Summer Fun 2023

Join the Jam at U-JAM’s “Summer Jazz Workshop”

August 14 - 18th at the Selkirk Montessori School!

An incredible line-up of talented professionals is ready to

U-JAM SUMMER JAZZ WORKSHOP

guide you through a full week of music making.

This promises to be a week filled with incredible training, camaraderie, and of course, FUN!

The camp is designed to help

Su mmer Jaz z Workshop

For Voc alists and Instru mentalists of All Ages

students of all ages and skill levels gain instrumental/vocal experience in an environment of Encouragement and Fun. Students of ALL instruments can apply, particularly vocalists, saxophone, flute, clarinet, trombone, trumpet, piano and keyboards, strings, guitar, bass (electric and/or acoustic) and drums. The workshop will give students the opportunity to make music together in small and large ensembles and improve their knowledge and skills, including improvising and jamming with others.

The camp will take place in the beautiful setting at the Selkirk Montessori School in Saanich.

Day time classes and work shops

Evening Concer t s & Jam Sessions

All- S tar Facul t y

August 14th-18th

• Selkirk Montessori School

Reser ve your spot at www/ujam.ca or email: ujamsummercamp@gmail.com

$499 with family discount s and bursaries available

Classes are offered in theory, arranging, song writing, chording, vocalizing, historical perspectives, technology, and many special areas of interest. Each day we will divide by interests and abilities to create a stimulating program for all instruments. The interplay of combining musicians of all ages gives all a chance to learn from different perspectives. A special program for vocalists plus

masterclasses, performances, jam sessions, and more. Play or sing in a band, meet other musicians, make music, and generally have fun - the evening concert series includes a nightly jam session with the pros!

Camp cost is $499.00 for the week. Billeting and hotel information is available on request.

Bursaries and scholarships are also available for deserving

students. For busy people, a “Day Camper” option has been created for those wishing to attend with a limited schedule.

U-JAM is a registered not for profit society founded in 2006, with a goal of supporting and encouraging enjoying and performing live music interactions in jazz and the many derivatives including rock, blues, Latin, and many other improvised musical styles.

Summer fun is never far away in Saanich! Celebrating our community and the spirit of togetherness, the District’s special events schedule comes alive in July and August, offering residents and visitors many opportunities to enjoy our parks and public spaces together.

C elebrate Summer in S aanich!

S trawberr y Fes tival

stage, bouncy castles, and many local vendors. Of course, the afternoon wouldn’t be complete without the traditional serving of strawberries and ice cream from 1 to 3 p.m. for only $1!

In early August, it’s time for another family favourite, the Cadboro Bay Festival. Join your neighbours for an afternoon at picturesque Cadboro-Gyro Park, with a variety of hands-on activities, giant lawn games, information displays, live music, arts and craft stations, and food and fun for everyone!

S aturday July 8, 11am-3pm

Cadboro Bay Fes tival

Sunday Augus t 6, 11am-3pm

• Live music

• Interac tive games & ac tivities

• Themed ar ts and crafts

Event season kicks off on July 1 as Saanich celebrates the nation’s birthday at the Gorge Canada Day Picnic with the Gorge Tillicum Community Association. Among the day’s many attractions, be sure to check out Gorge on Art, where local artists display and sell their work along the scenic backdrop of the Gorge Waterway.

Moving to a Saturday this summer, the next big event is truly a Saanich family tradition— the Saanich Strawberry Festival at Beaver Beach. From its start as a celebration of the area’s agricultural roots, the Strawberry Festival has blossomed into a grand event for all ages. The event features live music on both the main stage and a new kids’

In between these great weekend events, enjoy live music at Saanich’s two free outdoor concert series. Explore a different Saanich Park each week at the Tuesday evening Music in the Park series, or enjoy the more intimate Music in the Bay concerts, Thursday evenings at Cadboro-Gyro Park.

Plan to celebrate your community this summer and join in the fun at one of these or other Saanich special events. saanich.ca

• Food from local vendors available for purchase

The S trawberr y Festival features the tradi tional ser ving of strawberries and ice cream.

The Cadboro Bay Festival re calls years past wi th giant lawn games and vintage displays .

New to both event s is The Locker, a safe, se cure and f re e parking ser vice for bic ycles, scooters, or other personal mobili t y vehicles .

Both events

FREE to attend!

ESQUIMALT RIBFEST

10 Years and Counting!

Tom Woods, the head of the Esquimalt Ribfest, was asked to reflect on the past 10 years of this event and share his thoughts -

“Like any potential charitable fundraising idea, the first couple of years are always a bit of an unknown. Questions like: Will there be public buy-in? How much will it cost to put on? Will we make or lose money? Will it be fun and family friendly? Will anyone even show up? Well, as we enter year eleven with Esquimalt Ribfest, we can honestly say that each one of these questions has been answered positively and in spades.

