Victoria Symphony announces the return and expansion of its cherished summer concert event, Symphony SPLASH!, in celebration of the organization’s 85th anniversary, at Victoria’s Inner Harbour, August 2 & 3, 2025. Returning after a five-year hiatus, the two-day event will feature four live orchestral performances on the Inner Harbour’s iconic barge stage from Victoria Symphony and The National Youth Orchestra of Canada, with special guest performers: JUNO-nominated Indigenous singer-songwriters Celeigh Cardinal and Shawnee Kish, and BC Hall of Fame percussionist Sal Ferreras and his Latin Jazz Sextet, with Cuban vocalist Adonis Puentes.
The free, all-ages event will also offer a plethora of activities throughout the Inner Harbour, including a family zone, community stage performances, and local food and beverage vendors, culminating in a breathtaking fireworks display on the evening of August 3.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring back an expanded Symphony SPLASH! over the B.C. Day long weekend,” says Matthew White, CEO of Victoria Symphony. “This momentous event marks a key milestone in the orchestra’s 85th anniversary season, honouring Victoria Symphony’s indelible legacy and celebrating its future within our treasured community. We’re looking forward to welcoming locals and visitors alike to enjoy a varied program, from orchestral masterworks to contemporary compositions, to partake in our burgeoning local food and music scenes, and to bask in Victoria’s picturesque Inner Harbour.”
The two-day event will kick off with an unforgettable afternoon by the water on Saturday, August 2 at 3:30pm. The first concert will feature two of Canada’s most vital contemporary Indigenous artists and powerhouse voices – Celeigh Cardinal and Shawnee Kish – alongside 91 of the country’s most gifted young orchestral musicians from The National Youth Orchestra of Canada, led by Music Director Naomi Woo.
The genre-defying celebration of strength, identity, and transformation will feature a selection of Cardinal and Kish’s most iconic songs, from the anthemic “Wild Women” and “I Surrender” to the evocative storytelling of “Wandering River” and “There Are Some Things We Will Never Do.”
Later that evening, Saturday, August 2 at 7:30pm, Victoria Symphony – led by Principal Pops Conductor Sean O’Loughlin – will join forces with famed percussionist Sal Ferreras, his Latin Jazz Sextet, and Cuban vocalist Adonis Puentes, for a joyful evening of musical styles, traditions, and dances from across South America, México, and the Caribbean. Highlights include music by Alberto Ginastera (Argentina), Blas Galindo (México), Michel Camilo (Dominican Republic), Miguelito Valdés (Cuba), Rafael Hernández (Puerto Rico), and Adonis Puentes (Cuba).
On Sunday, August 3 at 3:30pm, The National Youth Orchestra of Canada will return for an afternoon of intensity and beauty, ranging from the spirited charm of Mozart’s Overture to The Magic Flute to the searing Allegro of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10 and more. The concert will also complement its traditional selections with two striking contemporary pieces, from JUNO-nominated Cree composer Andrew Balfour with Omaa Biindig and Canadian composer Matthew Emery’s Lead Us Home.
And bringing the two-day event to a close will be the traditional Symphony SPLASH! concert that longtime audiences know and love, featuring Victoria Symphony, led by Pops Conductor O’Loughlin, and Patrick Cao as the featured young soloist on piano. The celebratory evening will feature highlights from past SPLASH! events, from Shostakovich’s Festival Overture and Holst’s Jupiter to music from Star Wars and other popular favourites. The concert will build to a grand finale with Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture and Amazing Grace – complete with fireworks!
Both days will include a free Family Zone ahead of the two afternoon SPLASH! performances, from 1-3:30pm, offering face painting, activity tables hosted by The Royal BC Museum, Pacific Opera Victoria, and Kaleidoscope Theatre, as well as an interactive Instrument Petting Zoo, where young people of all ages are encouraged to try out real musical instruments in a relaxed, hands-on setting.
The 2025 event will also introduce Community Stages, with four small stages set up throughout the Inner Harbour spotlighting local musical talent in 30-minute sets at 1:30pm and 4:45pm each day. Performers include: Apna Virsa Victoria, Elbow Kiss, Sofia Miller, Linggo, Joy of Life Choir, Q Brooke Bachang, and Gabe Elias, with more to be announced in the coming weeks.
Local food and beverage vendors will be on site both days from 3pm onwards, featuring Berry Sweet, Churros and Mor, Country Crepes, FreshCoast Health Food Bar, Greek on the Street, Hotdog Hustlin’, Kao Gang by Dumpling Drop, MamaRosie’s, Poutine66, and Sub-Zero Ice Cream Truck. Patrons can also pre-purchase picnic boxes from L’Apero Wine and Cheese Bistro for $25 at victoriasymphony.ca, with $5 from each box donated to the Victoria Symphony.
For spectators looking for reserved seating, Symphony SPLASH! will offer a limited number of reserved Grandstand seats, located directly across from the B.C. Legislature. Tickets range in price from $5-$68 for the afternoon concerts and from $5-$88 for the evening concerts, and are on sale at victoriasymphony.ca
Victoria Symphony’s 2025 presentation of Symphony SPLASH! is made possible with support from the City of Victoria’s Major Events and Initiatives Grant, Presenting Sponsor Huntingdon Hotel and Suites, Underwriters Terry Scandrett and Angela Bassage, Volunteer Sponsor Island Savings, Community Partner BC Lottery Corporation, Lead Media Sponsors CTV Vancouver Island, CFAX 1070, and 107.3 Virgin Radio Victoria.
For full Symphony SPLASH! program details and to purchase reserved Grandstand seats and L’Apero Wine and Cheese Bistro picnic boxes, please visit victoriasymphony.ca
