ONGOING EVENTS
Saturdays through October – Moss Street Market, Victoria. Locally crafts and produce. Corner of Moss and Fairfield Sts, www.mossstreetmarket.com
Saturdays, through October – James Bay Market, Victoria, Crafts, food, entertainment, produce. Corner of Superior and Menzies Sts, by Parliament Bldgs, www.jamesbaymarket.com
Thursday evenings, May 30 to Aug. 29 – Sidney Street Market, downtown Sidney, www.sidney.ca
Saturdays, through October – Qualicum Beach Farmers Market, on Veteran’s Way, www.qbfarmersmarket.com
Saturdays – Duncan Farmers’
Market, downtown Duncan,
www.duncanfarmersmarket.ca
Fridays, 10am to 2pm, through Thanksgiving – Farmers’ Market, Nanaimo at Pioneer Waterfront Plaza. www.nanaimofarmersmarket.com
Saturday mornings, year-round – Farmers’ market at Harbour Quay, Port Alberni
Saturdays, 9am to 12pm, through October – Comox Valley Farmer’s Market, Sat. mornings at the Exhibition Grounds. Winter markets at Native Sons Hall. www.comoxvalleyfarmersmarket.com
Sundays, 10am to 2:30pm, May to September – Pier Street Farmer’s Market, Campbell River, Discovery Pier parking lot. www.pierstreet.com
May to September – Totem
Tours, Downtown Duncan.
www.downtownduncan.ca
Saturdays, 10am to 1pm, May through September – Errington Farmers’ Market, behind Errington Hall, www.erringtonfarmersmarket.ca
Wednesdays, May 29 to mid-Sept. – Summer market, Chemainus, Waterwheel Park, www.chemainus.bc.ca
July & August – Harbour Boat Tours, 10:30am & 2pm, Ladysmith Comunity Marina, 250-245-0109,
www.lmsmarina.ca
Sundays, July & August – Concerts in the Park, Ladysmith’s Transfer Beach, 6 to 8pm, www.lrca.bc.ca/concerts.asp
July 4 to Aug. 24 – T’sasala Cultural Group Traditional Native Dance Performance, Big House, Alert Bay, 1:15 to 2:15 pm, 250-974-5475, maxinux@cablerocket.com
July 3 to Aug. 17 – Bard to Broadway Summer Theatre, Qualicum Beach,
250-248-0444. http://b2btheatre.com
MAY
April 25 to May 12 – Milner Gardens’ Rhododendron Bloom, Qualicum Beach, 250-752-6153, www.milnergardens.org
May 1 – International Workers Day Bean Supper, 6 p.m. in Cumberland, 250-336-8313
May 11 – Victoria Tartan Parade. Beginning at 11am, along Government St, City Hall to Parliament Buildings. www.victoriahighlandgames.com
May 11 – Culinary Treasure Hunt, South Cowichan Chamber of Commerce,
www.southcowichanchamber.org
May 11 & 12 – Victoria Conservatory
of Music Mother’s Day Garden Tour,
www.vcm.bc.ca
May 12 – Mother’s Day Paint-in and Craft Fair, at Hatley Park National Historic Site, Victoria, www.hatleypark.ca
May 12 – Mother’s Day Wine Steam
Train, Port Alberni, 250-723-1376,
www.alberniheritage.com
May 17 – Victoria Highland Games Torchlight Clan Ceremony, 8pm, Legislature lawn, victoriahighlandgames.com
May 17 to 19 – Annual Wooden
Boat Celebration at Maple Bay Marina,
www.maplebaymarina.com
May 17 to 20 – Empire Days, Nanaimo, www.tourismnanaimo.com
May 18 & 19 – Tri-Port Motorbike and ATV Club/Races.
May 18 – Village Market Day, downtown Cumberland,
www.cumberlandbc.org
May 18 – Highland Games, Courtenay, Lewis Park, www.cvhg.org
May 18 & 19 – Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival, Topaz Park, www.victoriahighlandgames.com
May 18 & 19 – Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site Historic Military Encampment, Victoria, 250-478-5849.
