Coming UP…

Scroll down to see all the great musical events coming!

Next VFS MONTHLY FIDDLE JAM – Friday, September 4th

See you in Sep-tem-ber …
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 pm; Doors open at 6:45 pm
Intermission snacks are welcome!
Cost: Members no charge; Drop In $5

Where: NEW LOCATION – Stay TUNED for details! 
Check post in calendar for set list and other info.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Victoria Contra Dances!

Join us for a great evening of music and dancing, no experience needed! Most dances start with a short beginner lesson.

Next Dance is on Saturday, September 12th!

7 pm to 10 pm at  Saanich Silver Threads
286 Hampton Rd, Victoria.
Cost $20

Calling by Ben Cracknell, Music by Odd Hack.

https://victoriacontradance.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

West Coast Barn Dances!

at the Victoria Edelweiss Club, 108 Niagara St, James Bay
Doors: 6:00 pm Dancing starts: 6:30 pm

• July 17
• August 21
• September 18
• October 16
• November 20
• December 18

Cost: Suggested donation $10 pp (VEC members) and $12 pp (non-members)

West Coast Barn Dances are a group of young musicians deeply rooted in Canada’s fiddle music tradition. These monthly dances, similar to contradances, are in the tradition of old-time barn dances. With live fiddle music and tasty homemade snacks, they aim to celebrate and share the joy of fiddle music, dancing, and community. 

All ages welcome, no experience necessary, all steps will be taught!

You can follow our Instagram @westcoastbarndances or email us at westcoastbarndances@gmail.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beacon Ridge Productions

… is on summer break. See you in the September.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Nanaimo Fiddle Society

If you’re up Nanaimo way, check the Family Barn Dances out.

Fri Sept 11 Family Dance at Bowen Auditorium 
– Join us in kicking off the season! –
6:30 – 7:30 pm – Dances for everyone (age 3 and up)
7:30 – 9:00 pm – Contra dances
Adults = $20 K-12 = $10
Children 3 and Under = FREE! – please get tickets for the wee one’s so we can do an accurate head count

More Family Barn Dance Dates for the 2026-27 Season:
Fri Oct 9 – Cedar Community Hall – 6:30 to 9 pm
Fri Nov 20 – Royal Canadian Legion Hall Mt. Benson 256 Branch – 7 to 9 pm
Fri Feb 5 – Cedar Community Hall – 6:30 to 9 pm
Fri Apr 16 – Bowen Park Auditorium – 6:30 to 9 pm

More Info – www.nanaimofiddlesociety.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Concerts are all ages with the focus is on a respectful listening environment for the performances. Concerts take place at a private residence in the Rockland/Gonzales neighbourhood of Victoria. Address and further show details will be emailed to ticket holders the week before the concert date.

Tickets: $30 available exclusively via gigpit.ca

If you have further questions regarding tickets or concert details, please contact Victoria at the.victoria.houseconcerts@gmail.com

Georgia Lee Johnson

Saturday, August 15th Garden Studio Stage
Doors 6:30 pm Show 7-9 pm Tickets 30$

Georgia Lee Johnson’s songs weave intimacy and belonging. Dancing between deep self-reflection and playfulness, her songs’ themes carry depth and resonance. Inspired by the female folk singer-songwriters of the past (Joni Mitchell and Joan Baez) and present (Anais Mitchell and Adrianne Lenker), her style blends more traditional folk sounds with imaginative instrumentation and arrangements. In her live performances, she harnesses vocal freedom to carry both power and vulnerability.

Audiences are gathered into a brief moment of connectedness, harmony and remembering. Accompanied by guitarist Thomas Hoeller, the duo sound is rhythmic, groovy and lush, defying the bounds of genre.

Pillow Fite

Sunday, September 20th Living room Concert 
Doors 6:30 pm Show 7-9 pm Tickets 30$

What if Suzanne Vega fronted The Strokes, but they were gay and poor? That musical act would be called Pillow Fite. Art Ross (they/them/Pisces) and Aaron Green (he/him/Virgo) offer their respective gifts of reflection and melody for moody, melodic indie-rock aimed straight at the heart.
With the release of their debut new full-length album ‘Hard Feelings, Soft Promises,’ paired with extensive touring, as an acoustic duo and a full pop band, in Canada, the UK, Europe and the US, the duo began entering the CBC Top 20, as well as winning Best Pop Recording of 2025 at NSMW.
Pillow Fite’s sound is the result of a gently but perpetually evolving creative partnership, a mash-up of genres that arrives at something as singular as it is queer. The band is currently finishing production on their next album, due out fall 2026.

O Stella

Sunday, September 27th Garden Studio Stage 
Doors 2:30 pm Show 3-5 pm Tickets 30$

With sell-out shows in Ireland and Canada, and performing for Oscar-winner Glen Hansard, O Stella’s alt-rock Irish fusion is captivating audiences everywhere. This is rock and roll with traditional Irish fiddle and bodhrán (sometimes wrapped in thick distortion) and catchy pop melodies that shimmer with rebellion. 0Stella sings in both English and Irish and regularly engages the crowd to sing along in both languages – whether performing solo or with her 5-piece band. 0Stella’s unique sound deftly combines Canadian rock with Irish storytelling and folk music and draws comparisons to Paramore, Garbage, Lana Del Rey and The Frames.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Open Mic or Jams, Live Music Events, etc.

A great resource for Open Mics or Open Jams (one link for each day of the week!!), Live Music Events and more!  

https://www.victoriafolkmusic.ca/Sundays-Open-LMEs-Vancouver-Island.html

https://victoriafolkmusic.ca/LiveMusicEvents_Mostly_May-2026.html

https://www.facebook.com/VictoriaFolkMusic

If you’re hosting Live Music Events or performing on Vancouver Island or the adjacent islands, I will happily add your event(s) to our monthly listing! Ron G.

Also, this is a growing list — https://victoriafolkmusic.ca/LiveMusicVenues.html

Islandfolk mailing list
Islandfolk@victoriafolkmusic.ca
http://victoriafolkmusic.ca/mailman/listinfo/islandfolk_victoriafolkmusic.ca

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The VFS Board would like to remind everyone to please take care when setting your instruments down.  Anyone attending a Jam is responsible for their instruments and we advise that you should have insurance. 

VIctoria Fiddle Society and on Facebook  Suggestions? Email us at:  vfsinfo@gmail.com