Groovin’ and Movin’ to Victoria’s Live Music Scene
5-minute read
Updated March 24, 2026
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
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.
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?
July 10th-12th weekend: Features an absolutely stacked line-up including Chance the Rapper, Father John Misty, Modest Mouse, Wolf Parade, and so much 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 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
SoberFest
SoberFest at Starlite Stadium, on Saturday, August 15th, proves that you don’t need anything but great company and killer tunes to have the time of your life! 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.
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, September 5th-7th, 2025. In addition to the nostalgic rides and agriplex animals, the live music is truly epic, filling the fair grounds with the sounds of summer and unforgettable energy.
Photo credit: Saanich Fair
Sooke Music & Arts Festival
Lose yourself in the grassroots magic of the Sooke Music & Arts Festival, August 7th and 8th, 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.
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 Lagwagon, Souls of Mischief, Charly Black, and Bedouin Soundclash.
TD Victoria International Jazz Festival
TD Jazz Fest is the longest running music festival on Vancouver Island! The eleven days of music, from June 19th-28th, 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. This year, catch acts such as Pink Martini, Kokoroko, BEATrio, M.E.B, Snacktime, and Etran de L'Aïr.
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
Read More
More inspiration
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