May 18 to 20 – Luxton Pro Rodeo, Victoria, www.members.shaw.ca/luxtonrodeo
May 18 to 20 – Art & Bloom Festival, Comox Valley’s Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens, 250-338-6901, www.woodlandgardens.ca
May 18 to 20 – Cumberland Empire Day celebrations, Comox Valley. Family events, parade and more. 250-336-8313; www.cumberlandbc.org
May 19 – Ladysmith Seafood Festival: Harvest of the Salish Sea, www.ladysmithmaritimesociety.ca
May 20 – Island Farms Victoria Day Parade, Victoria – the city’s largest
parade event.
May 22 to June 1 – Uno Festival of Solo Performance, Victoria, 250-383-2663, www.intrepidtheatre.com
May 24 – Yes BC free Off-the-Grid Music Festival, Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site, Victoria, www.offthegridfestival.ca
May 24 to 26 – Lund Shellfish Festival, www.discoverpowellriver.com
May 24 to 26 – Painters at Painter’s,
a celebration of BC artists, Campbell River, 1-800-663-7090,
www.painterslodge.com
May 25 – May Day celebration, with parade, races, driftwood fort building, prizes for best costumes and entertainment. Quadra Island’s Rebecca Spit.
May 25 to 27 – Swiftsure International Yacht Race, www.swiftsure.org
May 26 – Qualicum Beach Family Day, pancake breakfast, parade, entertainment and more, www.qbfamilyday.com
JUNE
June 1 – Ladysmith Kids’ Pirates Day, www.lmsmarina.ca
June 1 – Third annual Spot Prawn Festival, Westview Wharf, Powell River, www.discoverpowellriver.com
June 1 & 2 – Oak Bay Tea Party, Victoria, midway, parade, games and activities along the beach, www.oakbayteaparty.com
June 1 & 2 – Quadra Island Studio Tour, with studios, galleries and a community centre exhibit, 250-285-3101, www.quadraislandarts.com
June 2 to 9 – Cowichan Lake Days, cowichanlakedays.com
June 8 – Ladysmith Maritime Heritage Day, www.lmsmarina.ca
June 8 – Oceans Day, Campbell River’s Maritime Heritage Centre, www.bcp45.org
June 8 & 9 – Saanich Peninsula Spring Studio Tour, Victoria, www.cacsp.com
June 7 to 9 – Buccaneer Days,
Victoria, Midway, parade, games and activities in the Greater Victoria community of Esquimalt,
www.esquimaltbuccaneerdays.ca
June 9 – 19th annual Cowichan Valley Garden Tour, www.cowichanfamilylife.org
June 9 – Edge to Edge Marathon, Half-Marathon & Relay, Tofino-Ucluelet.
www.edgetoedgemarathon.com
June 13 to 16 – 55th annual June Sports in Alert Bay, www.alertbay.ca
June 15 – Father’s Day Wine Steam Train, Port Alberni, 250-723-1376,
www.alberniheritage.com
June 15 – Multicultural Festival, Nanaimo
June 15 – BC Shellfish Festival, Comox, http://bcshellfishfestival.ca
June 14 to 16 – Father’s Day Seaside Cruizers Show & Shine, Qualicum Beach, 250-752-5742, www.seasidecruizers.com
June 16 – Rotary Father’s Day pancake breakfast, Campbell River Community Centre, 401 – 11th Ave., 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
June 16 – Father’s Day Tractor Show, BC Forestry Museum, Duncan, 1-866-715-1113, www.discoveryforest.com
June 16 – Beaufort Gang Train Robbery, Alberni Pacific Railway & McLean Mill, Port Alberni, 250-723-1376,
www.alberniheritage.com
June 20 to 22 – Cumberland Museum & Archives’ Miner’s Memorial Day Weekend, 250-336-8313,
www.cumberlandbc.org
June 21 to 30 – JazzFest International, Victoria, 250-388-4423, www.jazzvictoria.ca
June 22 – Summer Fest in downtown Chemainus, www.chemainus.bc.ca
June 22 & 23 – Campbell River Garden & Art Tour, 250-287-2261 or admin@crartgallery.ca
June 22 & 23 – North Island Timing Association Drag Racing at Port McNeill Airport.
