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Arts, Heritage And Culture Guide May-August 2007
Find out about the latest arts, heritage and cultural events happening in Victoria - view the PDF guide.

Self Guided Heritage Walks Of Victoria
Take a walk and discover the wonderful and mysterious secrets that are part of Victoria's hidden history with this series of four self-guided walks.

Events
Victoria Harbour Ferry - Water Ballet
May 20 - September 9, 2007
Beginning on the Victoria Day Weekend... every Sunday at 10:45 AM the world famous Victoria Harbour Ferries perform their 'water ballet'. Don't miss the ferries 'dance' to the music of the Blue Danube Waltz in the Inner Harbour as the Skippers take their jaunty little boats through their paces in a precision water ballet. The ballet can be viewed from almost any waterside location around the harbour.

Summer Tours of CFB Esquimalt
June 7 - August 25, 2007
Once again CFB Esquimalt is proud to ‘open the gates’ for its annual summer tour program. These free tours offer the public an opportunity to explore the history and current operational atmosphere of the Base and Dockyard. Bus tours are offered on weekdays (except for stat holidays) at 11 a.m. from June 7 to August 24. Tours begin at Museum Square in Naden, off Admirals Road and last for approximately 1 ½ hours. Parking is available beside the museum. Walking tours are also offered every Saturday (except June 30 and August 4) from June 9 to August 25 at 11 a.m. These tours begin at the main gate of Her Majesty’s Canadian Dockyard at the end of Esquimalt Road, and last for approximately 2 hours. Over 2000 visitors took these tours last summer and responses from guests as far away as Germany and Japan, and as close to home as Esquimalt, were universally positive. CFB Esquimalt is rich in colonial and Canadian history and provides visitors a glimpse of an operational Canadian naval dockyard. Visitors will require valid photo identification for either tour (children under 12 are exempt but must be accompanied by an adult). HMC Dockyard is an industrial area with ongoing construction, therefore visitors must wear closed-toe, sturdy shoes for the walking tour. Photography is permitted. Visitors are encouraged to enhance their visit by dropping by the Naval and Military Museum in Naden, either before or after the tours. Admission to the museum is $2.00 per adult, $1.00 for children, students and seniors or $5 for a family. The museum is open Monday to Friday year round and seven days per week during July and August. Hours are 10:00am to 3:30pm. Custom group tours are also available year-round and can be arranged by calling 363-2708. Tours are Free.

1st Annual Victoria Conservatory Festival of Music
June 18 - August 11, 2007
You are invited to enjoy the wonderful talent to be featured in the 1st Annual Victoria Conservatory Festival of Music, during which we will unite seven distinct music academies into one extraordinary performing arts event that will last 55 days, from June 18 to August 11 this summer. With an internationally acclaimed guest faculty and a wonderful array of over 40 concerts, master classes, workshops and performances, this festival will allow you to discover the musical talents of tomorrow, all summer long.

2007 Summer in the Square
June 22 - September 3, 2007
JazzFest will kick off 2007 Summer in the Square from June 22 through to July 1, with free afternoon events each weekend , daily weekday noon-hour performances and some evening concerts. During July 2 - 8 and August 24 - 26, the City of Victoria is presenting a Cultural Celebration featuring ethnic dance, music, and food. All weekdays throughout July and August, the City and the Downtown Victoria Business Association are teaming up to sponsor dance performances and live music during "Lunchtime in the Square" and on Thursdays from 5:00-7:00pm, "Live at 5" will feature an exciting line-up of local artists. Fridays throughout July and August will be Kids Days, featuring free stage performances and children's activities from 11:30 to 2 pm.

Seniors Concerts in the Park
June 22 - September 14, 2007
The City of Victoria is proud to offer another summer season of Seniors' Concerts in the Park. Every Friday from June until mid-September audiences will enjoy a variety of musical selections including folk, jazz, contemporary and classical. What better way to spend a summer afternoon than listening to live music under the trees in beautiful Beacon Hill Park, the crown jewel of the City's park system. All concerts will occur rain or shine, but are subject to change. Everyone is welcome - Free Admission

