Used.ca and 98.5 The Ocean/103.1 JACK FM Drive Thru Bottle Drive supporting Island Prostate Centre – June 20
Save up all your refundable containers! Used.ca and Ocean 98.5/103.1 JACK FM are hosting a drive thru bottle drive in support of Island Prostate Centre, Sunday, June 20th from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at The Archie Browning Sports Centre parking lot.
Simply load up your bottles and cans in your car trunk, drive through and we’ll grab them with no contact and no sorting. Just drop off and go! Your bottle donations will help locals in your community battling prostate cancer find life-changing help and resources. Huge thanks to our sponsors Esquimalt Recreation and Bottle Depot.
Victoria Symphony’s Poulenc Organ Concerto – April 29 – May 28
This concert introduces Christ Church Cathedral’s Director of Music, Donald Hunt, in his Symphony debut performing Poulenc’s Concerto for organ, strings and timpani on the majestic instrument built-in 2005 by the late Helmuth Wolff for this extraordinary space. Also included in the program is Adés’ Three Studies from Couperin, an offbeat and unexpected tribute to the French Baroque master.
This concert is available at victoriasymphony.ca until May 28, 2021.
Join the 2021 MS Walk!!! – May 30
Multiple sclerosis is Canada’s disease with over 90,000 Canadians living with MS and 12 people being diagnosed each day. While we can’t gather in person to support the MS community, we can still act. This year’s MS Walk will be a virtual nationwide event encouraging you and members of your household to move forward together–your way.
Join thousands of Canadians moving forward together to support the MS community on World MS Day, Sunday, May 30, through a live-stream event. You can participate in MS Walk by walking in your own backyard, around your block, setting a month-long walk challenge or virtually in any way that works for you! There will be an opportunity for individuals to plan and host their own celebrations on May 30 or throughout the month of May as long as you follow COVID guidelines for in-person gatherings in your community. Visit www.mswalks.ca to register or donate today.
Go By Bike Week – May 31 – June 6
Registration is now open for Go By Bike Week! This annual event (formerly Bike to Work Week) encourages anyone in Greater Victoria to give cycling a try for one week. Whether you’re an experienced cyclist or have an old bike collecting dust in the garage, we want you to take part.
Why register? Hundreds of prizes are available for anyone who logs at least one bike ride from May 31 – June 6, including our grand prize of an E-Bike from Westshore Bicycles. You can join a team with your family, friends, or coworkers, and take part in a whole host of physically distanced bike activities.
Whether you’re biking to work, school, for fitness, mental health, or to take a break from working from home, we want YOU to register for Greater Victoria’s largest free event.
Register now at www.GoByBikeBc.ca and select “Greater Victoria” as your community.”
Raymond James Father’s Day Walk Run for Prostate Centre – June 12
Prostate cancer. They may be some of the toughest words you’ll ever hear. Rest assured – you’ve come to the right place.
Island Prostate Centre (IPC) is the only non-profit that guides and empowers Vancouver Island men and their families as they navigate the uncertainty of a prostate cancer diagnosis, right from day one.
We uniquely offer the time and space you need to explore your options and human supports so you never walk alone.
We offer more than information. We provide guidance in decision-making and time and space to chat things through – room that can otherwise be difficult to find.
Because prostate cancer isn’t a solo journey, we welcome you and your family – however you define it. Register here
IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s – May 30
Join the Alzheimer Society of B.C. for the IG Wealth Management Walk for Alzheimer’s online! Throughout the month of May, find the place and time that works for you to walk solo, with your family – or with your bubble, as public health guidelines allow. Then join us virtually on Sunday, May 30, 2021, to celebrate the difference you’ve made! No matter where or how you walk, you’ll honour people in your life who have been affected by dementia. Funds raised during the event help fund the Alzheimer Society of B.C.’s online programs, education and services for people in communities across the province. Visit walkforalzheimers.ca to donate, register and set up a personal fundraising page. Who will you walk for?
