Aug 20 - Fringe Fest is back in town

Good morning !

I saw a few people online saying goodbye to summer last weekend when it appeared the fall chill was here to stay. But the next four days are bringing sunshine and 20C+ weather to Victoria.

Looks like it’s time to squeeze in the last of the BBQs, beach days, and patio hangs while we still can. I, for one, am not quite ready to welcome the fall season.

— Robyn

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ⛅ 22 / 11

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 25 / 12

Day after: ☀️ 20 / 19

7-day forecast

NEWS

Victoria Fringe Festival returns today

The festival has been around for nearly four decades—39 years to be exact—and showcases an incredible lineup of indie theatre, drag, poetry, and comedy shows. 

Hosted by Intrepid Theatre, this Victoria Fringe Fest will be happening at various venues around the city, including Baumann Centre, SKAM Theatre, and—for the last time as one of Intrepid’s home bases—the Metro Studio Theatre.

There are plenty of opportunities to see shows from local performers during the festival. Artists are selected through a lottery system, which sets aside 50% of production slots for locals (30% Greater Victoria, 20% BC).

Fringe Festivals began in Edinburgh in 1947, when an exclusive theatre festival in the Scottish city drew uninvited performers to host shows outside the official venues—on the “fringe” of the festival. Now, more than 300 cities around the world host Fringe Festivals, allowing artists to showcase new material and alternative productions.

Special Fringe events this week

To kick off the Victoria festival, which runs through Aug. 31, catch a sneak peek of this year’s productions at today’s Fringe Preview. Performers will offer a two-minute glimpse into their shows at Market Square from 5pm to 8pm. It’s free and family friendly.

The Market Square preview is also a great opportunity to buy a Fringe button (necessary for entrance into any performance) for $5. These can also be bought online or at the Intrepid box office. 

The money used to buy Fringe buttons is the only income going to the festival’s organizers; all ticket proceeds go directly into the artist’s pockets. Your button is also your entry pass into the Fringe Club, a hangout spot at Intrepid Theatre where you can chat with performers and fellow Fringers while enjoying a local craft brew.

FringeKids Fest will take place this weekend—Sat. And Sun.—for theatre-loving littles. Many regular Fringe shows are 19+, so FringeKids offers a family-friendly option with theatre games, drag storytimes, and dance parties with Kaleidoscope Theatre.

Check out the full Victoria Fringe Festival schedule here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Closure at Elk Lake fishing dock on Sept. 4 for upgrades. [CRD]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

Support local journalism by supporting Capital Daily. Become a Capital Daily Insider member today and help bring local stories to life. 

NEWS

Six Vancouver Island marmot litters born at Alberta wildlife centre

Some pairings are written in the stars; for Vancouver Island marmots, it’s determined in a lab while they sleep.

The Archibald Biodiversity Centre (ABC) in Alberta has announced six new Vancouver Island (VI) marmot litters—17 pups in total—after carefully selecting breeding partners. 

While the endangered species hibernates during the winter at ABC, the conservation team will pair a female adult marmot with a male based on genetic compatibility, ensuring a healthy brood that will grow up and eventually rejoin their marmot cousins in the wild. This also ensures there’s enough genetic diversity between mates to produce healthy offspring. 

ABC says it has worked to create domains similar to the marmots’ natural environments, including a special outdoor habitat built on a two-foot-deep mesh basin filled with soil.

VI marmots tend to burrow deep underground to give birth, keeping them safe from predators while they nurse their young. 

The ABC team observed four of the six pairings burrowing underground, proving the animals feel comfortable at the centre to follow their innate tendencies and instincts.

“We’ve put a lot of care into designing spaces that support natural behaviours, which is key to both well-being and successful breeding,” Caitlin Slade, ABC’s animal care manager, said in a release. 

This approach has proven successful: in 2003, only 30 VI marmots could be found in the wild. Now, thanks to the efforts of ABC and the Marmot Recovery Foundation, the wild population has grown to more than 350.

Some of the pairings have been together for multiple breeding seasons—while most VI marmots are relocated to alpine regions on the Island, such as Strathcona Park, successful mates are kept at ABC to ensure the litters keep coming—and an additional two pairs have welcomed their own tiny, squeaking pups. 

ABC said the 17 new pups “mark a promising step forward” for the species. The centre’s operators, Wilder Institute, has worked to recover the VI marmot population since 1998, acting as one of three marmot breeding facilities in the country.

