What’s happening on Canada Day
• Gorge picnic, Sidney Days, Fort Rodd Hill, living flag, dancing and fireworks
From Colwood to Sidney and points in-between there are many events planned for the Canada Day weekend.
They include:
• The Gorge Canada Day Picnic celebrates its 20th birthday with a community get-together that includes a pancake breakfast, strawberry tea and canoe rides. The free event runs 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Gorge Road between Admirals and Tillicum roads.
There will be a family parade, entertainment at four stages, almost 30 food vendors, a family theatre, road hockey and soccer.
The very popular traditional strawberry tea, served in the Victoria Canoe and Kayak Club building, is only $3 and runs from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. But come early, as it always sells out.
Artisans will be on hand with their wares and a collection of classic and vintage cars will be found at the Show and Shine Show.
There is no parking and no vehicle traffic during the event. More at gorgecanadaday.ca.
• Sidney Days and Canada Day combine in four days of music, food, dancing and, of course, fireworks, now until Tuesday.
Saturday features cultural performances, a formal opening ceremony, music and fireworks set to music at 10:15 p.m.
On Canada Day, there’s a pancake breakfast, a parade, a family fun fair and the build-a-boat race. The celebrations wrap up on Monday, when Beacon Avenue is closed to traffic for a Sidewalk Sale and Street Festival hosted by area businesses.
For more information visit: sidney.ca. • Canada Day is the only day of the year when admission is free to Fort Rodd Hill and the Fisgard Lighthouse national historic sites in Colwood.
Celebrations will feature Canada Day’s biggest birthday cake, live music and activities for children.
Visitors can explore the 155-year-old Fisgard Lighthouse, Canteen, Belmont and Lower Batteries, the Fortress Plotting Room or other historic buildings on the property from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The site is at 603 Fort Rodd Hill Rd.
For more details: fortroddhill.com/index.html.
• About 50,000 people are expected to gather Sunday around Victoria’s Inner Harbour for Canada Day celebrations beginning at noon that feature family-friendly events and mainstage performances.
Festivities include performances from a giant stage on the legislature lawn, a living flag (T-shirt pickup is 12:30 p.m. for participants, assembly at 1:30 p.m.), the flavour of Canada food village, an Indigenous blessing and the Lekwungen Dancers. The Band of Rascals are scheduled to perform at 8:20 p.m. and Carmanah at 9:20 p.m.
Fireworks are scheduled for 10:20 p.m.
Belleville Street (Menzies to Douglas) will be closed Canada Day from 6 a.m. to midnight and Government Street ( Humboldt to Superior) will be closed 4 p.m. to midnight.
People are encouraged to walk, bike or bus.
There will be free valet bike parking adjacent to the legislature buildings. B.C. Transit will be running on a Sunday schedule with supplemental buses.