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- Local talent takes on the Sooke Music Festival
Local talent takes on the Sooke Music Festival
Plus, Langford man wins the title of horseshoe champion
Good morning!
The Sooke Music Festival is gearing up to celebrate its nine-year anniversary, and many in the community are getting excited for the three-day event. Showcasing local visual and musical artists, the free event is a great excuse to take the family and enjoy the outdoors this weekend. Check out the lineup in today’s edition of the newsletter.
— Emma
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EVENTS
Sooke Music Festival back for the ninth year
The Sooke Music Festival (SMF) is back this weekend for the ninth year in a row and the event boasts a lineup of artists both musical and visual for the community to check out.
Going from Aug. 9 to 11, the event is a free and family-friendly festival that has been running since 2016. This year, most events will be taking place at Fred Milne Park. SMF has grown in both attendance and features over the years, and has become a staple in the Sooke community to support local artists.
Looking to bring the community together, the website describes the festival as “a unique combination of visual arts and artisans, with the traditional grassy field festival experience, SMF welcomes music lovers to Sooke BC for performances by top provincial acts alongside new and emerging artists.” Not only does the festival boost local artists but it also allows for Sooke-based businesses to showcase their skills and promote their own products.
“We became a nonprofit organization and we get funding from three different levels of government with the intent of promoting local music,” said one of the founders and band member of Crow, Peter Jonassen. “We want to promote Island talent because there's so much talent here that we don't need to go off the Island to get it; we believe in community and we want to continue paying that back by helping promote the artists in our community.”
This year, the festival will showcase more than 20 acts, with almost all local performers. Attendees can check out activities ranging from a kids play area, art in the park, a vendor village, food and drinks, and more throughout the event. For those looking for information on the artist lineup, we have provided a full list of performers and times on our website.
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SPORTS
Langford man wins Canadian and world horseshoe pitching titles

Bob McCauley, president of the BC Horseshoe Association (BCHA) and Tom Moffat (right). Photo: Bob McCauley / Facebook
It’s a game many of us have played at the cabin or in a sandbox, and a Westshore man has pitched it at the highest level.
Tom Moffat, a retired Canada Post letter carrier more than brought the mail home, winning a Canadian championship and a world championship in the last two weeks, something he calls “a dream come true.”
“I never thought I'd accomplish that,” he tells the Westshore. “I mean, it's always a goal, but I never thought I'd accomplish it.”
Competing at the Canadian Elders Championship in Abbotsford, Moffat compiled a 14-1 mark en route to winning his 65+ age class. Less than a week later, last Sat., he chucked at Tri-Cities in Washington state, and captured the world title in that category, by again winning 14 of 15 games.
The grandfather of four calls it some “great days of competition.” Going 28-and-2 and taking two titles certainly qualifies as great days, indeed. Moffat is one of roughly 100 members who play at the Greater Victoria Horseshoe Pitching Association (GVHPA) club at Glanford Park, which opened in 1935 on Pandora and has had a few homes, including Beacon Hill Park and its present location in Saanich. The game is exactly what you think it is—and just the way you may have played it—minus the beer in your hand.
“Yeah, it's the same game, and basically, we divide people into their abilities—we’re all in ringer percentage,” he says. “So, if you throw 50% ringers, you're going to play against people that throw 50%.” Moffat, 69, and his world competitors are, of course, playing at a higher level.
At the Canadian Elders Championship, he shot at 76.8% en route to a 14-1 record to defeat defending champion Jacques Houle of Quebec. It’s fitting that baseball Hall of Famer—and former Montreal Expos manager— Frank Robinson is credited with popularizing the expression “Close only counts in horseshoes and [hand] grenades,” because Moffat did a very baseball thing at the Canadian championships: he pitched a perfect game. That’s the rare 22 shoes and 22 ringers.
“A great achievement, Tom has been working hard to accomplish that. Myself and everyone at the club is thrilled that Tom was able to achieve that goal,” said Bob McCauley, president of the BC Horseshoe Association (BCHA) and a 2022 Canadian champion. “There’s probably only about maybe four of them done it in a whole year,” he said.
To qualify for the National Horseshoe Pitching Association (NHPA) World Horseshoe Pitching Championships in Washington, Moffat shot 79.83% and his perfect 15-and-0 record got him into a 16-way battle for the world title for his age bracket. There, Moffat shot 77.2% to take his category.
Competitors came from Germany, Norway, Canada, and the US, where the sport has its biggest profile, with approximately 15K people participating, according to the NHPA. The BCHA said 207 are registered to play provincewide, and 644 are registered across the country.
Around the 'Shore
⚡️ U-Haul crash causes power outage across the area: Thousands were left without power on Aug. 6 after a U-Haul driver crashed into a power pole in View Royal. Traffic was delayed in the area, and BC Hydro was on scene shortly after the incident to make repairs. Power in the area was restored as of Aug. 7. [CHEK]
⚠️ Bacteria at local beaches: Greater Victoria residents are being warned of unsafe swimming conditions at three more beaches due to high levels of bacteria. Advisories were issued for Mount Douglas Park beach, the south end of Willows Beach and Esquimalt Gorge Park’s Kinsmen Beach; residents are being told to avoid swimming and other water activities. [Times Colonist]
🌱 Indigenous medicine garden at Royal Roads: Royal Roads University just recently unveiled its new Indigenous medicine garden, something that is designed to give students and community members a chance to learn about plants Lekwungen-speaking peoples have used throughout history for medicine. Royal Roads wanted to promote an understanding of Indigenous knowledge and history, and to share that with others in the community. [Goldstream Gazette]
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Community Events
🏈 Westshore Rebels alumni game: Head down to Starlight Stadium this Aug. 10 to watch the Westshore Rebels face off against the Okanagan Sun in their alumni game. Starting at 4pm, enjoy an afternoon of football, and the special halftime show featuring the Westshore Rebels Cheer Team and a heartfelt tribute to Roger Wade. Tickets are available online.
🎶 Music in the Park: Enjoy an evening of live music with Colwood’s Music in the Park series this Aug. 9 and 10. Hosted every Friday and Saturday until Sept. 7, the event will go from 5:30 to 7:30pm at different parks across Colwood. For those attending the Aug. 9 event, head to Colwood Creek Park, and for those attending the Aug. 10 show, the performance will be at the Royal Bay Commons.
🍓 Sweet summer makers market: Check out the sweet summer makers market this Aug. 10 at the Metchosin Arts and Cultural Centre. Going from 1 to 5pm, you’ll be able to browse over 30 local bakers, crafters, artists and more. This is a family and pet-friendly event, so everyone is welcome.
What’s Offshore?
No ships today!
Westshore Snaps
Heron in the French Creek Marina on the hunt for breakfast. —Judee Doyle, Parksville
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