June 30 - Drag me out to the ball game

Good morning !

For many people, Canada Day falling on a Tuesday means a four-day weekend by taking off the Monday. That means dealing with busy roads and ferries if you’re vacationing—but plenty of events to enjoy today and tomorrow if you’re staycationing. We have info below on a bunch of them.

— Cam

Today’s approx. read time: 7 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ☀️ 24 / 14

Tomorrow: ☀️ 23 / 13

Wednesday 🌤️ 21 / 10

EVENTS

Pride Week kicks off tomorrow with drag baseball

In this baseball game, when players steal a base they quite literally pick it up and run away with it. Cleats are sometimes swapped out for stilettos or platform boots. There have been picnics at second base, cartwheel home runs, and piggybacks. The mayor throws the first pitch, but it’s more likely to be an orange or a water balloon than an actual ball.

The Memorial Drag Ball Game is back once again tomorrow, from noon to 3pm at Vic West Park. It kicks off a July Victoria Pride week that culminates with the annual parade and festival on the weekend. Put on by the Victoria Pride Society, the iconic ball game is a raucous all-ages event complete with food, drinks, local entertainers, and face painting.

In this battle of drag kings vs. drag queens, cheating is technically not allowed until the second inning. But that’s often too hard to enforce—and the game always seems to end in a tie anyway.

But the game is more than just fun—it’s a tradition that began 32 years ago as a way to memorialize the victims of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, including some of the original local competitors.

Read more in Capital Daily's previous story about Drag Ball, its history, and why this event is unique to Victoria.

See this week’s Pride events itinerary here.

SPORTS

Royals hit new highs in NHL draft, but lose top talent to US

Last week centre Cole Reschny, 18, was drafted 18th to Calgary, becoming the highest-picked Victoria Royal ever. He scored 117 points over the full season, including the two-round playoffs that saw Victoria eventually fall to Spokane. 

But the young star won't be back at Save-On this fall. Instead, he and teammate Keaton Verhoeff will head to Grand Forks. No, they aren't playing for the Border Bruins of Grand Forks, BC, but instead the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND (just south of Winnipeg).

Departing duo will take advantage of a WHL rule change

Previously, teen hockey players had to pick one path between Canadian Junior hockey and US college hockey. But as of Aug. 2025, WHL players can maintain NCAA eligibility. This change has led to a seismic shift in the WHL as multiple top players make a run for the border, with Verhoeff and Reschny among the youngest and best.

The shift has undercut a 25-26 Royals team that looked to be a contender. But with WHL teams now pressed to shift toward younger players, the Royals will welcome young WHL draft picks Eli McKamey, Jacob Schwartz, and Ludovic Perreault into bigger roles than originally expected. 

Cowichan Bay’s McKamey will kick off his career near to where he grew up, when the Royals head up the Malahat this fall for two preseason games. See the new season schedule here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

20+ degrees this week: Mostly sun with occasional clouds.

Expect busy ferries today & tomorrow: Check Swartz Bay / Tsawwassen conditions here.

Monterey Rec Centre closed for renos from Wed. to Aug. 4. [Oak Bay]

Metchosin's Annual Report: Public can give feedback online until 4pm today, or in person at council's 7pm meeting.

NEWS

Gulf Islands getting broadband internet build-out

A $10M infrastructure project by Rogers is bringing high-speed internet to approximately 3K homes and businesses on Pender, Mayne, and Galiano Islands.

It took 40 people, 5 vessels, and 12,000+ hours of work to lay 8km of new undersea fibre-optic cable linking the Southern Gulf Islands to the mainland. But with that cable, residents and small business owners can now access download speeds of up to 2 Gbps—up from a mere 25 Mbps, an 80-fold increase.

Rogers says the project was designed to minimize environmental impact while making service more resilient in a region often affected by harsh weather.

While not traditionally seen as tech hubs, the Southern Gulfs are home to a growing number of remote workers, creative professionals, and small business operators who rely on dependable internet access to participate in the digital economy. 

