Groovin’ and Movin’ to Victoria’s Live Music Scene
Hear the sounds of music drifting from our squares, our streets, our SkyWalk, our splendid gardens, and even our seas. You won’t want the fun to end!
Here’s our list of major music festivals, as well as unique venues that grace our ears with sweet music.
Symphony in the Summer Festival
From July 24th through August 3rd, the Victoria Symphony makes Greater Victoria it's stage in a series of performances that are bound to inspire. This year's festival marks the 85th anniversary, so it was only right for it to mark the triumphant return of Symphony Splash! on Victoria's Iconic Inner Harbour, where the Symphony takes to the water aboard a barge to perform a floating concert enjoyed by on lookers from the water, the causeway, and the grounds of the BC Parliament Buildings. Best yet, Splash! is a free public event. In addition to Splash! there are a range of ticketed performances around the region from the Symphony and a variety of performers.
Rifflandia
“September Forever” is the slogan of RiffLandia, Victoria’s largest festival that beckons music-lovers from across the seas, and beyond.
Rifflandia will be taking place from September 11-14 at the Matullia Lands at Rock Bay. This year's show promises to be bigger than ever, with headliners including Maribou State, Public Enemy, Shakey Graves, Macy Gray, NxWorries, The Dead South, Alessia Cara, and a special hometown performance from The Victoria Symphony as they play Daft Punk. Pre-sale tickets are available May 2nd and regular ticket sales begin May 9th.
Make the most of your Riff with festival add-ons such as VIP, featuring side stage viewing, private bar, and lounge furniture, or join Supper Club and enjoy food stations, unlimited bites, and small plates including an oyster bar, pizza station, street food, and more. Or vibe in style, and rent a festival pod, which offer you your own box seats which includes a couch, chairs, side tables, shade cover, power outlets and a select menu from the Supper Club.
Stay up to date on their website and their social media for any last-minute lineup additions!
Phillip's Backyard Weekend Concert Series
The Phillip's Backyard Weekend Concert Series is a celebration of the best international recording artists and local craft beer, and what else could you expect from this iconic Canadian craft brewer? With two summer festival weekends in 2025, you don't want to miss this.
July 4th-6th "Tilt" weekend: Features an absolutely stacked line-up including Cold War Kids, Band of Skulls, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, G-Eazy, and so much more.
August 8th-10th "Reverb" weekend: Blows the roof off the place (if there was a roof to blow off of this open air festival) with performances from Peach Pit, Sombr, Phantogram, BORNS, The Roots, and more!
Photo credit: Christina Blackwood Photography
Outdoor Summer Concerts at the Butchart Gardens
Spend your evening surrounded by floral brilliance at The Butchart Gardens’ Outdoor Summer Concert Series, where each note floats above beds of blooms and starry skies. This is live music at its most magical. Local and touring acts blending seamlessly with rose-scented air, applause, and a gentle summer breeze. Every performance is original, every night pure West Coast romance. Check The Butchart Gardens website for dates, performers, and show times.
Esquimalt Ribfest
Get your groove (and your appetite) on at Esquimalt Ribfest, September 5th through 7th at Bullen Park, where the smoky aroma of championship barbecue is matched only by a sizzling lineup of live performers from sunrise to sundown! Fan favourites like the David Gogo Band, Will Black, and the Groove Diggers guarantee your toes (and taste buds) will be tapping along all weekend long. This beloved bash is all about music, friends, and finger-licking fun, keeping Greater Victoria rocking with community spirit. Not only is Esquimalt Ribfest finger-licking fun, but the proceeds also go to a great cause supporting the local community.
Local tip: Ribs taste even better when paired with a fresh beer or cider, grab a brew from local favourites Merridale Cidery & Distillery, Category 12 Brewing, Driftwood Brewery, Hoyne Brewing, or Junction Orchard & Cidery.
Photo credit: Esquimalt Ribfest
ArtisTree Festival
Step into the ArtisTree Festival, an open-air makers market located at the grounds of the historic Government House, where Victoria’s creativity branches in every direction! This one-of-a-kind event invites you to witness a musical mix as eclectic as the market itself, such as the Pacific Opera, Drum Victoria, and local dance troupes like Red Hot Swing and the UVic Cuban Salsa Club turning the grounds into a joyful dance floor. There’s truly nothing like it! A living, moving celebration of our community’s talent, uniting music, movement, and magic under the open sky. Don’t miss the fun, July 26th and 27th.
After Hours: Rock On at the Royal BC Museum
Ready to channel your inner rock star? “After Hours: Rock On” at the Royal BC Museum lets you dive deep into music’s impact on culture, with interactive activities, legendary DJ Boitano beats, and exclusive nighttime access to the iconic Beyond the Beat: Music of Resistance and Change exhibition. It’s a grown-up, after-dark, music-fueled adventure! Grab your ticket early and prepare to meet fellow fans, groove all night, and make museum memories long after the doors close. Don’t miss this one night only event, July 24th.
