U.S. Advisory Sparks Exodus – Vancouver Island Beckons with Safe Summer Adventures

When the Ska and Reggae Fest returns to Victoria from June 24 to 28, it will feature a multitude of talent from around the world, and attendees might be forgiven for their difficulty in choosing which of the host of tremendous groups they should see. “One of the groups that I would definitely recommend is The Black Seeds,” said Dane Roberts, the founder and executive director of the festival. “When I first saw these guys perform, I was just blown away, and I said, I have to get them to the festival.” “They have a sound that really showcases the diversity and soul of ska.” The Black Seeds hail from Wellington, New Zealand, where frontman and founder of the group, Barnaby Weir, was inspired by the ska movement. The music that the band performs doesn’t allow for a simple classification within a single genre, though. Sure, it’s inspired by reggae and ska, but their breakthrough hit, One by One, took that inspiration and mixed it with big beat funk, dub, Afro music, pop, rock, and soul. That song was featured in the top-ranked TV series Breaking Bad, and the band has never looked back. “We’re predominantly a funk/soul group with reggae and Jamaican roots,” said Weir. “For us, we enjoy touching on rhythms that are groovy and make your hips move. There has to be a heartbeat to the music, and because we do everything live, our music has that human element. You’ll never hear us play the same song exactly the same way twice.” “You never know what you’re going to hear or see with us. It’s exciting and spontaneous, and I think that people get the group vibe – the way we’re human and there to lead you on a personal adventure.” That formula has obviously worked as the band has been active for 27 years (coincidentally coinciding with the run of Skafest in Victoria). The band performs with eight members, with instruments that include guitar, saxophone, trumpet, bass, drums, bongos, keyboard, and wood block, all in support of the group’s amazing vocals. Weir has been the constant for the group, which, understandably, has seen a number of changes in membership over the years. Around the mid-2010s, the band underwent key personnel changes, with longtime guitarist Mike Fabulous and bassist Tim Jaray departing after contributing to Dust and Dirt. These exits prompted the integration of new members, including keyboardist Nigel Patterson, who had been involved in earlier projects, and drummer Jarney Murphy, who joined in the late 2000s and provided rhythmic continuity. The refreshed lineup supported the release of their sixth studio album, Fabric, in September 2017, which peaked at number four on the New Zealand album charts and earned acclaim for its introspective tracks and production. As was the case for many groups, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the band’s live shows and forced them into the studio where they created their seventh album, Love and Fire. They re-emerged after the pandemic, with a whirlwind touring schedule and even more releases. They’ve just released a new single, Compassion, and are working on even more amazing music. “We were in Victoria in 2016, and we’re coming back this year because we were lucky enough to run into Dane (Roberts) and he invited us to return,” said Weir. It’s a great festival, and we’re coming over to do the four shows because we love Victoria and we love Dane. We’re excited to bring our sound to Canadian ears.”

For years, it stood at Ogden Point greeting cruise ship passengers from around the world. Now, one of Victoria’s forgotten waterfront landmarks is getting another chance to be seen again, and its champion is looking for a local golf course, business, or community space to take it in. The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority (GVHA) has granted longtime Sidney town crier Kenny Podmore permission to help find a new home for the bronze Town Crier statue, which has remained in storage since being removed from the waterfront roughly a decade ago. While he does not yet have a preferred destination in mind, Podmore says he hopes the 10.5-foot monument remains somewhere in Greater Victoria where the public can continue to enjoy it. “I would like to work with potential people and have a look at locations together,” he said, noting that any relocation costs would need to be covered externally due to the immense size of the piece. “As long as we can keep it down here. I would not want it to disappear somewhere and never be seen again because it is a beautiful statue.” To Podmore, the statue has always represented one simple idea. “One word describes it, and that is welcome,” he said. “It welcomed people to Victoria coming off the cruise ships, but at the same time it kept the history of town crying in the public eye.” The statue, sculpted by Armando Barbon and unveiled in 2009, depicts famed Victoria A.M. Association town crier Tommy Mayne. A plaque attached to the monument also honours 12 Vancouver Island criers and three unofficial criers, including Podmore himself. Sitting on a base measuring roughly 3.5 feet by 3.5 feet, the statue – weighing roughly 750 pounds – became a popular stop for tourists visiting the capital city. “People literally from all over the world had their picture taken with it,” Podmore said. “The cruise ship passengers loved it.” Podmore first spoke publicly earlier this year after learning the statue remained in storage with no clear plan for its future. Now, the GVHA has agreed to let him spearhead the search for a new location. “I think it is wonderful on their part that they agreed to that,” Podmore said. “Hopefully now we have this opportunity to bring it out again.” Podmore also said he would gladly continue helping maintain the statue if it finds a new home, something he previously offered to do through Rotary before insurance concerns halted those efforts. The longtime town crier says the effort is about preserving a unique piece of local history rather than personal recognition. “This is not about Kenny Podmore,” he said. “It is about the history of town crying and keeping it in people’s minds.” RELATED: Once a welcome to Victoria, town crier statue now sits in limbo Sidney man proclaims himself out of retirement as ‘crier at large’