Bamberton Museum and Walking Tours
June 30 - September 2, 2007
Step back in time to the early 1900s and relive life at Bamberton, one of the most important industrial sites in BC’s history. Walk down the main street of the old company village and feel Bamberton’s history come to life. The Bamberton Historical Society invites you to visit their museum where you will see memorabilia and displays that illustrate Bamberton’s vibrant history and show how Bamberton cement changed and shaped BC’s geography & economy. Numerous exhibits also pay tribute to the employees and their families who lived and worked at Bamberton over the 70 years of the plant’s operation. Learn how the original manufacture of Portland cement began as a process so secret it was protected by armed guards and about Bamberton’s connection to Butchart Gardens. Watch a specially produced DVD called “Bamberton: Gone, But Not Forgotten” that tells the compelling story of a unique community that went from Dust to Bust. Join an experienced guide on a 1 ½ hour walking tour. The tour begins at the original plant manager’s house built in the 1920’s, and continues down the village street stopping at several points of interest, including a majestic view of the original quarry which extends over a 1000 feet into the mountain side. This opportunity is available for a limited time only. Group tours are available by special arrangement. Price: Tours are $5.00 Adults and $3.00 Children 6-12 years; Admission to the museum is by donation to the Bamberton Historical Society. Time: Museum is open from 1-4:00pm; Walking tours 1-2:30pm and 2:30-4:00pm

Abkhazi Garden Summer Music Series
July 4 -August 29, 2007
Every Wednesday evening from July 4 – August 29, starting at 7:30pm there will be live music to entertain you while you relax on the terrace, enjoy the fabulous view and perhaps nibble a dessert. The featured performers will play a variety of musical styles ranging from gypsy jazz, old-time swing, accordion, latin/jazz guitar to the music of Eastern Europe. For this special event the garden will open at 6:30pm and admission is by donation. For details about the different performers please call (250) 598-8096.

Romeo and Juliet - Open Air Theatre at Camosun College
July 11 -August 11, 2007
The Victoria Shakespeare Society proudly present Romeo and Juliet, directed by Barbara Poggemiller. Enjoy this updated production on the beautiful grounds of Camosun College. According to Adrian Chamberlain, theatre critic for the Times Colonist, 'this production deserves an audience. Aside from being entertaining and very worthwhile, the overall experience of outdoor theatre is a joy.....Give this company a chance - I think you will not be disappointed.' For outdoor performances remember to dress warmly. Price: Adults $17.00; Seniors/Students $14.00; Children 12 and Under Free. Tickets available at the McPherson Box Office at (250) 386-6121, on-line at www.rmts.bc.ca or at the door. Time: Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30pm, with a bonus performance on Tuesday August 7 at 7:30pm

Ceremony of the Flags - Sea Cadets Celebrate Canada
August 4, 2007
230 members of the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets from across Canada will perform “The Ceremony of the Flags” on the legislature grounds in Victoria. The ceremony, performed annually by teenage sea cadets attending the Sea Cadet Summer Training Centre (SCSTC), HMCS QUADRA located at Comox is an August long-weekend tradition in Victoria. The display is a celebration of national unity. It combines the tattoo, beating retreat, and sunset ceremonies and is focused on a display of the nation’s 13 provincial and territorial flags with the national flag. The 60-member band, 100-member guard of honour, colour party, and two ceremonial gun crews with century old, 12-pound field-guns are comprised of 14 to 18-year-old members of Royal Canadian Sea Cadets from all parts of Canada. Each summer, over 1,000 Sea Cadets train at SCSTC HMCS QUADRA, Western Canada’s National Sea Cadet Summer Training Centre located near Comox. Cadets participate in basic and advanced training in sailing, seamanship, leadership and parade drill, marine engineering, music and sports. On Sunday August 5, 25 cadets with supervising officers are the ceremonial guns crews to provide the cannon fire during the Victoria Symphony’s performance of the 1812 Overture that is the final selection for “Symphony Splash”. -30- Time: 8:00pm

Victoria Electronic Music Festival
August 4 - 5, 2007
After 5000 fans attended this festival in 2006 this should be another successful year for the Victoria Electronic Music Festival. Watch for more details closer to the event dates.

Free B Film Festival
August 4 - 25, 2007
The Free B Film Festival will take place every Saturday evening throughout August. For film details see calendar of events listing.

Symphony Splash
August 5, 2007
The highlight of the August long weekend is Symphony Splash. Victoria's Inner Harbour is transformed to a concert venue of gargantuan proportions. The orchestra and guest performers are set up on a barge directly in front of the legislative buildings. Powerful speakers carry the sound to the thousands who ring the harbour to listen. The concert traditionally closes with The 1812 Overture, complete with guns and the carillon. This free event is not to be missed.

Mountain Jubilee Folk Festival - Centennial Square
August 6, 2007
This will be a true folk showcase of local talent - acoustic roots, celtic, bluegrass, folk, gospel, dance and much more. There will be a competition with voluntary audience balloting at $1.00 per vote. This event will be presented by Quality Time Promotions Inc. For further information please call (250) 888-6654. Free Admission. Time: 1:00-10:00pm

Showcase in the Square - Theatre Festival in Market Square
August 6 - 31, 2007
We are pleased to introduce the 1st Annual Showcase In The Square – outdoor theatre at it’s finest! Join us in historical Market Square for 4 weeks of delightful entertainment as we celebrate the talents of Victoria’s performing arts community!

