The City of Victoria is inviting the community to a multicultural celebration of Canada Day, which will include the first-ever drone show over Victoria’s Inner Harbour. Victoria’s Canada Day will include a full day of talented and diverse performers, plus an International Food Village, the Family Zone and spectacular fireworks to end the day. Celebrations will take place at the Legislature lawns and Belleville Street.
Main stage programming will begin at 3 p.m. with an official welcome from the Songhees Nation and the Xwsepsum Nation, along with Mayor Marianne Alto. DJ Shub, the 2022 Juno Contemporary Indigenous Artist of the Year, will headline the celebration. Considered to be the Godfather of PowWowStep, DJ Shub has pioneered a growing genre of electronic music. Hey Ocean!, Mauvey, Cities, Posh Coat, Yvonne Kushe, Blasé Blasé, The Fates and the lək̓ʷəŋən Traditional Dancers will all perform on the main stage.
The drone show will be curated and designed by celebrated artist and Indigenous leader Rande Cook. City of Victoria Poet Laureate Marie Metaphor-Specht will weave her spoken word into the experience, along with the voice of Indigenous poet Shauntelle Dick-Charleson and a soundscape composed by DJ Boitano. Together, these artists will share a message about unity and that we are all one.
To foster a sense of community and connection from Victoria to Halifax, the community is invited to join a nation-wide drumming celebration at 11 a.m. The Hoy Sun Ning Yung Benevolent Association will provide 1,000 hand-held rattle drums. Everyone is invited to bring or borrow a drum and join in.
The Family Zone will be located on the lawns of the Legislature from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will include free programming and activities by the Royal BC Museum, Victoria Bug Zoo and the Victoria Fire Department.
Belleville Street will be home to the International Food Village. On the north side of Belleville Street, the community is invited to have a conversation with Victoria’s Orange Shirt Day team, share ideas about the City of Victoria’s Official Community Plan, enjoy body art, face painting and other activities.
Partnering With VicPD for a Safe, Family-Friendly Event
VicPD officers and volunteer reserve constables will be out early wearing their high-visibility vests, greeting the public and ensuring the celebration is a family-friendly event.
VicPD will deploy temporary, monitored CCTV cameras in support of operations to ensure public safety during Victoria’s Canada Day. These cameras are deployed in line with federal and provincial privacy laws and will be taken down following the event. If you have any concerns regarding CCTV deployment, please email engagement@vicpd.ca.
How to Get There
With large crowds expected, people are encouraged to walk, cycle or take public transit and head down early to enjoy the day. On July 1, a free bike valet service, hosted by Capital Bike, will be available from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Government Street between Belleville and Superior. Parking will be free at the City’s five parkades and at on-street meters. BC Transit will be running a Saturday schedule and extra buses will run after the fireworks. For service details, visit bctransit.com/Victoria.
Full-day road closures will include Belleville Street in front of the Legislature lawn and part of Menzies Street. Government Street from Humboldt to Superior will close in the early evening. For a full list of street and bike lane closures and parking restrictions, visit canadadayvictoria.ca.
Victoria’s Canada Day is presented by the City of Victoria and is produced by Rifflandia Entertainment Company. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada. Victoria’s Canada Day event aligns with the City’s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan to support arts programming, including public programming, live music and public art.
For the complete schedule of events, information on how to volunteer, venue maps and performer biographies, please visit canadadayvictoria.ca.
Media Contact:
Colleen Mycroft
Manager, Intergovernmental and Media Relations
250.896.5325 | cmycroft@victoria.ca