Editing Victoria, British Columbia (section)

==Arts and culture==
[[File:Royal Theatre, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada 01.jpg|thumb|The [[Royal Theatre (Victoria, British Columbia)|Royal Theatre]] is an [[opera house]] and [[concert hall]] in Victoria. It is home to the [[Victoria Symphony]], the [[Victoria Philharmonic Choir]], as well as [[Pacific Opera Victoria]].]]
The [[Victoria Symphony]], led by Christian Kluxen, performs at the [[Royal Theatre (Victoria, British Columbia)|Royal Theatre]] and the Farquhar Auditorium of the [[Saanich, British Columbia|Saanich]]-Oak Bay sited [[University of Victoria]] from September to May. Every [[BC Day]] weekend, the Symphony mounts Symphony Splash, an outdoor event that includes a performance by the orchestra sitting on a barge in Victoria's Inner Harbour. Streets in the local area are closed, as each year approximately 40,000 people attend a variety of concerts and events throughout the day. The event culminates with the Symphony's evening concert, with Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture as the grand finale, complete with cannon fire from Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Gunners from HMCS QUADRA, a pealing carillon and a fireworks display to honour BC Day. [[Pacific Opera Victoria]], Victoria Operatic Society, [[Victoria Philharmonic Choir]], Canadian Pacific Ballet and Ballet Victoria stage two or three productions each year at the Macpherson or Royal Theatres.

=== Theatre ===
The Bastion Theatre, a professional dramatic company, functioned in Victoria through the 1970s and 1980s and performed high quality dramatic productions but ultimately declared bankruptcy in 1988.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.memorybc.ca/bastion-theatre-company-of-british-columbia | title=Bastion Theatre Company of British Columbia - MemoryBC }}</ref> Reborn as The New Bastion Theatre in 1990 the company operated for five more years before closing operations in 1996.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://www.memorybc.ca/new-bastion-theatre-company-fonds | title=New Bastion Theatre Company fonds }}</ref>

The [[Belfry Theatre]] started in 1974 as the Springridge Cultural Centre in 1974. The venue was renamed the Belfry Theatre in 1976 as the company began producing its own shows. The Belfry's mandate is to produce contemporary plays with an emphasis on new Canadian plays. Other regional theatre venues include: the University of Victoria Phoenix Theatre;<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.uvic.ca/finearts/theatre/mainstage/index.php | title=Phoenix Theatre - University of Victoria }}</ref> The Roxy Theatre, home of the Blue Bridge Repertory Theatre company;<ref>{{cite web | url=https://bluebridgetheatre.ca/about-us/ | title=About Us &#124; BB }}</ref> Kaleidoscope Theatre<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kaleidoscope.bc.ca/|title=HOME &#124; Kaleidoscope Theatre|website=Kaleidoscope}}</ref> and Intrepid Theatre Company,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://intrepidtheatre.com/|title=INTREPID THEATRE|website=intrepidtheatre.com}}</ref> producers of the Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival and The Uno Festival of Solo Performance.
[[File:Belfrytheatre.jpg|thumb|upright|The [[Belfry Theatre]] is a [[theatre company]] founded in 1974 and located in the neighbourhood of [[Fernwood, Greater Victoria|Fernwood]].]]
The only Canadian Forces Primary Reserve brass/reed band on Vancouver Island is in Victoria. The 5th (British Columbia) Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery Band traces its roots back to 1864, making it the oldest, continually operational military band west of [[Thunder Bay]], [[Ontario]]. Its mandate is to support the island's military community by performing at military dinners, parades and ceremonies, and other events. The band performs weekly in August at Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site where the Regiment started manning the guns of the fort in 1896, and also performs every year at the Cameron Bandshell at [[Beacon Hill Park]].{{cn|date=September 2024}}

The annual multi-day [[Rifflandia Music Festival]] is one of Canada's largest modern rock and pop music festivals.

=== Films set in Victoria ===
Due to the proximity to Vancouver and a 6% distance location tax credit, [[List of films shot near Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria is used as a filming location for many films]], television series, and television movies. Some of these films include ''[[X2 (film)|X2]]'', ''[[X-Men: The Last Stand]]'', ''[[In the Land of Women]]'', ''[[White Chicks]]'', ''[[Scary Movie]]'', ''[[Final Destination]]'', ''[[Excess Baggage (1997 film)|Excess Baggage]]'' and ''[[Bird on a Wire (film)|Bird on a Wire]]''. Television series such as ''[[Smallville]]'', ''[[The Dead Zone (TV series)|The Dead Zone]]'' and ''[[Poltergeist: The Legacy]]'' were also filmed there. 

