Sunday, June 17
Ditch your car
Douglas Street will be closed to vehicles and open to street vendors on June 17 to celebrate the fourth annual Car Free YYJ. This event takes place from 11 am to 6 pm and will feature music, activities, food and retail vendors, and more. Admission is free; see downtownvictoria.ca/events/car-free-yyj for more info.
Tuesday, June 19
An old orchestra of young people
The Young People’s Symphony Orchestra hails from San Francisco, California and tours the world; this almost-80-year-old, 90-member orchestra, led by music director and conductor David Ramadanoff, will perform at UVic’s Farquhar Auditorium on June 19. Tickets are $10 for students; see tickets.uvic.ca for more information.
Tuesday, June 19 to Monday, June 24
Get OUT and enjoy the theatre
Intrepid Theatre is hosting the fourth annual OUTstages event. As a kick-off to Pride in Victoria, this six-day festival will highlight shows and events from queer artists from Victoria and across Canada. Tickets and a full schedule are available online at intrepidtheatre.com/festivals/outstages.
Thursday, June 21 to Saturday, June 23
Celebrate culture
During the 2018 Victoria Indigenous Cultural Festival, the plaza outside the Royal BC Museum will be alive with music, dancing, performances, cuisine, demonstrations, and workshops celebrating indigenous culture. Admission is free, but some events require registration. For a full schedule and registration information, head to indigenousbc.com/victoria-indigenous-festival.
Friday, June 22 and Saturday, June 23
Get your polka dots on
The Eighth Annual Vintage Summer Fair allows attendees to peruse over 40 booths of retro swag such as clothing, jewelry, home décor, and more. Held at the Da Vinci Centre, the event includes entertainment, a fashion show, a dress-up contest (embrace this year’s theme of polka dots to win prizes), and vintage bingo. For ticket prices (student discounts available), hours of operation, and more info, head to vintagefairvictoria.com.
Friday, June 22 to Sunday, July 1
All (jazz) hands on deck!
Victoria International Jazzfest is celebrating 35 years of bringing great music to the city. The event will feature over 350 artists in 80 performances on nine stages; there will be a variety of musicians, from Macy Gray to Oak Bay High’s Senior Jazz Band, during this jam-packed event. For a schedule, ticket info, and more, check out jazzvictoria.ca.
Sunday, June 24
Stir the pot(holes)
The CRD is offering a guided hike (with a “moderate difficulty” rating) along the Sooke River as a way to explore the Sooke Potholes. This two-hour hike is from 10 am to 12 pm. No pets, and it will happen rain or shine; you must arrive 10 minutes early and be over 18 to attend. It’s free of charge; however, you must pre-register by Thursday, June 21 due to limited space. For registration details and additional information on this and other events, visit crd.bc.ca/parks-events.
Sunday, July 1
Show us your beaver!
Canadian pride will be alive and well in the Inner Harbour as we come together to celebrate Canada Day on July 1 with music, food, entertainment, vendors, and more. The highlight of the day will be the living flag on the lawn of the parliament building. The events begin at 12 pm; free T-shirts will be provided. Head to canadadayvictoria.ca for more info on the Canada Day celebrations in Victoria.
Sunday, July 8
Time to be proud
Start your Sunday with the 25th Annual Victoria Pride Parade on July 8. From 11 am to 12:30 pm, over 100 parade entries will march through downtown Victoria. The parade concludes at MacDonald Park, where the Victoria Pride Festival will commence. The festival will include two entertainment stages, food, beer gardens, vendors, and a youth pride/kid area. Both events are free admission and all ages. For more information, as well as info on other Pride Week events, visit victoriapridesociety.org.