Virtual Goddess Run – June 2021
The Goddess Run is celebrating 10 Years this June 2021. Usually, a live event in Langford, BC, the continuation of Covid restrictions has forced the event to once again be virtual. But the event will be kept unique with its incredible swag and Goddess community support like we normally do.
You can choose from a 5K, 10K or Half Marathon – all for the same price and you can even do all three! You can participate on your own or as part of a team. Sign up for a team and be eligible for prizes. Plus we’ve got something fun for your four-legged run/walk partner!
Looking for extra motivation? We have added virtual October and December runs as part of our Virtual Run Series to keep you running year-round!
We have also partnered with the Victoria Women’s Transition House as our charity of choice. Join us as we raise money for this very vital charity. Register here.
Cool Aid Society’s $50,000 Matching Challenge – May 17-31
Cool Aid’s $50,000 Matching Challenge is back! As COVID-19 restrictions prevent us from holding the annual Homecoming Gala, our generous partners combined their support to offer $50,000 to match your donations. From May 17-31, all donations made online, sent in by mail or called in by phone will be matched dollar for dollar. Funds will support Cool Aid’s work in helping people in the community who are affected by poverty, homelessness, disability and mental health issues.
Social Media Camp Summit – May 5, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm PDT
All live sessions are recorded for replay post-event, plus a Library of all the pre-recorded sessions, an e-workbook, yoga with lululemon and more!
Social Media Camp Summit is your overall look at all things social media marketing. There is so much to cover under the topic of social media marketing, so we’re going to dive into some of the most important ones to help you engage your audience, find customers, build a community and grow your business. Our Social Media Marketing Summit will cover the main platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok as well as how to create effective Facebook Ads, content strategy, copywriting, collaborations, influencers, user-generated content, branding and more.
With keynote speakers Jam Gamble (@iamjamgamble), Ashley Freeborn, the founder of Smash + Tess as well as Chrissy Abram, PR & Influencer Marketing Manager of LATER, you will be amazed by what you will gather from this event! Register here and use code USEDCA10 for 10% off.
Esquimalt Farmers Market – April 1 – September 16
Esquimalt Farmers Market’s 7th season runs on Thursdays from April 1- September 16 from 430-730pm in The Township of Esquimalt’s Memorial Park at 1200 Esquimalt Road. Join us in celebrating small businesses and supporting local food!
As we navigate through the COVID 19 Pandemic, understand that changes will likely happen often and abruptly. For this reason, it is best if you refer to our website regularly for updated information including times and locations.
As always, EFM is a pet-free market. Thank you for understanding.
As an essential food service, EFM is operating with the regularly updated guidelines as required by the PHO.
Please shop as a single person from your household whenever possible.
Please “shop don’t stop” and avoid touching things before purchase to help keep our Market’s Vendors and shoppers safe.
Habitat for Humanity Open a Door Art Auction – May 28 – June 13
Open a door to a brighter future!
A door represents transition as we move through our lives, opening up new possibilities and opportunities along the way. For local families in need of an affordable home where they live and work, Habitat can be the key to a new beginning.
This spring, Habitat for Humanity Victoria and Presenting Sponsor Pemberton Holmes are inviting members of the community, such as artists, designers and other individuals to create their own unique vision of a future full of possibilities, using a door selected from the Habitat ReStore as a canvas.
Artist’s creations will then be auction online between May 28 and June 13, 2021, at www.habitatvictoria.com
This is a unique opportunity to own original artwork and help Habitat for Humanity Victoria to open a door for families in need of a safe, decent and affordable place to call home.
Belfry Theatre presents The (Post) Mistress – April 23 – May 16
Photo credit – Krystle Pederson in The (Post) Mistress by Tomson Highway / Photo by Hugh Conacher / Set Designer Andrew Moro / Costume Designer Andréanne Dandeneau / Lighting Designer Larry Isacoff
The (Post) Mistress
A new musical by Tomson Highway
Back when life was simple – if life was ever simple – people wrote letters. In the small town of Lovely, Ontario, every letter passes through the hands of postmistress Marie-Louise Painchaud.
