I LOVE Esquimalt! Where else can can adults dress up as pirates for the annual Buccaneer Days, and parade around yelling “Arrr matey”!
Image: Frans Jonker
Our family lived in Esquimalt for over 20 years. It was a wonderful place to raise children, with easy access to schools, the recreation centre, library, shopping, parks and beaches.
A highlight of our year was always the annual Buccaneer Days – from the early morning “wakey wakey” call shouted through out the municipality by neighbour Rod Lavergne sitting atop an Esquimalt Fire Rescue truck, to the Lions pancake breakfast where neighbours chatted in the newly de-iced Archie Browning hockey rink, to the community booths and craft tables, and of course, the mid-way.
This past Saturday we returned to catch up with neighbours, and learn a bit more about scheduled upcoming events.
Saturday June 18th features both the Wild About Whales Derby and the Love Your Community Kindness Explosion.
Wild About Whales takes place in Esquimalt Gorge Park from 1:30 – 4:30pm. A fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Victoria Foundation, the day will feature a BBQ, voyageur canoe rides, bouncy castle, face painting and lots of family fun.
You can “adopt” a whale for $5 and watch it race down the Gorge.
Wild About Whales
The “Love Your Community Kindness Explosion” includes sites at both Memorial Park (with bouncy castle, hot dogs, face painting, crafts, live music and family fun) as well as the View Royal Canadian Tire (featuring BBQ and car wash). All events are FREE and everyone is welcome.
Love Your City
Did you know that the original Lantern Festival in the capital region was first held in Esquimalt in the late 1990s? A project of the West Bay Residents Association with support from the Saxe Point Residents Association and many other community organizations, it was originally held in late May. The festival took a hiatus for a number of years, and started again in 2009.
The Esquimalt Lantern Festival is now scheduled for Saturday September 24th from 6-10pm in Captain Jacobson Park (Head Street). There is more information on the website. Lantern making workshops will be offered. Be sure to put this wonderful event on your family’s calendar. It was one of the highlights of our year when my children were younger.
And finally – 2012 brings the Esquimalt Centennial – a year of celebrations for one of the region’s oldest municipalities. You can find the centennial on the web, Facebook and Twitter.
Memorial Bricks - An Esquimalt Centennial Project
The memorial bricks featured above are an early fund raising project – they will be incorporated in a walkway in Memorial Park. More information here:
Thanks to an amazing community where volunteer spirit is still alive and well!
I Love Esquimalt
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Love this post Janis. As a fairly long-time resident of Esquimalt (I grew up here and have now returned to raise my children here) it is lovely to see someone highlighting all the positivities our little community brings.
Cheers,
Jen
Thanks for the comment Jen! I love Esquimalt too (not that I don’t love my new community of Hillside-Quadra). It was great to catch up on all that’s going on. I’m happy to highlight it for the benefit of others who might not realize just what a jewel the “community over the Blue Bridge” is!
Loved your blog, Buccaneer Days are truly special. There is something about dressing in a Pirate costume, I didn’t want to take mine off! Please make sure you come back again next year when Esquimalt has its Centennial Celebrations too!
Thanks very much Barb – I will definitely be promoting the Esquimalt Centennial. I truly loved the many years of living in the municipality.
A agree — a great post. And thanks for mentioning the two events on June 18th. I had no idea they were happening.
One of the only complaints I have about Esquimalt is it’s difficult to find out what’s happening in the community, unless it’s a municipality-sponsored event.
Have you checked out Tim Morrison’s blog The Esquimalt Review http://esquimaltreview.wordpress.com/
I don’t read it all the time, but Tim has insightful posts.
Thanks for that link. I’ll check it out.
You are most welcome!
Great post! I miss Esquimalt….this one brought me back. Thank you 🙂
You are most welcome! It was fun to visit and catch up with people.