Fwd: Canada Day: Celebrate Downtown!

Take advantage of a rare opportunity to explore the inner workings of Maritime Coastal Defense Vessel HMCS Nanaimo at Ship Point. It will be open to the public for tours guided by crew members.

10:30 am - 4:15 pm; FREE Historic Walking Tours

In celebration of Victoria's colourful history, a variety of FREE walking tours will be offered. Tours are led by Victoria's most knowledgable guides and are limited to between 20 and 40 participants on a first come, first serve basis. Reservations must be made for these popular tours by calling or emailing the DVBA office at 250-386-2238 or in...@downtownvictoria.ca.

Secrets of Johnson Street with John Adams: 10:30 - 11:45 am - Once a red light district, Lower Johnson Street has evolved into the trendy LoJo shopping area. Find out about its murkier past and the story of its recent changes. (40 ppl max).

Chinatown History with Les Chan: 11 am - 12 pm - Step through the Gate of Harmonious Interest for an unforgettable walking tour of Canada's oldest Chinatown, with Les Chan - storyteller, cooking instructor, artisan and guide. Visit a variety of interesting sights and shops, from a tour of an authentic Chinese herbalist to the colourful and historic Fan Tan Alley.(30 ppl max).

The Life of an Empress with Mandy Kray: 11 am - 12 pm - Step inside the legendary Empress Hotel and learn some of its most inner secrets: how it was built on water, the tragic tale of Francis Rattenbury, and some legends of famous guests and wealthy residents. (15 ppl max).

Where Victoria Began with Danda Humphries: 11 am - 12 pm - Hear stories about some of the colourful characters who helped shape our city while exploring a circle route that covers the Inner Harbour and the perimeter of old Fort Victoria, continuing on to explore Bastion Square and discover heritage along Government Street. (20 ppl max).

Ecclesiastical Victoria with Nathan Flach, Architectural Institute of BC: 11 am - 12:30 pm - Enjoy a brisk walk featuring Victoria's rich legacy of religious architecture. Visit the city's two cathedrals, Canada's oldest surviving synagogue, a pioneer cemetary, other 19th century churches and other landmark public buildings. This tour presents a great opportunity to learn about traditional architectural styles and how they have been integrated into Victoria's modern designs. (20 ppl max).

What is the Design District? with John Adams: 12:30 - 1:45 pm - Find out about the amazing history of Pandora, Fisgard, Herald, and Chatham Streets and how they have been transformed into a district of fashionable art galleries and shops. (40 ppl max).

Chinatown History with Les Chan: 12:30 - 1:30 pm - This is another opportunity to join storyteller, cooking instructor, artisan, and guide Les Chan to tour Chinatown. (repeat of 11 am tour; 30 ppl max).

The Life of an Empress with Mandy Kray: 1:30 - 2:30 pm - This is another opportunity to learn more about Victoria's signature Empress Hotel from guide Mandy Kray. (repeat of 11 am tour; 15 ppl max).

Historic Alleyways and Chinatown with Danda Humphries: 2 - 3 pm - This circle-route tour starts in Bastion Square, focusing on its historic buildings, then moves on to explore the historic alleyways of Old Town on the way to Canada's oldest Chinatown. Hear stories about some of the city's earliest arrivals while exploring some of the most interesting and unique alleys in Canada. (20 ppl max).

Emily Carr's Downtown Memories with John Adams: 2 - 3:15 pm - Emily Carr wrote extensively about her childhood memories of downtown Victoria. This tour will visit many of those places where excerpts from her books will be read. (40 ppl max).

Fort Victoria with Nathan Flach, Architectural Institute of BC: 2 - 3:30 pm - Learn about the development of Victoria, from a small Hudson's Bay Company fur-trading fort to the provincial capital it is today. Follow the outline of the fort walls along Government Street and learn about the architectural conservation and re-use strategies employed over time. Explore Bastion Square, once the heart of Victoria's legal community, and Wharf Street, the city's original "Commercial Row", now converted into residential and commercial spaces. (20 ppl max).

Discover the Old & New in Humboldt Valley with John Adams: 3:30 - 4:15 pm - Trace the evolution of Humboldt Street from an industrial shack town to a stunning corridor blending heritage buildings, condominium towers, and interesting retail shops. (40 ppl max).

