Another Greater Victoria parade cancelled as costs and safety concerns mount

Another long-standing Greater Victoria tradition is scaling back this year, as organizers of the Oak Bay Tea Party have announced the cancellation of its popular parade.

In a statement, the event’s board said the decision came after “much consideration,” pointing to a combination of rising operational costs, a shortage of volunteers and new safety requirements.

“While the parade has been a much loved community tradition for many years, these challenges have greatly impaired our ability to move forward safely and responsibly,” organizers said.

Despite the cancellation, the rest of the event will go ahead as planned, with the midway and live entertainment set to return to Willows Park from June 5th to 7th.

The parade typically draws thousands of spectators along Oak Bay streets each year and is considered one of the highlights of the annual festival.

Organizers say they are committed to finding a way to bring the parade back in 2027 as part of the event’s 65th anniversary celebrations.

Second parade cancelled in recent weeks

The Oak Bay decision marks the second parade cancellation in Greater Victoria in recent weeks.

Last month, organizers of Buccaneer Days confirmed their parade would not take place this year, citing similar challenges including difficulties finding a parade co-ordinator and enough volunteers to meet new safety requirements.

Those updated safety measures come in the wake of the Lapu Lapu Day block party tragedy in Vancouver last year, where 11 people were killed after a vehicle drove into a crowd.

The cancellations come as other local events face mounting financial pressure.

Earlier this morning, the Downtown Victoria Business Association announced it would not be moving forward with this year’s Lights of Wonder, also citing rising costs and other factors.

For now, both the Oak Bay Tea Party and Buccaneer Days will continue to offer their core programming, even as their signature parades are put on pause.