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Explore: Pet-A-Palooza, RCMP Musical Ride, Flavour Trails

Every dog can have its day at Pet-A-Palooza Get your best friend a “pawsport” to free food, treats and supplies for a year at Pet-A-Palooza, Saturday and Sunday on the grounds of St. Ann’s Academy.

Every dog can have its day at Pet-A-Palooza

Get your best friend a “pawsport” to free food, treats and supplies for a year at Pet-A-Palooza, Saturday and Sunday on the grounds of St. Ann’s Academy.

There is so much to do at the pet-friendly event: Watch a wiener dog race, get out of the way for the puppy stampede, get wet watching the water dogs jump off a dock, be amazed by the running of the bulls (dogs) — both English and French — or settle in for a relaxing yoga class with goats or puppies.

There will be an off-leash, fully-fenced, shaded, adventure park for dogs to get some exercise, check their pee-mail and meet new friends.

Two sponsors are offering swag bags: Paws on Cook will give away reusable swag bags to the first 500 dogs every day; Pets West will bestow on you one of 300 free bags every day as well.

The Victoria Humane Society and Moksha Yoga have teamed up to offer three 30-minute yoga classes every day (with either goats or puppies) in the orchard on site. Space is limited to 40 per class.

Up to 80 vendors and exhibitors will be in attendance, including pet-supply companies, animal-rescue groups, non-profits and charities.

A number of food trucks will offer a variety of fare, although none will confirm that hot dogs will be on the menu.

The event raises money for the non-profit Just Love Animals Society through sponsorships and exhibitor spaces. The society is an awareness and education organization that emphasizes holistic pet care and runs campaigns on issues such as spaying and neutering.

In addition to Victoria, similar events are held in Calgary, Vancouver and Scottsdale, Arizona.

The event is free for both you and your best friend. It runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at St. Ann’s Academy,

835 Humboldt St. For details, go to petapaloozawest.com.

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Flavour Trails take tastebuds on journey

Indulge all of your senses at the North Saanich Flavour Trails Festival, a weekend of local food, music, farm-life and community history surrounded by the sweet smell of summer, Friday to Sunday at various venues.

The event is part rural ramble, part celebration that lets you explore what is being grown, harvested, made and served on the Peninsula.

The festival offers activities for an array of tastes. There will be learning opportunities and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the working lives of growers and makers.

You can watch grain mills at work, sip local wine in the vineyard or sample roasted local meats hot off the spit.

You can download the brochure (which includes a map) or pick up a copy at local businesses, libraries/public buildings and tourist information centres. Biking is a great way to go and there are two park and bike lots where you can park your car.

Beyond the two days of free activities, the festival is hosting  a Community Pancake Breakfast, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, in the field at Epicure, 10555 West Saanich Rd. $8 for adults, $5 for children. Tickets at door.

For more information, go to flavourtrails.com.

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RCMP Musical Ride tours the Island

The RCMP’s renowned Musical Ride will be performing in Sooke Sunday. The Musical Ride showcases the equestrian skills of 32 regular members of the force.

Every year, the troop goes on tour in different provinces, with B.C. and Vancouver Island the place to be this summer to see the members and their steeds in action. Along with Sooke, the Musical Ride will be in Parksville on Aug. 21 and 22, Courtenay on Aug. 24 and 26, and Duncan on Aug. 28.

This weekend’s event is being hosted by the Lions Clubs of Sooke with proceeds going to Tour de Rock, Cops for Cancer.

Admission is $5. The show is at 6 p.m. Sunday at Fred Milne Park, 2249 Sooke River Rd., Sooke. Tickets are available at Sooke Shoppers Drug Mart, the Sooke RCMP Detachment and Sooke Pharmasave. For more details, go to facebook.com/sookemusicalride.

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The art of book-making on display at university

Be among the first to view uniquely crafted books from Canada and around the world at Art of the Book 2018, running until Aug. 26 in the Visual Arts Building at the University of Victoria.

The unique exhibition features 67 crafted pieces appearing publicly for the first time. The collection covers eight categories: fine binding, box making, papermaking, fine printing, paper decorating, restoration, calligraphy and artists’ books.

All works are by members of the Canadian Bookbinders and Book Artists Guild, which is hosting the exhibition.

The collection was chosen by an international jury and includes entries from as far away as the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Australia.

There will also be demonstrations of book- arts techniques such as papermaking, calligraphy and different sewing patterns throughout the show’s run in Victoria.

After Victoria, the books will be taken on a two-year tour across Canada.

The show is free to attend. It runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily in the Audain Gallery in the Visual Arts Building at the University of Victoria.

A book-sewing demonstration takes place today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., followed by calligraphy from 1 to 4 p.m.

A guided tour of the exhibition runs from noon to 1 p.m. on Saturday. On Sunday, you can learn about papermaking at two sessions, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 1 to 4 p.m. For information, go to artofthebook18.ca.