Accordions by the Sea Festival
August 10 - 12, 2007
Accordions by the Sea is a festival for all ages, with great music, food and entertainment. There will be concerts with internationally-recognized and local artists, workshops, dances, an accordion museum and an open stage. Also available will be vendors of accordions, equipment and music, and the opportunity to take private lessons or request evaluation of technique .

Victoria Dragon Boat Festival
August 17 - 19, 2007
Join us for this fantastic cultural and sporting event, with roots in Chinese history and thriving right here in Victoria, BC. Watch 90 dragon boat teams from across North America race a 500 metre course, each boat paced by the driving beat of a drum. Afterwards, you can grab a delicious meal at our lively Asian bazaar, where you can also play mahjong, watch martial arts and learn to fold origami. There will be free concerts all weekend long on the entertainment stage and an outdoor movie screening on Friday,August 17th. Do not miss the spectacular Lights of Courage beginning Friday night as well. This year, we expect over 1,000 lanterns to be hung at the Festival honouring loved ones who have battled or are battling cancer. Proceeds from lantern sales go to the Victoria Hospitals Foundation. Free Admission - Fun for the whole family! Time: Friday August 17th 11 am to 10 pm Saturday August 18th 10 am ­to 10 pm Sunday August 19th 8 am ­ to 6 pm

21st Annual Fringe Festival
August 23 - September 2, 2007
Anything goes at this annual alternative theatre festival. The festival is a summer's-end 12-day celebration of some of the most innovative theatre offered anywhere in the country at eight locations throughout downtown Victoria.

Cultural Celebration in Centennial Square
August 24 - 26, 2007
Come downtown and check out the Cultural Celebration at Centennial Square Next to City Hall. Celebrate our community’s cultural diversity with dance, music and food. Drop in for lunch or dinner at the popular Hungarian, German and Greek food kiosks. Everyone Welcome. Great free family fun!

Vancouver Island Blues Bash
August 31 - September 3, 2007

Victoria Art Gallery House Tour
September 9 , 2007
Victoria Art Gallery House Tour features historic and new homes in Fairfield, Rockland and James Bay. A Rockland mansion with an artist’s studio of interest to local art lovers will be one of the star attractions of the 53rd Annual Victoria House Tour sponsored by the Volunteer Committee of the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. Often referred to as the grand dame of house tours, our outstanding selection of gracious homes will transport viewers through decades of styles and architecture dating from 1888 through the early 1900’s, to new homes built in the 19th century style. Beautiful garden settings, expansive and commanding city and ocean views, interiors reflective of owners’ interests, and intriguing art collections all await the viewer. Price: $25.00 per ticket, available at the Art Gallery, Moss Street Paint-In, Garden Works (Oak Bay, Colwood and Blenkinsop stores), and the Main Street Gallery at the Sidney Pier Hotel and Spa. There is also an optional lunch for $13.00, catered by Sec's on the Square. Lunch tickets may be purchased at the same sales outlets listed above until Tuesday September 4. Time: 11:00am- 4:30pm

Culinary Treats
Bastion Square - Farmers Market
June 14 - October 11, 2007
Its finally here!!! Downtown Victoria's first farm market in decades is set to open this week. Designed and run by the Island Chefs Collaborative this market will give downtown residents and workers a chance to buy some of the Islands finest produce just a short walk from their homes. Every Thursday from 10 am to 6 pm we will be selling local, primarily organic fruits and vegetables at farmgate prices. Our aim is to increase public consumption of Island grown produce and to decrease our reliance on imported foodstuffs. Sales from this market will help provide a viable income for dozens of local farmers, many of whom have come through the Island Chefs Collaborative funding program and are now well on their way to being sustainable, profitable farm businesses. This market is just one more piece of the food distribution puzzle. Each week at the market ICC chefs will be on hand to pass out recipes and cooking tips and to explain how to use some of the more exotic items offered for sale. Additionally, we'll take some of that weeks produce and create a dish that customers can take away with them or snack on while they shop. The market will take place on the Langley St. side of the square, alongside the Maritime Museum. Funding for this market was made possible via a grant from Farm Folk/City Folk and last year's Feast of Fields event. As the ICC is a non-profit group, all monies raised from the market will go directly back into our farmer funding program and be used for grants next spring to help even more new farmers get established. Time: 10:00am - 6:00pm

History Bites - An Edible Journey Through Victorias Past
August 3 - 5, 2007
Come and participate in this special journey through Victoria's history featuring the ingredients of our collective past. Experience early Native, Fort, Chinese, Gold Rush, and other cuisine in 'bite' size pieces. A wide variety of Victoria's cultural influences will be represented along with an historical overview of each moment in time. Entertainment and a Beer Garden will also be in Centennial Square. Price: $2.00 per bite

Great Canadian Beer Festival
September 7 - 8, 2007
Sample from over 40 brewerys from Western Canada and the Pacific NorthWest pouring over 130 beers in an outdoor setting with non-stop entertainment.

