Free, public Christmas events in Victoria – starting today!

Round up of some Christmas events happening in Victoria

TONIGHT 27 November Centennial Square Christmas Tree Light Up
Bring the whole family downtown to Centennial Square and enjoy free festivities and entertainment.  Schedule:
5:00 – 6:00pm The Magic of Christmas on the new Spirit Stage 6:00pm Watch the big Christmas Tree being lit up, then a Fire and Light Show.
Price : FREE

IEOA Lighted Truck Parade

IEOA Lighted Truck Parade – 5 December
Come out and see the wonderfully decorated trucks. You can choose your favorite decorated truck and donate to the Mustard Seed Food bank along the parade route. Over the past 10 years this even has raised a total of 90,000 pounds of food and $35000 for food banks and charities. For details of the route see the event website: http://www.ieoa.ca/

Price : FREE but you are encourage to donate to a foodbank

Victoria Harbour Ferry Santa Ballet
The Victoria Harbour Ferry Co. are presenting the Nutcracker Ballet hovering above water in the Inner Harbour. This musical, illuminated ballet will take place on Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the holiday season.  This event is in support of Santa’s Anonymous and The Victoria Cool Aid Society.
Hot chocolate, coffee and treats will be available at Ship’s Point, in exchange for donations of a Tin (canned food), Toonie or a Toque (or other warm clothes).  All Santa Ballet performances will begin in the Inner Harbour at 7:00pm on the following dates:
Saturday, November 21: Following the Island Farms Lighted Santa Parade
Friday, November 27: Following the Centennial Square Christmas Tree Light Up
Saturday, November 28
Friday, December 4
Saturday December 5: Following the Lighted Ships Parade in the Inner Harbour
Friday, December 11 and Saturday, December 12
Friday, December 18 and Saturday, December 19
The Santa Ballet is a free event for all residents and visitors to Victoria. Hot chocolate and hot dogs will be available at Ships Point, with donations of a Tin (canned food), Toonie or a Toque (or other warm clothes).
The best place to view the Santa Ballet is from Ship’s Point, or any point along the Causeway in front of the Empress Hotel.
After the Dancing Santas visit Ship’s Point to hand out candy canes, they will then take to the water for a Santa Parade around the Inner Harbour from Shoal Point to Dockside Green from 7:45-8:00pm.
For more information please visit www.victoriaharbourferry.com or call 250-708-0201.

Price : FREE but you are encourage to donate to the affiliated charities

 

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 – Monday, January 4th, 2010
8:00 PM to 12:00 PM Festival of Trees

A  display of beautifully decorated trees at the Fairmont Express to raise funds for BC Children’s Hospital. As sponsors of this event, local businesses, organizations and individuals decorate the trees in a sometimes wacky, often irreverent, and always beautiful fashion. The Festival of Trees is open to the public who are encouraged to cast a ballot for their favourite tree.

Price: Free

 

Tonight: 2 Nov – Victoria Symphony presents ‘The Planets’

Celebrating the International Year of Astronomy the Victoria Symphony presents Gustav Holst’s dramatic masterpiece “The Planets.” While the orchestra plays artist Dr. José Francisco Salgado’s video suite will be projected on a giant screen. Dr Francisco was interviewed on the CBC this morning and small pieces of “The Planets” was played. The music was dramatic and beautiful and Dr Fancisco’s video installation, which incorporates the highest quality images of each of the planets, sounds like something that is well worth taking the time to see. There will be a preconcert talk in the West lobby, 45 mins before curtain.

Details:

8PM Nov 2, Royal Theatre

Tickets and other details see the Victoria Symphony website: http://victoriasymphony.ca/concerts/#656

Victoria Arts & Culture Fair

This Sunday at the Victoria conference centre you can find out about many of the arts and cultures organizations in our fair city for FREE. You can find out more about their schedules for the upcoming season and find about about entrance or ticket costs. Sounds like a great way to learn more about the variety of arts and culture on in this city.

http://www.vicacf.ca/index.html

Victoria Symphony Splash

This Sunday (2 Aug) is the Victoria Symphony Splash This is another event that I’ve always wanted to check out. it sounds wonderful. Classical music in the harbour in the summer. Unfortunately there is always something else on for us. This time it is the arrival of my mother in law. Check out all details on the VSS at:

http://victoriasymphony.ca/concerts/splash/index.html

civic orchestra of victoria – 2 May

This Saturday at 2Pm the Civic Orchestra of Victoria  giving a concert, a Serenade to music. The program is:

Strauss, R – Serenade, op. 7, E-flat major, for Wind Instruments

Bizet – carmen: Suite no. 2

The audience is invited to a celebratory reception following the performance.

For more details see:

http://www.civicorchestraofvictoria.org/concert3.html

opera Giulio Cesare/One Human Family Gospel Choir etc Sat April 4

Victoria seems to be a flurry of arts activity as it settles into spring.This satuday the Victoria Conservatory of Music’s Opera Studio is presenting Giulio Cesare.  The write up on Tourism Victoria (http://www.tourismvictoria.ca/EventDetail.aspx?eid=6603) suggests it will be a very interesting performance. Tickets are reasonably priced at $15& $18.

Also on this weekend is the Victoria Clinic Youth Benefit concert. It will feature the The One Human Family Gospel Choir which has been described by the NY times as dazzling. Tickets are now $25 (reduced from $50).

Details for : Giulio Cesare

Time: April 4, 2:00pm

Performed by: Opera Studio
Artistic Director: Selena James
Assistant Artistic Director/Administrator: Barbara Livingston
Stage Director/Production Manager: Robyn Cathcart
Concert Information and Tickets 250-386 5311

Details for the Victoria Youth Clinic

SATURDAY, APRIL 4th, 2009
VICTORIA TRUTH CENTRE
1201 Fort Street, Victoria, B.C.
7:00-9:30PM

Tickets: $25 Phone: 250-388-7841

Mozart & Haydn Festival: March 1st to Friday, March 6th

The Victoria Conservatory of Music (VCM) presents Mozart & Haydn Festival: Two Friends from Sunday, March 1^st to Friday, March 6^th, 200. Full details:

http://www.vcm.bc.ca/mozarthaydn.html

For a humorous take on white people and classical music read:

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/09/01/108-appearing-to-enjoy-classical-music/

LOVE HURTS Valentine’s Gorelesque Bloody Betty and Her Deadly Sins

Not excited about the idea of receiving a dozen red roses and going out for a dinner for two this Valentine’s day? Then check out LOVE HURTS Valentine’s Gorelesque Bloody Betty and Her Deadly Sins at the Lucky Bar

8:00pm $10adv/$15door ($12 w/costume)
Valentine’s Gorelesque show!!!

more details see: http://luckybar.ca/

New Currents Festival of Music: Victoria Symphony

Lots on this weekend. The Victoria symphony has a new currents festivaal. Tickets $10 at the door. More details see:

http://www.victoriasymphony.ca/concerts/schedule.asp

http://harbourliving.ca/event/victoria-symphony-presents-new-currents-festival-of-music/

Jazz in Beacon Hill Park

If you’re looking something relaxing to do in the sun this coming Saturday afternoon you might want to check out Jazz in the park at the Cameron Bandshell in the Beacon Kill part. This series will finish at the end of August so now is the time to check it out.