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Explore: The 30th TC 10K run, International Astronomy Day, garden sales and more

Be part of history, see elite runners, cheer for local entrants, watch children give their all and listen to Elvis at the 30th Times Colonist 10-kilometre race on Sunday, April 28.
TC10K start
Start of Times Colonist 10K on Government Street

Be part of history, see elite runners, cheer for local entrants, watch children give their all and listen to Elvis at the 30th Times Colonist 10-kilometre race on Sunday, April 28.

Up to 10,000 ordinary folks will lace up their runners to take to the streets to walk, run or wheel themselves (strollers, baby joggers and recreational wheelchairs are also allowed) around a modified race route that takes them from Victoria to Oak Bay and back. There will also be elite runners from Kenya and Ethiopia rubbing shoulders with weekend warriors.

First-timers will run in step with a handful of lifers, such as 89-year-old Maurice Terrant and Brigit Fuerst, who have run in every TC 10K since its inception.

Participants, who will run, walk or cover the route in wheelchairs, will be treated to live entertainment on-course, which includes appearances by an Elvis tribute act.

There will be cheer stations and a return of Mafuro Marimba (likely located on Dallas Road at Memorial Crescent) and the popular Taiko drummers.

The positive atmosphere of the event contributes to its popularity with team entries. More than 200 teams of 10 or more will be taking part, accounting for more than half of the event’s participants.

As always, there is a family- friendly component with a children’s 1.5-km Thrifty Foods Family Run and a KidZone that will feature inflatable amusements and a magician.

Owing to construction and bicycle lanes, the race route will change slightly, with a route down Government Street and up Yates Street this year.

The only other change is participants turning on Minto Street from Richardson Street before turning back onto Moss Street.

Otherwise, the circular route is unchanged from previous years.

Registration is open until 6 p.m. Saturday at the Race Expo, at Uptown Shopping Centre, 3440 Saanich Rd. The Expo is open to the public and is the place for registered runners and walkers to pick up their race packages.

Teams can pick up their packages on Thursday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. It is open to individuals from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.

You can pick up a race package for someone else, so long as they are pre-registered.

The race starts at 7:55 a.m. on Sunday for wheelchair and visually impaired athletes, with runners and walkers starting at 8 a.m. from the corner of Belleville and Government streets. The Thrifty Foods Family run starts at 11 a.m. on Government Street just south of Belleville Street. Road closures include intersections along the race route on a rolling basis.

The start/finish area will be closed from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. and an on-street parking ban on the race route will be enforced from 4 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sunday. All streets on the course will be closed starting at 7:45 a.m. with reopening times varying.

For more information, go to runsport.ca.

Things looking up for International Astronomy Day

The sky’s the limit as the Royal B.C. Museum and the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada partner to present International Astronomy Day on Saturday, April 27.

The event combines daytime activities at the Royal B.C. Museum with public telescope viewing at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory and the Centre of the Universe in the evening.

The day begins at the Royal B.C. Museum with a view of the sun through solar telescopes. You can grind a mirror to build your own telescope, and there will be astrophotography and interactive displays indoors. There’ll also be hands-on activities for children.

There will be presentations in the Newcombe Auditorium on a range of topics, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Admission to the events taking place at the Royal B.C. Museum, 675 Belleville St., is free. They run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Victoria Centre hosts the evening activities, with Plaskett telescope tours and observation through telescopes set up for public viewing (weather permitting), at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory.

There are two lectures, at 8:30 and 9:30, on Science and Storytelling: How discoveries of new worlds help tell stories of family.

Although the evening events are free, you need to register and obtain a ticket for admission (currently sold out, but check later). The evening Astronomy Day events run from 7:30 to 11 at the Centre of the Universe at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, 5071 West Saanich Rd.

To obtain your entry ticket for the evening event, go to Eventbrite.

Get more information on International Astronomy Day here.

Sales help fund area gardens

Watch your garden grow more sweetly this year with local plants from two area institutions known for their unique floral gardens.

• Buy irises, shade perennials and unique garden gems at the Abkhazi Garden Spring Plant Sale on Sunday, April 28, at the Fairfield garden.

Proceeds from the sale of the plants, many of which were grown at the garden, go to the Friends of Abkhazi Garden Society for use in fencing, stoneworks, ironworks and other maintenance projects.

The plant sale runs from 9 a.m. to noon at the garden, 1964 Fairfield Rd. Cash or cheque only. For more information, go to friendsofabkhazi.ca.

• Take a free tour of the gardens at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific, the not-for-profit teaching garden, during its annual Spring Plant Sale, Saturday and Sunday, April 27 and 28.

Browse through a unique selection of plants propagated from the gardens or ask questions of the master gardeners on hand at the event. The extensive list of plants ranges from Abutilon to Zauschneria garrettii.

All proceeds raised from the plant sale will support the development of programs.

Admissions to the gardens is free during the sale. It runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The centre is at 505 Quayle Rd. For more information, go to hcp.ca.

Hats off to parks volunteers

The Friends of Uplands Park invite volunteers who work in all Greater Victoria parks — and anyone else who is interested — to Garry Oak Meadow: A Celebration of Volunteers, Sunday at Uplands Park.

Enjoy food, drinks, family activities, wildflower walks and music by the Bald Eagles Band.

There will be displays and activities put on by the Garry Oak Meadow Preservation Society, Compost Education Centre, Saanich Parks Pulling Together, Swan Lake, Nature Kids, Friends of Ecological Reserves, World Fisheries Trust, Community Association of Oak Bay, Victoria Natural History Society, Oak Bay Parks and Recreation and others.

Displays include the Bowker Creek interactive water table and World Fisheries aquarium.

The event is free. It runs from noon to 3 p.m. at the Beach Drive entrance to Cattle Point at Uplands Park, Oak Bay. For more information, go to friendsofuplandspark.org.

Put spring in your step this weekend

Celebrate spring at a couple of family-friendly events at Francis/King Regional Park this weekend:

• Explore the sights, sounds and smells of spring at Spring Fling, a drop-in event, on Saturday, April 27.

There will be exhibits, crafts, activities and fun for all the family. You can join on a guided walk with a CRD Regional Parks naturalist at 11:15 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The event is free and is suitable for all ages. It runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Return on Sunday, April 28, for the Spring Sensory Snoop, a one-hour guided walk for those five and under.

Bring your preschooler to celebrate spring with a wander through the forest. You will see the spring colours, listen for birds calling, smell the forest perfume and more.

The event is free. It runs from 10 to 11 a.m. Both events are wheelchair accessible.

Meet at the Francis/King Nature Centre off Munn Road, Saanich.

Try to arrive 10 minutes before the start of the program. Please leave pets at home. For more information, go to crd.bc.ca/parks.

Raise a glass to B.C.’s cider

The Northwest Cider Association celebrates it’s fifth B.C. Cider Week with events in Victoria and around B.C., April 26 to May 5.

The event showcases the growing range of B.C. craft ciders. More than 40 cideries will participate in tastings, tap takeovers, craft-cider-focused meals and more.

You can taste cider from around B.C. from 3 to 6 p.m. most days at the Tudor House Liquor Store, 533 Admirals Rd. A cider masterclass, co-hosted with Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse, takes place today at the store. Tickets are $20 and are available at the Tudor House website.

Vessel Liquor, 1609 Fort St, holds a World of Craft Cider class at 6:30 p.m. today. Tickets are $20 and available on Eventbrite.

For information on these and other events, go to nwcider.com or Facebook.