Every year, Canadians recognize Remembrance Day on November 11th and participate in ceremonies in which we collectively remember and pay our respects to our fallen soldiers.
Attendees of these events will often hear from veterans, lay wreaths, and participate in the two minutes of silence at 11 a.m.
If you wish to attend a Remembrance Day event this year, we have compiled them into an easy and convenient list for your viewing.
Here are 11 places in Greater Victoria where you can pay your respects and partake in Remembrance Day events on Saturday, November 11th:
Colwood: Royal Roads University
Royal Roads University, the Vancouver Island Ex-Cadet Club and CFB Esquimalt invite everyone out to a free Remembrance Day ceremony at Hatley Castle.
The ceremony will begin at 10:40 a.m. on the Castle Terrace Lawn outside Hatley Castle.
Following ceremonies, a screening of Ways We Remember War, by RRU professor and lead of the War Heritage Research Initiative Dr. Geoffrey Bird will take place at 11:45 a.m. on the Grant Quarterdeck.
The film focuses on Canada’s first battle of the First World War in 1915 and is said to not be suitable for young children due to accurate depictions and descriptions of war.
The Royal Roads museum and exhibits, located in the lower level of Hatley Castle, will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Habitat Café will also be open to offer light refreshments for purchase.
- Where: Castle Terrace Lawn outside Hatley Castle, 2005 Sooke Road
- When: Saturday, November 11th at 10:40 p.m.
Downtown Victoria: BC Parliament Buildings
The Province’s official Remembrance Day Ceremony, organized by the Victoria Remembrance Day Committee Poppy Fund, will be held on Saturday, November 11th at 10:30 a.m. at the Victoria Cenotaph at the B.C. Legislature on Belleville Street.
Included in the ceremony is the annual Remembrance Day parade, and road closures will be in effect from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.
Closures will include the following streets in downtown Victoria:
- Government Street from Fort Street to Superior Street
- Belleville Street from Menzies Street to Douglas Street
- Wharf Street from Fort Street through Humboldt Street to Gordon Street
Once the parade has ceased, roads will be back open for the day.
- Where: Victoria Cenotaph at the B.C. Legislature, 501 Belleville Street
- When: Saturday, November 11th at 10:30 a.m.
Esquimalt: Memorial Park
The Remembrance Day ceremony at Memorial Park in Esquimalt includes members of the Royal Canadian Navy, Cadets, Royal Canadian Legion, and Scouts Canada.
Join them in a Remembrance Day parade and ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. on November 11th.
The parade starts at the Tudor House (Admirals Road and Esquimalt Road) and ends at the Cenotaph in Memorial Park (1200 Esquimalt Road).
- Where: Memorial Park, 1200 Esquimalt Road
- When: Saturday, November 11th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Saanich: Municipal Hall
The Municipal Hall in Saanich has confirmed their annual Remembrance Day ceremony.
Following a military parade, active and retired service members, police, fire, and local community groups will lay wreaths at the Cenotaph.
If your organization would like to lay a wreath, they ask that you contact Sarah Faria at sarah.faria@saanich.ca.
- Where: The Saanich Cenotaph at Saanich Municipal Hall, 770 Vernon Avenue
- When: Saturday, November 11th from 10:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Oak Bay: War Memorial
The Remembrance Day ceremony in Oak Bay will be held on Saturday, November 11th at the Oak Bay Cenotaph beginning at 10:55 a.m.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
If you can’t make the in-person ceremony, there will be one held virtually. You can access the livestream here.
- Where: Oak Bay Cenotaph, 2800 Beach Drive
- When: Saturday, November 11th at 10:55 a.m.
Langford: Veterans Memorial Park
For residents of Langford, there will be a Remembrance Day ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park.
The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m., and similar to other ceremonies, they ask that everyone respectfully participate in the 11 a.m. two minute silence to honour our fallen soldiers.
- Where: Veterans Memorial Park, Aldwynd Road, Langford
- When: Saturday, November 11th at 10:30 a.m.
Central Saanich: Cultural Centre
The Cultural Centre in Central Saanich will be hosting a Remebrance Day ceremony.
They invite anyone and everyone to this ceremony as community members come together to pay tribute, to honour, and remember those who have served and continue to serve our country during times of war, military conflict, and peacekeeping.
- Where: Cultural Centre in Central Saanich, 1209 Clarke Road
- When: Saturday, November 11th at 10:45 a.m.
Sidney: Cenotaph at the Town Hall
This year, the traditional Remembrance Day Parade will proceed at 10:25 a.m. from the Mary Winspear Centre, along Beacon Avenue and Second Street and will end at the Cenotaph on Sidney Avenue.
A service of Remembrance for the fallen will begin at 10:45 a.m.The service will include laying of wreaths to honour the ultimate sacrifice of service personnel who did not return from war.
A fly past is planned during the two-minute silence at 11 a.m.
Please note, there will be temporary street closures on Beacon and Second between 10:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., and on Sidney, Third, Fourth and Mount Baker between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m.
- Where: Cenotaph at the Town Hall in Sidney, 2440 Sidney Avenue
- When: Saturday, November 11th—all ceremonial activities begin with the parade at 10:25 a.m.
Sooke: Sooke Legion
Sooke welcomes all to attend their Remembrance Day Service at the Sooke Legion.
The Remembrance Day Service will begin with a parade from the Evergreen Mall at 10:35 a.m. arriving at Sooke’s Cenotaph, where the service will take place at 10:50 a.m.
After the service, people are invited into the Legion for refreshments.
- Where: Sooke Cenotaph, 6726 Eustace Road, Sooke
- When: Saturday, November 11th—parade begins at 10:35 a.m.
Downtown Victoria: Remembrance Day Open House
On Remembrance Day, the Royal Canadian Public Legion (Branch #127) has invited the public to attend an Open House.
- Where: Royal Canadian Public Legion (Branch #127), 514 Government Street
- When: Saturday, November 11th—9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Christ Church Cathedral: Remembrance Day Concert
Through song, Capriccio Vocal Ensemble will pay tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
They will offer musical expressions that are tied to this time of self-reflection and remembrance, invoking sentiments of appreciation, serenity, and solidarity.
- Where: Christ Church Cathedral, 930 Burdett Avenue
- When: Saturday, November 11th—2:30 p.m.