It all started with a rugby connection when the grandson of Rugby Canada Hall of Fame Coach Tillman Briggs - Penner - contacted me about possibly hosting a charity fundraiser called Ribfest in Esquimalt. I had never heard of Ribfest, but a quick Google search showed how popular they were in Ontario and that the Burlington Rotary Club alone had raised significant amounts of money for charity. Some quick phone calls and arm twisting for an ad hoc

volunteer committee ensued and Esquimalt Ribfest was launched in September, 2013. We are proud to say that the event is now among the best attended and most profitable in Canada.”

The Esquimalt Firefighters Charitable Foundation in conjunction with the Esquimalt Ribfest Society and 7 local non-profit groups have raised over $1.0M for local charities during the past 10 years. The Fire Fighters Foundation has distributed $450,000 to over 40 local groups and the Ribfest Society has generated $420,000 of which $360,000 has been donated to the Esquimalt High School Turf Fund. This would not have happened without the generous

contributions of the sponsors or the tremendous support from the thousands of Ribfest patrons. The organizing committee is excited to host this year’s event on September 8th, 9th and 10th at Bullen Park in Esquimalt and they look forward to having an even greater impact on charities in the community. The six big-rig BBQ companies along with 8 local craft brewers are ready to go. They will be joined by over 20 other charitable and commercial vendors for this three day event. There are 20 local bands committed for the entertainment along with Fleetwood Magic from Vancouver on Friday Night and Juno Award Winner Jack Semple and the Horn Dogs for Saturday Night. Admission is free or by donation to the Esquimalt Fire Fighters’ Charitable Foundation and we look forward to seeing everyone at Ribfest.

Presented

Enjoy a dozen new works over one weekend.

SKAMpede festival, a professionally curated outdoor performing arts festival, returns for its 15th year this July! This year’s SKAMpede is scheduled to happen over the third weekend of July, from the 14th of the month to the 16th. The festival will feature both trail tours and performances at the Hub—the nexus for all things SKAMpede during the festival.

Starting June 15th, audiences can buy tickets for specific tour times throughout the weekend. There will be eight artists featured across two unique tours along the Galloping Goose and Songhees Walkway. The works on the trails range from dance to puppetry to one-act plays.

Artists include Ez’s Dandies, Melody and Movement, Salty

THEATRE SKAM ASSOCIATION

SKAMpede Returns!

Broad Productions, Sarah Hin Ching U, and SNAFU Society of Unexpected Spectacles. The wide array at the festival means there really is something for everyone to enjoy.

Before, after, or between tours, people can view performances at the expanded Hub. The Hub will be located at the recently re-opened and re-vamped Songhees Park—only steps away from the Johnson Street Bridge and overlooking the beautiful Harbour. This year the Hub will feature local, national, and international artists—a SKAMpede first! Compagnie SHIFT SHAPE is a French theatre company with roots in Victoria. Their show, ROVERS, is an all ages show about Ro and Verr, two mimes on the run after failing to make rent. At 60-minutes, ROVERS is the longest piece to be featured at

the Hub. Along with Compagnie SHIFT SHAPE, audiences can expect artists Donna Michelle St. Bernard with Cole Alvis and Kunji Ikeda with Douglas Peerless as well as theatre company Bragi Theatre (who may be making borscht as part of their show).

When: July 14-16

Where: Songhees Park, Songhees Walkway, Victoria Tickets (PWYC) on sale June 15th Visit skam.ca/ for more information.

For more information, interviews, images contact: Janine Rzeplinski, Communications and Marketing Coordinator at 250-386-7526 ext. 7 or janine@skam.ca Facebook: facebook.com/ TheatreSKAM/ Instagram and TikTok: @ theatreSKAM

CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL SCHOOL

Since 1996, Christ Church Cathedral School’s Lux Mundi Summer Program has been providing children in Victoria with an exciting summer day-camp experience.

Held on the grounds of Cathedral School, children have access to a full-size gymnasium, classrooms for arts, crafts and games, a full outdoor playground, and our soccer pitch and basketball court—both new in 2022.

Located on the outskirts of downtown, in the residential neighborhood of Rockland, our campers are close to Beacon Hill Park, the Royal BC Museum, the gardens of Government House, and many other local attractions. When adventure calls from further afield—to such locations as Butterfly Gardens, Fort Rodd Hill, or Goldstream Park—our school bus transports campers to the action.

The program is run by Todd Fitzsimmons, who has been with us since the inception of our out-of-school care program 26 years ago. Most of the other camp leaders are

either Educational Assistants at the school or Alumni who have graduated from CCCS and are excited to share the joy and excitement that they experienced here in their youth, with a new generation.

