Downtown Victoria will be a sea of red and white July 1, as the region heads to the Legislature grounds and Inner Harbour to celebrate Canada’s 152nd birthday.
A variety of activities and entertainment will fuel the fun until the annual fireworks close the day. Highlights include the Family Zone, keeping everyone busy from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the Flavour of Canada Food Village from noon until dusk, and the Living Flag photo at 2 p.m. T-shirt pickup for the Living Flag begins at noon, or bring your own to guarantee a spot. Assembly begins at 1:30 p.m.
Mainstage entertainment opens with the Lekwungen Traditional Dancers at 3:15 p.m. following an Indigenous blessing at 3 p.m. Join your neighbours in the singing of the national anthem at 3:30 p.m. followed by ongoing performances until the fireworks light up the night sky at 10:20 p.m.
The mainstage entertainment lineup:
3:15 p.m. – Lekwungen Traditional Dancers
3:45 p.m. – Coast Capital Savings Youth Band
4:20 p.m. – Dominic Pelletier of Caravane
5:15 p.m. – Johnny Gr4ves
5:55 p.m. – Youth Poet Laureate Aziza Moqia Sealey Qaylow
6:10 p.m. – Fortune Killers
7:40 p.m. – Diamond Café
8:35 p.m. – Khanvict
9:30 p.m. – nehiyawak
10:20 p.m. – Fireworks
Additional Canada Day weekend activities are planned at the Royal BC Museum.
Belleville Street, between Menzies and Douglas streets, will be closed from 6 a.m. to midnight July 1. Government Street, between Humboldt and Superior streets, will be closed from 4 p.m. to midnight.
Visitors are encouraged to travel downtown by BC Transit or bike, and cyclists will find free bike lock-up adjacent to the Legislature on Menzies Street.
BC Transit will run a Sunday schedule with supplemental buses and special Canada Day bus stops along Douglas Street immediately following the fireworks.
To learn more, and for a schedule and transit map, visit canadadayvictoria.ca.