July 2010
MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA HITS CAPITAL WATERS
Celebrating 21 years of delighting audiences, Symphony Splash is an unforgettable event set to make musical waves on August 1, 2010. Known to be one of Victoria BCs most popular free summer events and the largest annual symphony event in North America, playing to over 40,000 residents and visitors, this musical extravaganza transforms Victorias picturesque Inner Harbour into an outdoor concert venue. As the Victoria Symphony plays from a barge moored in the middle of the harbour in front of the Provincial Legislature, visitors and residents alike are encouraged to bring a chair and a blanket, or even a boat or a kayak from which to watch the spectacular concert. For those looking for a seat which adds a little something extra, The Fairmont Empress Veranda offers a birds-eye view of the symphony along with sumptuous bites from Chef Ito and Team, coupled with innovative cocktails from their master mixologists. A reservation for a seat on the Veranda costs $150 CDN/ $142 USD which can then be used as a credit towards guests food and beverage purchases during the event. As the sun sets the orchestra plays a perfect blend of classics and popular favourites, creating a magical evening that comes to a dramatic close with a performance of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and an impressive fireworks display. Tania Miller, the Music Director of the Victoria Symphony, is not only the youngest conductor of a major Canadian orchestra but also the first Canadian woman to be appointed to such a position. For more information visit www.victoriasmyphony.ca ( http://e2ma.net/go/6731733902/208254455/214499872/1400783/goto:http://www.victoriasmyphony.ca ) and www.fairmont.com/empress ( http://e2ma.net/go/6731733902/208254455/214499873/1400783/goto:http://www.fairmont.com/empress ).
IN A PARK & IN A SQUARE – FREE MOVIES EVERYWHERE
Throughout August, the Free B Film Festival goes beyond the summer blockbuster to present free B-movies in Victoria, BC. Shown on select Friday and Saturday nights at 9:00 pm, under the stars at the Cameron Bandshell in Beacon Hill Park or in the square at downtown Victorias Centennial Square, classic movies from the family-friendly to the funky and fun will delight movie-buffs looking to get outdoors on a summer evening rather than sit inside a theatre. Films being shown at the 10th Annual Free B Film Festival include Edward Scissorhands (Aug. 6), Earth Girls are Easy (Aug. 7), Gamera the Invincible (Aug. 13), The War of the Worlds (Aug. 14), The Pink Panther (Aug. 20) Cat Ballou (Aug. 21) The Thin Man (Aug. 27) and The Last Starfighter (Aug. 28). Visitors are encouraged to arrive early to reserve a seat on the wooden benches or bring their own blankets and picnic baskets. This free, fun for the whole family event is presented by the Victoria Film Festival. For more information visit www.freebfilmfest.com ( http://e2ma.net/go/6731733902/208254455/214499874/1400783/goto:http://www.victoriafilmfestival.com ).
GO BEHIND THE SCENES IN VICTORIA, BC
Curious young campers are invited to Victoria, BC this summer and encouraged to put on their explorer hats and delve behind the scenes at the amazing, delightful, and wondrous world of the Royal BC Museum. The museum offers a week long day camp geared towards kids aged eight to 10 who have an interest in seeing what goes on behind the museum walls. Camp Inside Out will be offered twice during the month of August, August 9-13 and August 23-27, with each camp running Monday to Friday from 9 am – 4 pm, at a cost of $224 CDN / $213 USD per week. Highlights of the camps program include meeting Royal BC Museum curators and special effects crews, dissecting owl pellets for rodent bones, exploring the museums hidden collections and learning about BCs biodiversity through activities, games, and field trips. Along with enthusiasm and inquisitiveness, campers are asked to bring their own lunch and snacks for the day. Camp Inside Out runs as a complement to the museums current feature exhibition, Behind the Scenes. The first in a two-part series to celebrate the 2010 UNESCO International Year of Biodiversity, Behind the Scenes focuses on the museums natural history staff, their research and collections which are arranged into eight natural history disciplines ornithology (birds), entomology (insects), ichthyology (fish), paleontology (fossils), botany (plants), herpetology (reptiles and amphibians), invertebrate zoology and mammalogy. AmusEum, an interactive space for explorers 10 and younger, the Biodiversity Lounge, a place to browse Royal BC Museum work, and a small feature show about invasive species called Aliens Among Us are other highlights of the exhibition. Part two of the series opens in the summer of 2012 and will shine the spotlight on human history. For more information visit www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca ( http://e2ma.net/go/6731733902/208254455/214499875/1400783/goto:http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca ) or call 250-387-2163 250-387-2163.
