It’s officially time to kiss 2023 goodbye and welcome the fresh new possibilities of 2024!
Begin your new year the best possible way by participating in a number of events happening throughout the city of Victoria.
From Victoria Royals games, fancy dinner and dances, musical performances, and icy polar plunges, you’re bound to find something that suits your fancy!
Don’t forget to set yourself a New Year’s resolution or two as well, having something to work towards can be just as fun as it is rewarding.
Without further ado, here’s 20 things to do in and around Victoria this New Year’s weekend:
Victoria Royals vs. Edmonton Oil Kings
The Victoria Royals are back in action on Saturday and someone at the game will walk away with a pair of tickets to see Taylor Swift in Vancouver in 2024!
Pack the rink for the Victoria Royal’s pre-New Year’s Eve faceoff against the Edmonton Oil Kings!
Not only are you in for a thrilling night of hockey, but a lucky winner will leave Saturday’s game with tickets to the highly sought-after Taylor Swift concert in Vancouver!
Ticket price depends on seat selection and you can purchase them here.
- Where: Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, 1925 Blanshard Street
- When: Saturday, December 30th at 6:05 p.m.
Thrash Yer Heart Out
Quadratic Sound is thrilled to present local band Androgyne, a combination of Harsh Noise, Hardcore, Nu-Metal, and Crust.
As described, their lyric style is a mix of dark metaphor mixed with straight forward lines to deliver what they hope translates as rage laced with hope.
Joining Androgyne on stage includes Creatures of Autumn— said to contain crunchy guitars, head-banging rhythms, and hard-hitting lyrics.
Tickets are $15 if you purchase online and $20 at the door. For non-members, there’s a one-time $5 membership fee.
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- Where: Quadratic Sound, 655 Queens Avenue
- When: Saturday, December 30th at 10 p.m.
Cookeilidh at Craigdarroch Castle
Stop by the grand Craigdarroch Castle for an afternoon of Celtic music while enjoying the festive finery.
The concert from Cookeilidh is included in general admission and goes from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the upstairs dance hall!
You can view admission rates here.
- Where: Craigdarroch Castle, 1050 Joan Crescent
- When: Sunday, December 31st from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Early New Year’s Eve with Pablo Cardenas
Head downtown to Hermann’s Jazz Club to start your New Year’s celebration off with a bang and a groove!
Pablo Cardenas, a world class Cuban pianist, is thrilled to present a “Afro-Cuban Jazz Explosion” to celebrate the New Years early with the best Afro-Cuban Jazz.
This will be a vibrant show full of rhythm and spectacular performances by an all-stars line up!
Tickets are $35 if purchased in advance and $40 at the door.
- Where: Hermann’s Jazz Club, 753 View Street
- When: Sunday, December 31st from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. (doors open at 3 p.m.)
Campari Red Party and Dinner
Clive’s Classic Lounge will be hosting their Campari Red Party with drink specials and dinner features!
Come down, wear your best red and enjoy an exquisitely crafted cocktail or two with them.
Dinner with cocktail pairings is $105 and without is $67.50—make sure you reserve your spot sooner rather than later! Reservations are between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Where: Clive’s Classic Lounge, 740 Burdett Avenue
- When: Sunday, December 31st at 5 p.m.
Silent Disco Party in Esquimalt
To encourage the community to get together and celebrate the new year, the Township Community Arts Council is hosting a free silent disco party!
This event is fun for the whole family and will give everyone the chance to experience this unique opportunity—simply put on the provided headphones and pick between three channels of DJ music.
There will be 150 headsets given out on a first come, first serve basis. They ask that you bring photo ID as collateral for the borrowing of the headsets.
Dress to impress and get ready to wave around the complimentary glow sticks and dance into the night!
They will be accepting donations if you’d like to give something towards Township Community Arts Council youth mentorship program.
