Just over 4,000 people will march, dance, drive and otherwise make their way along the new route from the B.C. legislature in Victoria to Chatham Street starting at 9 a.m. on Monday.
The 2026 Thrifty Foods Victoria Day Parade may have a shorter route than last year, but the annual event will see its largest number of participants ever.
Just over 4,000 people will march, dance, drive and otherwise make their way along the new route from the legislature to Chatham Street starting at 9 a.m. on Monday. The participant number is up from about 3,800 at last year’s milestone 125th parade. However, the number of overall entries — such as floats, bands and dance groups — is down, with 88 signed up, compared with nearly 100 last year.
The long-serving, four-kilometre parade route along Douglas Street has been replaced by a 1.6-km downtown route for safety reasons — stemming from concerns after 11 people were killed at last year’s Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver when a vehicle was driven into a crowd.
The 126th edition of the parade will follow the same route as last year’s Santa Claus Parade — going along Government Street, to Wharf Street, to Johnson Street, then back to Government Street and ending at Chatham Street.
Victoria Day Parade director Kelly Kurta from the Greater Victoria Festival Society said a few entries from other local parades that were cancelled this year are taking part, including a Special Olympics Torch Run entry that was scheduled in the now-called-off Oak Bay Tea Party Parade.
On hand to support the Special Olympics athletes will be the Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay, View Royal and Colwood fire departments, along with the Oak Bay police, Kurta said.
Serving as the honorary parade marshal will be 90-year-old Bob Barlow, who played 77 games in the NHL and has the distinction of scoring the league’s fastest first goal ever — six seconds into his first shift with his first shot.
“He’ll be riding in a convertible Mustang at the front of the parade,” Kurta said.
The parade will also feature a wide variety of cultural groups, she said, as well as a “stunning” float from the Penticton Peach Festival.
Other notable participants are the B.C. Aviation Museum and the Legendary Sikh Riders motorcycle team.
The public can get into the parade spirit today by attending the Parade of Bands and Epic Drum Battle, being held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the legislature.
The show will include marching bands set to perform in Monday’s parade, the Stages Dance Company, the Victoria Morris Dancers and the University of Washington Husky Drumline.
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