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If you’re downtown or at UVic this weekend, you’ll quite possibly notice how harmonious the city sounds. That’s because there are some pretty decent voices in town for a big choir festival.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

Today: 🌦️ 13 / 7

Tomorrow: 🌦️ 14 / 8

Sunday: 🌤️ 19 / 10

7-day forecast

More than 1,400 choir directors, choristers, and administrators are in town for a conference and festival—and to sing for you.

Podium, Canada’s national bilingual choral conference and festival, has landed in the Garden City for the first time in 20 years. Hundreds of singers, conductors, composers, educators, students, and music lovers are here from across Canada, but Podium spokesperson Andy Rice says the biennial event isn’t just for insiders.

“Many of the concerts and events are designed for the public, offering Victorians a rare chance to experience world-class choirs, exciting new Canadian music, and unforgettable collaborative performances right in their own city.”

Rice says you can hear extraordinary choirs—from professional ensembles to youth and community choirs. Some will be premiering their new Canadian works and music.

Choral music lovers will be able to experience traditional choral music and pieces representing various cultures, as well as arrangements of pop and folk songs. 

“We have every kind of choir you can imagine under one roof all weekend—Podium is the place to hear anything and everything,” he says.

Read the full story here.

Campfire ban lifts today: Some Island communities will maintain a ban, despite the regional change—check whether fires are allowed in your area.

Courtney closed, from Government to Gordon, for a week for underground repairs. 24/7. [City of Vic]

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

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In the darkness of a Wednesday night last Sept. 17, about 400 nautical miles north of Victoria, Midnight was struck.
The five-year-old humpback was travelling in the waters of Wright Sound when the BC Ferries vessel Northern Expedition passed through.

The whale was found dead on the shore the next day.

In the wake of the tragedy, the ferry company is pulling back on the throttle to reduce its ships’ speed in areas where there is a high risk of running into a whale. 

While researchers and whale experts welcome a slowdown through one of the province’s key humpback highways, they don’t think it’s enough to adequately protect the marine mammals from heavy traffic.

Emma Shuparski, who works with the Cetus Research & Conservation Society—a Victoria-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting at-risk marine mammals—said studies on humpback whales in Hawaiian waters show that slowing boats to around 10 knots (about 19 km/h) significantly reduces both the likelihood of hitting a whale and the severity of injuries if a strike occurs.

But it doesn’t eliminate the risk, she said.

With more LNG tankers and foreign cruise ships powering through, BC waters are becoming more dangerous for whales, like Midnight. 

Read the full story here.

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

On Saturday, May 30, the Belfry Theatre will present Some Kinda Fun to celebrate the conclusion of its 50th Anniversary Season.

Guests will be treated to songs from some of the musicals produced during the Belfry’s 50 years.

Created by Michael Shamata and Tobin Stokes, the performance features Brent Jarvis and Chelsea Rose Winsby from I Think I’m Fallin’: The Songs of Joni Mitchell, alongside Stephanie Roth and Jonathan Winsby singing hits from Harold Arlen to Gordon Lightfoot, from Leonard Cohen to Patsy Cline, and from Chet Baker to Kurt Weill.

Following the performance, guests are invited to attend an afterparty in the Carpentry Shop and enjoy a live band in the Belfry’s BMO Studio.

Learn More >>

🎈 Thrifty Foods’ 126th Victoria Day Parade is Monday at 9am.

🌐 Gordy Dodd’s One World Multicultural Festival is tomorrow, 10am-6pm.

🫙 Ship Point Market is open today (4pm-10pm) through Sunday (11am-9pm). [Details]

🌹 May at The Butchart Gardens celebrates rich horticultural history as vibrant Rhododendrons and serene Blue Poppies bloom across the gardens’ lush landscape.*

♀️ Menopolooza2: A conference on navigating menopause & perimenopause runs today through Sunday.

🎸 The Hip Experience: Canada's premier celebration of the Tragically Hip plays tomorrow at McPherson Playhouse. 