- Where: Esquimalt Town Square, 501 Park Place
- When: Sunday, December 31st from 6:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
New Year’s Evening with the Chris Millington Band
Say hello to 2024 at the Mary Winspear Centre in Sidney with the Chris Millington Band!
Enjoy an incredible meal, dance the night away with friends, and be home by a reasonable hour.
As described, the Chris Millington Band has been entertaining audiences for over 30 years, bringing great vocals, hot horns, and laying down the funk!
They are a 7-piece, high-energy band that covers all genres, providing a little something to keep everyone on the dance floor.
Tickets are $85 and that includes a full buffet dinner by Island Culinary Service with slow roasted roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.
It also includes party favours, a wacky photobooth, a glass of sparkling champagne for a toast, and a cash bar!
- Where: Mary Winspear Centre, 2243 Beacon Avenue
- When: Sunday, December 31st—doors open at 5:30 p.m.
New Year’s Eve at Hermann’s Upstairs
Say goodbye to 2023 and hello to 2024 in the best way possible—a stylish dance party!
Hermann’s Upstairs is bringing in an impressive lineup of 21 DJs performing in three rooms, bumping genres ranging from House to Techno to UKG to Liquid.
Bring your dance moves and dress to impress!
Tickets are just under $55 and can be purchased online.
- Where: Hermann’s Upstairs, 753 View Street
- When: Sunday, December 31st from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Lights of Wonder New Year’s Sparkle
Open to all ages and ready to dazzle, the Lights of Wonder display in Centennial Square will be ringing in the New Year with a Sparkle and Glow Party!
Join them for a night of enchanting lights, live music, and exciting activities.
Performances include Soul Source from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Josh Warren’s Groove Circus from 7:45 p.m. to 9:15 p.m, and Vinyl Wave from 10:30 p.m. to 12 a.m.
Other activities will include a photo booth, over 1,000 glow sticks will be handed out, and there will even be a costume contest for the most sparkly outfit!
Enjoy the treats, time with family, and the magic of a new year.
- Where: 1 Centennial Square
- When: Sunday, December 31st from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.
New Year’s Dinner and Bash at The Palms
The Palms Restaurant is thrilled to welcome guests back for another year of incredible food, plenty of refreshing drinks, and a great festive atmosphere!
Their Chef, Kevin Cooper, will be preparing a carefully curated three-course meal to delight your palate this New Year’s Eve.
Make sure you book your table to reserve your spot and pick your three-course dinner choices—price of your meal will depend on this choice.
- Where: The Palms Restaurant, 1450 Douglas Street
- When: Sunday, December 31st—time depends on your reservation slot
Quazar’s New Year’s Celebration
What better way to welcome the New Year than with an evening at Quazar’s playing nostalgic games with family and friends!
For $95 you can enjoy a free evening on 33 pinball machines and classic arcade cabinets—no tokens needed.
Other fun activities include a four-course Italian dinner featuring pizza, caesar salad, garlic knots, and polenta fries, and a toast with bubbles at midnight.
There will even be some music performances from DJs Anger and Jules_Uno.
Tickets can be purchased here.
- Where: Quazar’s Arcade, 516 Fisgard Street
- When: Sunday, December 31st from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.
New Year’s Eve Dinner at Oak Bay Beach Hotel
Celebrate New Year’s Eve in style at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel for a luxurious five-course dinner and wine tasting.
Executive Chef Kreg Graham will present a careful selection of wines from the past year to pair with each of his marvelous dishes.
Dinner will be accompanied by a live jazz band.
Tickets for this event are $349 per guest and reservations are required. This is a 19+ event, and you reserve your spot for two to six guests.
- Where: Oak Bay Beach Hotel, 1175 Beach Drive
- When: Sunday, December 31st from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
New Year’s Ambrosia Banquet
The Ambrosia Centre is offering an evening filled with glitz and glamour to celebrate the New Year and you’re invited!
Step into a world of dazzling lights and a red carpet-like experience this New Year’s Eve and dance the night away to three selected DJs.