The Highland Games are believed to date back to the 11th century, originating in the rugged terrain of Scotland. Thought to have begun as a way to identify the country’s mightiest warriors, the event featured strength-based contests across a wide range of disciplines. As centuries passed and Scots spread throughout the world, they brought with them the cultural traditions, music, crafts and sports that continue to define their heritage today. In Victoria, the first Highland Games were held more than 160 years ago – just two decades after the city was founded, said Jim Maxwell, president of the Victoria Highland Games Association. Deemed a success with more than 2,000 attendees at its inaugural event, it launched a long, unbroken tradition that has endured through both world wars, making it one of the oldest continually running Highland Games, said Maxwell. Today, the “world-renowned” Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival celebrates its 163rd anniversary by showcasing a wide array of activities, including the iconic caber toss and stone-throwing competitions, pipe band performances and Highland dancing. There’s a bit of everything for everyone, said Maxwell. “It doesn’t matter if you’re Scottish, Celtic, or wherever your background’s from,” he said. “If you like music or sports, you’re going to see something really unique.” Although the two-day event got off to a rough start with rain on May 16, thousands visited Victoria’s Topaz Park the following day to enjoy the celebration. As people strolled the grounds in their best Sunday kilts, browsed artisan booths, Maxwell said the festival attracted well above 10,000 visitors. And for those who never had the chance to attend the festivities, Maxwell extended an invitation for next year. “People don’t realize how many different activities are going on,” he said. “They came to see one thing, they ended up staying and watching 10 other things, and we pride ourselves on having world-class quality in each of our major events.” For more information about the Victoria Highland Games and Celtic Festival, visit victoriahighlandgames.com .

Provincial funding will support dozens of sporting, cultural and community events across Greater Victoria through the B.C. government’s Destination Events Program. NDP MLAs announced the $639,000 in total funding May 14, saying the grants will help organizers host events ranging from marathons and music festivals to arts shows and sporting competitions. Among the largest grants announced were $100,000 for the 2026 Royal Victoria Marathon, $90,000 for the 2026 Rifflandia Festival and $53,000 for Saturday Afternoons at the Opera. “Greater Victoria is home to amazing organizations putting on events every year, including free, family-friendly, and inclusive events for the whole region to enjoy,” said Diana Gibson, MLA for Oak Bay-Gordon Head. On the West Shore, the 2026 Sooke Fine Arts Show received $24,000, while The Great Canadian Bash was awarded $22,000 and Island FanCon 2027 received $16,000. “Langford is a world-class destination for sporting, cultural, and community events that bring people of all walks of life together, helping boost our local economy, and make our town more vibrant,” said Ravi Parmar, MLA for Langford-Highlands. Lana Popham said the funding will help support the return of events in the region while Dana Lajeunesse and Nina Krieger highlighted the importance of these grants in highlighting local talents and supporting local economies. “Here in Greater Victoria we’re lucky to have wonderful events throughout the year for locals and visitors to enjoy, while supporting local businesses, artists, creators, and innovators,” said Krieger, MLA for Victoria-Swan Lake. For more information about the Destination Events Program and to find a full list of grant recipients, visit gov.bc.ca .