10:45 am; Harbour Ferries Ballet

Don't miss the Victoria Harbour Ferries 'dancing' to the music of the Blue Danube Waltz in the Inner Harbour as the Skippers take their jaunty boats through a precision water ballet. This is like no ballet you've seen before.

11 am - 3 pm; FREE Trolley Rides

The DVBA's popular horse-drawn trolley rides will once again be offered as a means of seeing all that is going on downtown during Canada Day. Hop-on, hop-off stops will be located at:

Wharf Street at Bastion Square
Store Street at Chatham Street, across from Capital Iron/Ocean River Sports
Government Street at Pandora Avenue, in front of Mountain Equipment Co-op

11 am - 3 pm; Open the Doors to History

A variety of impressive, downtown historic buildings will be open to the public free of charge. This has become a once-a-year tradition in Victoria and not to be missed. The interiors of these buildings are amongst the true architectural treasures of our city, but are seldom seen by the general public. Enjoy this unique opportunity to explore buildings you may otherwise never experience. Guided tours will be offered at some buildings, while others will be open for self-exploration.

Capital Iron - 1900 Store Street
Christ Church Cathedral - corner of Quadra St. & Rockland Ave. Open 1 - 3 pm.
Church of Our Lord - Southwest corner of Blanshard & Humboldt Streets. Meet the Carr sisters - Emily, and her sister Lizzie - for their special presentations at 11:30; 12:30; 1:30; and 2:30.
City Hall Clock Tower - 1 Centennial Square
Eagle Feather Gallery - 904 Gordon St. (Southwest corner of Government & Courtney Streets)
Hallmark Society - 18 Centennial Square
Independent Order of Odd Fellows Hall - 1315 Douglas St. (at Johnson St.)
Masonic Hall - 650 Fisgard St.
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church - Southwest corner of Douglas & Broughton Streets
Synagogue Emanu-El - 1461 Blanshard St.

11 am - 4 pm; Brass In The Square

An amazing collection of antique vehicles will be on display in Centennial Square. Amongst these vehicles is a lovingly-restored 1906 Zust, one of three vehicles that completed the 1908 New York to Paris Great Race Around the World.

12 - 3 pm; Chalk One Up For Canada Day

Yates Street between Blanshard & Douglas Streets

Children are invited to draw a picture on the sidewalk of what Canada means to them. Bring the whole family and get creative! Victoria's own "chalk master", Ian Morris, will be on hand to create a 3-D chalk masterpiece to provide inspiration for the children and a dramatic backdrop for individual and family photos.

12 - 3 pm; Magic Of Canada Day in Market Square

Some of Victoria's top magicians will mystify and thrill everyone on stage at Market Square. This year's line-up includes a magical performance by the Canadian Pacific Ballet from 12 to 12:30!

12:30 - 12:55 - Donald Dunphy
1:00 - 1:25 - Shayne King
1:30 - 1:55 - Paul Kilshaw
2:00 - 2:25 - Eric Bedard
2:30 - 3:00 - Murray Hatfield

12:30 - 5:30 pm; Jazz in the Square

There will be an afternoon of free jazz in Centennial Square, presented by JazzFest, and featuring Sara Marreiros, Nick La Riviere Septet, Bria Skonberg, and the Wide Alley. Please see www.jazzvictoria.ca for more details.

2 pm; Living Flag

WANTED: 2010 patriotic people to help create Canada's "living flag" on the Legislative grounds. This is your chance to be part of something HUGE! A FREE red or white collectable t-shirt will be given to all those who help create this BC-record-breaking flag.

Please arrive at the Legislative Grounds beginning at 12:30 pm to register. Enjoy the dynamic sounds of Chikoro Marimba Band, starting at 12:30 and lasting until completion of the flag. Also, join in the fun of creating a Monster Mural or having your face painted.

5:30 - 10:20 pm; City of Victoria Evening Concert & Fireworks

The mainstage entertainment begins on the legislative lawn at 5:30. The fantastic, "Eh-rated" fireworks display begins at 10:20. Check out www.VictoriaCanadaDay.ca for more information!

5:30 pm - Anne Glover
6:20 pm - Rock Island Ramblers
7:15 pm - Bucan Bucan
8:20 pm - Hayley Sales
9:15 pm - Jon and Roy
10:20 pm - FIREWORKS

Have News for the Downtown Dialogue?

We're always on the lookout for new happenings downtown - email the details to in...@downtownvictoria.ca. Thanks!

www.downtownvictoria.ca

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