Culture

With its spectacular shoreline and stunning viewscapes, Oak Bay has long inspired many of BC’s well-known artists. Emily Carr would retreat to her summer cottage here and today many other notables such Amos, Taylor and Rasmussen call the growing arts and culture district of Oak Bay home.

Oak Bay proudly holds onto its colourful heritage with its traditional gardens, Edwardian architecture, and of course, a touch of tweed. Our heritage map tells the story and leads the way through Oak Bay’s colonial history, while the area’s deepest roots can be discovered on a cultural tour with a Songhees First Nation guide by boat cruise or on foot.

The Canadian College of Performing Arts presents a season of six plays over an October - April season, five of which are typically presented at the College's Performance Hall on Elgin Road, as well as special events including the annual TD Festival of New Works, community events and performances, and more.

Heritage designation is a method of conserving places. The effect of heritage designation is to preserve the key features of a building and/or land that give it a distinctive heritage character. A formally designated municipal heritage site will remain a legacy to be appreciated by present and future generations. In Oak Bay there are presently 28 heritage designated homes and 7 heritage designated properties. The great majority of designated sites are also listed in the Community Heritage Register.

Oak Bay Parks, Recreation and Culture
Oak Bay Parks, Recreation and Culture

Oak Bay Parks, Recreation, and Culture spoils us in Oak Bay with free concerts on the beach throughout the summer!

The musical line-up is chosen to support established, as well as up and coming local talent who blend musical styles. Audiences can expect something different each time and a chance to enjoy music outdoors.

Bring a blanket and a picnic, and enjoy live music in a beautiful setting. Expect a variety of musical styles by local performers. Willows Beach Park is located at Dalhousie Street at Beach Drive.

McNeil Bay, Oak Bay
McNeil Bay, Oak Bay

Kitty Islet is located right along the east side of McNeill Bay. Not your typical park, this natural waterfront park brings you closer to marine life and water vessels soaring by.

Enjoy peaceful views of Trial Island and the Olympic Mountains on the permanent wooden Adirondack chairs perched on the rocky bluffs, ideal for bird watching, fishing, and sea lion watching. The terrain is left untouched and its access can be impeded at times due to the tides.

Painted Pianos Oak Bay
Painted Pianos Oak Bay

The avenues of Oak Bay are about to get a little more musical in the summertime. The public painted piano program is one that brings joy and energy to our beautiful community.

Each year, four to five new pianos are purchased and painted by local artists. They are then placed in chosen locations along the coast, in the parks, and around Oak Bay Village. 

Oak Bay Tea Party
Oak Bay Tea Party

For over 50 years, Oak Bay has celebrated the first weekend in June with the Oak Bay Tea Party. The parade kicks off early on the Saturday morning, and is led all through Oak Bay to its final destination, Willows Beach. Don't miss the mayor of Oak Bay, as they usually lead the parade (and toss a couple of kilos of candy along the way).

Oak Bay Village Christmas Light Up
Oak Bay Village Christmas Light Up

Every year as the cooler sea air sets in, Oak Bay Village welcomes the oncoming holidays with a grand Light Up festival.

Family activities start at 2 PM with a bouncy castle, street games, craft stations and lighted trucks. Onstage entertainment begins at 3 PM. Plus enjoy roasted chestnuts, letters to Santa, and thousands of lights on buildings, trees and lampposts throughout the Village.

Bowker Creek Brush Up Oak Bay
Bowker Creek Brush Up Oak Bay

Each August during Oak Bay’s Arts & Culture Festival, Bowker Creek comes alive with artists and art enthusiasts. Over 40 artist come down, set up their easels, display their art, and paint away – providing demonstrations and insight into how their create their art.

More than 2000 spectators come through this beautiful event along the creek. It’s a wonderful event to explore your creative side, ask questions of the artists, and take home some art!

Oak Bay Collector Car Show
Oak Bay Collector Car Show

Every year Oak Bay Avenue is filled end to end with a classic Collector Car Shows from days gone by. Tailfins, V8's, Batmobiles, and Model T's. There's enough rumble to set off the city's Ritcher scale. 

Oak Bay Parks, Recreation and Culture
Oak Bay Parks, Recreation and Culture

Oak Bay's art scene truly is unique! Resident artists of Oak Bay open up the doors to their homes and studios several times a year and invite the public in to view and appreciate their art.

These tours are self-guided and free. There are around 25 local artists that participate, showing paintings in watercolour, acrylic, and oil, as well as ceramics, jewelry, photography, fibre art, paper castings, art cards, woodcuts and more.

Oak Bay Archives collects, preserves and provides access to Oak Bay's historical records. We are located on the lower level of the Oak Bay Municipal Hall and welcome visitors during our open hours on Tuesday mornings and Thursday afternoons. Volunteers are available to assist with inquiries.

The Oak Bay Community Heritage Register is an official list of properties deemed to be of heritage value or character, as adopted by resolution of Oak Bay Municipal Council. It provides formal recognition for historic places and is a useful planning tool for other land use planning processes in the municipality. It does not offer heritage protection, and is not a formal designation.

Oak Bay Summer Market
Oak Bay Summer Market

From June through to September, Oak Bay Village closes down its street once a month and is transformed into a European style street market. You'll find a wide range of fresh and local produce and hot-n-ready street food available. There is live music (watch out for people dancing in the street!), a magician, pop-up theatre, face painting and balloon animals.

The cemetery lies beside the rocky shore of Harling Point, looking out towards the Olympic Mountains. Simple markers and a ceremonial altar are found among wildflowers in a setting selected according to the ancient concept of feng shui.

In 1903 the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association purchased 3.5 acres of land at Harling Point and established the Chinese Cemetery.

ArtsAlive Oak Bay
ArtsAlive Oak Bay

Find an art surprise around every corner in Oak Bay with our ArtsAlive outdoor public art program. Each year the Arts Laureate of Oak Bay and Oak Bay Parks, Rec, and Culture organize a public outdoor sculpture program of up to 14 new pieces of art brought into Oak Bay from all across the country.

Each piece unique, each piece with a story, each piece incredible. Find them all along the avenues, the beaches, the parks, and just around every corner.