SoberFest
SoberFest at Starlite Stadium proves that you don’t need anything but great company and killer tunes to have the time of your life! Featuring a stacked original lineup with Serena Ryder, The Strumbrellas, Yukon Blonde, Snake The Ripper, and Colicchie, this wholly substance-free event puts recovery, connection, and pure musical joy at the heart of the celebration. It’s a festival where everyone is free to sing, dance, and belong, no filter required. Get ready to rock out Saturday, August 2nd.
Photo credit: Colin Smith, SoberFest
Saanich Fair
Step right into tradition at the Saanich Fair, where rides, midway entertainment, barnyard braying, and a classic country fair vibe set the stage for end-of-summer fun at the Saanich Fairgrounds, August 30–September 1, 2025. In addition to the nostalgic rides and agriplex animals, the live music is truly epic: legendary Canadian rockers The Trews will bring their signature anthems, filling the fair grounds with the sounds of summer and unforgettable energy for one night only on Sunday, August 31st.
Photo credit: Saanich Fair
Beachlands Eats & Beats Beach Party
Catch the groove and the sea breeze at the Beachlands Eats & Beats Beach Party in Colwood, Saturday, July 26, 2025, from 1–8pm. With an international food truck rally, beachside drinks, and a sun-soaked stage, you’ll dance to local legends like Kooler, Tight Hair Disco, SweetLeaf, Nautical Disaster (seen on stage in the photo), and Completely Creedence, plus a special welcome from lək̓ʷəŋən Traditional Dancers. It’s Victoria’s most joyful summer beach party (and one of the only music festivals you can kayak to!).
Photo credit: Jesse Holland Photography
Sooke Music & Arts Festival
Lose yourself in the grassroots magic of the Sooke Music & Arts Festival, where island artists and musicians put their hearts, and their original songs, on full display. With every note played and every creation shared, this festival blooms with the kind of coastal creativity and camaraderie that makes Sooke truly unique. Come wander, listen, and connect with the pulse of a community that lives for art and music. Choose from the ticketed August 8th show at Fred Milne Park featuring 90’s rockers, Econoline Crush, or the free, family-friendly music festival on August 9th.
Photo credit: Sooke Music & Arts Festival
Victoria’s Ska & Reggae Festival
Taking place June 21-25th, the Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival, aka. Ska Fest, is the longest running ska festival in North America. Finally, the long winter has receded, and the time has come to prepare for warm days and warmer music. This year's Ska Fest welcomes a staggeringly diverse lineup full of the finest grooves and rhythms from around the globe including Propaghandi and The Pharcyde.
TD Victoria International Jazz Festival
TD Jazz Fest is the longest running music festival on Vancouver Island! The eleven days of music, from June 20th-29th, feature the best of jazz, blues, and world music of local, Canadian, and internationally acclaimed musicians. The Victoria Jazz Society does an exceptional job organizing this festival each year and coordinating shows of all sizes in venues across Greater Victoria.
Farmers Markets
In Victoria, farmers markets are about more than just fresh produce, you’ll find local musicians providing the soundtrack to your Saturday (or Sunday) shopping. Sample artisan goods while soaking up the tunes, feeling the heart and soul of our creative community all around you. At Greater Victoria’s markets, every purchase and every melody supports local talent and togetherness.
These pubs are poppin'!
So many of Victoria’s pubs add to their energy with live music. Read on for our list!
Bard & Banker – live music nearly every night! Check their calendar to see who’s playing.
Irish Times Pub – Just a block away from the Bard and Banker, the Irish Times also offers live music nearly every night. It’s a great block to be at if you’d like to fill your night with sound!
Penny Farthing Pub – Live music fills this iconic Oak Bay pub every Friday and Saturday, starting at 8:00pm.
Hermann’s Jazz Club – we snuck this one into our “pubs” list, but really, it’s a music venue – with food and drink menus to boot!
Music in the Community
Victoria’s summer nights are alive with the sounds of local talent, playing everywhere from cozy parks to bustling downtown spots. Each corner of Greater Victoria has its own rhythm, whether it’s grooving with the locals at Langford’s Fridays at the Station, dancing along Sidney’s beautiful shoreline to Sidney Summer Sounds, or kicking back in the fresh air at Saanich’s Music in the Park. Here, every night out can turn into a toe-tapping, hand-clapping celebration of community spirit!
Victoria, British Columbia is known as a food mecca. Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria boasts more restaurants per capita than almost any other city in Canada. With seemingly endless outdoor dining opportunities, alfresco is basically a way of life here. We've put together a list of some patios where you can soak up the sun this season
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