*Sponsored Listing

Large crowd gathers at the legislature to march in BC’s Moose Hide Campaign
Marchers walked from Thunderbird Park, adjacent to the provincial parliament buildings, to the Knowledge Totem, on the legislature lawn, in support of the movement to end violence against women and children. The annual campaign was founded 15 years ago when a father and daughter were moose hunting in northern BC near a stretch of Highway 16. That route is now known as the Highway of Tears in memory of the numerous Indigenous women and children who have gone missing or have been murdered. [Black Press] 

Victoria council votes to cut medical calls to the fire department
The department was receiving a large number of calls for non-fire issues, particularly medical calls amid the opioid crisis. Fire Chief Dan Atkinson says he expects the policy change to cut the number of service calls in half: 6K by the end of this year, down from 12K last year. Victoria firefighters now only respond to the most serious medical calls, which addresses the issues of worker burnout and allows more time for inspections, training, and public outreach, Atkinson said. [CHEK]

Helijet flight struck by lightning likely triggered by the chopper itself, says TSB
The helicopter, carrying 12 passengers from Vancouver to Victoria, was struck by lightning and began a sudden, uncontrolled descent of 3K feet. The pilot was able to correct the aircraft and safely land in Victoria Harbour, with no injuries reported among passengers and crew. However, the helicopter was substantially damaged. A report from the Transportation Safety Board says the lightning was caused by a rare phenomenon, where the helicopter acts as a conductor. The main rotor and tail rotor blades generate a concentration of negative charge and can become entry and exit points for a lightning strike. [Times Colonist]

Experience the Naden Band and ROKN Band at Victoria’s Royal Theatre on May 26. Join this cultural exchange of classical works, pop hits, beatboxing, and traditional Korean instruments.

Tickets are $15, with proceeds supporting Wounded Warriors Canada. Secure your seats now for an evening of musical diplomacy.

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🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 163rd Victoria Highland Games & Celtic Festival: The amateur and professional heavy events and piping, drumming, and dance competitions highlight the Games’ big closing weekend at Topaz Park. Tomorrow and Sunday. 8am-7pm. [Info] 

🔮 Victoria Psychic Fair: Explore a range of psychic, intuitive, and spiritual services at this weeklong fair at the Bay Centre. All day. Through Sunday. [Info]

🎢 Luxton Spring Fair: Carnival midway rides from West Coast Amusements. Free grounds admission all weekend. Ronald and Sooke. Today, 3-11pm. Through Sunday. [Info]

🎨 Is Art Therapy Right for Me or Someone I Love?: Join art therapist Hanna Kaye Verhagen for a relaxed, experiential, and educational evening at Hey Shauna Studio tonight. 6:30-8pm. [Info]

🐰 Alice in Wonderland: Ballet Victoria invites you to follow Alice down the rabbit hole to discover a whole new world of fantasy fun. Royal Theatre. Tonight, 7:30pm, tomorrow, 2pm. [Info]

🕺 Dance Party 2000: Channel your inner Fergie and get ready for a glamorous (and very sweaty) night out. Capital Ballroom. Tonight. 10pm-2am. [Info]

💃 Pablo Cardenas Presents: A Tribute to Celia Cruz. A world-class ensemble puts on a vibrant tribute to the legendary "Queen of Salsa." The Mint. Tomorrow. 8pm. [Info]

Thursday’s headlines: BC Ferries adds extra sailings ahead of the expected busy summer season; Vancouver Island marmots begin emerging from hibernation; Alberni Valley wildfire is being held. [May 14]

Lab lapse: Last summer’s construction collapse means a UVic research lab opening will be delayed 1 year. [Times Colonist]

Al Ferraby's child-luring trial is scheduled for March 2027. [CHEK]

Ocean Week returns to Victoria, starting May 30. [Details]

Twins to the rescue: Canucks promote Sedin brothers as co-presidents of hockey ops. [CP / CTV]

New Islander FanZone at Wilson’s Group Stadium at Royal Athletic Park.

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