Wakey wakey! It’s Buccaneer Days
Swashbuckling pirates and a van cruising the streets belting out “wakey, wakey” early in the morning can only mean one thing: It’s Esquimalt Buccaneer Days.
The popular four-day festival, which runs today through Sunday, is about a month earlier than usual this year, due to scheduling conflicts with the midway-ride supplier.
The change won’t likely affect attendance, expected to be between 3,000 and 4,000 over four days, organizers say. If anything, the earlier date is better for children, because the June date was always the weekend before exam week at school.
This year, the dance venue changes to the Curling Club and the Buccaneer Market Place of arts and crafts takes place in the arena.
What hasn’t changed is a seniors’ barbecue, from noon to 1:30 p.m. Friday, and an early-morning wakeup call from the Buccaneer Days Wakey Wakey Wagon on Saturday. Residents will get a friendly wakeup call from a van full of firefighters calling out “Wakey, Wakey” through a loudspeaker as they drive through neighbourhood streets between 7 and 9:30 a.m.
Early risers can take in the Lions Pancake Breakfast (in the arena this year) from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. The parade runs from 10 to 11:30 a.m. along Esquimalt Road, between Dominion Road and Admirals Street. Free events include local entertainment on the stage in Bullen Park, a children’s play zone and races.
A community dance in the curling rink rounds out a busy Saturday, with two bands: Busta Moove and Rocksteady. The dance runs from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., with live bands starting at 9 p.m.
Sunday’s activities include food booths, a bake sale, a model train demonstration, a dog agility demonstration, music and a pie plate/sky-diving contest. Events take place 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
More than 20 community organizations will have information booths at the family-friendly festival.
Attendees are advised to leave pets at home.
Admission is free. The midway will run from 3 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 3 to 11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at Bullen Field, 1151 Esquimalt Rd. Dance tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door.
For information, go to esquimaltbuccaneerdays.ca.