Read more at Victoria Tech Journal.

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⭐️ Capital Picks

🍓 6 tasty new food spots in Greater Victoria. [Tasting Victoria]

〰️ Eels & seals swim in midnight tide lights at the Galiano ferry terminal. [Facebook video]

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🗞️ In Other News

Another loose boa constrictor found in mid-Island
Conservation officers say they captured the 1.5m snake in Miracle Beach Provincial Park on Thu. and took it to Comox Valley SPCA. There may be enforcement against the owner; legally, these exotic snakes require a permit and can never be released. Earlier in June, a missing boa in Tofino’s Chesterman Beach area turned out to be in its owner's kayak. Officers say the incidents aren’t related. [BCCOS Facebook post]

Pat Bay Hwy shut for hours after “vehicle operating dangerously”
Saanich Police said the vehicle was spotted at 6:30am, then “travelled through multiple jurisdictions in the CRD” before being stopped around 10am. Police announced around 10:30am that the southbound Pat Bay lanes were shut at Sayward Road until further notice and that peninsula travellers should seek alternate routes. The lanes reopened around 2:30pm.

Funny T-shirts bring Sidney seniors new granddaughters
The Hudsons fell in love in their 60s and took 13 years to get around to a honeymoon. On that cruise, wearing novelty tees referencing the delay, they became fast friends with Dani Bae and her sisters and parents. Bae's own grandparents live on the other side of the world, so the Hudsons have taken on that role. [CTV]

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Explore Shawnigan Retreats and plan your getaway today. Learn more about Shawnigan Retreats.

🗓️ Things to do

💃 Latin Dance - Urban Kizomba at Ship Point today. Learn this Afro-Latin dance style in a 90-min. lesson, with a 30-min. social dance afterward. No partner or dance experience needed. Starts 5:30pm. [CityVibe]

🎶 Summer concerts in Beacon Hill: Raven Baroque plays Cameron Bandshell today. 1:30-3:30pm.

🎇 Sidney Days: Check out music from The Heels, food (including mini donuts), and Canada Day Eve fireworks tonight, before the Beacon Avenue parade tomorrow morning. Opening ceremonies 7:30pm / fireworks 10:15pm. [Mon. & Tues. schedules]

🎆 HarbourCats Canada Day fireworks game tonight. Starts 6:35pm, with fireworks after game. [Tickets]

🍖 Pre-Canada-Day BBQ at Monterey Rec today. Noon-1pm. [Oak Bay]

✏️ Animation Showcase: An evening of beautiful animated short films about the cycle of life & death by local artist Iris Moore, who will introduce her work and answer questions. Little Fernwood. 7:30-8:30pm. [Info] 

🇨🇦 Tomorrow’s Canada Day itineraries from the City of Victoria and City of Langford. Look for a full roundup of Canada Day events around Greater Victoria in tomorrow’s Capital Daily.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Sun. news: Remembering Victoria’s hottest day. CrabFest returns. Weekly recap. [Jun. 29]

Sat. news: E-bus fleet begins service. Orca pods unseen for weeks. [Jun 28]

Senior dies in house fire in rural area near Duncan.

Property taxes due Wed. for Victoria homeowners.

Explosive set off at North Van MLA's office; police have yet to confirm or rule out political motivation. [City News]

No-swimming advisory at Willows Beach due to high bacteria levels. [Island Health]

HarbourCats lose series to Wenatchee AppleSox.

Canadian dies in ICE custody amid ongoing border / travel concerns. [CBC]

WHAT’S OFFSHORE

Yesterday at Ogden: Quantum of the Seas returned again

Yesterday off Victoria coast: Yang Ning Hu, a 2009-built oil tanker sailing from Long Beach, CA under a China flag.

Today at Ogden: Carnival Spirit: 2001-built, 930 crew. 2,134 guests, 294 metres long.

Tomorrow at Ogden: No ships on the holiday.