Cheeky and cheerful, Marie-Louise delights in living vicariously through the stories shared in letters mailed from all over the world.
Featuring piano and saxophone, the musical stylings evoke these faraway places – samba, bossa nova, tango, Dixieland, and Berlin Cabaret rap.
Uplifting, funny and poignant, this one-woman musical by Tomson Highway (Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing, The Rez Sisters) reminds us that in life, you should never mail it in.
The Belfry will be streaming the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre’s production of The (Post) Mistress from May 11 – 16.
Streaming tickets are $25 and available at 250-385-6815 at tickets.belfry.bc.ca.
Victoria Symphony Spectacular Spring Gala – May 8
The virtual Gala will be a spectacular evening filled with uplifting music performed by our orchestra, fine wine and gourmet food, fascinating stories from musical celebrities, and the opportunity to bid on exclusive auction items.
Fundraising in support of our musicians and Youth Education Program. Don’t miss it!
Victoria Symphony
Virtual Spectacular Spring Gala
Saturday, May 8, 2021, at 6:30 pm
Tickets are $100 – Buy here!
Toonies for Tutoring
The Victoria Literacy Connection invites book clubs to participate in their Toonies for Tutoring fundraiser, an easy way for book clubs to become literacy heroes.
To participate, Book Club members donate a Toonie at every book club meeting; the Victoria Literacy Connection uses those funds to help provide literacy tutoring to a wide range of learners. Reading challenges, “fines” for not reading the book, and silent auctions are just some of the fun ways book clubs can increase their donation.
Click on the link below to read more about the fundraiser and download a PDF.
The Victoria Literacy Connection provides free literacy programs for children, youth and adults all over Greater Victoria. 1 in 5 Greater Victoria adults needs better literacy skills to fully participate in society. And many children need better literacy skills to keep up in school.
https://www.victorialiteracyconnection.ca/toonies-for-tutoring-fundraiser/
Intrepid Theatre’s UNO Fest goes online (again), running from April 20 to May 24.
This year’s UNO Online is a collection of digital shows streaming on-demand, live streams from local artists, workshops to learn more about making digital theatre, and artist talks to go deeper into the work on our digital stage. The line-up includes Looking for Tiger Lily from Portland’s Anthony Hudson, a mash-up of song, dance, drag and video that puts a queer spin on the ancestral tradition of storytelling, and Gemini from Victoria’s Lindsay Delaronde, an outdoor solo show that uses mask, text and movement to explore a connection to the land.
Vancouver Island Soccer League
We have been in existence since 1895, providing an opportunity for organized, structured soccer for all adult men.
Our categories; Competitive, Recreational, Masters and U21.
Feel free to follow us along on any or all of our social media paths; we love to include the communities in which our members live.
Gameday tweets, interesting news, and league updates:
Executive Director Vince Greco; @vincenzo25
League highlights and shares; @VISLinfo
League Instagram; vancouver_island_soccer_league
Facebook; Vancouver Island Soccer League
We hope you enjoy exploring our website, make sure to come back for updates; visl.org
Oh and be sure to support our tremendous League Sponsors, a full listing under the first home tab on the website.
VPS Mentorship Program
https://victoriapridesociety.org/mentorship-program/
Get free 1-on-1 support to reach your full potential! The Victoria Pride Society Mentorship Program matches LGBTQ2S+ individuals seeking non-judgmental support with established members of the community. Starting a new career? Thinking of coming out? Need someone to talk to about sexual orientation or gender identity questions? Apply to be a mentee! Successful applicants will be matched with a mentor who can provide a safe space to ask questions and get advice. Victoria Pride Society mentors are an amazing group of talented, ambitious, independent, courageous, and diverse individuals striving to fulfill VPS’s vision in which “all people, through education, equality, and safety are empowered to lead full, authentic lives.”.
