back out, a good place to be is near the entrance/exit to Fort Rodd Hill.

- Time: 9:15 to 9:40 a.m.

LANGFORD

- Party plans: No events planned.

- Best viewing points: Along Goldstream Avenue at Vantilburg Crescent to Spencer Road

- Time:10:33 to 10:55 a.m.

COLWOOD

- Party plans: Morning breakfast and entertainment at Bear Mountain Arena; on- and off-ice activities include arts and crafts for children, on-ice demonstrations and interactive displays.

- Best viewing points: Along Ocean Boulevard toward Fort Rodd Hill.

- Time: 8:30 to 9:45 a.m.

ROAD CLOSURES AND PARKING RESTRICTIONS

- For the torch relay arrival ceremony and celebrations on Friday, the following parking restrictions will be in effect:

Government from Superior to Fisgard, both sides; Government from Michigan to Superior, west side only; Belleville from Government to Douglas, both sides; Superior from Government to Menzies, both sides; Menzies from Belleville to Superior, both sides; Government, 200 block (in front of Emily Carr house), east side only; Courtney from Wharf to Government; Wharf from Broughton to Government, both sides; Humboldt from Government to Douglas, both sides; Michigan, north side only, from Douglas to Menzies; Pandora from Broad to Government, both sides; Fisgard from Government to Store, both sides; Rockland, 1400 block, in front of Government House, north side; Pemberton from Rockland to Fort, west side only; in front of 50 Songhees, both sides.

- Street Closures: Oct. 29: Menzies from Belleville to Superior closed from 8 a.m. to 4 a.m.; Oct. 30: Menzies from Belleville to Superior, Belleville from Menzies to Douglas, Government from Humboldt to Superior, Superior from Government to Menzies closed from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m.