Vic West Community Corn Roast - Music

Vic West is home to many musicians who are willing to share their music with the community at events like the corn roast.
The Colts

This group of local kids has been playing at this event ever since they were much younger and smaller and they get better every year. This year they just blew the house away. Bravo! (From the left The Colts are Cairo, Harbour, Autumn and Reuben)

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Children of Celebrities

Some version of this group also plays every year and always sounds great.

Vic West Community Corn Roast - Food!

Corn on the Curb....

Pie Contest

Guess the weight and it's yours (It's not 32 lbs. - my guess)

Front Row Seats

One of my favourite annual events took place on Sunday afternoon, the Vic West Corn Roast. It's a great little neighbourhood celebration that is very like a block party. Local musicians provide the entertainment and there are many other activities we'll take a look at over the next few days. Meanwhile, the little guys pictured above are waiting while the musicians get set up.

Vic West Community Corn Roast

The annual Vic West Corn Roast took place last Sunday and, despite a few brief showers, was enjoyed by all. There was corn on the cob, pie, music provided by the local kids group, The Colts, and others, ice cream and the traditional zucchini races.

Vic West Community Corn Roast 4

You may wonder why I'm posting such a disorganized, uncomposed motley crowd scene here. Well this blog is about Victoria and the crowd above are my Victoria. I've lived in a lot of different countries and experienced many different kinds of community from small African and Indian villages to modern mega-cities like London and Mexico City. I found something to like in all these places but I am happy that I have ended up here in Vic West. The people in the photo above are my neighbours, people I see from day to day in the stores and streets and occasionally in their homes, and I like them. Of course, we're Canadians so we don't live in each other's pockets but there is a good sense of community here, nurtured by events like the corn roast. I'm glad to see it growing and I tender my thanks to the organizers and volunteers who make this event so special.

Vic West Corn Roast 3

Yesterday we had a closer look at the Zucchini Nascar event at the Vic West Community Corn Roast. Today we feature the food: Free Ice Cream cones, Corn roasted in the ovens of the new artisanal bakery next door to the Spiral Cafe, and Apple Pies entered in the pie-baking contest, and later eaten.

Vic West Corn Roast

One of my favorite annual events, the Vic West Corn Roast and Spiral Cafe Anniversary, took place here on Saturday. It's the kind of event that gives me hope that our society has not totally lost its human values and that neighborhood and community are still important aspects of our lives. Below is a taste of what a great afternoon it was. Thanks to the organizers and volunteers who made it such a successful event.

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Corn - of course!Apple Pie - There is a pie-baking contest also and then everyone eats the pies. Mmmm.Zucchini Races and Free Blue Ice CreamMusic - Vic West is rich in musicians and artists. Below are only a few of those who performed at this event. Correct me if I'm wrong, please, but below are Steven, the Children of Celebrities (and a video below the photos), and the bass guitarist of The Colts.If you weren't able to make it this year watch this video to spend a few minutes in the neighborhood.

Vic West Corn Roast

One of my favorite annual events took place yesterday, the Victoria West Corn Roast. But it's not just about corn. There was free ice cream as well and, despite the gray skies, the event had all the laid-back, relaxed charm that it usually does. As well as the edibles, there were the ever-popular Zucchini NASCAR races. You can see the white ramp in the photo to the left and some of the participants on the left below. And there were popular local entertainers, including Weak Patrol (right below) providing lots of good music. This event also celebrated the 8th Anniversary of the Spiral Cafe, who are one of the sponsors of the event and organize it in conjunction with the Victoria West Community Association. My compliments to the organizers for an event that was as nice this year as it has been in years past. Thanks for a pleasant afternoon.

Zucchini Nascar

Anyone who has a vegetable garden here or who has friends with a garden knows the problems with zucchini. As the end of summer approaches, the zucchini get larger and more numerous. Everybody has zucchini and delivers all their excess to their friends, who are unloading their extra tons of zucchini on other people and so on.... A few lucky zucchini, however, end up transformed into race cars for the Vic West Zucchini Nascar event. One fine vehicle is pictured above having a pit stop. And racers at the starting line can be seen on the right. Unlike the morbidly competitive parent Nascar event, in these races everyone wins. The final event of the annual Vic West Corn Roast is the raffle draw and below is a photo of the event's Master of Ceremonies, Mike Raymer, attempting (unsuccessfully) to cajole local children to draw HIS ticket stub.

C'mon Dad!

The Annual Vic West Corn Roast once again succeeded in being a relaxed, laid-back, and completely pleasant event. I'll post some pics of the fabulous and exciting Zucchini Nascar races tomorrow.