Big things come in small packages. The Victoria Day parade route may have been shorter this year, but the festivities were in plentiful supply. Hundreds lined the streets of downtown Victoria for the 126th anniversary of the parade Monday morning (May 18), entertained by marching bands, clowns, performers and cultural groups. Over 4,000 participants took part in the event. Among them was retired NHL player Bob Barlow, who was the honorary parade marshal riding in the Greater Victoria Festival Society’s Mustang. The 90-year-old holds the NHL record for scoring the fastest first goal in league history – finding the back of the net just six seconds into his debut with the Minnesota North Stars. Also taking part was the Special Olympics torch run, with Greater Victoria firefighters and police officers walking with B.C. athletes. The torch run was slated to take part in the now cancelled Oak Bay Tea Party Parade. Down from four kilometres to 1.6 km, the 126th­ Victoria Day parade started at the Legislature, travelling down ­Government to Wharf Street, to Johnson Street and back to Government before ending at Chatham Street. The scaled-back route was in part because of the economic impact of fewer people finding time to volunteer, and new safety rules put in place by the city, in response to last year’s Vancouver Lapu Lapu Day Festival, when 11 people were killed. “Thank you for your patience as we worked through a brand-new route this year,” said Greater Victoria Festival Society in a social media post as the parade wrapped up. The society also thanked all the participants, parade sponsors, Victoria Police Department and the City of Victoria. “But most of all, thank you to this community,” they said. “Thank you for your support, your understanding, your cheering, your positive energy, and your deep love for this beautiful city.” READ MORE: VIDEO: Gull power: Victoria seagull screamer soars to victory . Finding Bigfoot: Greater Victoria research trio tracks Sasquatch on Island .

Four Canadians who arrived in B.C. after being on the cruise ship struck by hantavirus are now isolating in the Island Health region, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry says. The four arrived at Victoria International Airport Sunday evening, Henry told media during a second update in two days on Monday (May 11). Henry gave the first briefing on Sunday afternoon before the four arrived in B.C. She said the arrival went smoothly and the four didn’t come into contact with the public. Henry said that they were thoroughly screened and assessed by Island Health public health officials and everyone was wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment. “It showed last night they were tired, and I would say exhausted, but very relieved and grateful to be back here in Canada.” While the four are isolating for a minimum of 21 days in the Island Health region, they’re not all from the Island or B.C. Two of them are a couple in their 70s from the Yukon, another person is in their 70s and from the Island and the fourth person is in their 50s and from B.C. but living abroad. The person, who lives on the Island, lives alone and is isolating at home. The other three are in facilities that Island Health has procured, Henry said, with the couple isolating together and the fourth person isolating separately. B.C. public health officials are working closely with the Yukon government as the territory wouldn’t have the capacity to test or the facilities to care for someone if they were to develop severe symptoms that have been seen with the virus. The four will be isolating in the Island Health region for a minimum of 21 days, which began on Sunday. However, that could be extended to 42 days, Henry said. The known incubation period is about six weeks. None of the four Canadians had directed contact with the ill people on board, but Henry noted that “in a closed environment, like the cruise ship, it’s very difficult to know for certain.” She said the European Centre for Disease Control had people do an assessment of all passengers onboard and everyone on the ship is considered “higher-risk contacts.” However, the four Canadians are “in the lower-risk spectrum” in terms of the location of their cabins and the activities they did in proximity to those who became ill. Henry added all four “were and continue to be well and have no symptoms.” There are two other “events” where people were potentially exposed to the virus: a flight to Johannesburg, South Africa from Saint Helena and another flight to Amsterdam from Johannesburg. “The wife of the initial case was on board the Saint Helena to Johannesburg flight) and was starting to show symptoms. When that flight landed in South Africa, there were boarding a flight from Johannesburg to Amsterdam,” Henry said. “The wife was notably quite ill and was on that flight for a period of less than an hour. They were medically assessed, the flight was delayed, didn’t take off, and they were taken off the flight and taken to hospital and died the next day in South Africa.” Henry said there Canadians on the Saint Helena-Johannesburg flight and they are being monitored: one in Ontario and one in Quebec. There were also Canadians on the Johannesburg to Amsterdam flight and they are being monitored in Alberta and Ontario. During the isolation, Henry said each person will be receiving daily monitoring by public health teams including regular symptom checks, wellness assessments, and clear guidance on what to do, should their health status change. If there is a change in their symptoms, Henry said her office will provide additional updates. A cluster of passengers with severe respiratory illness aboard the the MV Hondius were reported to the World Health Organization on May 2. Since then, three people have died. Henry said nine people have tested positive, including a recent case in France from someone who just returned from the cruise ship. She added there are multiple people still in hospital, including one in South Africa, two in the Netherlands, one in Switzerland and the most recent case in France.

