May 24, 1875, was fine day and celebrations took place at both Wellington and Nanaimo. Nanaimo was celebrating with sports and banquet. By 9:00 a.m., visitors from Burrard Inlet and residents from Nanaimo lined Front Street where the Malaspina Hotel now is to watch the boat races. The day was also celebrated with foot and horse races, music and dancing, and a banquet held at the Vancouver Coal Company's large warehouse in the upper story. The Nanaimo Free Press said it was the largest room in the Province. Tables of 170 feet long were "laden with an abundance of the finest of the substantials and delicacies of the season served in the most ornate and artistic styles". Mayor Bate welcomed visitors from Burrard Inlet and Mr. Alexander of the Hastings Mill responded.
Wellington celebrations took place at Diver's Lake with a picnic, races and dancing. Boat racing, foot racing, mule racing, sack racing, three-leg race, Chinese racing, tub racing, wheelbarrow race, bell race, jumping, putting stone, throwing hammer, potato picking, pole leaping, catching greasy pig, old Aunt Sally and dancing were some of the activities going on during the day.

The first parade probably started on Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in the year 1879. Credit for the first parade goes to the school principal Mr. Planta. Featured in the parade was the float of the Soda Works - a big day as they introduced a new capping device. Nanaimo's first band, Nanaimo Brass Band would have been in the parade, and of course the majority of the parade would have been school children dressed in costumes.

By the early 1900's, May 24th was an enormous success. It was a holiday for all and was known as "Children's Day". In fact, the children had a rhyme:

"The 24 of May is the Queen's Birthday.
If we don't get a holiday, we'll all run away."

It was the day the boys got new running shoes and the girls got new dresses. It was a day the children remembered well for the festivities, treats and their participation in the parade. Potato salad and strawberries were eaten for the first time since the previous summer. To the children there were two big events a year, Christmas and May 24th.

The May Queen was elected by purchase vote, i.e. fraternal organizations, mine companies, industries and private individuals bought votes for whom they thought should be Queen. Often a great deal of money was collected which paid for the festivities. This practice was continued until the 1920's.

Teachers and parents were very heavily involved in the parade, as all school children participated in costumes made of crepe paper on sacking. Prizes were given for the best costume. A Committee of service clubs gave schools money for costumes.

The parade started at Haliburton Street and went down Commercial. The parade always had someone dressed up as Queen Victoria on a float; it had fire engines and clowns but consisted mainly of walking groups. Horses came at the end.

By 1940, Nanaimo's Victoria Day Celebrations were well known throughout Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. It was a day looked forward to by all members of the family, young and old, with all interests as there was something for everyone and something doing all the time.

In 1940, nearly 40,000 people including Nanaimo residents were in the City. CPR ships out of Vancouver carried close to 7,000 people in two days. A packed arena catered and entertained nearly 3,000 people. It was probably the largest crowd ever to invade the City on one day. Buses from up and down the Island were all packed. The track at Beban's farm in Northfield attracted over 2,000 persons, and grand dance, 1,200. Indian canoe races attracted hundreds to the waterfront in the morning. Thousands saw the huge parade. All hotel rooms were full, some visitors stayed in private residents. Kapel's show at the midway did one of the biggest day's business that Nanaimo has ever seen.

The parade was 1 1/2 miles long, and judged by the old timers to be one of the biggest. Close to 30 floats, decorated cars, 400 school children in gay costumes, 3 large bands, including Salvation Army Band, Silver Cornet Band and the Longshoremen's Kilties from Vancouver and numerous other individual entries took part. Native Daughters won the Conklin and Garret Cup for the best float - it was studded with dogwood. The United Mine Workers of America presented a float with the theme "Old King Coal and his Fiddler's Three". The King sat amid piles of coal smoking his pipe. Industrial floats, patriotic floats, service club and athletic club floats were all involved.

The school children were terrific. Tiny tots were dressed up as Bo Peeps and Wasps. There were girls in ethnic costumes, musical notes, peasants, tulip tune girls, gardeners, pirates, colonials, gypsies, skaters, and muffin men. There was a pet parade as usual with dogs and cats dressed up, and dogs in prams.

In all this activity, the Bastion was not forgotten; over 2,000 persons passed through the building in one day. There were fireworks at the end of the day.

The celebration of May 24th changed after World War II. The emphasis on children faded, schools did not take part in the parades as before. The expense of costumes and floats became prohibitive to some, as the decorations became more sophisticated and costly. The parade became very wheel - oriented with less walking groups and there were fewer sports activities.

However, much has remained the same. It is still an exciting celebration extended over several days. A May Queen is chosen and the Maypole is danced, the midway is busy and the parade is still very popular with all; still including bands, floats, clowns, fire engines and horses.

But the original reason for celebrating is almost forgotten - the date is now changed to the last Monday before the 24th, and some of the May 1st original celebrations are now mingled into Queen Victoria's Birthday, who is remembered by very few.