June 26 to 30 – Transformations on the Shore, amateur and professional carvers at Campbell River’s Frank James Park, www.crshorelinearts.ca
June 27 to 30 – Lighthouse Bluegrass Festival, Qualicum Bay, 250-757-9991, www.lighthousebluegrass.com
June 28 – Summer opening at Mt. Washington, www.mountwashington.ca
June 30 & July 1 – Sidney Days
JULY
July – Duncan Summer Festival,
www.cowichanfestival.com
July – Comox Valley Youth Music Centre Festival, jazz, classical and musical theatre, www.cymc.ca
July 1 – Canada Day – Check local communities for a variety of family-friendly events.
July (Date TBD) – Logger Sports in Port McNeill.
July 1 to 7 – Victoria Pride Week, various events celebrating the gay and lesbian community, incl. parade and festival, www.victoriapridesociety.org
July 2 – Texada Annual Fly-In, Gillies Bay Airport, www.discoverpowellriver.com
July 5 to 7 – Visions Art Studio Tour of Cowichan Valley artists’ studios,
www.visionsarttour.ca
July 5 to 7 – Nanaimo Dragonboat Festival, competition and activities at Maffeo Sutton Park, www.nanaimodragonboat.com
July 6 – Chemainus Giant Street market, www.chemainus.bc.ca
July 6 – Beaufort Gang Train Robbery, Alberni Pacific Railway, Port Alberni, www.alberniheritage.com
July 7 – Saanich Strawberry Festival at Beaver Lake Park, www.saanich.ca
July 7 – Vintage Cadillac Car Show, Victoria’s Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site, 250-478-5849, www.pc.gc.ca/fortroddhill
July 9 to 13 – SKA Festival, Victoria, victoriaskafest.ca
July 12 – Tapped beer festival, Mt. Washington, www.mountwashington.ca
July 12 to 14 – Vancouver Island MusicFest, Courtenay, music, food, camping, CV Exhibition Grounds,
www.islandmusicfest.com
July 13 – Evening Wine Steam Train, Alberni Pacific Railway, Port Alberni, www.alberniheritage.com
July 13 & 14 – Antique Truck Show, Duncan, www.athsvancouverislandchapter.com
July 13 & 14 – Nanaimo Barbecue Festival, VIEX exhibition grounds, nanaimobbqfest.com
July 13 & 14 – Canadian Open Sand-sculpting Competition in Parksville; sculptures remain on display to Aug. 18, www.parksvillebeachfest.ca
July 14 – Brits on the Beach Car Show, Old English Car Club at Ladysmith’s Transfer Beach, 11am to 3pm.
www.oecc.ca
July 19 & 20 – Local Colours arts festival, Comox Valley, comoxvalleyarts.com
July 19 to 21 – Tahsis Days,
www.tahsischamber.com
July 19 to 21 – Northwest Deuce Days, Victoria. www.northwestdeuceday.com
July 20 – TD Art Gallery Paint-In, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria’s annual outdoor art extravaganza, 250-384-4101, www.aggv.bc.ca
July 20 & 21 – North Island Timing Association Drag Racing at Port McNeill Airport.
