HISTORY
The Greater Victoria Festival Society
The Greater Victoria Festival Society was incorporated under the Society Act on March 3, 1992.
Our purpose is to engage in any activity that is beneficial to the community as a whole. To develop and promote civic spirit and pride with the creation of festivals, parades and special events.
Two of our major events are the Island Farms Victoria Day Parade and the Island Farms Santa Light Parade. These parades bring fun and joy to the thousands of people lining Downtown Victoria streets every year. They also help in collecting the much needed food donations for the Mustard Seed Food Bank along the parade routes.
We look forward to bringing more fantastic events and festivals to our beautiful city!
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Kelly Kurta
Kelly was born and raised in Oak Bay. She moved to Vancouver at 18 to live and work in the big City finally settling into a successful career in Transportation and Logistics. She met her husband Rory in 1992 and has 2 beautiful girls, Kaelin, and Mackenzie. The move back to Victoria was always the plan but came early in December of 2014 due to health reasons in the family and the request to join the Society once again in the administrative role supporting Ron Butlin. Due to Ron’s sudden passing in September of 2014, Kelly was voted into the Executive Director’s position and commuted for over a year between Vancouver and Victoria before settling in North Saanich at Canoe Cove. She chairs the Ronald McDonald House Vancouver Island Golf Tournament in August at Bear Mountain in her spare time and continues to work full time in transportation, remotely. She is thrilled to be back home and has the greatest team imaginable!
Our Board
PRESIDENT
Barbara Coultish
Coultish Management –
Talent Division
VICE-PRESIDENT
Meghan Paterson
Connect Hearing Canada –
Marketing Specialist
SECRETARY
Stacey Hooson
CIBC
DIRECTOR AT LARGE
Laura Cooper
Coultish Management –
Model Division
DIRECTOR AT LARGE
Jodie Chong
ICBC
DIRECTOR AT LARGE
Brian Hirche
Agropur –
Marketing Coordinator
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
Connie McConnell
Avocette Technologies
Corporate Communications
DIRECTOR AT LARGE
Carly Russell-Huntley
Used.ca –
Community Manager
DIRECTOR AT LARGE
Emma Kirkland
Arthritis Association of Greater Victoria
Fundraising Manager
TREASURER
Trish Thame
Small Business Banking
Toronto Dominion Bank
