Whether you're into tossing cabers, tasting whisky, dancing to Afro beats or just soaking up the buzz of a downtown parade, Victoria’s got you covered this May long weekend.
One World Multicultural Festival – May 17
Belleville Street will come alive May 17 for the One World Multicultural Festival – a free, day-long celebration of music, dance and community. Running 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the lawn of the B.C. Legislature, the event features everything from Ukrainian folk dancers and salsa troupes to a 14-year-old rising singer named Seth Muyaba and Ugandan rapper Poncho BF. With food trucks, vendor booths and activities for kids, it’s a festival with something for everyone – this year dedicated to honouring B.C.’s Filipino community.
BYU Living Legends – May 17
Culture, storytelling and foot-stomping rhythm is set to take over McPherson Playhouse as BYU Living Legends hits the stage at 7 p.m. This high-octane showcase blends Indigenous, Polynesian and Latin American dance with dazzling costumes and layered choreography. The cast brings ancestral traditions to life in a performance that honours heritage through movement and music.
Victoria Highland Games – May 17–18
Topaz Park turns tartan as the Victoria Highland Games celebrates its 161st edition with two full days of Celtic pride. Expect the usual heavyweights – Caber toss, hammer throw, pipe bands and Highland dancing – plus a few twists. New this year: medieval combat demos with fully armoured fighters going head-to-head with blunted steel. There will also be hurling matches, whisky and wine tastings, and a Scottish ancestry tent for those digging into their roots.
Cirque du Soleil – Final shows May 18
Cirque du Soleil wraps up its Victoria stop this weekend with its one-of-a-kind ice show, CRYSTAL. Blending circus acrobatics with figure skating, the show transforms the rink at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre into a dreamlike world of flips, flights and frozen magic. Final performances run through until May 18 – and if you haven’t seen it yet, this is your last shot before the big top melts away.
Victoria Day Parade – May 19
One of the city’s longest-running traditions rolls out Monday morning with the 125th annual Victoria Day Parade. The procession starts at 9 a.m. from Mayfair Mall and travels down Douglas Street to the Inner Harbour. More than 24 blocks of marching bands, floats and community performers will entertain the thousands lining the sidewalks. After the parade, the party moves to Centennial Square for an afternoon of live music, food trucks and local artisans until 5 p.m.