July 19 to 21 – Islands Folk Festival, Providence Farm, Duncan, www.islandsfolkfestival.ca
July 19 to 28 – Victoria International Buskers Festival, downtown Victoria, victoriabuskers.com
July 21 – Silly Boat Regatta, Nanaimo, Swy-A-Lana Park, 250-753-0251,
www.sillyboat.com
July 26 to 28 – Nanaimo Marine Festival & World Championship Bathtub Race, with parade, fireworks, events and bathtub race, 250-753-7223,
www.bathtubbing.com
July 26 & 27 – 31st annual Alert Bay Seafest, Alert Bay, www.alertbay.ca
July 26 to 28 – Annual Alert Bay Artfest, Alert Bay, www.alertbay.ca
July 26 to Aug. 5 – Sooke Fine Arts Show, SEAPARC Leisure Centre, Sooke, www.sookefinearts.com
July 26 to 28 – Ukee Days, Ucluelet, www.ukeedays.wordpress.com
July 28 – Art and Wine Festival at Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site, organized by the Rotary Club of Colwood
July 27 – Lavenderfest, Damali Lavender Farm and Winery, Cobble Hill, damali.ca
July 27 – Grand Prix d’Art painting race, Qualicum Beach, www.theoldschoolhouse.org
July 27 – Mount Washington Bike Park opens, www.mountwashington.ca
July 27 & 28 – The Chemainus Bluegrass Festival, www.chemainusbluegrass.com
July 27 & 28 – First annual Steam-Up Weekend, Alberni Pacific Railway & McLean Mill, Port Alberni, www.alberniheritage.com
July 28 – 12th annual Alert Bay Music Fest, www.alertbay.ca
AUGUST
Aug. 1 to 4 –SunFest 2013 Country Music Festival, Duncan exhibition grounds, sunfestconcerts.com
Aug. 1 to 4 – Coombs Country Bluegrass Festival, Coombs Rodeo Grounds, www.coombsbluegrass.com
Aug. 1 to 10 – Hornby Island Festival, music, dance, theatre, www.hornbyfestival.bc.ca
Aug. 2 to 4 – Ladysmith Days, in Ladysmith and Transfer Beach Park, www.ladysmithdays.com
Aug. 2 to 5 – Filberg Festival, Comox, arts & crafts, entertainment; no pets, www.filbergfestival.com
Aug. 3 to 5 – Comox Nautical Days, family events, parade, fireworks and more, www.comoxnauticaldays.ca
Aug. 4 – Symphony Splash with the Victoria Symphony, Victoria’s Inner Harbour, www.victoriasymphony.ca/splash/
Aug. 4 – Oceanside Overdrive Car Show, Parksville, www.parksvillebeachfest.ca
Aug. 4 – Kid’s Day, BC Forestry Museum, Duncan, 1-866-715-1113, www.discoveryforest.com
Aug. 9 & 10 – Alpine Wine & Food Festival at Mt. Washington,
www.mountwashington.ca
Aug. 9 to 11 – North Island Logger Sports & Summer Salmon Sizzler, Campbell River’s Nunns Creek Park, www.crsalmonfestival.com
Aug. 10 – TriPort Music Festival, Cluxewe Beach Resort.
Aug. 10 to 15 – Medieval Village at Victoria’s Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site, 250-478-5849, www.pc.gc.ca/fortroddhill
Aug. 10 & 11 – Milner Gardens’
Art & Photography in the Garden,
Qualicum Beach, 250-752-6153,
www.milnergardens.org
Aug. 10 & 11 – Arts & Music in the Garden, Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, Victoria, 250-479-6162, hcp.ca
Aug. 10 & 11 – Coombs Fair, animals, horticulture displays, music, etc.,
www.coombsfair.com
Aug. 10 & 11 – Motorcycle Roundup, Cumberland, www.cumberlandmotorcycleroundup.com
Aug. 11 – Cadboro Bay Festival, Victoria, www.saanich.ca
Aug. 13 to 16 – RCMP Musical Ride, Cowichan Exhibition Park
Aug. 16 – Blackberry Festival Street Party, Powell River, www.discoverpowellriver.com
Aug. 16 to 18 – Victoria Dragon Boat Festival, Inner Harbour, www.victoriadragonboat.com
Aug. 16 to 18 – Vancouver Island Exhibition, Nanaimo, agricultural and livestock exhibition, music, carnival and more in Beban Park, 250-758-3247, www.viex.ca
Aug. 17 – Port McNeill OrcaFest, with market, family activities, parade & slo-pitch tournament.
