Happy Canada Day long weekend, Victoria!
There’s something for everybody this weekend, from Canada Day activities to city baseball and soccer games to the Sidney Sidewalk Sale & Street Festival, and so much more.
Without further ado, enjoy your three-day weekend with these 24 things to do in and around Victoria this Canada Day long weekend.
Saturday
Canada Day Long Weekend Block Party
Kick off your Canada Day long weekend with a block party at Lakeside Village and Thetis Lakeside in View Royal!
In the early afternoon visitors can look forward to live music, a bouncy castle with slides, a magic show, balloon animals, a Grilled to the Mac food truck, raffle draws (with proceeds going towards the Sarah Beckett Memorial Playground), condo tours, free swag, and more!
- When: Saturday, June 29th, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Where: Thetis Lakeside, 101 Presley Place
Laketown Shakedown 2019
This year’s Laketown Shakedown festival is here!
The music festival runs all weekend, with headliners including Snoop Dogg, Incubus, Sublime With Rome, Smash Mouth, Black Pistol Fire, Five Alarm Funk, and more.
- When: June 28th to June 30th
- Where: Laketown Ranch, 8811 Youbou Road
Canada Day Market
Come join over 50,000 people and visit the Inner Harbour this Canada Day long weekend to take in the sights and sounds of over 130 talented artists, street performers, musicians, vendors, and food cart operators!
- When: Saturday, Sunday, & Monday, June 29th, 30th & July 1st, 10:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Where: Victoria Inner Harbour, 800 Wharf Street
Paper Street Theatre’s 8th Birthday!
Come celebrate the 8th birthday of Victoria’s favourite improv comedy company, Paper Street Theatre!
The party/show will include live music, cake, loads of laughs, and the very first look at the improv theatre’s 9th season of comedy.
- When: Saturday, June 29th, 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
- Where: Intrepid Theatre, 1609 Blanshard Street
Elli Hart & The Dirty Mountain’s Album Kickoff Party!
Head to Upstairs Cabaret this weekend to celebrate the creation of Elli Hart & The Dirty Mountain’s first album!
Tickets to the local band’s kickoff party are by donation, so pay what you can and know that you can literally say that you helped make the record!
- When: Saturday, June 29th, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Where: Upstairs Cabaret, 15 Bastion Square
Garage Sale
Barnes Harley-Davidson Victoria is hosting their annual garage sale outside at their outdoor parking lot!
Get yourself suited up and ready for some summer riding with huge deals on motor clothes, helmets, leather jackets, accessories, and select parts.
- When: Saturday, June 29th, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Where: Barnes Harley-Davidson Victoria, 2940 Ed Nixon Terrace
HarbourCats & The Bateman Foundation Night: Celebrating Salt Spring Island
Come support the nature conservation and the Victoria HarbourCats as they battle it out against the Kelowna Falcons this saturday!
For $20 spectators can grab a VIP ticket that lets them on the VIP deck where they can meet artist Robert Bateman and watch the game from picnic bench seating. The $20 ticket goes towards reconnect people to nature through the lens of art.
- When: Saturday, June 29th, 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Where: Royal Athletic Park, 1014 Caledonia Avenue
Solar Flare~ Tattoo Flash Day
If you’re in the market for a new tattoo you won’t want to miss Carbon Ink Collective’s second ever stick-and-poke flash day event!
The flash event is summer themed and also acts a great opportunity to book a bigger piece with the artists. The event will be held in Fernwood with the exact address available via text for privacy purposes. Contact information will be posted on Saturday. All pieces will be priced between $40 – $120 and is available for 18+ only.
- When: Saturday, June 29th, Booking begins at 10:00 a.m.
- Where: Exact location will be posted online here on Saturday.
Memorial Service for Tai
A memorial service is being held for Tai Caverhill, a 13-year-old tragically died on a field trip near Sooke last week.
Tai is remembered as a loving young man who cared for his family and community.
“His kindness, loving, and caring for others significantly touched many groups of friends and families,” reads a GoFundMe campaign started in his memory. “His last words to his mum before he left to Camp Bernard was ‘take care of Lanna and Daddy for me’”.
- When: Saturday, June 29th | Viewing from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m., Service begins at 2:00 p.m.
- Where: McCall Gardens Funeral and Cremation Service, 4665 Falaise Drive
Sunday
HarbourCats vs. Kelowna Falcons Fireworks Game #2
The Victoria HarbourCats series of games against the Kelowna Falcons continues tonight!
Fans of baseball will be in for a treat today, because after the game a spectacular firework display will light up the field!
- When: Sunday, June 30th, 6:35 p.m. to 10:15 p.m.
- Where: Royal Athletic Park, 1014 Caledonia Avenue
Improv Cabaret
The Paper Street Theatre presents an eclectic evening of improvised theatre featuring students from their Masters Program.