VPS Local Queer-Owned Business Directory
https://victoriapridesociety.org/resources/
Getting married? From officiants to photographers, we have you covered. Need your windows cleaned? Help is just a click away in Household Services. Is your puppy needing a spa day? Look under Pet Services for someone to pamper that pooch. From Health & Wellness to Entertainment & Culture, it’s all here in one spot. And if you’re a local LGBTQ2* business owner, and you want to be included in the VPS directory, all you have to do is complete your application here (https://victoriapridesociety.org/vps-business-directory-application/). It’s free to list!
FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament – June 29 – July 4
This June 29 – July 4 in Victoria, BC, Canada’s Senior Men’s Basketball Team continues their path to Olympic Gold at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Canada will compete against Greece, China, Turkey, Uruguay, and the Czech Republic as they vie for a last-chance spot in the Tokyo Summer Olympics. Canada’s roster will feature some of the nation’s best players, including NBA talent. Fans can catch all the action on CBC and DAZN.”
The Greater Victoria Festival Society invites you “DANCE ACROSS BRITISH COLUMBIA!” IN CELEBRATION OF BC’S 150TH Birthday!
What is Dance Across British Columbia?
DANCE ACROSS BC is a Virtual “Dance” Event that celebrates the spirit, vibrance and resilience of our amazing Province during the year of its 150th Birthday!
How does this work?
Easy! Starting May 1, 2021, we want everyone – YES EVERYONE – to submit their own personalized video of how they celebrate living and working in British Columbia.
Who can participate?
EVERYONE! All ages, all levels, all cultures. Dancers, Non-Dancers, figure skaters, hockey players, rugby, lacrosse, soccer players, families, businesses, you name it! Doctors, Nurses, Teachers, First Responders, Hospital Staff, Restaurant workers, Cashiers, truck drivers, Solos, Duos, Trios or with your quarantine bubble family. We would love to have as many as possible join us. It’s FREE but Businesses will be charged a small fee to assist in facilitating the video and editing.
What exactly do we do?!
Good question! Think of Tik Tok and how fun those videos are to watch. We want you to videotape a celebratory “dance” and submit it to our campaign. For example, if you are a figure skater film your best spiral, axel or triple lutz. Hockey player – Film your best slap shot. Basketball players – film your best Slam Dunk. Desk Job – show us how you file! The video montage will be set to a song, “TBD” so you don’t need music in your video!
Pertinent Details:
Video: Record a 15-20 second video on your mobile device in horizontal mode only. NO MUSIC IS REQUIRED
Submission: send to danceacrossbc@gmail.com with Subject Line: “Dance Across BC Video” Details: Be sure to include your IG handle and Tik Tok format!
Deadline: July 15, 2021
Airing: BC DAY!! August 1, 2021
Victoria HarbourCats Baseball – WE WILL BE BACK!
Despite cancellation of the 2020 and now 2021 seasons due to COVID-19, the Victoria HarbourCats are gearing up for what will be a celebratory season and a return to West Coast League baseball in 2022. Season tickets, 10-game flex packs, gift cards and merchandise are now on sale through the HarbourCats offices at 101-1814 Vancouver Street, or by calling 778-265-0327. Merchandise, gift cards and 10-game packs may also purchased on-line through “The Cat Shop” at https://victoria-harbourcats-official.myshopify.com/.
Try us again for the very first time! Help support the best summertime sports entertainment in the City and lock in your 2022 tickets today! Offices open 10-5 Monday to Friday.
Note: Thanks to all our fans who purchased 2020 and 2021 game tickets or flex-pack vouchers! Please keep them in a safe place and we will happily exchange them for tickets or vouchers to any regular season game in 2022 once the schedule has been released, likley in the fall of 2021.
