The beat goes on in Victoria
Parade features marching bands from Oregon, Washington
Expect a more compact program, but with 20 new entries at the Island Farms Victoria Day Parade on Monday. The parade, which celebrates its 119th birthday this year, has been a Victoria Day long-weekend staple for generations of families and visitors. Organizers expect more than 100,000 people to line Douglas Street to watch the 105 entries and 3,000 participants perform. The largest and longest parade in Victoria, it’s presented by the Greater Victoria Festival Society.
Kelly Kurta, executive director of the society, said the number of entries has been pared down and the length of the parade shortened. “While we have a way to go, our goal is to eventually get it down to two hours.”
People had pointed out that the parade, which stretched to more than three hours last year, was too long for some family members’ attention spans.
While it may have fewer entries, the program has more elements, such as the introduction of a 250-member band (a record) and two Island Farms entries — one at the front and another at the end of the parade.
“We have substantially built up the back end [of the parade],” said Kurta, who also organizes Wicked Victoria and the Santa Light Parade.
Anther family-friendly addition this year includes Celebration Square, located in Centennial Square, where families will find inflatable amusements, children’s entertainment and food trucks. It will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Bands from Oregon, Washington state and the mainland will join local bands from Reynolds, Spectrum and Lambrick Park high schools to entertain the crowd.
There are 20 new entries this year, including Hudson’s Bay, the City of Kelowna, which will be sending a float, and the Alberta Firefighters’ Pipe Band.
Country Grocer has also joined the parade as a sponsor.
The Canadian Armed Forces will once again lead from the air as well as on the ground, with a fly-past of a naval Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King helicopter minutes before the start of the parade.
The town crier and Lt. Gov. Judith Guichon (another first) will then lead the military contingent ahead of floats, decorated vehicles and walking groups.
Many of the groups represent the multicultural mosaic of the community, including lion dancers from Victoria’s Chinatown and other ethnic clubs and organizations.
The parade starts at 9 a.m. Monday from Mayfair Mall, Douglas and Finlayson Streets. It runs along Douglas Street to the corner of Humboldt Street, with the last entry leaving at 11:20 a.m.
Douglas Street will be closed to traffic from Cloverdale Avenue to Belleville Street from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. The block of Finlayson Street between Blanshard and Douglas streets will also be closed. Douglas Street will reopen in sections as the parade moves toward downtown.
For more information, go to gvfs.ca/island-farms-victoria -day-parade. • The Parade of Bands and Drum Battle takes place on Sunday. Some of the top bands will play against each other in a friendly competition from 2 to 5 p.m. on the legislature lawn, 501 Belleville St. • After the parade, head to the Victoria Day Block Party, cohosted by the Maritime Museum of B.C. and the Union Club of B.C. to celebrate Canada’s 150th and the Union Club’s National Historic Site designation.
The event features several food vendors, musical performances and family-friendly activities.
The event is free, with admission to the museum, at 634 Humboldt St., by donation. It runs from 1 to 5 p.m. on Humboldt Street, between Government and Douglas streets. Proceeds will support outreach programs for schools and community groups at the museum.
Details at mmbc.bc.ca.