Celebrate a great spot for swimming with dip in Gorge
Dip in your toes carefully or jump with gusto into Victoria’s original swimming hole at the Gorge Swim Fest in Vic West's Banfield Park on Sunday.
At the turn of the 20th century, few people owned cars and nobody had backyard pools, so, when the mercury rose, many would head for a dip in the cleanest, warmest and closest natural swimming spot in the region — the Gorge waterway, an inlet between Craigflower and Selkirk bridges.
From the 1890s to the 1930s, the Gorge was the go-to place for swimming, with up to six clubs holding galas every year.
“It was Victoria’s original swimming hole,” said Jack Meredith, president of the Gorge Swim Fest Society. “And even today, for many Victorians, it is still just a short bus ride away.”
The mission for the non-profit society is to encourage people to rediscover the body of water again.
Today, people are rediscovering long-forgotten swimming spots in three municipalities: Banfield Park (Vic West), Kinsmen Gorge Park (Esquimalt) and Curtis Point at Gorge Park (Saanich).
The opening of the Crystal Pool in 1926 heralded a decline in the waterway’s prominence. The body of water saw a decline in usage as industry discharged unchecked into the waterway and people started to use the shoreline as a garbage dump.
Concerned citizens rallied to recognize the Gorge as an important ecological niche and a nursery for many aquatic species.
Cleanup efforts began in 2000, with help from the Veins of Life Watershed Society, the Gorge Waterway Action Society, the Victoria Canoe and Kayak Club, and legions of volunteers.
The Gorge Swim Fest was created to celebrate the return of the Gorge and promote the use of the Gorge for recreational swimming.
Between 600 and 700 people are expected to take a dip on Sunday. Water- safety personnel will be in attendance, along with live music and food trucks, one of which will be dispensing ice cream and frozen treats.
Volunteers are running booths to help people make custom buttons, and there will be a bubble-creation station.
Organizers intend not to leave any waste from the event and educators will be on hand to ensure all materials brought on site are reusable, recyclable or compostable.
Admission to the Swim Fest is free. Just bring your own bathing suit and towel. The festival runs from noon to 4 p.m.
To bolster claims that the Gorge has the warmest water in the region, a real-time water temperature monitoring system has been installed.
For the current water temperature, or for more information, go online to gorgeswimfest.ca.
Three days of fun in store at Nanaimo Marine Festival
There is so much to see and do at the Nanaimo Marine Festival and International Bathtub Race that organizers had to spread it out over three days — Friday to Sunday at various venues in downtown Nanaimo.
Free events for the whole family include an arts and crafts fair, Kiddies’ Karnival, a children’s craft tent, wakeboard demonstrations and more at Maffeo Sutton Park and Swy-A-Lana Lagoon Park.
Performers, buskers and a vendor market will keep the streets alive with music, acts and dancing all day on Friday in downtown Nanaimo.
Don’t miss the Shaw Sailpast on Wheels, a fun parade featuring the world’s largest bathtub, the racing tubs and a variety of community, commercial and military entries at 10:30 a.m. Saturday downtown.
Live musical fun for the whole family will be played from a main stage Saturday and Sunday in Maffeo Sutton Park.
On Saturday night, sit on the grass to take in the Quality Foods Festival of Lights fireworks, an award-winning display simulcast to music on 102.3 FM The Wave.
The highlight of the weekend is the 52nd World Championship Bathtub Race, taking place between 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The race, which take place along the Strait of Georgia, will start and end in Nanaimo Harbour.
The finish line is below the Frank Ney statue at Maffeo Sutton Park.
For more information, go to bathtubbing.com.
Thousands expected at biggest art event
Expect to feel the excitement from more than 30,000 art lovers as they converge on Moss Street to see more than 190 artists painting, drawing, pottery-making, sculpting or just chatting about art at the TD Art Gallery Paint-In, the region’s largest art event of the year, Saturday.
Hosted by the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, the event allows local artists to bring their studios to 10 blocks of Moss Street, from Dallas Road to Fort Street.
Apart from an impressive exhibition of creativity, there will be plenty of food and drink, including a beer garden. The crowd will be serenaded with live music by Looelle, Phantom Thieves and the Teenage Violets.
Children can enjoy eight hands-on imagination stations. There will be doggy drink stations for pets and a chance for them to unleash their inner artist at the creative pet station.
The event is free. It runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. along Moss Street. The gallery will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with admission by donation.
Visitors are encouraged to use public transit, walk or cycle to the event. Bike parking is at Central Middle School on Fort Street. For more information, go to aggv.ca.
Try delicious food at Vegtoria on Saturday
Indulge in a celebration of vegan food and community at Victoria’s first Vegtoria, a vegetarian festival, Saturday in Centennial Square.
Locally, the all-day event is presented by the Vancouver Island Vegan Association.
Victoria joins other cities from across Canada and around the world in celebrating the lives of animals by not consuming them.
The inclusive event is designed for anyone who wants to try delicious new food, live healthier, protect the environment or who just wants to come and enjoy the festivities.
The vegan party will be filled with information booths, vendors, non-profit and animal-advocacy organizations, contests and speakers. Earthling Ed will be the mainstage speaker.
A diverse mixture of live performers, including the Alexander Ferguson Trio, will entertain the crowd from the open-air stage.
The event is free to attend.
It runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday in Centennial Square, between Douglas and Government Streets.
For more information, go to vegtoria.ca.
Walk for peace and help Victoria Hospice
Walk shoulder-to-shoulder with philanthropist Gordy Dodd at the ninth annual Peace Walk to benefit Victoria Hospice, Saturday from Beacon Hill Park.
The inspirational walk is inspired by Siri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder and first Guru of Sikhism. Ji walked thousands of miles with a message of peace: Sharing and equality for all humankind, regardless of religion, caste or gender.
The one-hour long walk is followed by a free lunch.
The event is free to attend, but donations gratefully accepted. People should meet at 9 a.m., with introductions at 10. The walk takes place from 11 a.m. to noon on Sunday, when lunch will be served. The event starts and ends at the Bandshell Stage in Beacon Hill Park.
The event is supported by Dodd’s Furniture and Mattress. Donations collected from the event will benefit the Victoria Hospice.
For more information, call 250-360-6662, email [email protected] or go to victoriahospice.org.
Lots of things to do for Parks Day
Celebrate Canada’s Parks Day, held on the third Saturday of July each year, at Goldstream Park.
The annual event is an opportunity to have fun participating in educational, family-orientated events in parks and national historic sites across the country.
Activities highlight the important role that parks play in healthy, resilient ecosystems and as critical habitat for species at risk.
You can celebrate natural and cultural history at Goldstream Park. There will be ice cream available by donation.
Proceeds will go toward a local park rider in this year’s Tour de Rock fundraiser.
The event is hosted by RLC Park Services at the Goldstream Nature House.
The event is free. It runs from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Meet at the amphitheatre of Goldstream Park, 3400 Trans-Canada Hwy. For details, go to naturehouse.ca.
Excavation display at historic house
Join in a historical artifact show and tell at Archaeology Day in Point Ellice House on Sunday.
The historic house will show off objects found during a recent excavation.
Beer served by Moon Underwater Brewery and food served by Saltchuck Pie Company.
The event is free. House tours by donation. The event runs noon to 4 p.m. at 2616 Pleasant St. Go to pointellicehouse.com.
.png;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