=== Victoria-area artists and writers ===
Canadian director [[Atom Egoyan]] was raised in neighbouring [[Saanich, British Columbia|Saanich]]. Actors [[Cameron Bright]] (''[[Ultraviolet (film)|Ultraviolet]]'', ''[[X-Men: The Last Stand]]'', ''[[Thank You for Smoking]]'', ''[[New Moon (2009 film)|New Moon]]'') and [[Ryan Robbins]] (''[[Stargate Atlantis]]'', ''[[Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)|Battlestar Galactica]]'', ''[[Sanctuary (Canadian TV series)|Sanctuary]]'') were born in Victoria. Actor [[Cory Monteith]] from the television series ''[[Glee (TV series)|Glee]]'' was raised in Victoria. Actor, artist, and athlete [[Duncan Regehr]] of ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'' was raised in the region. Artist, art magazine publisher and jazz saxophonist [[Noah Becker]] of ''[[Whitehot Magazine]]'' has been a long time Victoria resident.

Nobel laureate [[Alice Munro]] lived in Victoria during the years when she published her first story collections and co-founded [[Munro's Books]]. Victoria resident [[Stanley Evans (author)|Stanley Evans]] has written a series of mysteries featuring a [[Coast Salish peoples|Coast Salish]] character, Silas Seaweed, who works as an investigator with the [[Victoria Police Department]]. Other Victoria writers include [[Kit Pearson]], [[Esi Edugyan]], [[Robert Wiersema]], [[W. D. Valgardson]], [[Elizabeth Louisa Moresby]], [[Madeline Sonik]], [[Jack Hodgins]], [[Dave Duncan (writer)|Dave Duncan]], [[Bill Gaston]], [[David Gurr]], [[Ken Steacy]], [[Sheryl McFarlane]], [[Carol Shields]] and [[Patrick Lane (poet)|Patrick Lane]]. [[Gayleen Froese]]'s 2005 novel ''Touch'' is set in Victoria. The comedy troupe [[LoadingReadyRun]] is based in Victoria.

=== Victoria-area musicians ===

A number of well-known musicians and bands are from the Victoria area, including [[Nelly Furtado]], [[David Foster]], [[The Moffatts]], [[Frog Eyes]], Johnny Vallis, [[Jets Overhead]], [[Bryce Soderberg]], [[Armchair Cynics]], [[Nomeansno]], [[Wolf Parade]], [[The Racoons]], [[Tal Bachman]], Dayglo Abortions, [[Hot Hot Heat]], [[Aidan Knight]] and [[Noah Becker]].

===Attractions===
[[File:The Empress, Victoria, BC.jpg|thumb|[[The Empress (hotel)|The Empress]] is a hotel on [[Government Street (Victoria, British Columbia)|Government Street]], facing [[Victoria Harbour (British Columbia)|Victoria Harbour]].]]
[[File:Scene at Clover Point Park - Victoria - BC - Canada - 04 (8564421474).jpg|thumb|Spiral Beach with Finlayson Point (distant) on the Strait of Juan de Fuca (Salish Sea)/Dallas Road waterfront]]
[[File:Main entrance to Royal British Columbia Museum, Victoria, British Columbia 02.jpg|thumb|The [[Royal British Columbia Museum]] is the province's human and natural history museum.]]
In the heart of downtown are the [[British Columbia Parliament Buildings]], The [[The Empress (hotel)|Empress Hotel]], the gothic [[Christ Church Cathedral (Victoria, British Columbia)|Christ Church Cathedral]], and the [[Royal British Columbia Museum]]/IMAX National Geographic Theatre, with large exhibits on local [[Aboriginal peoples in British Columbia|Aboriginal peoples]], [[natural history]], and [[modern history]], along with travelling international exhibits. In addition, the heart of downtown also has the [[Maritime Museum of British Columbia]], [[Emily Carr]] House, [[Victoria Bug Zoo]], and [[Market Square, Victoria|Market Square]]. The oldest (and most intact) [[Chinatown]] in Canada is within downtown and includes the [[Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and Chinese Public School|Chinese Public School]] built in 1909, and some cultural items and pictures displayed at the Pandora avenue entrances to Market Square.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chinese Public School {{!}} Victoria's Chinatown |url=https://chinatown.library.uvic.ca/index.htmlq=chinese_public_school.html |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=chinatown.library.uvic.ca}}</ref> The [[Art Gallery of Greater Victoria]] is close to downtown in the Rockland neighbourhood several city blocks from [[Craigdarroch Castle]] built by industrialist [[Robert Dunsmuir]] and [[Government House (British Columbia)|Government House]], the official residence of the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia.

