Saanich Earth Day Festival
When: April 19th 2025, 11 am – 3 pm
Where: 770 Vernon Ave, behind Municipal Hall
How to get here: Come by bike if you can! The event is just off of the Lochside Trail. Valet bike parking provided by The Locker. BC Transit buses 70, 71, 72 and 75 all stop just outside of Municipal Hall and we will have limited vehicle parking on the north side of the parking lot.
Free Activities
Live Music
Vendors
Accessibility
What is the event all about?
The Saanich Earth Day Festival is all about everyday sustainability. It is a chance to celebrate our planet, fight against climate change, and learn about everyday ways we can lessen our impact on the Earth as a community and as individuals. Come to the event to learn about small changes you can make in your life that will have a big impact on our climate.
Bring the family to the festival to listen to live music by local musicians, visit the vendor village, get lunch from the food truck, and play with the interactive elements.
Free Activities
In addition to the various activities hosted by vendors, Saanich has lots of fun things to do for kids:
- Bring your bikes to test your skills on the bike skills course, run by Capital Bike
- Get crafty and make a personalized button
- Let your artistic side loose by doing a facilitated art activity
- Pretend to be a firefighter while sitting in the drivers' seat of a fire engine
- Dance and sing to live music
Live Music Schedule
11 am - 12 pm: Jill Cooper
As a live musician, Jill is a guitarist, singer, and looping specialist. She has released 3 original albums and performed live around Canada, the US, and Europe.
With a passion for music that shines through her performances, Jill has become a sought-after artist for weddings and events in and around Victoria BC for 13 years. Jill believes that live music can bring people together. With a wide repertoire of music spanning from the 1950s to 2023, Jill tailors each performance to reflect the unique musical tastes of her clients.
12.30 - 1.30 pm: Nice Verdes
Discover the unique and lively music of Nice Verdes. They create original compositions that beautifully intertwine with folk music of Latin America. Using a blend of instruments such as accordions, the Tres Cubano, guitar, and rich harmonies, they create a captivating and dynamic mix of sounds that uplift the spirits and energize listeners. Each performance is a celebration of rhythm and melody, inviting audiences to immerse themselves in the sunny experience of their music.
2 - 3 pm: Olivia Jackson and Charis Tazumi
Olivia Jackson is a singer-songwriter from Victoria B.C. whose intricate lyrics aim to weigh out conflicting emotions. Although Olivia is primarily known for performing and releasing as half of Victoria band ‘actual human people’, the window into vulnerable moments of her life remain consistent in her music as a solo artist. Olivia seeks to shine a light on life’s more uncomfortable feelings, creating a space for others to feel comfortable healing out loud.
Charis Tazumi is an independent singer-songwriter based out of Victoria B.C, who shares her most heartfelt thoughts through wistful instrumentations and compelling lyricism. In May 2024, she released her debut album “In Subtle Ways”, recorded and created with friends and musicians in Victoria. The album captures the subtle yet transformative moments of her life, weaving in narratives of delightful over imagination, the sweetness of starting a life with someone, and the feeling of finally waking up. While Charis is inspired by various genres such as folk, pop, indie, and alternative, the through line is Charis’ authenticity as a songwriter and the ethereal and compelling nature of her melodies.
Vendor Village
We have a great line up of vendors this year! With things to learn, things to buy and things to take part in, there are plenty of options.
DIG food truck
Reduce is the First R Kids' Activity
Fireweed Farm and School
Plant-Based Cities Movement
BC Transit
Capital Bike
Saanich Parks
Saanich Sustainability
Saanich Community Services
Saanich Police
Saanich Fire
Saanich Emergency Program
Lifecycles Project Society
Diverters Foundation
Evercoast Handmade
Vancouver Island's Own
Flourish Apothecary
Friends of Bowker Creek
Rithet's Bog Conservation Society
Amazing Space Studio
Cycles West
Felt a Bird On It
Seniors for Climate Victoria
Electrom LEV
Shift Solar
If you are interested in vending at other Saanich events, please visit that event's web page for details. All events can be found at www.saanich.ca/events.
Accessibility
Getting here: The event is accessible to vehicles (via Vernon Ave or Darwin Ave), bicycles and pedestrians (via the Lochside Trail), and buses (70, 71, 72 and 75 northbound all stop on Vernon right outside Municipal Hall, and southbound on Vernon outside of Uptown Mall).
Surface conditions and grade: The Earth Day Festival site location is fully paved. Coming from Vernon Ave down to the festival site is a somewhat steep grade with speed bumps at intervals. The grade from the Lochside Trail into the festival site is flat.
Washrooms: there will be three portable toilets available, one of which will be an accessible portable toilet. Flush washrooms are not available at this event.
Noise: This event will have live, amplified music at 11 am, 12.30 pm, and 2 pm. All sets will be an hour in length. In between sets, there will be announcements from stage and recorded music.
Food and beverage: Food offerings will be exclusively vegan and vegetarian, with gluten free options available as well. As all food will be provided by local food truck DIG, Saanich cannot verify or clarify specific allergen or dietary questions (please direct all questions to DIG).
Weather: This event is fully outdoors and will run rain or shine.
Questions about the event? Please email events@saanich.ca.