For more information, follow the HarbourCats at www.harbourcats.com or at our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/harbourcats.
Victoria Symphony presents Yoon Plays C.P.E. Bach – May 13 – June 11
A transitional figure between the Baroque and Classical periods, C.P.E Bach was J.S. Bach’s most celebrated son. His writing is wildly expressive and his Cello Concerto in A minor as played by VS principal cello Brian Yoon demonstrates why he had such a profound effect on the composers who followed him. Completing this program is Telemann’s Orchestral Suite: La Bizarre in G major. http://victoriasymphony.ca
Victoria Symphony Virtual Season: Victoria Goes Broadway – May 27 – June 25
Soak in the bright lights and sounds of Broadway as the Victoria Symphony takes you on a trip to the Great White Way. MC Sean O’Loughlin and conductor Giuseppe Pietraroia join forces for a magical evening of Broadway’s greatest hits. Music from The Sound of Music, Les Misérables (Les Miz), Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera and more will surely delight your eyes and ears. Catch the premiere May 27 @ 7:30pm at victoriasymphony.ca and watch online until June 25, 2021.
Art at the Lake – June 1 – 10
Find something fantastic and support a local community
When Art in the Vineyard had to be cancelled for the second year, the organizers decided the most interesting items had to be offered in an online auction. Art at the Lake replaces Art in the Vineyard, a lively show and sale of previously loved art and collectibles.
Art at the Lake runs from June 1 to a frenzied finale at 8 pm on June 10. “Most bids are made in the last hour before closing, as people try to be the last to bid”, says Andrew Winger, owner of Steptoe Services, and donor of Steptoe’s auction site. Registering early is recommended, because it can take up to a day for registrations to complete.
Art at the Lake is hosted by The Prospect Lake District Community Association to improve the Prospect Lake Hall, one of the last community owned halls in BC.
To pre-register: https://maxsold.maxsold.com/register/
To reach the auction site: https://www.pldca.ca/artatthelake/
Paper Shredding Fundraiser supporting Victoria Chinatown Lioness Club – June 26
Our next fundraiser is a Paper Shredding event on June 26th, 11 am-2 pm at Save-On-Foods, Fort & Foul Bay parking lot.
It is easy to forget to destroy old important documents, especially with tax season over. We can help you clear out those old paper files and ensure they are shredded safely. Funds raised will allow us to support many deserving organizations in our Community. Thank you to our sponsors for this event: Dave Burden, The Chambers Advisory Group, ScotiaMcLeod, a division of Scotia Capital Inc., Tony Joe, Prime Real Estate Team, Colleen Kovacs, Broadmead Legal Centre on the Avenue and Used.ca.
Visit our website : VictoriaChinatownLionesslionsc
The Victoria Chinatown Lioness Club was founded in 1991 and in 2020 became a full fledged Lions due to new rules with Lions Club International Club. As we celebrate our 30th year, we are the same group of amazing woman working tirelessly to serve our local community, particularly women and children’s issues and needs through countless hours of volunteering and fundraising. We also foster participation in and contributions to Chinese Canadian heritage and culture.
Belfry Theatre presents Taking Shakespeare June 8-13
“a delightful entry drug for audience members who haven’t experienced Shakespeare, are intimidated by Shakespeare, or both” – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Taking Shakespeare, a sharp and engaging play about an academic and her young, unfocussed tutee, by John Murrell.
Murph is two months into his first university term and in way over his head. His mother, a dean at the university, has sent Murph to Prof for some private tutoring.
Prof is nearing the end of her academic career and unpopular with her students and fellow academics. Her only friend is one William Shakespeare and she is wary of sharing him with Murph, who thinks the titles of Shakespeare are too long.
Diving deep into Othello, Murph and Prof transcend their differences of age and isolation and discover a true, heartwarming friendship.
Tickets -250-385-6815 or tickets.belfry.bc.ca.