Kids love the variety of activities, special theme days, talent shows, and—most of all— the lasting friendships they build with other children. Many of our campers return year after year, reconnecting with their friends from previous camps.

Our Summer, Spring Break and Christmas programs are open to all children in the community from age 5 - 10, not just Cathedral School students. Camp hours are from 7:30am to 6:00pm.

Spaces are filling fast, so don’t delay in registering online for this popular daycamp. cathedralschool. ca/programs-admission/ spring-summer-day-camps/

Parksville Beach Festival returns with their worldrenowned, signature event, the Quality Foods Sand Sculpting Competition, July 14-16 with the sculpture exhibition open until August 20. This popular event features a 30-hour competition between twenty-nine international master sculptors. Working with this year’s sculpting theme “Wonders of the World,” sculptors begin by pounding sand on Thursday, July 13 to create their sculpting base.

Public entry to the Competition begins at 2pm Friday, July 14. Sculpting is complete by 2:45pm on Sunday, July 16, at which time the judging begins. Awards and cash prizes are presented to the top 3 doubles and the top 5 soloists, in addition to peerselected awards.

The sculptures are available for viewing from July 17 through to August 20 from 9:30am-8:30pm daily. Admission is by suggested donation of $5 per person. Since 1999, the Parksville Beach Festival Society has donated close to $1 Million from the gate proceeds to non-profit organizations and community projects.

Known to locals as “Beachfest”, this 5 ½ week-long familyoriented festival also offers:

PARKSVILLE BEACH FESTIVAL SOCIETY

Learn to Sculpt - July 15 & 16 ~ With the help of two professional sculptors, everyone can learn to sculpt like the pros!

Buskers ~ Enjoy local musicians performing daily at the Boardwalk Gazebo, adjacent to the sand sculpting exhibition.

Free Weekend Evening Concerts - July 21, 22, 28, 29 & August 4, 5, 18 & 19 ~ Bring your blanket or lawn chair and enjoy a variety of free entertainment.

Art in the Park - July 22 & 23 ~ Artisans from across Vancouver Island showcase their products in the shaded grassy areas of Parksville Community Park.

Rock the Park Music Festival - August 11-13 ~ A three-day ticketed music festival featuring world-class tribute bands!

Sculpture Light Up! - August 18 & 19 ~ For two nights only the Sand Sculpture Exhibition is illuminated and open after dark, until 11pm.

Symphony by the Sea - August 20 ~ New for 2023, enjoy a late afternoon concert in the park at the Parksville Outdoor Theatre featuring the Vancouver Island Symphony.

Start planning your visit today at parksvillebeachfest.ca and see you at the beach!

Are you ready to take your golf game to the next level this summer? Look no further than Iron & Wood Golf Simulators! We are your ultimate destination for indoor golf and sports simulators that will keep you entertained and engaged, rain or shine. Whether you're a seasoned golfer or a beginner looking to improve your swing, our state-of-the-art facilities and immersive technology will elevate your golfing experience to new heights.

At Iron & Wood Golf Simulators, we understand the importance of providing a memorable and enjoyable experience for our patrons. Our cutting-edge simulators recreate the most prestigious golf courses from around the world, allowing you to play on famous fairways without leaving the comfort of any of our 3 private air-conditioned rooms. With stunning graphics, realistic ball flight, and precise shot analysis, you'll feel like you're

SIMULATORS

Swing into Summer Fun with Iron & Wood Golf Simulators!

right there on the course. Our simulators aren't limited to just golf; we offer a variety of sports experiences to cater to all interests. Challenge your friends to a virtual game of soccer, basketball, or even baseball! You can also opt for fun activities like zombie dodgeball or carnival game adventures. With Iron & Wood Golf Simulators, there's never a dull moment. Whether you're a seasoned golfer or a complete novice, our simulators cater to all skill levels. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff are always on hand to offer guidance and ensure you get the most out of your experience.

Looking to host a memorable summer event? Our facility is ideal for private parties, corporate events, or team building activities.

Treat your guests to a unique and entertaining experience they won't soon forget. With our spacious lounge area and fully licensed facility, you can relax and unwind after an exhilarating

session on the fairways or virtual soccer pitch . Don't let the summer heat put a damper on your golfing aspirations. We offer a locally curated drink menu, private HDTV's to watch the big game and 3 surround sound Bluetooth audio systems to make sure you get the music YOU want to listen to. At Iron & Wood Golf Simulators, there's no pressure to be good. Take a swing, score some points, share a laugh, or sharpen your skills. Any way you play, it's a great time for all.