Driving through the streets of Esquimalt over the past weeks, folks may have noticed front yards decked out with inflatable pirate ships, plastic sabres and skeletons sporting tricorn hats. For the uninitiated, the sight may seem unusual, but for locals it signals the return of the community-favourite Buccaneer Days. With roots dating back to 1939, this year’s four-day celebration took place from May 7 to 10 at Esquimalt’s Bullen Park. Drawing up to 10,000 festival-goers this year, according to organizers Chris and Irene Coell, the event featured a variety of activities, including a community barbecue, cornhole tournament, midway carnival, costume contest and marketplace. Organizers Chris and Irene Coell at this year’s Buccaneer Days. (Olivier Laurin/Victoria News) This year’s Buccaneer Days attracted up to 10,000 festival goers in Esquimalt from May 7 to 10. (Olivier Laurin/Victoria News) Organized with the help of more than 20 local organizations and dozens of volunteers, the Coells said the event is centred around community spirit, Esquimalt’s naval history and having fun. “We’re trying to build community spirit,” Chris said. “With everything that’s going on in the world, we want people to be able to come down, have a beverage, have some food, participate in the activities and enjoy the sun and each other’s company.” For those who missed this year’s festivities, the Coells extended an invitation to attend next year. “You don’t have to pay to come in,” he said. “You can just come and do whatever you need to do.” For more information about Buccaneer Days, visit esquimaltbuccaneerdays.ca .

The Victoria Butterfly Gardens is now home to a fresh collection of 40 dart frogs. A couple of months ago, the gardens sourced the dart frogs from a private breeder. Originally, the frogs were kept in an enclosure for the visitors to observe, but they realized the climate of their greenhouse was the exact climate of the terrariums they were keeping the frogs in. Days after the frogs were released into the greenhouse, they proved themselves and started breeding. “They’re very happy in the environment. The last batch of frogs that we ended up getting, we ended up just releasing the majority of them into the gardens themselves, and they’ve been settling in the gardens for the past couple of weeks now,” Travis Budgeon, horticulturist at Victoria Butterfly Gardens, told Peninsula News Review. Dart frogs, which are originally from the Amazon rainforest, are usually poisonous. They have one golden dart frog, which is part of the Phyllobates species, that has enough poison to kill up to 10 humans. Budgeon explained that the level of toxicity varies based on the frog’s specific diet. “Their poison originates from a diet of ants, millipedes and mites that they feed on in their natural habitat in the Amazon. That’s where they’re getting their toxicity. Now, any dart frog that’s in captivity, because of their food source, like for here, for instance, we feed them a species of flightless fruit fly for their diet, and they are no longer poisonous,” Budgeon added. Victoria Butterfly Gardens has 40 new dart frogs for visitors to see. (Courtesy of Victoria Butterfly Gardens) A special requirement for the dart frogs is to have a wet aquatic area. Humidity in their greenhouse is almost optimal for them because they have several water features installed to make sure humidity rarely dips below 60 per cent. “Ideally, for a captive dart frog to be put into an environment like this is like a dream come true as far as I’m concerned.” Approximately 40 dart frogs of several subspecies are being released into their greenhouse. “There’s a soundscape in our gardens that we didn’t even know we were missing. You walk through our gardens and, along with the birds and along with all the animals making noises, you’re also hearing this constant chittering noise from all sites, all areas of the garden. It just makes it almost surreal.” Another intention of bringing the dart frogs into their rainforest environment is to create awareness about their existence and conservation aspects, because they are losing a vast area of their natural habitat. “A lot of people need to be aware of these things. We’re educating a lot of our guests regarding a lot of these wild species and how they are becoming endangered. I find seeing it firsthand, seeing it one-on-one, up close and personal, it really kind of resonates with a lot of people.” Budgeon said that the frogs in their greenhouse are becoming a little bit more street smart, so they are asking the guests to be cautious when walking through the gardens because they haven’t figured out where to cross paths yet. “They’re a little bit all over the place, but most of the time they’re spending time in the actual gardens themselves. It’s an exciting opportunity for a lot of our guests because they get to walk through, and these dart frogs are out and about.” “We’re just really excited to share these creatures with all of our guests, and we’re really looking forward to expanding people’s knowledge and educating the populace about these beautiful, beautiful creatures.”