Earth Day Festival

Saanich Earth Day Festival

The Saanich Earth Day Festival celebrates sustainability in our community. In 2026, our theme is Reuse, Share, Repair, and will focus on simple ways we can divert waste from landfill by reusing things in new ways, sharing with neighbours, and repairing when possible.

Bring the family to the festival to listen to live music by local musicians, visit the vendor village, get lunch from the food truck, and play with the interactive elements. We'll even have special guest Curby, the bike lane street sweeper at the event! 

When: April 18th 2026, 11 am – 3 pm
Where: 770 Vernon Ave, behind Municipal Hall and just off of the Lochside Trail

How to Get Here
Free Activities
Live Music
Vendors
Accessibility
Contact

The Venue / How to Get Here

Earth Day Fest is behind Saanich Municipal Hall, and just off the Lochside Trail at the Darwin Ave. exit. 

Bicycle Parking
Come by bike to get the best parking at the event. Roll right into the event venue and safely stow your bike and gear with The Locker. Valet parking is free. E bikes, cargo bikes, strider bikes, hybrids, pennyfarthings and trikes all welcome.

BC Transit

The closes bus stops to the event venue are:

  • Vernon Ave at Ravine Way. Stop ID 100679 (to Saanichton Exch/Swartz Bay) serving buses 32, 70, 71, 72, and 75
  • Blanshard St at Ravine Way. Stop ID 100650 (to downtown) serving buses 72 and 75
  • Saanich Rd at Darwin Ave. Stop ID 100643 (to Dockyard/Uptown) serving buses 26, 26A and 26B
  • Saanich Rd at Darwin Ave. Stop ID 100645 (to UVic) serving buses 26, 26A and 26B

Vehicle Parking

Vehicle Parking is available in the Municipal Hall lot. Access is via Vernon Avenue at Saanich Police (760 Vernon Avenue) or off Darwin Avenue. 

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Free Activities

Kids' Bike Obstacle Course

Whether your kids are on strider bikes or pedal bikes, they can try out a bike obstacle course for free with Capital Bike. Capital Bike staff will help kids gain confidence with safe bike handling, including turning and corners, stopping safely, pedaling technique and more. 

Stay tuned for info on free art activities!

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Live Music

We'll have a great line up of live music throughout the day, as well as a poetry reading by Saanich's inaugural Community Poet! Our stage will be pedaled by pedal power, thanks to Tune Your Ride. If you feel like you'll have energy to burn at the event, you'll be welcome to hop on a spin bike to power up the stage and keep the music going. 

11:00 - 12:00 pm: Steph Macpherson 

Steph Macpherson is an emerging artist from Victoria, British Columbia, crafting a sound that blends heartfelt folk/roots storytelling with a modern songwriting sensibility. Hailing from the vibrant West Coast music scene, Steph’s four studio albums reflect the introspective beauty of coastal living. Drawing inspiration from personal experiences and the emotional complexities of everyday life, Steph creates music that feels both intimate and expansive. Her voice carries a quiet intensity, pairing raw vulnerability with understated strength, inviting listeners into songs that linger long after they end. Some have described her as a splice of Stevie Nicks, Sarah Harmer, and Jeff Tweedy rolled into one entity, with a touch of Dolly Parton-esque vibrato and Feist-like charm. Whether performing or developing new material in the studio, Steph Macpherson continues to shape a distinctive artistic identity defined by authenticity, connection, and a deep love for the craft of songwriting. As she grows her presence, Steph stands out as a compelling voice from Canada’s West Coast, ready to resonate far beyond her hometown.

 

12:30 - 1:30 pm: Long Gone Trio 

 Long Gone Trio is an acoustic stringboard consisting of Adam Cleland (guitar), Jody Johnson (upright bass) and Mick Baker (mandolin): three Victoria based musicians that have been performing together and in varied projects across Canada and beyond for many years.

Their music blends elements from different genres including folk, bluegrass, old-time, country, rock and jazz. Sets consist of favourites of the group (covers), original compositions and instrumental pieces. Long Gone Trio is proud of Canadian music and effort to showcase Canadian compositions whenever possible.

 

1:30 - 2:00 pm: Poetry Reading by Jesse Holth

Jesse Holth is a writer, editor, and poet whose practice explores ecology, health and healing, misogyny, and social justice. Her poems have appeared in POETRY, Prairie Schooner, Arc, CV2, Grain, Room, PRISM, and other publications in Canada and the U.S. She created the series Ecopoetics in the Era of Climate Crisis as Editor-in-Residence at The Ex-Puritan, and served as Assistant Poetry Editor at The Tishman Review. Her poems have been featured in several anthologies including The Nature of Our Times (Poets for Science) and Resistance (ed. Sue Goyette). She is a member of Poetry in Voice and the League of Canadian Poets. Jesse is the inaugural Community Poet for the District of Saanich.         

    

2:00 - 3:00 pm: Kele Fleming & Matthew Presidente

 

Vancouver-based artist Matthew Presidente blends piano-driven songwriting with dark electronic textures, cinematic synths, and visceral pop hooks. His live shows balance intimacy and pulse, creating something both cathartic and communal. Praised by Xtra Magazine as “one of the best singer/songwriters in our LGBT scene,” He’s been a standout on Pride stages across BC and Alberta.

Kele Fleming is the distinct love child of Linda Perhacs and Ani DiFranco. She’s 70’s psychedelic, feministic, intelligent- quoting Darwin and Foucault mid song.
Kele’s dynamic vocals range from choir girl naivete to raging Sinead O'Connor. Profound lyrics that are like calls to action, angry at humanity’s sad state of affairs.

Together, Kele and Matthew are a powerhouse duo singing their hearts out for love and the betterment of our world.

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Vendors

Check out our vendor line up! Local. Sustainable. Growing. More vendors will be added as they're confirmed.

Are you interested in having a booth at this event? Applications are now live for all types of vendors, whether you are selling food, selling products, running an activity, or sharing information about an organization or project. Please review the vendor guidelines for important information about eligibility and the schedule, and then apply using the applicable online application form. *NOTE that we are nearly full for vendor spaces.*

Vendor Application Guidelines: 2026 Earth Day Vendor Application Guidelines

Food Vendor Application Form: Intake is now closed for Earth Day Fest food vendors. 

General Vendor Application Form: 2026 Saanich Earth Day Festival General Vendor Application Form 

Questions? Call the Saanich events office at 250.475.5558 or email events@saanich.ca. 

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Accessibility

Getting here: Please see the notes in the Venue / How to Get Here section. The closest accessibility parking will be in the Annex parking lot, which is immediately to the left when entering off of Vernon Avenue. There is a sidewalk leading down the parking lot hill to the main event area. Please note that the grade is fairly steep, although fully paved.

Surface conditions and grade: The Earth Day Festival site location is fully paved. Coming from Vernon Ave down to the festival site is a somewhat steep grade with speed bumps at intervals. The grade from the Lochside Trail into the festival site is flat. 

Washrooms: there will be two portable toilets available, one of which will be an accessible portable toilet. Flush washrooms are not available at this event. 

Noise: This event will have live, amplified music at 11 am, 12.30 pm, and 2 pm. All sets will be an hour in length. In between sets, there will be announcements from stage and recorded music. 

Food and beverage: Food offerings will be exclusively vegan and vegetarian, with gluten free options available as well. 

Weather: This event is fully outdoors and will run rain or shine.

Dogs: Well-behaved, leashed dogs and service animals are welcome at the event.

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Contact

Questions about the event? Please email events@saanich.ca. 

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