Royal Oak Burial Park hosts Summer So(u)lstice
Remember the departed and celebrate the summer solstice at the same time at Summer So(u)lstice, Saturday at Royal Oak Burial Park.
The event is an opportunity to walk the grounds and listen to poetry and music.
This year it also commemorates the park’s 95th anniversary.
“We are very much looking forward to hosting our ninth annual Summer So(u)lstice at Royal Oak Burial Park and celebrate our 95th anniversary of serving the people — our families — in this community,” said Crystabelle Fobler, executive director of the park.
“This event continues to offer a great opportunity to remember and honour our loved ones, while enjoying an afternoon on our beautiful grounds.”
This year, the event will honour Dave Obee, editor-in-chief and publisher of the Times Colonist, for his efforts on behalf of the park.
Visitors walking among the markers will be serenaded by Ensemble Laude, an a capella women’s choral group.
Composer Brooke Maxwell has gathered local musicians to create the Sweet Chariot Processional Band: harpist Gwyneth Evans, and clarinetists Erin Onyschtschuk and Dominic Thibault.
Visitors can have a personal poem composed by resident poets Yvonne Blomer, Carla Funk and Wendy Morton.
Park staff will help visitors find the final resting place of friends and family, where they can lay floral tributes, messages or parchment memory flags.
Light refreshments will be served. The facility is wheelchair accessible. Royal Oak Burial Park is the only notfor-profit, community-owned burial park in Greater Victoria.
The event runs from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, with the kickoff taking place at 1:30 p.m. at the fountain at Royal Oak Burial Park, 4673 Falaise Dr. An event map and performance schedule can be found at robp.ca.