Aug. 17 & 18 – Art Rave juried art show, Port Alberni, alberniartrave.org
Aug. 17 – Show ‘n Shine Car Show, Ladysmith
Aug. 17 – OrcaFest parade and celebrations, Port McNeill, 250-956-3131
Aug. 18 – Kidfest, Parksville Beach, sandcastles, entertainers and more, www.kidfest.ca
Aug. 22 to Sept. 1 – Victoria Fringe Festival, 250-383-2663, www.victoriafringe.com
Aug. 23 to 25 – Summertime Blues Festival, Nanaimo
Aug. 23 & 24 – Bearclaw Invitational freestyle biking event, Mt. Washington, www.mountwashington.ca
Aug. 24 & 25 – North Island Timing Association Drag Racing, Port McNeill Airport.
Aug. 23 to 25 – Comox Valley Exhibition Fall Fair, Exhibition Grounds, Courtenay, www.cvex.ca
Aug. 25 – Arts on the Avenue, Ladysmith, www.artonavenue.com
Aug. 31 – Lighthouse Country Fall Fair, Qualicum Bay, www.communityclub.ca
Aug. 31 & Sept. 1 – Artisans Festival, Comox Valley’s Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens, www.woodlandgardens.ca
Aug. 31 to Sept. 2 – Vancouver Island Blues Bash, Victoria, 250-388-4423, www.jazzvictoria.ca
Aug. 31 to Sept. 2 – Saanich Fair, Saanich Fairgrounds, Victoria, farm exhibits, entertainment, midway, www.saanichfair.ca
Aug. 31 to Sept. 2 – Bike Festival at Mt. Washington, www.mountwashington.ca
SEPTEMBER
Sept.1 – North Island Cruisers annual Show ‘N Shine, Tyee Plaza and along Shoppers Row.
Sept. 2 – Labour Day Family Picnic, BC Forestry Museum, Duncan, 1-866-715-1113, www.discoveryforest.com
Sept. 5 to 8 – Alberni District Fall Fair, Port Alberni fairground, logger sports, agriculture, midway, www.albernifair.com
Sept. 6 & 7 – Great Canadian Beer Festival, Victoria, www.gcbf.com
Sept. 6 to 8 – Cowichan Exhibition, Cowichan Exhibition Park, Duncan,
www.cowex.ca
Sept. 7 & 8 – Mount Waddington Fall Fair, Port McNeill
Sept. 7 to 15 – Cowichan Wine & Culinary Festival, Cowichan Valley, wines.cowichan.net
Sept. 8 – English Car Affair in the Park, Old English Car Club at Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site, 250-478-5849,
www.pc.gc.ca/fortroddhill
Sept. 13 to 15 – Luxton Fall Fair, Victoria, www.luxtonfair.ca
Sept. 14 – Harvest Festival, Nanaimo
Sept. 21 – Mind Over Mountain Adventure Race, Cumberland, with a
post-race party at Mount Washington,
www.mindovermountain.com
Sept. 28 –Harvest Festival, Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, Victoria, hcp.ca
Sept. 28 & 29 – Milner Gardens Fall
Plant Sale, Qualicum Beach,
www.milnergardens.org
Sept. 29 – Saltspring Island Organic Apple Festival, www.saltspringmarket.com/apples/
OCTOBER
Oct. 5 – Cumberland Foggy Mountain Fall Fair, www.cumberlandmuseum.ca
Oct. 13 – Royal Victoria Marathon,
www.royalvictoriamarathon.com
Oct. 26 & 27 – Saanich Peninsula Spring Studio Tour, Victoria, www.cacsp.com
Late October – Ghosts of Victoria Festival, www.tourismvictoria.com
