The Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C. is hoping to teach kids the joy of fishing with Learn to Fish events held on Vancouver Island over the summer.
The private non-profit organization will teach local youth, ages five to 15, along with their families, how to fish at 19 locations in regional parks and urban lakes on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
Participants will learn fishing techniques and ethics at the sessions before trying to hook a fish.
The program includes lessons in fish identification and biology; habitat conservation; proper fish handling; ethics, safety and fishing regulations.
Participants will get the lowdown on fishing tackle (rods, reels, lines, and lures) and learn about knot-tying, casting, retrieving and other tips and techniques for catching fish.
The two-hour-long sessions are free and all equipment is provided. Pre-registration is required for most programs in regional parks. Children under 16 do not require a freshwater fishing licence.
Sessions include:
July 31 and Aug. 31: Drop by Goldstream Provincial Park for a lesson (no fishing) between 7 and 8 p.m. Meet at the Goldstream campground amphitheatre. Advance registration is not required.
Aug. 19: Lake Ida Anne, Langford between 6 and 8 p.m. Early registration is recommended at 250-478-8384 or westshorerecreation.ca.
Aug. 22: Waterski Beach at Elk Lake between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Participants are able to fish from the dock or from a boat. Register at 250-886-1488 or [email protected]
Aug. 6 and 20: Fairy Lake in Port Renfrew from 1 to 3 p.m. Meet at Fairy Lake Campground.
The program is made possible thanks to support from the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation, Columbia Basin Trust, Rapala, Ram Trucks Canada and Teck.
For a complete list of Learn to Fish and other programs on Vancouver Island, visit gofishbc.com
Watch local artists at work in the great outdoors
Watching paint dry can be entertaining after all — if that paint is drying on a work of art in progress.
The En Plein Air Art Show features artists practising their craft on the front lawn of the Fairmont Empress Hotel on Sunday.
The event is hosted by Artishow Victoria, a movement to help promote Victoria as a destination for culture and art.
The group has placed a rotation of artists-in-residence at 10 local hotels, to introduce guests and visitors to the world of fine arts in Victoria. The artists work in various media, with painters, sculptors and mixed media represented.
Visitors can watch the artists at work 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at participating hotels until October.
Sunday’s outdoor event is an opportunity for the public to interact with the artists as they work.
The event is free and runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the lawn of the hotel, 721 Government St.
For information, go to artishowvictoria.ca
Go for big air or go home
Watch some of the world’s best freeride mountain-bike riders as they go for big air at BearTrax (formerly JumpShip), which starts tomorrow and runs through Sunday.
More than 20 local and national freeriders will take part in the invitational event at Bear Mountain Bike Park, which sees riders tackle natural obstacles and leap over 12-metre jumps.
Amateurs are also welcome to show off what they’ve got at an AirBag competition, where riders can perform acrobatic tricks with the safety of an airbag below them.
The event is family-friendly, with a kids’ zone, vendors, food trucks and a live DJ.
The three-day event opens with a warm-up where spectators can watch their favourite pro riders practising on the course. A rider introduction take place on Friday, followed by competition Saturday and Sunday.
The event is free. Scheduled events run from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Bear Mountain Bike Park, Bear Mountain Resort Community, 1999 Country Club Way.
For information, go to bearmountain.ca.ca
Summertime and the learning is easy
Summertime is a busy time for CRD Parks. People of all ages can find interesting, fact-filled events that enhance their understanding of the natural world. Here are some of the events taking place over the next seven days:
Beach Day at Coles Bay is an all-day drop-in event to explore marine life in the North Saanich bay on Friday.
At this all-ages event, park naturalists will help look for sea stars, crabs, moon snails and other marine creatures who live in Coles Bay.
Admission and parking are free. The drop-in event runs 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Coles Bay Regional Park. Parking is off Inverness Road, with a five-minute walk to the event on the beach. Wear sandals or beach shoes and prepare to get your feet wet.
Beat the Heat is a guided walk for the whole family, including those in strollers, walkers or wheelchairs, that takes visitors for a stroll under the broadleaf maples of Francis/King Regional Park on Tuesday. A CRD Parks naturalist will answer questions about the lush salal understory and cool arbutus enclaves found along the route. The 90-minute walk takes participants along the Elsie King Loop Trail of the park, located in Saanich.
The event is free. It runs 1 to 2:30 p.m. from the parking lot off Munn Road.
Bejewelled Dragons of the Pond is an opportunity for people of all ages to get up close and personal with dragonflies on Saturday.
On the guided walk, a CRD Parks naturalist will give visitors the lowdown on dragonflies, among the very first winged insects to evolve more than 300 million years ago.
The whole family can watch as the colourful insects zig and zag in search of prey in the wetlands of Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park. Nets and field guides will be available.
The free event runs 1 to 2:30 p.m. Meet at the Retriever Ponds kiosk off Beaver Lake Road.
For all events, participants should try to arrive 10 minutes before the start of the program. Please leave pets at home. For information, go to crd.bc.ca/parks
Join visitors from far and wide at Tsartlip powwow
Join the Tsartlip First Nations as they celebrate First Nations culture at the Yellow Wolf Intertribal Powwow, Friday to Sunday.
The gathering, in its 22nd year, features cultural performances, including traditional singing, dancing and drumming.
The Coast Salish tribe welcomes visitors who typically come from all over British Columbia, Idaho, Washington state and Alberta to attend the powwow.
There will be several special events throughout the weekend, such as youth and adult dance competitions.
Visitors can also partake in traditional food, such as bannock and barbecued salmon.
There will be arts and crafts vendors on the site.
Admission is free to the event as well as all performances. Performances start at 7 p.m. on Friday, 1 and 7 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday at Tsartlip Park on the reserve, 800 Stelly’s Cross Rd., Brentwood Bay. The site is wheelchair accessible. For information, contact Angel Sampson at 250-665-7777 or [email protected]
Hallelujah for classical-music recitals
Enjoy an hour of classical music with heavenly acoustics as Christ Church Cathedral presents its annual Summer Recital Series, with concerts every Saturday through August.
There will be different local musicians performing at each recital, with soprano Jayne Hammond and pianist Csinszka Redai at this week’s concert. The series’ recital director is Kelly Charlton.
Admission is by donation. The concerts run 4 to 5 p.m. every Saturday until Aug. 29 in the nave of the cathedral, 930 Burdett Ave.
On-street parking is available. For details, go to christchurchcathedral.bc.ca
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