Vancouver Island Feast of Fields
September 16, 2007
Celebrate the best of Vancouver Island's harvest at the Feast of Fields in the beautiful Cowichan Valley. Enjoy the company of others who truly care about the production and consumption of locally produced food. Price: Adults $85.00; Children 7-12 years $15.00; Children under 7 years are Free.

Culinary Boot Camp at Fairburn Farm Culinary Retreat and Guesthouse
September 25 - 30, 2007
From September 25-30, 2007, chef and farmer Mara Jernigan will offer a culinary boot camp at Fairburn Farm Culinary Retreat & Guesthouse, located in the Cowichan Valley 45 minutes north of Victoria. Jernigan offers seasonal culinary programs including farmer’s market tours, cooking classes and Italian-style lunches on the picturesque working farm owned by Darrel and Anthea Archer. The boot camp will feature a variety of these activities sending participants home armed with recipes and hands-on experience. Fairburn Farm is raising the only purebred herd of European river water buffalo in North America and with the help of a local Vancouver Island cheesemaker has started making fresh mozarella di bufala. Visitors can sample water buffalo meat and milk products at Fairburn Farm Culinary Retreat & Guesthouse.

Exhibits
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
April 14 - October 14, 2007
This travelling exhibition features more than 275 artifacts recovered from Titanic’s undersea resting place in a series of galleries that trace the life of the “unsinkable” ship – from its design and construction through to its discovery, recovery and conservation. As visitors climb the gangplank, boarding passes in hand, they become immersed in the passenger experience. Authentically recreated first- and third-class corridors and cabins, outdoor café and boiler room are appointed with artifacts recovered from the shipwreck site 3,800 metres below the surface of the North Atlantic Ocean. Please note that the Royal BC Museum will be open until 10:00 p.m., on Fridays and Saturdays, from June 8 to Sept. 29, with admission tickets being sold until 9:00 p.m. Certain exception dates do apply. Regular hours will be in effect June 29, July 20, August 10 and Sept. 8.
For more information and to book your Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition package go to www.tourismvictoria.com/titanic

P.O.S.H. - Port Outbound; Starboard Home - Summer Exhibit at the Maritime Museum of BC
May 25, 2007 - November 18, 2007
P.O.S.H., the Maritime Museum's Summer exhibit, presents the human face of travel along British Columbia's coast during the provinces early years. The acronym stands for Port Outbound; Starboard Home, denoting the desirable cabin location for those travelling in the southern seas. The exhibit will focus on the west coast steamship trade, which included ships from about six companies, that provided transportation along the entire west coast of North America, from the late 19th to mid-20th centuries. These companies were integral to the development of British Columbia. For many isolated coastal communities, accessible only by sea, the ships, with their deliveries and pickups of goods, mail and passengers, represented the residents only connection to the larger world. A second major theme of the exhibit will be the early beginnings of the Alaska cruise ship trade. Guest curator, Jacques Marc, executive director of the Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia, will provide his own collection of early cruise-ship china and dinnerware for display, to demonstrate the style in which privileged, or P.O.S.H. passengers travelled.

Window to the Spirit World of the Canoe People - Art Exhibition
July 1, 2007 - August 31, 2007
We would like to invite you to come and look through a window into the art and artifacts of the spirit world of the Canoe People. The traditional arts of the Salish People have been hidden for many years. Over the last 20 years we have been able to acquire a collection of rare items from a Quitsmean to goatwool blankets, stone bowl, baskets, dance costumes, looms, wool beaters, power stick and many more artefacts of the Salish spiritworld. We will be exhibiting a collection of historic photographs and baskets from the Cooper Family, concerning the historic transfer of the Songhees lands, which will be donated to a local institution.

