Victoria Canada - Fireworks Show?

We are planning to cruise up to Victoria, CA between Christmas and New Years day - any locals know if there will be a fireworks show in the bay? Or other cities or communities nearby doing a fireworks show? Thanks

I dont believe there are any fireworks on NYE.
Assuming our boat gets out of the yard, we will be on the causeway below the Empress.

We have a holiday you Americans don't have called Boxing Day which is December 26. December 26 is really our Black Friday. All those folks getting money for Xmas and its burning a hole in their pockets. So the sales are hot and heavy on December 26. So if you want to experience fireworks just go shopping in some of the retail stores then. And if your moor your boat in front of the Empress, you are just a few short blocks from "the" downtown mall.

We will be below the Empress as well. Doesn't sound like there will be a New Years show but we will still enjoy the visit. I just had an electrician on board to clean up our power so we should be good to go on new ELCI shorepower (just in case the docks up there have been upgraded).

Any chance that Butchard Gardens has a fireworks show on NYE?

No fireworks at Butchart's but still worth an evening visit. Lots of light, carolers etc.

Butchart Gardens video of Xmas lights, 2013 but I guarantee you it will be pretty much the same.


If you are military, even American, but don't volunteer that information, just ask if they have a military discount, they do at the Gardens, to get in. Admission isn't cheap but an enjoyable time. The great thing about Canadians is they are totally ignorant of anything Canadian military or anyone's military for that matter. I have a vet's card and when I went in, they asked if I was active and I handed them my vet card (which meant I wasn't active) but they didn't have a clue so I got in for free. If they card you, just say you are posted to Esquimalt, that will send them into a tizzy....lol.

To give you an idea of how pathetic Canadians are military wise, just to piss off people I would use my military ID when I was active when asked for Id for whatever. My military ID was never accepted, they'd say do you have anything like a driver's license, and I's say, I'm more vetted with a military ID than a driver's license, and that would send them into a tizzy. One hundred percent of the time, I'd end up having to show my driver's license.