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I learned a new word today: sesquicentennial. According to good ol’ Wikipedia, it means 150 years. It’s very fitting that I figured it out today, as we British Columbians are celebrating BC’s 150th anniversary.

150 years ago, mainland British Columbia was officially named as a colony of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Some years later, the colony of Vancouver Island merged with BC. The region eventually became a province of Canada.

A celebration of some sort is done every year, but this year was extra special considering the milestone we have reached. So there was some extra fun in Victoria this weekend.

I’ve included some photos below, and a full gallery is available.

Saturday got off to a start with the unveiling of a bell, outside City Hall, as a memorial to firefighters who died in the line of duty. The ceremony was followed by a parade of vintage and modern fire trucks down Government Street. I didn’t have my camera at the time, so no pictures then and there.

Sunday morning, I went back to City Hall with my camera, and got a picture of the bell and accompanying plaque. Heading down to the harbour, I saw the fire trucks assembled in the Ship Point parking lot, and some parked on the street above as well. The trucks were open to the public for examination, which was a treat as it was something different. Demonstrations were being given of the vintage equipment - very neat. Vintage fire trucks had come from across BC, and some were from as far as Calgary and Portland.

I returned to the harbour in the evening to attend the Symphony Splash. It is an annual event that happens the Sunday before BC Day. The symphony is located on a barge in the Inner Harbour, and the public gather in the surrounding region to enjoy the music. There was a massive crowd - one could barely move from one location to another. The performance continued until dark, where the 1812 Overture was played, accompanied by cannons and fireworks. What a treat.

Monday was BC Day itself. The day was punctuated with regular performances on the front lawn of the Parliament Buildings. They were a huge draw, with crowds at least as big as those at the Splash the night before. I attended some of the evening performance, which was enjoyable. Some good music there. There was a variety of performers, including Burton Cummings and Sarah McLachlan.

All in all, it was a good long weekend with plenty to do. This has been a busy summer for Victoria, first with Tall Ships in June, then Canada Day a month ago, and now BC Day.