Numerous other buildings of historic importance or interest are also in central Victoria, including: the 1845 St. Ann's Schoolhouse; the 1852 [[Helmcken House]] built for Victoria's first doctor; the 1863 [[Congregation Emanu-El (Victoria, British Columbia)|Congregation Emanu-El]], the oldest synagogue in continuous use in Canada; the 1865 Angela College built as Victoria's first Anglican Collegiate School for Girls, now housing retired nuns of the Sisters of St. Ann; the 1871 [[St. Ann's Academy (Victoria, British Columbia)|St. Ann's Academy]] built as a Catholic school; the 1874 [[Church of Our Lord (Victoria, British Columbia)|Church of Our Lord]], built to house a breakaway congregation from the Anglican Christ Church cathedral; the 1890 St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church;<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stainedglasscanada.ca/site.php?site=248 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719033620/http://stainedglasscanada.ca/site.php?site=248 |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 July 2012 |title=Institute for Stained Glass in Canada |publisher=Stainedglasscanada.ca |access-date=2013-10-06 }}</ref> the 1890 Metropolitan Methodist Church (now the [[Victoria Conservatory of Music]]),
<ref>{{cite web |url=http://stainedglasscanada.ca/site.php?site=222 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120331195741/http://stainedglasscanada.ca/site.php?site=222 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-03-31 |title=Institute for Stained Glass in Canada |publisher=Stainedglasscanada.ca |access-date=2013-10-06 }}</ref> which is publicly open for faculty, student, and guest performances, also acts as [[Camosun College]] Music Department; the 1892 [[St. Andrew's Cathedral (Victoria, British Columbia)|St. Andrew's Cathedral]]; and the 1925 Crystal Gardens, originally a saltwater swimming pool, restored as a conservatory and most recently a tourist attraction called the B.C. Experience, which closed down in 2006.

Downtown Victoria is a very walkable area with many [[Pedestrian crossing|midblock crosswalks]], an expanding central pedestrian street,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-15 |title=Victoria moving ahead with Government Street redesign plan |url=https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/victoria-moving-ahead-with-government-street-redesign-plan-1.5989316 |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=Vancouver Island |language=en}}</ref> public squares, and alleys that are predominantly spaces for pedestrians.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2017-06-05 |title=Alleys & Squares |url=https://www.tourismvictoria.com/plan/local-info/about-victoria/alleys-squares |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=Tourism Victoria |language=en}}</ref> [[Fan Tan Alley|Fan Tan alley]] is the narrowest commercial street in North America and runs between Pandora avenue and Fisgard street in Victoria's Chinatown.<ref name=":1" /> Dragon alley is also located in Chinatown and is a mix of commercial and residential units, located between Fisgard and Herald streets.<ref name=":1"/> Theatre alley was rebuilt in a newer condo construction in Chinatown and is a narrow alley that winds between Pandora avenue and Fisgard street just west of Fan Tan alley, but it does not include direct access to any commercial businesses.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Victoria's Chinatown: A gateway to the past and present of Chinese Canadians |url=https://chinatown.library.uvic.ca/index.htmlq%3Dtheatre-alley.html |access-date=14 January 2023 |website=Library of the University of Victoria}}</ref> Waddington alley is uniquely paved with wooden blocks located between Yates and Johnson streets.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Community |date=2022-08-08 |title=Best of the City: Waddington Alley's unique bricks a throwback to Victoria's yesteryear - Victoria News |url=https://www.vicnews.com/community/best-of-the-city-waddington-alleys-unique-bricks-a-throwback-to-victorias-yesteryear/ |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=www.vicnews.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Trounce alley is a small commercial alley located between Government and Broad streets.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Take a Trip down Trounce Alley |url=https://downtownvictoria.ca/2021/02/26/take-a-trip-down-trounce-alley/ |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=DVBA |date=26 February 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Downtown Alleys |url=https://www.focusonvictoria.ca/victoria-mapping-project/history/downtown-alleys/ |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=Focus on Victoria |language=en-CA}}</ref>

[[Beacon Hill Park]] is the central city's main [[urban green space]]. Its area of {{cvt|75|ha}} adjacent to Victoria's southern shore includes numerous playing fields, manicured gardens, exotic species of plants and animals such as wild peacocks, a petting zoo, and views of the [[Strait of Juan de Fuca]] and the [[Olympic Mountains]] in Washington across it. The sport of [[cricket]] has been played in Beacon Hill Park since the mid-19th century.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cricket in Canada/Daily Colonist, March 16, 1863|url=http://web.uvic.ca/vv/student/cricket/empire/canada.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208040457/http://web.uvic.ca/vv/student/cricket/empire/canada.html|archive-date=8 February 2007|access-date=2013-10-06|publisher=Web.uvic.ca}}</ref> Each summer, the City of Victoria presents dozens of concerts at the Cameron Band Shell in Beacon Hill Park.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cameron Bandshell|url=http://www.victoria.ca/EN/main/departments/parks-rec-culture/recreation-culture/outdoor-venues/cameron-bandshell.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116131836/http://www.victoria.ca/EN/main/departments/parks-rec-culture/recreation-culture/outdoor-venues/cameron-bandshell.html|archive-date=16 January 2013|publisher=City of Victoria}}</ref>

