British Columbia's Legislative Buildings and Victoria's Inner Harbour. Sue Frause photo.
Things will be hoppin' in the British Columbia capital of Victoria on Oct. 30, 2009. That's the beginning of the launch of the nationwide Olympic Torch Relay for the 2010 Winter Games. The flame has been lit "by the rays of sun" in Olympia, Greece and traveled to Victoria directly from Greece.
During the first two days of the relay, the Olympic flame will chart a course through nearly every municipality in Victoria's Capital Region on Vancouver Island. The festivities begin on Friday, Oct. 30 when Victoria hosts the the official arrival of the Olympic flame from Athens, Greece. There will be a formal ceremony in the Inner Harbour and on the lawns of the Legislature at 9:30 AM.
This is also the site of the Community Celebration on Friday, Oct. 30 from 5:30-8:30 PM in Victoria's Inner Harbour. With the backdrop of the historic Legislative buildings and The Fairmont Empress (both designed by the same architect, Francis Rattenbury), the celebration will include many of Victoria's best-known musicians, performers and artists. There will also be acrobatics, dance and local luminaries, athletes and celebrities.
The multi-media presentation will include street-level animation featuring giant puppets, interactive characters, lanterns and a choreographed aerial sculpture featuring audience interactions. Spectators will be waving handheld torchieres and glow products and the finale with be a spectacular show of pyrotechnics.
Here is the route of the two-day Olympic Torch Relay in the Victoria area:
- Friday, Oct. 30, 2009
- Victoria
- Esquimalt
- View Royal
- CFB Esquimalt
- Sidney
- North Saanich
- Central Saanich
- Saanich
- UVic
- Oak Bay
- Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009
- Sooke
- Metchosin
- Fort Rodd Hill
- Colwood
- Langford
Comments