Take in a weekend of fun activities at the three-day Nanaimo Marine Festival, which includes the Great International World Championship Bathtub Race and the Sailpast on Wheels parade, July 21 to 23 in downtown Nanaimo and Maffeo Sutton Park.
The City of Nanaimo has been home since 1967 to the bathtub race, which is presented by the Loyal Nanaimo Bathtub Society.
The festival starts with a kick-off party with a performance by Canadian Hall of Fame band Trooper 5 to 10 p.m. Friday.
Take the whole family for the Sailpast on Wheels Parade, featuring the world’s largest bathtub, the racing tubs and a variety of community, commercial and military entries. It starts at Albert Street and Victoria Crescent 10:30 a.m. Saturday and ends at Maffeo Sutton Park.
More than 100 bathtubs will hit the water on Sunday, with dozens of teams from Vancouver Island and beyond competing for the glory of winning in their class in the 58-kilometre race. This year, the race will start and end in Nanaimo Harbour, below the Frank Ney statue at Maffeo Sutton Park.
While most of the race happens out in the Salish Sea, there are a few checkpoints to get a good look: Gallows Point, Protection Island; Orlebar Point, Gabriola; Sebastion Beach, Lantzville; Neck Point Park and Pipers Lagoon Park, Nanaimo.
For more information, go to bathtubbing.com.
A car enthusiast’s dream on Oak Bay Avenue Sunday
Check out more than 300 unique cars as the annual Oak Bay Collector Car Festival returns for its 23rd year, along Oak Bay Avenue, on Sunday.
The free community event showcases vehicles of all makes and vintages owned by collector car owners and other enthusiasts.
The vehicles will be displayed along five blocks of Oak Bay Avenue, from Monterey to Mitchell Street, plus portions of Hampshire Road and Elgin Street.
Prizes will be awarded to a selection of entrants based on several categories, with local businesses and notable personalities as judges.
Food trucks will be on site.
Car exhibitors pay $20 with online registration or $25 in person the morning of the event.
Gate opens for car exhibitors starting at 8 a.m. The event is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, July 23. For more information, or to register, go to OakBayCarFestival2023.eventbrite.com.
Celebrate Japanese arts, culture and food at Japan Fest
Enjoy Japanese cultural performances and food at Japan Fest, at Broadmead Village Shopping Centre on Saturday afternoon.
Presented by the Victoria Nikkei Cultural Society, in collaboration with the Fudo Japanese Restaurant, the cultural festival is a celebration of Japanese-Canadian culture.
This is the fourth year of the event, which typically attracts more than 500 people.
There will be performances by Uminari Taiko, Vancouver Island’s premier Japanese drumming ensemble, traditional folk dancing by the Furusato Dancers, contemporary dancing by the Soran Youth Group and martial arts demonstration by Kezen Karate.
Fudo Restaurant will offer special Japanese snacks at the festival for $7 and $9.
Free admission. The event runs 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 22 at the Broadmead Village Shopping Centre, 777 Royal Oak Dr. For more information, go to vncs.ca.
A day of fun for all at Market SquareFest
The Downtown Victoria Business Association and Market Square host Market SquareFest on Saturday — a free event with art, food and a farmer’s market.
The event, which runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the square, 560 Johnson St., features all-day entertainment by local musicians, including a silent disco from 2 to 3 p.m. with Silent DJ Victoria.
Other afternoon activities include an artsy activity for all ages offered by the Thrift/Craft Alternative Art Supply shop, face painting and balloon twisting, 10-minute tarot card readings and a photo booth with Four Frames Photo Booth.
Shop at various retailers or at a makers’ market with handmade or upcycled goods.
Sample tasty eats from The Missing Link and the 10 eateries located in the square.
The event is free to attend.
For more information, go to downtownvictoria.ca.
All about the Jaguars at Windsor Park Saturday
The Jaguars On The Island Concours d’ Elegance car show returns to Victoria on Saturday, with F Pace and F Type as the featured cars this year at the Windsor Park event.
Hosted by the Jaguar Car Club of Victoria since 2005, the event is the largest open-air annual gathering of Jaguar cars in North America, drawing participants from Canada and the United States.
Expect to see more than 100 cars, representing a wide variety of Jaguar types, with examples of classics such as the 1940s-70s XK 120,140, 150, E-type sports cars and Mk I, II, V, S type, XJ sedans with more contemporary post-1990s examples of S, XK, XJ and F type and F Pace series cars.
As a Jaguar Clubs of North America event, the show attracts owners entering their vehicles for formal judging as well as those whose owners simply enjoy showing their cars.
The event is free to the public. It runs 9 a.m.-3 p.m. July 22 at Windsor Park, 2451 Windsor Rd.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Victoria Hospice Society, which has received more than $27,000 since 2011. Jaguar owners who are not JCNA members are invited to enter their cars in the show for a $35 registration fee at the gate (between 7:30 and 9 a.m.).
For more information, go to jccv.clubexpress.com.