PADDLES UP! DRAGON BOATING IN VICTORIA
The 16th Annual Canada Dry Victoria Dragon Boat Festival will be held August 13 to 15, 2010, in Victoria, BC’s Inner Harbour. In Victoria, water is a way of life and the sport of dragon boating has become increasing in popular over recent years. Boasting the mildest climate in Canada, Victoria allows for year-round dragon boat training, but the sport is most popular in the summer in preparation for the annual Dragon Boat Festival. The festival this year will see almost 100 dragon boat teams from across North America, with crews of 22 paddlers race head-to-head in a 500 m (1640 ft.) sprint, in full dragon boat regalia with timing drums thumping away. Fast and colourful, the races are just as exciting for spectators as they are for the crews. For those on shore, the Victoria Dragon Boat Festival features 3 days of unique culture and sport, including an entertainment stage with live multicultural music and dance, a children’s activity tent, and tantalizing cuisine from the Forbidden City food fair. For more information visit www.victoriadragonboat.com ( http://e2ma.net/go/6731733902/208254455/214499876/1400783/goto:http://www.victoriadragonboat.com ).
FOLLOWING VICTORIA’S FLAVOUR TRAIL
On August 21 and 22, 2010, the 4th Annual North Saanich Flavour Trail will take place in Victoria, BC. North Saanich, one of the newest and fastest growing Agritourism regions on Vancouver Island, is located 25 minutes north of downtown Victoria. Surrounded on three sides by ocean shores, North Saanich is known for its agriculture, as evidenced by its large number of farms and road side produce and flower stands. Flavour Trail festivities focus on the importance of agriculture in the area by highlighting the farms, wineries, and nurseries that showcase North Saanich food production. Victoria visitors interested in going behind the scenes of the island’s local gastronomy will enjoy meeting the farmers and shaking hands with the vintners whose products are found on the menus of many of Victoria’s finest restaurants. The North Saanich Flavour Trail invites visitors to taste their way through markets and participate in hands-on activities at many of the local farms and producers. For more information visit www.northsaanich.ca ( http://e2ma.net/go/6731733902/208254455/214499877/1400783/goto:http://www.northsaanich.ca )
CELEBRATE ON THE FRINGE IN BC’S CAPITAL
From August 26 to September 5, 2010, the 24th Annual Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival explodes onto stages throughout Victoria, BC. The 11-day artistic display of drama, dance, comedy, and spoken word features over 400 performances by 61 performing companies from Canada and around the world. Visitors are invited to take in the vibrant, cutting edge alternative theatre at seventeen venues throughout Victoria including Metro Studio, Langham Court Theatre, and unique venues such as Market Square and the historic landmark, St. Annes Academy. The festival kicks off with the Fringe Block Party, a free music concert featuring local Canadian bands starting at 7:30 pm on Tuesday August 24th on Broad Street. For visitors with kids in tow, don’t miss Fringekids Fest in Market Square on Saturday August 28th. Fringekids is a day of free fun including live entertainment, face painting, a cardboard castle to paint, and performances by childrens entertainer Major Conrad Flapps. Who could ask for anything more! The Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival is Vancouver Island’s biggest annual theatre event, one of Canada’s oldest Fringe festivals, and a founding member of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals. For tickets and more information visit www.intrepidtheatre.com ( http://e2ma.net/go/6731733902/208254455/214499878/1400783/goto:http://www.intrepidtheatre.com ).