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 Enemty, Shakey Graves, Macy Gray, NxWorries, The Dead South, Alessia Cara, and 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
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.
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!
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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