Tickets are just under $37 and can be purchased via Eventbrite.
- Where: Ambrosia Centre, 638 Fisgard, Victoria
- When: Sunday, December 31st from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Virtuous Pie Drag Show
Anyone that’s visiting Virtuous Pie on New Year’s Eve is in for a huge treat—drag icons Olive Thistea and Peaches N Screams are going to be hosting Virtuous Pie’s first full drag show!
Audiences can expect performances from the hosts as well as Boy Gorgeous, The Mexicatessen, and Papa Pilled throughout the night.
Everyone will count down the new year together as well as receive a glass of bubbly included in the ticket price.
Also included in the event will be some featured highballs and food!
Tickets are just under $39 and can be purchased here.
- Where: Virtuous Pie, 530 Pandora Avenue
- When: Sunday, December 31st at 10 p.m.
New Year’s Eve Gala
Victoria’s beloved da Vinci Centre will be hosting a New Year’s Gala with a theme of black, gold, and silver!
Dinner will be buffet-style and will include tortellini, chicken cordon bleu, sweet bell peppers stuffed with wild rice and a Roma tomato sauce, various salads, and assorted breads.
DJ Paul Sousa will start after dinner and there will be party favours and bubbly available to guests as well!
Tickets are around $123 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
- Where: Leonardo da Vinci Centre, 195 Bay Street
- When: Sunday, December 31st from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.
Midnight at Darcy’s Pub Westshore
Head over to Darcy’s Pub in Westshore and party with your best pals!
They’ll have a musical performance from Bipolar Bear, plenty of food and drinks to go around, complimentary champagne, and their annual balloon drop.
General admission tickets are $15 in advance, or there’s a VIP package for $160—which includes four tickets, a reserved table, bottle of champagne, party favours, and the Chef’s featured appie platter with five appetizers.
Purchase your tickets via Eventbrite.
- Where: Darcy’s Pub, 737 Goldstream Avenue
- When: Sunday, December 31st at 9 p.m.
New Year’s Eve at Lucky Bar
Party hard with the crew at Lucky Bar this New Year’s Eve!
Featured DJ performers will include Low & Alex Davies and tickets will include some snacks and sips to keep you refreshed and energized.
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased here.
- Where: Lucky Bar, 517 Yates Street
- When: Sunday, December 31st from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Victoria Royals vs. Calgary Hitmen
Ring in the New Year with some local hockey!
This special home game will feature a nail-biting match between the Victoria Royals and the Calgary Hitmen as well as an enthralling theme.
This Monday’s game will host the Kids Take Over event where the youngins will get the chance to be a part of the staff!
Additionally, come and enjoy the family-friendly fun such as a balloon artist and a face painter!
Load up the kidlets and enjoy an afternoon of great hockey and entertainment!
Tickets vary depending on seat selection and you can purchase them here!
- Where: Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, 1925 Blanshard Street
- When: Monday, January 1st at 3:05 p.m.
Participate in a Polar Plunge
The holiday decorations are coming down, plans for the new year are rolling out, and it’s time to get excited about all the possibilities!
What better way to start the new year than with an invigorating polar bear dive into the icy cold pacific waters.
For plenty of Victoria residents, this has become a New Year’s Day tradition, and this year will be no exception.
Full article: 10 places to polar bear plunge in Greater Victoria to welcome the new year
- Where: Pick between a variety of locations!
- When: Monday, January 1st—time varies
Old Music for the New Year
If you’re looking for something more relaxing to celebrate the New Year, Christ Church Cathedral is offering a special concert that will highlight Christmas Pastorales from Middle Europe.
The musicians have created a Victoria staple with violinist Marc Destrubé, and other Baroque music instrumentalists and vocalists.
Admission to this event is by donation.
- Where: Christ Church Cathedral, 930 Burdett Avenue
- When: Monday, January 1st from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
