A Family Affair

By Rebecca Aldous - Victoria News - May 16, 2008

NewS.36.20080515140948.Holmgren04Pmay1608_20080516.jpg

The Foothill High School Marching Band will participate in Monday’s Victoria Day Parade. The band will travel 2,591 kilometres to join the 30 other U.S. high school bands marching in the parade.

Contributed photo

Unlike her parents and grandparents, who travelled thousands kilimetres to honeymoon in Victoria, Clare O’Leary’s journey to the city is conjuring up butterflies for different reasons.

The California-native will be one of the colour guards leading the Foothill High School Marching Band in the Victoria Day parade.

The 200-member team recently won in-state awards for field and parade show, but O’Leary, 14, said even with the ribbons and two hour rehearsals four days a week, not including two after school sessions, the jitters are building leading up to the big event – the Victoria Day Parade – on Monday (May 19).

“I am nervous,” she said. “You do it so many times that when you get that nervous you go on instinct, on what you have practised over and over.”

Although this is O’Leary’s first trip to Canada her family has a romantic tie with the city. In 1959, O’Leary’s grandparents, Allie and Frank, visited Victoria as newlyweds. During their stay they haphazardly stumbled upon a parade welcoming Queen Elizabeth II to the B.C. capital.

“We just opened our apartment window and the parade went by,” Allie said, still in amazement of the incident.

They also played croquette on the lawn of the Empress Hotel, Frank recalls.

Their son Shawn was unaware of Frank and Allie’s trip to Victoria when he planned his honeymoon with his wife Patty to the city in 1991. The call of the great outdoors is what originally attracted his attention north, making the Butchart Gardens a must on their list.

“The (Victoria) harbour is so lovely,” he said. “We just enjoyed our time (in the city).”

Clare and her classmates will travel 2,591 kilometres from their hometown of Pleasanton, Calif. to join the 30 other U.S. high school bands marching in the 110th incarnation of the Island Farms Victoria Day Parade. Victoria school bands will also participate.

This year’s parade will be a big part of 150th celebrations for many Greater Victoria organizations. Approximately 200 costumed performers will bring colour to Douglas Street in celebration of Victoria’s Chinese community’s 150th anniversary.

raldous@vicnews.com

Email | Print | Letter to Editor | Share on Facebook

A Family Affair

Most read in your Region

Most read across BC