Victoria Day Parade to set 88-entry record with CHEK broadcast

The 126th annual victoria day parade will return to B.C.'s capital on Monday, May 18, with CHEK broadcasting and livestreaming the event starting at 9 a.m. Kelly Kurta, the parade organizer and executive director of the Greater Victoria Festival Society, said this year's 88-entry lineup is record-breaking.

Nearly 4,200 participants will take part, including marching bands, dancers, cultural performers, military representatives, floats and community organizations. For viewers, the broadcast will feature Stacy Ross, Paul Haysom, Jeff King and Ed Bain.

Inner Harbour route change

The parade will use a new route along Victoria's Inner Harbour for the first time. It will head up Government Street and then Wharf Street before looping back around.

Kurta said the route change follows new safety rules put in place by the city after the 2025 Vancouver Lapu Lapu Day Festival tragedy. Victoria Police will deploy its Remotely Piloted Aircraft System to monitor crowds.

Kelly Kurta on parade scale

Kurta said the parade has brought people together for 126 years, and she described the floats as one of its most distinctive parts. “One of the most unique and beloved elements of the parade continues to be the extraordinary floats, many of which are purposely designed and built specifically for this parade,” she said in a Greater Victoria Festival Society statement.

She added: “These creations are more than parade entries, they are expressions of heritage, creativity, community pride and love for the city.”

The Greater Victoria Festival Society recently won a national award for putting on the special 25th annual Victoria Day Parade last year, adding another marker to an event that now combines a larger field, a new route and live coverage for people watching from home.