Explore: Mother’s Day events, Highland Games and more

Tour 10 breathtaking gardens to the accompaniment of classical music at the Victoria Conservatory of Music’s annual Mother’s Day Garden Tour.

This is the 33rd year for the two-day event, which offers rare and exclusive passage to enchanting private oases to the sounds of music from students and faculty from the conservatory.

Home gardeners who are inspired to recreate what they see are invited to have their questions answered by on-site master gardeners.

At the end of the tour, participants can shop at the event’s popular plant sale and silent auction.

Gardens on the tour include Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse, a hummingbird haven, a professional gardener’s own private garden, a hilltop haven, a one-hectare Japanese garden, an Oak Bay garden with chickens and a meditation garden.

Proceeds from the event support the Victoria Conservatory of Music.

Gardens are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at various locations.

Tickets are $30, or free for children 12 and under, and available from the office at 900 Johnson St., by phone at 250-386-5311 or at various locations in Victoria, Duncan and Nanaimo.

For a list of ticket-sale locations, go to vcm.bc.ca/tickets-garden-tour.

A royal day for mom

Treat mom royally on Mother’s Day with a visit to the Royal Roads University’s Mother’s Day Paint In and Craft Fair on Sunday.

This is the 20th year of the community outdoor festival, which is expected to welcome more than 3,000 visitors to Hatley Park National Historic Site, the site of the university.

Highlights of the day include family entertainment, musical performances on the main stage, children’s activities and crafts hosted by West Shore Parks and Recreation staff.

Take a free 30-minute guided tour of the castle to learn the history of the estate, visit the museum or enjoy complimentary access to the heritage gardens. Tours start at 11 a.m.

Local artisans will be on hand with hand-sculpted and painted glass art, jewelry, garden stepping stones, plants, organic seasonings and fudge.

Admission is free. Parking is $5 for all day. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the lawn of the castle, 2005 Sooke Rd. For details, go to royalroads.ca.

Tartan Parade pipes in Highland Games

Put on your tartan and join Saturday’s Victoria Tartan Parade.

Members of local Scottish organizations will be parading to the rousing sounds of bagpipes and the swirl of kilts worn by highland dancers.

The parade starts in Centennial Square and travels down Government Street to the front lawn of the legislature, where pipe bands will play, the highland fling will be danced and the caber will be tossed.

The event is the kickoff for the 152nd Highland Games, with celebratory events throughout the week, culminating with a family-focused celebration of Scottish and Celtic arts and culture next weekend.

This year, the games has expand to three days, May 16-18, with longer hours and new events.

The games will host the Victoria International Heavy Events Challenge, Canadian Invitational Drum Major Championship, the McNamara Cup for Gaelic football and hurling and the inaugural Victoria Strongman Challenge.

The annual festival also means the return of the Highland Games Whisky Tasting School, which takes place during the event.

Classes feature tastings of single malt whiskies from around the world, presented by whisky ambassadors who share some of the distillery’s history and anecdotes while exploring the wide-ranging §avours of the whiskies.

Classes on Saturday and Sunday are at noon, 1:45 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Classes are also offered for the §rst time on the holiday Monday, featuring food and whisky-pairing at noon and a Scotch Malt Whisky Society tasting featuring Speyside malts at 2:45 p.m.

Registration forms and details about classes are available at victoriahighlandgames.com/whisky-school.

This weekend’s Tartan Parade begins begins at 11 a.m. from Victoria City Hall. For details,

go to victoriahighlandgames.com, on Twitter: @vichighlndgames or Facebook.

Truck down to the museum for food

Hunger is history at the Royal B.C. Museum’s Food Truck festival, an all-summer event featuring well-known local mobile eateries, starting Friday.

The back courtyard of the museum will resemble an international food fair, with grub from local food trucks such as DeadBeetz, Pig BBQ Joint, A Streetcar Named New Orleans, Puerto Vallarta Amigos, The Love Perogy and Wild West BBQ Salmon. The Truffles Catering station will serve local beer and wine. An eating area features recycled and reused furniture and décor.

The trucks will serve between 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily until Oct. 1. in the courtyard of the museum, at 675 Belleville St.

For details, go to royalbcmuseum.bc.ca.

Wander the fairy forest

Enter a magical world of fairies, friendly dragons, elves and toadstools at the inaugural Enchanted Forest Festival on Sunday.

The event is hosted by the Coast Collective art centre and is set on the grounds of Havenwood Estate, including the historic Pendray House.

A trail connects the Havenwood Estate with the campus of Royal Roads University, where the Mother’ Day Paint-in and Craft Fair takes place at the same time.

Wander the enchanted forest, dine on local food and shop at an artisan market with locally handcrafted items from more than 20 vendors. A harpist will supply music

At the Pendray House arts centre, you’ll find the second annual Children’s Art Show, with a theme of Fairies, Fantasy and Folk Tales. The event features local storytellers and outdoor activities for children. Costumes are encouraged. Free admission. The event runs noon to 4 p.m. at the arts centre, 3221 Heatherbell Rd. Colwood. For details, go to coastcollective.ca.

Atrium hosts works of art

Art Victoria Now is a visual feast featuring more than 100 works by local artists at The Atrium, starting tonight and running until Sunday.

The juried exhibition, hosted by the Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria, is intended to showcase the region’s burgeoning creative community. “We hope this inaugural Art Victoria Now open show will demonstrate to the art-loving public, to collectors and to international visitors that the capital region’s art scene is diverse, significant, authentic and truly ours,” said Peter Such, board director for the arts council.

The selection of works in the show includes paintings, three-dimensional constructions, sculpture and photography. Prices range from $300 to $12,000.

Admission is free. An opening reception is set for 6:30-9 p.m. tonight. The show runs noon to 9 p.m. today, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at The Atrium, 800 Yates St. For details, go to cacgv.ca.

• Eleven artists from the Cadboro Bay and Gordon Head area are hosting an Artists Tour Saturday and Sunday.

Works include painting, printmaking, silversmithing, fabrics and photography. This event is an opportunity to visit artists in their working environment and to discuss ideas, techniques, and styles.

Admission is free. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at various locations in Saanich. Go to

timescolonist.com/art-tour for maps and brochure. They are also on Facebook.

• Members of the Pacific Rim Potters, a group of professional and semi-professional artists, are hosting their annual spring exhibition and sale on Saturday.

Expect to see colourful garden art, unique pottery for the kitchen, elegant Ikebana vases, dramatic display pieces and the humble coffee mug.

The event is free, and runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Knox Presbyterian Church Hall, 2964 Richmond Rd. The venue is wheelchair accessible. Free parking.