I miss the Island Chefs’ collaborative’s version of the Spot Prawn Festival. That was truly an event to remember, and as far as I know, there was only one. The Victoria Public Market has since taken over with their own mini-festival. While not as large or elaborate, and really lacking fanfare, at least for those Victorians unable to leave the confines of this city to Cowichan Bay proper for all their independent shows (at brew pubs to eateries), what’s offered is good.
Baconalooza’s inaugural event at Velox Rugby field in Gordon Head will certainly get lovers of swine food arriving in troves. The lunch-time crowd was light, but when the event started at 1pm than noon, perhaps one opportunity was missed in hopes that the dinner time crowd will be busier. This later time is probably when the bacon eating contest will take place, but for one hungry bloke (who skipped breakfast for this show), namely me, I wish I had room to partake in more.
Poor James. He phoned me early in the day to say he’s been struck down with a cold, and I just had enough room to eat for the both of us, but I was taken down by one overloaded bacon cheese burger by the Esquimalt Lions Club (I asked them to keep on piling the bacon on top). However, I did have room for dessert. I could make quibbles in where the beef is sourced and cooked, but hey, I got more than my money’s worth in bacon. I shouldn’t complain.
Not only will the city of Victoria, BC get an extra day of geekery on but also, not many cities can lay claim to having four days dedicated to various fun events taking place nearly all at the same time. Here’s a quick summary of what’s going on:
May 1st
Lego at the Library (2:30pm)
Greater Victoria Public Library
Juan de Fuca Branch
This event is technically for children ages 7-10 who want to have fun with the sets offered at the library. Registered participants are also encouraged to bring their own bricks so they can learn how to stack them up in other creative ways for a take-home project.
Avengers: Age of Ultron Movie Premiere (evening)
This movie will definitely delight Marvel Movie Universe fans. Not only does this film continue on from where the first film and Captain America: Winter Soldier left off, with hints of two mutants — Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch — being important in the film, but also this movie will set the stage for the third part of the saga cumulating to Avengers: Infinity Wars.
People going to the IMAX screenings on this day should, in theory, get a keepsake poster while supplies last.
May 2nd
Comic Book Day (starting 10am)
This North American wide event has become the norm. With the Greater Victoria Public Library Central Branch and at least two of the three three comic book stores participating in this city, the fun can be shared, if not spread around. When the stores have to restrict just how many titles readers can grab, all the smart collector has to know is to walk from store to store (and library) to get a good fill.
This year has comics that will introduce folks to the fantastic worlds featured in Doctor Who, the realm where there’s plenty of robots in disguise in Transformers (thankfully not the awful Michael Bay version), the pulps in The Phantom and the mutants in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. A full list can be found on the official website.
The Victoria Foodie Film Festival has renamed to become Feast, Food & Film. Now into its third year, this rebranding is most likely needed to give this event its own unique name and help identify if in the arts and entertainment world of Victoria, BC. VFFF can be known as F^3 in short, and in what isn’t is the lineup of films and tastes to be found May 28 to 31st, 2015.
This year has eight films lined up to play in conjunction with hors-d’oeuvres (mostly) that snackers can take into the theatre. Unlike the previous year where most of the events took place at the Oak Bay Beach Hotel, this one places more emphasis at the Victoria Film Festival’s home digs at The Vic Theatre.
Originally published on Otaku No Culture by Ed Sum
Camosun’s Comic Arts Festival (CCAF) is growing, and just what this event does is to put ownership back to the artists who decided to make the visual storytelling medium their career. It’s been used as old as time, since the caveman days, to tell a story on a surface. In Ancient Egypt, the paintings on the tombs can evoke a magic like quality to help the deceased continue on to the Afterlife. The immortality is not just with their souls’ journey but also with how their legacy upholds when their life is told in illustrative form.
Interestingly enough, one of the students, Raphaël Pirenne, takes inspiration from this land, and will be hoping he creates a comic out of it.
In less than two weeks Victoria will be flooded with people from all over Vancouver Island and the Pacific Northwest with obsessive gaming habits. Cards will be dealt and dice will be rolled but if you think I’m speaking of a convention for those with gambling habits, think again. I speak of gamers, people who show up (sometimes in costume) with their card games (Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering), their table top books (Pathfinder, Dungeons & Dragons), their customized PCs and their mini figurines (Warhammer). And to quote a Trooper song, they’re here for a good time, not a long time.
And when you convention hop on a budget it is important to maintain your energy levels with some nourishing food. Cheap is good too. Presented to you is James and Ed’s list of top eats.
twohungryblokes.com 