If there’s one whine that won’t cut it on Canada Day, it’s: “There’s nothing to do.”
Food, fireworks, parades, great music and the Living Flag spectacle on the lawn of the B.C. legislature should keep families busy having fun on July 1.
Organizers of Victoria Celebrates Canada Day, a downtown event presented by Coast Capital Savings, say they’re expecting almost 50,000 participants.
“We’re thankful to our sponsors who enable us to give back to the community with a celebration that marks this unique anniversary and imparts a sense of belonging to all those present at the festivities,” said Victoria councillor and event organizer Charlayne Thornton-Joe.
Fifteen hundred red-and-white T-shirts will be available for pickup at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday by anyone keen to demonstrate national pride on the legislature lawns. Participants are asked to assemble for the annual Living Flag photo between 1:30 and 2 p.m. to helpcelebrate the Canadian flag’s 50th anniversary.
This year’s mainstage headliners are Vancouver’s cultural-fusion band Delhi 2 Dublin. Other acts include Vancouver funk group the Boom Booms, Vancouver-based folk musician Jordan Klassen, Juno-winning children’s performer Helen Austin, Victoria native Mike Edel, Carmanah, the Taiko Drummers and others.
Montreal’s francophone electronic pop band Monogrenade will take to the stage shortly before sunset, punctuated by fireworks over the Inner Harbour at 10:20 p.m.
There will be no shortage of family activities during Canada Day celebrations that begin at noon downtown, including the Kids Zone and international food village.
“Canada Day is a time for families to come together to celebrate what it means to be Canadian,” said Victoria Police Department Chief Frank Elsner.
“Our members are committed to ensuring a safe, fun, family atmosphere.”
A free bicycle-parking valet service will be available adjacent to the legislature.
Manuel Achadinha, president and CEO of B.C. Transit, said his team will be onboard as a supporter, with zero-alcohol tolerance, extra buses added for some routes and a Saturday late-night schedule.
Canada Day celebrations extend far beyond downtown, where on-street and parkade parking will be free.
See Go listings for more details on other highlights from Sooke to Sidney.
Carnival calls on pennies
It has been two years since the Royal Canadian Mint officially stopped distributing pennies to financial institutions and retailers began rounding transactions up or down to the closest nickel.
There are still millions of pennies tucked away in pockets and homes across Canada, however, and the good news for many charities is that they’re still legal tender and cashable at the bank.
Since the one-cent coin’s official demise, Canadians have been unloading their spare change at their favourite financial institutions or dropping them off at charitable penny drives.
To celebrate Canada Day, the Royal B.C. Museum has come up with a fun way for you to part with your pennies and learn about B.C. history.
The museum is staging a Penny Carnival on the grounds surrounding Helmcken House and St. Ann’s Schoolhouse from 1-3 p.m. on Canada Day.
Activities include egg-and-spoon races, bean-bag tosses and other surprises, according to organizers.
Admission is free and more information can be obtained at royalbc museum.bc.ca
Sidney event the cat’s meow
If you’re a fan of felines, a Sidney event will surely be akin to catnip.
It’s the Mad Catters Tea Party, a social and competition that gives dozens of championship and household kitties an opportunity to preen and purr.
The event that attracts cat fanciers from far beyond our shores takes place Saturday and Sunday from 9
a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mary Winspear Centre, 2243 Beacon Ave.
Admission is $6 for adults; $3 for children 6-12; and free for children under five.
A family pass is $12, with a $1 discount off any ticket for a donation of cat food.
Cordova Bay ready to rock
The 12th annual Cordova Bay Day is on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The community celebration will feature the rock band And Then There Was, a bouncy castle, face-painting, a balloon twister, vintage car show, home fire-safety display, the Saanich fire truck, a Block Watch display and an appearance by Ace, a police mascot dog. The event happens at St. David by the Sea Church, Cordova Bay Plaza and Mattick’s Farm.
War canoes headed home
On Saturday, for the first time in a century, traditional First Nations war-canoe races will be held in Victoria’s Inner Harbour.
The demonstration, presented by the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority, will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (the races start at 1 p.m., following ceremonies and dance performances). The paddlers are from the Esquimalt Nation and the Songhees Nation.
The event’s theme is bringing the canoes home to Ku-Sing-ay-las, which is the traditional village site of the Lekwungen people in the Inner Harbour. The races will start from Laurel Point with the finish line in front of the Ship Point Pier, where bleachers will be set up to accommodate spectators.
The event is an intense display of athleticism, with paddlers training for months. Each canoe is hand-carved from a red cedar log.
There will be five canoes representing the War Path Canoe Club, the Rainbow Canoe Club, the Flaming Star Canoe Club, the Geronimo Canoe Club and the Savage 11 Canoe Club.
The races will be preceded by a prayer ceremony and traditional blessings, a traditional welcome, a blanketing ceremony and First Nations dance troupes.
Cowichan celebrates wooden boats
A full roster of events is lined up this weekend to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Cowichan’s Wooden Boat Festival.
Topping the list are several marine-related happenings, ranging from boat tours and a pond for radio-controlled boats to a children’s fishing derby and knot-tying demonstrations.
There’s also a pancake breakfast, clam-chowder contest and salmon dinner barbecue.
The Cowichan Wooden Boat Society is producing the event. It has done so for the past three decades as a means of preserving the heritage and culture of wooden boats.
A full event schedule can be found at classicboats.org.
The Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre is at 1761 Cowichan Bay Rd. They can be reached at 250-746-4955.
Arts take precedence at Pacific Rim festival
The Pacific Rim Summer Festival continues through next week with a mix of music, dance, theatre and art.
The annual event, held at various locations around Tofino, Ucluelet and Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, is a haven for the budget-conscious. Many of the
family-friendly events are either free or by donation. Ticketed events are priced at $15 or less.
The festival resumes tonight with Theatre SKAM’s Pop-Up Theatre, a rotating performance that travels by truck. The cost is $2 for one of four sets in the rear of the pickup.
The Vancouver Island Cello Ensemble (Friday at Long Beach Lodge), Shred Kelly and the Barkley Sounds (Friday at the Army Navy and Air Force Veterans Club), the Mad Hatter Tea Party (Saturday at the Tofino Botanical Gardens), and the Ukee le le Workshop and Jamboree (Sunday at the Ucluelet Community Centre) are some of the other events on tap during the remainder of this week.
The Pacific Rim Summer Festival continues next week and will conclude on Wednesday with a celebration of the community wall mural at Ucluelet Arches.
The event is staged by the Pacific Rim Arts Society. For more information, visit pacificrimarts.ca.
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