The extensive system of parks in Victoria also includes a few areas of natural [[Garry oak]] meadow habitat, an increasingly scarce ecosystem that once dominated the region.<ref>{{cite web|title=Where Do They Exist?|url=https://goert.ca/about/where-do-they-exist/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=goert.ca}}</ref>

Private gardens that are open to the public with sometimes limited opening hours are located throughout the city and offer access at low or no cost to visitors, they include the rose garden next to the [[The Empress (hotel)|Empress Hotel]], the Government House Gardens on the grounds of the [[Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia]]'s house (also known as [[Government House (British Columbia)|Government House]]) on Rockland Road,<ref>{{cite web|title=Visit|url=https://ltgov.bc.ca/getting-here/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Government House|language=en-US}}</ref> and [[Abkhazi Garden|Abkahazi Garden]] on Fairfield Road.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Teahouse at Abkhazi Garden – Abkhazi Garden{{!}} Victoria, BC Canada|url=https://www.abkhaziteahouse.com/abkhazi-garden|access-date=2022-01-13|website=abkhazi|language=en}}</ref>

Dallas Road is a waterfront trail and road with a {{Convert|6|mi|abbr=on|order=flip}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Dallas Road Waterfront Trail|url=https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/british-columbia/dallas-road-waterfront-trail|access-date=13 December 2021|website=[[AllTrails]]}}</ref>  to walk, run, bike or drive. Clover Point is its main rest area with benches, lounge chairs, picnic tables and a public washroom.<ref>{{cite web|date=2021-02-25|title=Victoria council compromises with partial closure of Clover Point|url=https://www.vicnews.com/news/victoria-council-compromises-with-partial-closure-of-clover-point/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Victoria News|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2021-02-25|title=Victoria approves closing half of Clover Point to cars|url=https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/victoria-approves-closing-half-of-clover-point-to-cars-1.5324971|access-date=2022-01-13|website=Vancouver Island|language=en}}</ref>

The David Foster Harbour Pathway is a predominantly a pedestrian pathway that meanders around the inner harbour between the southern start at Ogden point by the cruise ship terminal and Rock Bay at its northern terminus.<ref name="David Foster Harbour Pathway">{{Cite web |title=David Foster Harbour Pathway |url=https://www.victoria.ca/EN/main/residents/parks/david-foster-harbour-pathway.html |access-date=2022-09-12 |website=www.victoria.ca |language=en |archive-date=12 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220912194241/https://www.victoria.ca/EN/main/residents/parks/david-foster-harbour-pathway.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The pathway has some disconnected sections that are expected to be connected with redevelopments along the pathway near the Johnson street bridge.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perkins |first=Joe |date=2019-03-20 |title=Eleven years later, Victoria still hasn't finished Inner Harbour pathway |url=https://vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca/eleven-years-later-victoria-still-hasn-t-finished-inner-harbour-pathway-1.4344525 |access-date=2022-09-12 |website=Vancouver Island |language=en}}</ref> When completed the David Foster Harbour Pathway is expected to extend over {{Convert|5|km|abbr=on}} in length.<ref name="David Foster Harbour Pathway"/>

====Outside the city====
[[File:Lieu historique national du Canada des Jardins-Butchart 2012-09-15 18-27-50.jpg|thumb|About {{Convert|17|km|abbr=on}} north of [[Saanich, British Columbia|Saanich]] core is [[Butchart Gardens]], a [[botanical garden]] and [[National Historic Sites of Canada|National Historic Site]].]]
[[CFB Esquimalt]] navy base, in the adjacent municipality of [[Esquimalt, British Columbia|Esquimalt]], has a base museum dedicated to naval and military history, in the Naden part of the base.

North of the city on the Saanich Peninsula are the marine biology [[Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre]], [[Butchart Gardens]] in Brentwood Bay, one of the biggest tourist and local resident attractions on Vancouver Island, as well as the [[Dominion Astrophysical Observatory]], part of the [[National Research Council (Canada)|National Research Council]] of Canada, [[Victoria Butterfly Gardens]] and [[Dominion Astrophysical Observatory|Centre of the Universe]] planetarium.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2 Feb 2009 |title=International Year of Astronomy kicks-off at the Centre of the Universe! |url=http://www.hia-iha.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/cu/main_e.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210091329/http://www.hia-iha.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/cu/main_e.html |archive-date=10 February 2009 |website=Centre of the Universe}}</ref>