Spirit of 150 Victoria is June 21 – July 1 at Victoria’s Inner Harbour

June 26, 2017

Join us downtown for 11 days of 100+ live music performances which kick off next Wednesday at Victoria’s Inner Harbour to commemorate Canada’s 150^th. Spirit of 150 Victoria events will run from June 21 – July 1, 2017 featuring family-friendly activities, multicultural performances and local food vendors. Canada’s 150th will culminate in spectacular fireworks over Victoria’s Inner Harbour at 10:15 p.m. Learn more at www.spirit150victoria.ca!

Entertainment on Two Stages

Spirit of 150 Victoria will feature two stages – the Coast Capital Savings Harbour Stage at Ship Point will open daily from June 21 – July 1 between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m., with extended hours until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays (not including July 1). The Main Stage on the Legislature Lawn will offer programming on Friday, June 30 from 5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 1 from 3 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

With 2017 being a ‘Year of Reconciliation’ for the City of Victoria, its commitment to reconciliation is guiding its ongoing work to restore a balanced relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people. Spirit of 150 Victoria will begin with National Aboriginal Day on Wednesday, June 21 on Harbour Stage. A First Nations blessing and performances by the Esquimalt Singers and Dancers, and the Lekwungen Traditional Dancers will take place on the Main Stage on Saturday, July 1.

Harbour Stage Presented by Coast Capital Savings
Multicultural performances will continue on Harbour Stage with La Celebration de la Francophonie on Saturday, June 24 and Canadian Multiculturalism Day on Tuesday, June 27, with a range of cultural and musical-themed days leading up to July 1. Over 100 performances and close to 600 performers will take the stage, including Band of Rascals, Bad Hoo, Caleb Hart and The Royal Youths, Aboriginal Youth Internship Program, Shan-e Punjab, and many more.

The all-ages venue will include local food vendors throughout the 11 days, with craft beer and cider service up to June 30, which will switch to a craft soda service on Canada Day.

Main Stage on Legislature Lawn
Headlining this year’s Main Stage on the Legislature Lawn will be Tegan and Sara on Friday, June 30 and the Arkells on Saturday, July 1. Additional Main Stage performers will include The Funk Hunters, Delhi 2 Dublin, En Karma, Carmanah, De Temps Antan, Rococode, Dirty Mountain, Stella Swanson & The Rosie Joyfuls, Valdy & the Children’s Choir, and more.

View the Spirit of 150 Victoria Events Schedule

Family Zone and International Food Village

June 30 and Canada Day will also feature the ever-popular Family Zone and sponsor activity tents from noon – 5 p.m. on the Legislature Lawn with Belleville Street’s A Flavour of Canada international food village open from noon – dusk.

Coast Capital Savings Living Flag

The popular Coast Capital Savings Living Flag takes place on the Legislature Lawn on Canada Day at 2 p.m. with 4,000 free red and white T-shirts available for pick-up starting at noon. Assembly of the Living Flag will begin at 1:30 p.m.

This year, Coast Capital Savings is presenting a challenge to local organizations and groups of 12 or more to register as a team. Registration benefits will include expedited T-shirt pick-up and a chance to win a S’well water bottle for each team member.

Groups can register online at bit.ly./LivingFlagGroupENG or bit.ly./LivingFlagGroupFR. The goal is to attract a record-setting number of 5,000 Living Flag participants, making this year’s photo one for the history books.

“Green” Features

Spirit of 150 Victoria’s “green” features will once again include a free bicycle parking valet service located adjacent to the Legislature buildings on June 30 and July 1, paper-mâché fireworks, and recyclable products used by all food vendors participating in the Flavour of Canada international food village. Increased recycling opportunities onsite will help ensure compost and recyclables are separated from garbage.

Getting There and Back

Transit will run on a regular Saturday schedule on July 1. Additional buses will be added as required on June 30 and Canada Day, which includes buses standing by along the Douglas Street corridor to depart from downtown after the fireworks on July 1. Some bus routes will run later; the last buses will leave downtown Victoria between 1:15 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. For details on service adjustments visit www.bctransit.com.

On Canada Day, customers can ride all day for $5 thanks to the BC Transit DayPASS, which is available on buses. Adults using any prepaid pass may bring up to four children under the age of 12 on the Family Pass program. No alcohol will be permitted on board BC Transit buses in the Capital Region, including alcohol in closed containers. Victoria Police will assist Transit personnel enforce this one-day regulation to ensure public safety.

Road Closures/Maps

The public is encouraged to head downtown early on Canada Day as road closures around the Inner Harbour will begin at 6 a.m. to provide a safe space for crews to set up the site. Please see the attached details on road closures for both Friday, June 30 and July 1. View the Road Closures, Map and BC Transit information

Keeping it Safe

VicPD officers and Reserve Constables will be greeting the public and ensuring Spirit of 150 Victoria is a family-friendly event. As with previous years, VicPD will be deploying temporarily placed, monitored cameras in open, public spaces in support of operations to enhance public safety. The cameras will be taken down following the event.

VicPD will be utilizing the hashtag #vicpdhelps on the evenings of June 30 and July 1. For more details on how #vicpdhelps will be used this year, follow @vicpdcanada on Twitter for the most up-to-date information.

Event Updates on Social

For event updates June 21 – July 1, follow @Spirit150Victoria (Facebook, Instagram) and @Spirit150Vic (Twitter), as well as @CityofVictoria on Twitter on June 30 and July 1.

For more information, visit: www.Spirit150Victoria.ca

NT5