- When: Sunday, June 30th, 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- Where: Intrepid Theatre, 1609 Blanshard Street
Terrific Turtles
Head down to the Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary for a fun-filled educational day starring turtles!
Learn about Victoria’s upcoming turtle nesting season, play education games, build turtle-related crafts, and visit the nature sanctuary’s biggest celebrity, Wrinkles the live Western Painted Turtle! Admission for the day is by donation.
- When: Sunday, June 30th, 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Where: Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, 3873 Swan Lake Road
Sidney Sidewalk Sale & Street Festival
It’s time to kick off your summer in style with Sidney’s annual Sidewalk Sale & Street Festival!
This year’s festival promises to be the biggest yet, with three stages for live music and entertainment, four themed photo booths, a beer garden and food vendors on site, and a heck of a lot more!
- When: Sunday, June 30th, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Where: Beacon Avenue, Sidney
Summer Concert
Head down to Beacon Hill park for the Greater Victoria Concert Band’s (GVCB) season closer!
The GVCB is made up of over 100 community members aged 19-92 in four different bands. While the ensembles may vary in skill level they all share one common trait, the enjoyment of music!
- When: Sunday, June 30th, 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Where: Cameron Bandshell at Beacon Hill Park, Chestnut Row
Monday
Canada Day Victoria
Don’t miss downtown Victoria’s epic annual Canada Day clebration!
Visitors can expect an exciting day full of family entertainment from live music, events, a living flag, and of course fireworks!
- When: Monday, July 1st, All day
- Where: Downtown Victoria, 501 Belleville Street
Canada Day 2019 at Fort Rodd Hill & Fisgard Lighthouse in Colwood
Come celebrate Canada’s birthday with FREE admission and birthday cake at Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites!
Features also include food vendors, a bouncy castle, and historical programming throughout the day.
- When: Monday, July 1st, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Where: Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites, 603 Fort Rodd Hill Road
Sidney Days: Canada Day Celebration
Ring in Canada Day with a range of celebrations in Sidney! Get ready for a pancake breakfast, a parade, a family fun fair, a ‘build-a-boat race’, and more.
- When: Monday, July 1st, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Where: Downtown Sidney
Sooke Canada Day Celebrations
Head down to the Sooke River Campgrounds for a family-friendly event full of kids’ games, live music, a magic show, karaoke, bingo, fireworks, and more! Just make sure to bring your own chairs or blankets!
- When: Monday, July 1st, 11:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
- Where: Sooke River Campsite, 2259 Phillips Road
Gorge Canada Day Picnic
Come celebrate Canada Day along the Gorge Waterway with a pancake breakfast, family parade, stage entertainment, classic cars, kids’ activities, canoe rides, buskers corner, street hockey, Strawberry Tea, a Canada Day market, and more!
- When: Monday, July 1st, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Where: Along the Gorge Waterway
Cobblestone’s Canada Day Party
Enjoy a musical Canada Day at an all ages community night just in front of the Cobblestone Pub in Cobble Hill!
The day will feature performances by four live bands with ticket proceeds going towards Victoria’s summer Music in the Park program to help support music in the community all season long!
- When: Monday, July 1st, 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Where: Cobblestone Pub, 3566 Holland Avenue
Paint Nite at the Fernwood July 1st
It’s time to get creative and paint your masterpiece at this special Paint Nite at the Fernwood Inn tonight!
Create a ‘Splash of Serenity’ with your artistic guide, Marina, and take home your beautiful painting when the night’s over. Save 25% on admission when you use the code ILOVEPAINT at checkout.
- When: Monday, July 1st, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Where: The Fernwood Inn, 1302
The Annual Memorial Dragball Game
One of Victoria Pride’s signature events, the Memorial Drag Ball Game, is returning to the Victoria West Park this year!
First launched in 1993, the drag baseball game now attracts up to a thousand spectators and players who let go of differences, embrace absurdity, and just want to have some baseball fun! Everyone is welcome to play! Simply choose whether you’d like to play for The Queens or The Kings and pick a name for your drag persona.
- When: Monday, July 1st, 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Where: Victoria West Park
Canada Day at Upstairs
Come ring our nation’s birthday at Upstairs Cabaret this Monday!
Located right on the Inner Harbour, you can enjoy the Canada Day fireworks from Upstairs’ main floor in their VIP booths which feature private windows!
- When: Monday, July 1st, 9:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
- Where: Upstairs Cabaret, 15 Bastion Square
Pacific FC v Cavalry FC
Come cheer on Victoria’s own professional soccer league, Pacific FC, as they take on the Calgary Cavalry FC!
The competitive and fast-paced match will take place at Langford’s Westhills Stadium.
- When: Monday, July 1st, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Where: Westhills Stadium, 1089 Langford Parkway
