Who doesn’t like finding that perfect, homemade gift for family, friends of yourself? November marks the beginning of the Christmas craft fair season, with the sights, sounds and smells of the holidays playing out at more than a dozen events debuting this weekend, at various venues in Victoria and southern Vancouver Island.
• One of the first out of the gate is the Strawberry Vale Craft Fair, which is always held on the first Saturday and Sunday of November.
“We have the benefit of being the earliest to open,” said Larry Freeman, organizer of the show, which celebrates its 34th year. “That way people get the best selection from vendors.”
The fair boasts 30 vendors, with a core number that come back every year.
Freeman says the low turnover of vendors — there is a waiting list — means that people can typically find favourite items year after year.
The fair sees more than 1,000 customers looking for items made by local artisans. Newcomers include Island Jerky, novels and kaleidoscope prints by Alisa Gamblin and Uncouth Chocolate.
The fair runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Strawberry Vale Community Club, 11 High St. For more information, go to Facebook.
• The Creative Craft Fairs marks its 41st year with 125 exhibitors offering a variety of crafts, fine art, photography, clothing, glass art and exotic imports.
“The secret to our success is offering shoppers unique products every year,” said Deanna Walters, producer of Creative Craft Fairs, which runs Nov. 9 to 11 at Pearkes Recreation Centre.
It attracts up to 8,000 visitors -— many of them regulars -— who seek traditional gifts for loved ones.
Walters says that foodstuffs have become very popular as well lately, with vendors offering curry, humus, vinegar, truffles, fudge and — new this year — maple syrup.
The fair runs 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 9, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 10 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 11 at Pearkes Recreation Centre, 3100 Tillicum Rd. For more information, go to creativecaraftfairs.com.
• Veronica von Conruhds has taken her memories as a little girl growing up in Germany to create the Kris Kringle Craft Market in Nanaimo, which runs Nov. 15 to 18 at Beban Park in Nanaimo.
“The fair is in honour of my parents, who inspired me to recreate a traditional German Christmas market with old-world charm,” said von Conruhds, who has produced the seasonal event for 25 years.
She said that the fair is not just a business.
“I want it to be a place to come away with happy memories — memories full of awe and imagination.”
The fair boasts more than 150 artisans with booths set up in a park that attracts between 10,000 and 12,000 guests every year.
There will horse-drawn carriage rides and 15 entertainers over four days with acts and performances to delight and captivate the crowd.
“No two days are alike,” von Conruhds said.
The fair runs noon to 9 p.m. Nov. 15, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Nov. 16, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 17 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 18 at Beban Park, 2300 Bowen Rd., Nanaimo. For more information, go to kriskringle.ca.
Dance, song light up Indian festival of Diwali
Enjoy a dazzling evening of South Asian culture, music and dance at the annual Diwali Cultural Show, Saturday at the Farquhar Auditorium at the University of Victoria.
Diwali is a festival of lights celebrated by both Hindus and Sikhs around the world. The festival symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.
The event is presented by the Victoria Hindu Parishad and Cultural Center to tell the story of Diwali through song and dance.
In South Asian mythological folklore, Diwali celebrates the joyful return from exile of Lord Rama. The welcome path to his home is lit with lamps.
Diwali also celebrates the day Krishna overcame the powerful overlord Narakasura.
Classical dance styles performed at the event, such as Mohini Attam from Kerala, convey a mythological story, through music, colourful costumes and great drama.
Expect to see Indian Classical, Folk, Bollywood and South Indian dances as well as Bhangra, Hindi and Punjabi songs.
Tickets are $20. The show runs 6 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday at the Farquhar Auditorium, University Centre at the University of Victoria.
For more information, go to tickets.uvic.ca or call 250-721-8480.
Special events mark centenary of war’s end
Join a dozen local museums, archives and military organizations marking the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War at 100 Years of Remembrance, at Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites on Sunday.
The event is a tribute to the military heritage of Victoria, with its long and proud history of military service, wartime industry and homefront activism.
The Ashton Armoury has joined the Maritime Museum of B.C., B.C. Aviation Museum and Craigdarroch Castle with engaging, exciting and emotional stories of Victoria’s military heritage in one place for the first time.
The national historic site will also open a new exhibit that day in the casemates (fortified gun emplacement) barracks featuring the family wartime stories of the staff who run the site, with personal tales of love and loss.
Admission $3.90 adults, $3.40 seniors and free for youth 17 and under. The event takes place 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites, 603 Fort Rodd Hill Rd. For more information, go to pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/bc/fortroddhill.
Close-ups of salmon await you in Sooke
Bring the whole family to chum around with some chum at Salmon Sensation, a drop-in event that celebrates the return of the salmon to spawn in local waters at the Charters Interpretive Centre in Sooke on Saturday.
Attendees can see nature in all its glory with a close-up look of salmon swimming upstream to spawn and complete their life cycle.
There will also be family-friendly fishy-fun activities, crafts and a guided walk with a CRD Parks naturalist along the Charters River.
Remember to wear sturdy footwear and dress for the weather as the program takes place rain or shine. Please leave pets at home.
The event is free to attend. People can drop in any time between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at Charters Interpretive Centre, 2895 Sooke River Rd., Sooke.
The event is wheelchair-friendly.
For more information, go to crd.bc.ca/parks.
Launch a pumpkin to aid cystic fibrosis
Launch pumpkins through the air and watch them smash into little pieces at the Cystic Fibrosis Pumpkin Smash Event, Saturday at Heritage Acres.
The fun event is a fundraiser for Cystic Fibrosis Canada.
The event features both a slingshot and a child’s slingshot on the front field. Waivers need to be signed if you want to launch a pumpkin.
Alternately, you might opt for a teeter-totter launch or a hammer pumpkin smash. Bring your pumpkin or smash one of the supplied ones.
There will be a pie-eating and pie-making contest, bake sale and cut-outs for pictures.
The family-friendly event includes train rides, children's games and entrance to the Saanich Historical Artifacts Society’s museum buildings.
The schoolhouse will be open for concession and the trails for a walk in the woods.
Admission is $5 per launch for adults, $3 for children 10 and under. The event runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Heritage Acres, 7321 Lochside Dr.
For more information, go to heritageacresbc.ca/event/cystic-fibrosis-pumpkin-smash-event.
Where to learn about edible landscaping
Explore the benefits of edible landscaping at Edible Landscapes for the Small Urban Garden, Tuesday at the Garth Homer Society in Saanich.
The seminar is presented by the Victoria Horticultural Society and led by Solara Goldwynn of Hatchet and Seed.
You can learn about edible landscaping, how to use micro-climates to grow species more resistant and resilient for a changing climate and design considerations with impact.
The event is free to attend. It runs 8 to 9:15 p.m. Tuesday at the Garth Homer Society, 813 Darwin Ave.
For more information, go to vichortsociety.com.
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