LAB 7.1: SCOTT INGRAM The Holland Drawings
July 27 - September 16, 2007
From toy trains to Lego: An Atlanta artist examines architecture’s building blocks. For Scott Ingram’s first exhibition in Canada, the Atlanta-based artist presents drawings from recent travels to the Netherlands. There Ingram was struck by the democratic use of design and colour, from high architecture to humble shed, which, Ingram says, “has as much visual prominence as the ultra modern building under construction right next to it.” Scott Ingram is interested in the elementary building block nature of this project, akin to creating the miniature worlds of toy trains or Lego blocks. The Holland Drawings offer the opportunity to create one’s own place using an everyday vocabulary of shape, colour, and form. He has been exhibiting for more than 12 years in the United States. This is the first exhibition of his work outside of the U.S. and the first showing of the Holland Drawings. In the coming year, Ingram will have solo exhibitions in Atlanta, Georgia, Portland, Oregon, and Madrid, Spain. Price: Adults $12.00; Senior/Student $10.00; Children 6-17 years $2.00; Children 5 years and under FREE; Family Rate $26.00; Gallery Members FREE.

Stinking Fish Studio Tour
July 28 - August 6, 2007
Take a self-guided art tour through Metchosin and East Sooke, where 24 artists in 16 disciplines offer an array of the best in fine art and fine craft. Follow one of the richest art trails on the island and meet the artists, see their work and take some home with you. Artworks are for sale. Free Admission.

Maarten Schaddelee Exhibit - Doorways to Spirit
August 3 - 25, 2007
Doorways to Spirit: a Message of Peace and Spirituality - an exhibit by Maarten Schaddelee opens in Downtown Victoria. Doorways to Spirit is composed of 16 doors, hinged together in a circle. The doors were created at Maarten’s studio home, Maarnada. Each is carved from medium-density fibreboard and is about the size of an actual door. Doorways to Spirit is about the spirit’s journey, promoting an acceptance of how others around the world take their journey to peace.Maarten Schaddelee began carving in 1983, eventually leaving the bakery where he was employed to sculpt full time in 1990. His major installations include; Millennium Peace at Clover Point; Wings of Compassion, a 9-11 tribute on display in the C.R. Smith American Airlines Flight Museum in Fort Worth, Texas and When Peace Comes which was installed in the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre in 2005 to honour the Canadian Forces. More recently Westcoast Spirit was installed at Upper Harbour Place at Bay and Tyee.

Watermark Printmakers Society Art Show
August 11 - September 1, 2007
INTERLEAVING: The Watermark Printmakers Society explores the concept of Interleaving through imagery on paper and fabric using traditional and non traditional methods of printmaking that include etching, relief, mixed media, monotype, and bookmaking

Source and Sustenance - Gallery Exhibition at Victoria Arts Connection
September 2 -28, 2007
Victoria Arts Connection is pleased to present "Source and Sustenance" featuring the photographic works of Herman Surkis and paintings of Maria Miranda Lawrence. These artists share a common muse through music and dance and bring together a dynamic body of new works exploring this theme. Surkis and Lawrence met at an exhibition opening where Surkis was immediately struck by a sense of kinship with Lawrence and initiated an invitation to show together. From there the artists shared their vision and started working at the Metro theatre to photograph dancers and musicians in a 'black box' environment. Each artist then returned to their own studio to create their unique interpretation and impression of the experience working not only with the dancers and musicians but, together as visual artists. Bringing their work together for the first time in September is sure to reveal interesting intersections and departures in their individual artistic expression. The opening reception on Saturday September 8th from 7:00-9:00pm will of course include a sampling of the artist's source of inspiration with live music and dance performances.

Concerts
Hilary Duff - Save On Foods Memorial Centrer
August 4, 2007

Incubus - Save On Foods Memorial Centre
August 20, 2007

Paul Anka at the University of Victoria
October 3, 2007
Paul Anka has become one of the most prolific, successful songwriters in history. With over 124 albums to his credit and over 15 million albums sold worldwide, Mr. Anka has been named the 21st most successful artist in Billboard's history (Billboard statistic) and has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. Join Paul Anka as he performs "Classic Songs My Way" for his 50th Anniversary Tour.

Sports
Times Colonist Cycling Festival
September 15 - 16, 2007
Be part of a fall of cycling excitement like no other - the 2007 Times Colonist Cycling Festival is Victoria's premier cycling festival. Whether you compete to win, race for fun, cycle for leisure or simply like to watch, there will be something for everyone - families, kids, professional racers, weekend riders, criterium racers, and track riders - of all ages and abilities. From Bastion Square's infamous 'crash corner' to the challenge of a hill climb, we have your fall cycling action covered!

Royal Victoria Marathon
October 7, 2007
The Royal Victoria Marathon is one of the most popular and scenic running events on the west coast. It attracts runners, joggers and walkers from all over Canada and the United States. Victoria is listed as one of the Top 10 destination Marathons in North America by Runner's World Magazine.

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