This story ran for our Insiders on Aug. 10. Consider becoming an Insider today and be the first to receive stories every Sunday.

SPONSORED BY CONTINUING STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA

Why resilience is the new leadership advantage.

From navigating unfamiliar challenges to fostering inclusive workplaces, the need for resilient, people-focused leadership is growing.

“Employees stay where they feel seen and supported,” shares Dr. Jo-Anne Clarke, dean of Continuing Studies at the University of Victoria (UVic). “How a leader responds during uncertain times sets the tone for the entire organization.”

Resilient leadership is about being adaptive and preparing for disruption, rather than reacting to it. This includes fostering a learning culture where employees are encouraged to upskill, reskill and grow alongside the organization.

Discover more opportunities to build resilient teams so you can meet the changes and challenges of tomorrow.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🔥 On the front lines: See what it’s like to battle BC forest fires in this five-part series. [Knowledge Network]

🎶 Pacific Opera Victoria’s 25/26 season presents a powerful trio of operas. You belong at the opera, tickets and season subscriptions on sale now.*

🌮 Kattia’s Kitchen opens new location in Saanichton. 

⭐ Sky full of stars: See the Milky Way captured at Sombrio Beach. [Damian Chudzinski / Facebook]

^{*Sponsored Listing}

🗞️ In Other News

Air Canada strike ends as flight attendants union says tentative deal reached
Flights resumed yesterday afternoon, allowing half of Air Canada’s scheduled Tues. flights to take off. The airline’s flight attendants went on strike after union demands—particularly the request for attendants to be paid for work done before and after flights—were rejected. The tentative deal was struck early Tues. morning. The airline is warning that a return to full, regular service could take seven to 10 days as aircraft and crew are out of position. Some flights will continue to be cancelled until the schedule is stabilized. [CTV]

No tent caterpillar outbreaks this year, but they could be back in 2032
Experts say tent caterpillars come in big bunches every eight to 10 years—a predictable cycle of population boom and bust. While the critters are a native species, the occasional massive outbreaks can wreak havoc on foliage in Victoria. They can strip orchards of their leaves and fruit entirely. The fuzzy caterpillars—which grow into moths—can also be harmful for some animals, including birds and horses whose stomachs get irritated by their tiny bug hairs. In the next four years, experts say populations should start to boom again before hitting a peak in 2032/2033. [Times Colonist]

Langford council approves rezoning for new Mormon church
The council voted unanimously for the rezoning on Mon. The plans call for a roughly 250-person place of worship along a 4.6-acre parcel of land at 2750 Leigh Rd. The building—still in the conceptual stage—will be the first Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints church in Langford. The plan also includes green spaces on the land that will be open to the public. [CHEK]

Enjoying our newsletter? Help us make it even better!

Become an Insider member and help keep local journalism and storytelling alive in the Capital Region. 

🗓️ Things to do

🤣 Fernwood Comedy Night with Syd Bosel: See headliner and Island favourite Syd Bosel at the Fernwood Inn tonight. 7:30pm. [Info]

🎶 Lunchtime concert: See folk artist Dana Sipos at Fort Commons tomorrow. 12-1pm. [Info]

🏈 Westshore Rebels Home Game: The team will take on the VI Raiders at Starlight Stadium. Sat. 7pm. [Info]

🐍 Slithery Slimy Scaly: Meet some fascinating reptiles, amphibians, and snakes on a guided walk led by CRD Regional Parks naturalists. Meet at Beaver Lake Picnic Shelter tomorrow. 10am-1pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Tuesday’s headlines: Four Victoria beaches added to no-swim list, one removed; Scotch broom could fuel wildfires; Fire updates. [Aug. 19]

Rain and cooler temperatures bring Mount Underwood Fire to a smouldering ground fire. [CHEK]

Nickelback fans targeted by police in road safety blitz. [Times Colonist]

The wonderful world of nudibranchs: See some of the unique creatures living in Island waters. [Karolle Wall / Facebook photos]

Best goat selfies: Beacon Hill Children’s Farm wants Victorians to share their best selfie with one of the farm’s goats. [BHCF]

Vintage Esquimalt: See downtown Esquimalt in the early 1900s with two resident cows wandering the streets. [Facebook photo]

That’s it!

If you found something useful, consider forwarding this newsletter to a fellow Victorian.

And before you go, let us know: