Things to do this September in Victoria, BC
In Victoria, we like to think September didn’t get the memo about summer ending. Here, sunshine still lingers, patios stay lively, and the city buzzes with that laid-back, anything’s-possible vibe. If you’re the kind of traveller who loves squeezing every last drop out of summer, you’ve just found your happy place.
Labour Day Weekend Family Escape
While summer might not yet be over, summer break is coming to a close. Are your kids ready to end summer break on a high note? Victoria’s got your family covered with unforgettable Labour Day adventures! Start your day marvelling at mammoths and ancient treasures at the Royal BC Museum, your kids will love the hands-on exhibits. Refuel at the candy-coloured Fisherman’s Wharf for fish & chips surrounded by quirky floating homes, then let the kids burn off energy in Beacon Hill Park’s playgrounds (keep an eye out for the resident peacocks!). Next, set sail on a sunset whale-watching tour for real-life orca sightings and sea breezes that’ll make everyone beam. For the perfect rest after your big day, snuggle up at The Parkside Hotel & Spa. It’s family-friendly, with a pool, bookable movie theatre, and rooftop’s s’mores, so you can start making memories the moment you arrive.
Local tip: When hunger strikes, Barb’s Fish & Chips is the place to be, located conveniently on Fisherman’s Wharf, this is the perfect spot to grab a bite, while you soak in the atmosphere and the sunshine at this vibrant floating community.
Rifflandia Music Festival Experience
September in Victoria means it’s time to tune your soul to Rifflandia, the city’s biggest music festival! Imagine you and your friends, both old and new, vibing to epic acts like Public Enemy and NxWorries, under open skies at Rock Bay. What makes it even sweeter? Every ticket sends a little love back to the community, supporting amazing local causes, so your good times do real good throughout Greater Victoria. Go all-in with box seats (hello, festival HQ!) or treat yourself to star-status eats with Supper Club perks. Dancing like nobody’s watching and eating like a rockstar? That’s the Victoria way. Rifflandia returns for four nights, September 11-14th.
South Island Pow Wow & National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
September 30th marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Hosted by Songhees First Nation, the annual South Island Pow Wow is an opportunity to recognize Survivors and their families in the spirit of reconciliation.
Through song and dance, the South Island Pow Wow celebrates traditional Indigenous cultures and resiliency, holding space for survivors and those who never made it home.
Free admission, all are welcome.
Flavour Trails
Craving an adventure that tastes as good as it feels? The Flavour Trails will have you winding down scenic country roads, sampling farm-fresh produce, hand-pulled honey from a BYOJ (bring your own jar) honey tap, and orchard-picked apple ciders along the way. Chat with inspired chefs, meet goats with big personalities, and score edible souvenirs, that might be just too good to take home, while savouring the Saanich Peninsula, the Southern Gulf Islands, or Westshore’s tastiest trails. This local, unscripted, and deliciously interactive expedition is the best way to discover the flavours of Vancouver Island.
Local tip: The harvest season has begun, and there’s no better time to experience the Flavour Trails than now!
Downtown Derby: Pacific FC vs Vancouver FC
Soccer season meets city beats at Royal Athletic Park this September as Pacific FC storms downtown for the very first Downtown Derby, September 13th. And the energy is contagious! Imagine thousands of voices chanting, purple scarves waving, and rivals colliding on lush green turf. It’s more than a match, it’s your chance to soak up festival vibes, snack on local food, and feel like part of the history books (even if you’re new to the game!). Whether you’re cheering in the stands or showing your team spirit at the beer garden, this is Victoria’s soccer celebration. Don’t miss the action!
7th Annual Cider Harvest Festival
Sip and savour your way through BC’s best cideries at the 7th Annual Cider Harvest Festival hosted by Merridale Cidery & Distillery, September 21st. If crisp, local cider is the apple of your eye, you’re not going to want to miss this event, as farm-based cideries from across the province join the folks at Merridale for a celebration of all things cider. For those who haven’t been before, Merridale, BC’s first craft cidery, is an Instagram-worthy orchard, cidery, and distillery nestled in the agricultural heartlands of the Cowichan Valley. Your ticket to the event, which is just $49 plus tax, includes event admission, a souvenir glass, and transportation to and from Victoria or the Westshore. Once you’re there, enjoy live music, delicious eats from Merridale’s kitchen, and tasting tickets for just $2 per pour. Raise a glass to good times and big flavours and help BC’s craft cideries celebrate the fruits of their labour after another successful and scrumptious harvest season.
Esquimalt Ribfest
Prepare your taste buds, and your stretchy pants, for Esquimalt Ribfest, the sauciest and happiest food celebration on the island. It’s three days of music, sizzling ribs, craft beer, and laughter echoing across the park (plus, plenty of face-painting and games for the kids). Even better? Every slathered rib you devour helps local charities, so you can dig in and dance with a good conscience. It’s a full-blown community hoedown, and everyone’s invited. Get your rib on, September 13th.
Photo credit: Esquimalt Ribfest
Rick Mercer’s Stand-up for Canada Comedy Tour
Sorry, not sorry. Arguably Canada’s most Canadian comedian, Rick Mercer brings his Stand-up for Canada Comedy Tour to Victoria for four nights of laughs, connection, and unapologetically Canadian comedy. In tow with Rick are some of the nation’s Eh-list comedians performing side-splitting sets, including, Juno Award winner Sophie Buddle, Juno-nominated Mayce Galoni, and Canadian Screen Award winning writer and producer, Julie Kim. The laughs are sure to be as thick as maple syrup, so put on your best Canadian tuxedo, grab the reigns of your moose, and make your way to Victoria for a taste of comedy Canada-style, September 16 and 19th at the Royal Theatre
Brewery and the Beast
If you eat with your heart and your soul (not just your fork), you’ll be right at home at Brewery and the Beast. Picture 50+ chef stations, live fire-grilled feasts, and a steady flow of local brews, all set to a soundtrack of live music. Every hand-crafted plate comes with a story. Think Canadian farms, local legends, and total culinary creativity, where you can try anything and everything. Bonus points, your ticket supports health, wellness, and future of the hospitality industry, including the next generation of great chefs. Come hungry, leave happy, it’s the foodie memory you’ll boast about for years. Unleash your inner beast, September 21st.
Photo credit: Brewery and the Beast
Fall Fairfield
There’s nothing quite like Fall Fairfield, Victoria’s artsy, neighbourly, and joy-filled fall festival smack in the heart of one of the city’s funkiest ‘hoods. It’s free, it’s all-ages, and it’s jam-packed with local musicians, crafty vendors, harvest season snacks, and that unmistakable neighbourhood energy. Kids dance, grownups mingle, and everyone finds a one-of-a-kind treasure or two. Show up with an empty tote and a full heart and you’ll leave stuffed with good eats, good vibes, and all those little feelings that let you know you’ve found somewhere unlike anywhere else. The good times roll, September 21st.
Metchosin Fall Witches Market
Grab the family and gather round the cauldron, the Metchosin Fall Witches Market is back, and it’s more spellbinding than ever. Meet local witches while you shop an array of artisans and vendors specializing in witchy spell therapies, broomsticks, crystals, pendulums, and more. Enjoy two days of tarot readings, potion bars (serving up ghoulishly good mocktails), and more during this bewitching festival which provides a sneak peak of Halloween. The early witch gets the toad, with mini spell kits for the first 30 guests each day, plus hourly draw prizes. Don’t miss the fun September 20th and 21st.
Vox Humana Chamber Choir: Vox in the Stars
Standing beneath the famous Plaskett Telescope while choral music weaves celestial magic overhead is something you’ll remember for a lifetime. Vox in the Stars is an intimate, wondrous, and just a tad cosmic event that you’ll never forget. This is where music and astronomy hold hands, and your sense of awe goes into orbit. Expect goosebumps, a grateful heart, and serious bragging rights if you snag tickets before they blast off. Catch one of three shows from September 5-7th.
Bastion Square Summer Night Market
With cozy season just around the corner, Victoria’s makers are busier than ever crafting up hand-made goods that make home feel a little more, well, like home! Shop local in the heart of downtown, Wednesday, September 17th, from 5:00 – 10:00PM, at the Bastion Square Summer Night Market, where the city’s best wares are laid out beneath the sunset. Peruse the racks, chat with local makers, and find that perfect keepsake to remember your time in Victoria.
Local tip: Summertime is market season, don’t miss the ReLove Market, who are featuring not one but two markets in September with their Ship Point Market, September 6th, and their Night Market at Fort Commons on September 25th.
Laugh your Butt off
September is all about the laughs in Victoria, as the city is graced by not one but two of the greatest Canadian comedy acts. The legendary, Brent Butt, star of the hit Canadian TV series, Corner Gas takes over the McPherson Playhouse for a one-night show. Brent’s deadpan humour has struck a chord with Canadians for decades, making him one of the hottest comedy stars in the country. Tickets are sure to sellout fast for the September 20th show. Grab yours before they’re gone!
Soul of Vietnam Festival
Get your tastebuds and your dancing shoes ready, AS Soul of Vietnam brings vibrant Southeast Asian energy to Victoria’s downtown streets with its first-ever festival on September 20th! Dive into mountains of fresh bánh mì, groove to live tunes and cultural performances, and lose yourself in brilliant Ao Dai fashion shows. Little ones can explore the dedicated kids’ zone, while grownups snack, shop, and soak up that signature Vietnamese warmth. Come curious, come hungry, this is community, culture, and connection in full bloom.
Breakfast in Bed Day
Hit the snooze button, because it’s Breakfast in Bed Day, Saturday, September 27th, and we’re celebrating sleeping in and prioritizing me. Take a slow start to your morning and enjoy breakfast, or Victoria’s personal favourite, brunch, in bed. It’s that easy! With an array of hotels around the Inner Harbour boasting restaurants that specialize in fresh, local cuisine, you can make the most of Island time in Island style, one bite at a time. Tuck into a harbourfront breakfast in bed at the Fairmont Empress, Hotel Grand Pacific, Inn at Laurel Point, or Delta Hotels by Marriott Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort.
Read A Book Day
From manicured gardens to stately castles, Victoria, BC is a storybook city. Write your story among its pages September 6th for National Read A Book Day, as you find that perfect page-turner in one of our many storied bookstores. Take a peak inside Munro’s Books, often regarded as one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world, peruse shelves piled high with every type of read at Russell Books, Canada’s largest independent bookstore, or tuck away into a cozy book nook at Bastion Books. While you’re searching for your next read, keep an eye out for the works of our talented local authors including Tara Moss, Sarika Cullis-Suzuki, Brionny Penn, and Bob MacDonald.
International Chocolate Day
If you’ve ever daydreamed of living in a chocolate lover’s fantasy, Victoria is basically the capital city of sticky fingers. Step into the National Historic Site of Rogers’ Chocolates for old-world chocolates steeped in tradition and bold flavour, then treat yourself to a deliriously decadent dipped cone at Chocolat Favoris. Or go all-in with a chocolate tasting adventure at Violet Grove Farms, where each bite is an edible postcard from farm to bar. Celebrate International Chocolate Day, September 13th, in style, you deserve every scrumptious moment of it.
Local tip: Looking for that iconic Victoria sweet to take back home? Grab a box of Rogers’ Chocolates’ famous Victoria creams, which feature a range of flavoured whips in milk or dark chocolate (we won’t blame you if you eat the whole box before you leave).
Astronomy Day
Blast off on adventure like no other! September 27th is Astronomy Day, and you’re in luck, because a visit to Greater Victoria is out of this world. Whether staring up at the stars from a DARK SKY viewing area, like Cattle Point, or taking in a celestial show from one of the city’s observatories such as the Centre of the Universe, our cosmic entertainment is sure to leave you beaming with joy. Shoot for the stars on your next galactic adventure, without ever leaving the comforts of the Earth below, during your next unforgettable visit to Victoria.
Local tip: Get a sneak peek at Astronomy Day during the Centre of the Universe’s Star Party on September 13th, from 7:00-11:30PM.
Download Victoria's Vacation Guide
Navigate our map of Greater Victoria
Victoria Visitor Centre
812 Wharf Street
Victoria, B.C.
More Greater Victoria
Corporate Hub
