Lawn chairs, umbrellas and sunscreen are expected to be out in force Monday as thousands of people line Douglas Street for the Island Farms Victoria Day Parade.
About 140 groups will march in the 116th annual parade from Mayfair Shopping Centre to the Inner Harbour, starting at 9 a.m.
Road closures are planned downtown to make way for the parade, which is expected to last until noon.
Last year, police estimated 45,000 to 50,000 people attended.
The weather forecast is a warm 18°, but overcast with a chance of rain, according to Environment Canada.
There are 19 American marching bands in town for the parade, from California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho.
“People love the bands. They come for them,” said organizer Ron Butlin.
There are also six Canadian marching bands in the adjudicated mix, including one of last year’s winners, Spectrum Community School. The school’s concert bands, featuring many of the same musicians, were awarded gold last week at MusicFest in Vancouver. “They’ve worked very hard,” said band director Jamie Davis. The band will perform the Ticonderoga March by Leroy Anderson and Some Nights by Fun at Monday’s parade.
There is a chance to see several of the American bands perform today in front of the legislature from 2 to 4 p.m.
- - -
Participants in the Island Farms Victoria Day Parade, in order of appearance, provided by parade organizers
1. CFB Esquimalt
2. Naden Band of Maritime Forces Pacific
3. Canadian Forces Fleet School Esquimalt
4. Victoria Naval Reserve Division —HMCS Malahat
5. 5th (B.C.) Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
6. 39 Service Battalion Victoria (11 Service Company)
7. Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary)
8. Korea Veterans' Association
9. South and Mid Van Island Zone of the Royal Canadian Legion
10. Lower Mainland Zone of the Royal Canadian Legion
11. Army, Navy, Air Force Veterans — Colour Party
12. Sea Cadets
13. Army Cadets
14. Air Cadets
15. Navy League Cadets — Marching Unit
16. Ashton Armouries vehicles
17. Navy Recruiting Bus
18. Town Criers — City of Victoria
19. Greater Victoria Muscular Dystrophy Association
20. Western Command Antique Military Vehicle Preservation Society
21. Victoria Fire Department Historical Society
22. B.C. Ambulance Service
23. Victoria Emergency Management Agency
24. Ace Mascot — Saanich Police
Highlands Volunteer Fire Department
25. Island Farms Daisy Float
26. Island Farms Carriage
27. Belmont Secondary School
28. Lions Club — District Governor
29. Sooke Lions Club
30. Clowns Are Us
32. Elks Lodge
33. Dodd’s Furniture
34. Kentridge High School
35. B.C. Aviation Museum
36. Jesus Rocks! Ventures
37. Chimacum High School
38. Victoria Brain Injury Society
39. Mercer Island High School
40. Monarchist League of Canada
41. Harbour Air Seaplanes
42. Victoria Irish Dancers
43. Kentlake High School
44. Nurse Next Door
45. Victoria Filipino Cdn Association
46. Hoquiam High
47. Greater Victoria BMX Association
48. Westcoast Motorcycle Ride to Live
49. West Seattle High School Marching Band
50. Budget Rent a Car Victoria Ltd.
51. B.C. Ambassador Program
52. Sammamish High
53. Mexican Canadian Community Association
54. CBC Radio
55. Shorewood High School
56. Victoria Korean Community Association
57. Ocean 98.5/103.1 Jack FM
58. 5940 Newport Dr.
59. Aberdeen High School
60. CFAX/KOOL FM
61. Panorama Recreation Centre
62. B.C. Transit
63. Falun Dafa Association of Vancouver
64. Frogbox
65. St. John Ambulance
66. Experience Cycling ltd
67. Camp Pringle
68. Salvation Army
69. City of Langford Trolley
70. Kamiak High School
71. Viva Mexico! Folklore Dancers Association
72. Habitat for Humanity Victoria
73. Puerto Vallarta Amigos Food Truck
74. Khalsa School Surrey
75. Las Plumas-Oroville High School
76. Heritage Dancefest
77. Cowichan Lake Lady of the Lake
78. 100.3 The Q the Island Rock
79. The Zone @ 91.3
80. Mount Baker High School
81. Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association
82. ALS Cycle of Hope
83. Theatre SKAM
84. Sultan High School
85. Victoria Motorcycle Club
86. Adrena Line Zipline Adventure Tours
87. Yes 2 SCS
88. The War Amps
89. Old Time Racers Association
90. B.C. Sheriff Services
91. German Auto Import Network
92. Hungry Rooster Food Truck
93. Canadian Cancer Soc./Cops for Cancer
94. Klamath Union High School
95. i2i Intergenerational Society
96. India Canada Cultural Association
97. North Thurston High
98. Gizeh Shriners of BC & Yukon
99. Camp Narnia
100. Miss Vancouver Island
101. Turkish Cdn Friendship Society
102. Olympic High
103. Sons of Norway
104. Freedom Rent-to-Own
105. Westshore Rebels
106. Township of Esquimalt
107. Westshore Towing
108. Galey Farms
109. Squalicum High
110. Ingredients Café & Market
111. Thrifty Foods
112. Victoria Hindu Parishad
113. Child Find B.C.
114. White Eagle Polish Association
115. MEI Screaming Eagles
116. Century Toppers Car Club
117. Victoria German School
118. Reynolds Secondary School Marching Band
119. Kaleidoscope Theatre Production Society
120. Yellow Cab of Victoria
121. 888 Junk Car Removal
122. Lambrick Park Secondary Band
123. The Butchart Gardens
124. CVS Sightseeing
125. Island Savings Credit Union
126. Burnaby North Vikings Marching Band
127. Loyal Nanaimo Bathtub Society
128. Rotary Club of Greater Victoria
129. Greater Victoria Scouts
130. World Children’s Summit on Peace & Nature
131. Spectrum Community High Marching Band
132. B.C. Corrections Provincial Honour Guard
133. Victoria Humane Society
134. Country Grocer
135. Bellevue High School
136. Bluebird Cabs Ltd.
137. UPak Mobile Storage Ltd
138. Paparazzi Nightclub
139. Lure Restaurant & Bar
140. Accent Inns & Hotel Zed
141. Games 2u Victoria
