A jam-packed weekend of holiday markets, longtable dinners, and experimental art.
Cover illustration by Caitlin McDonagh.
Victoria
Nov. 15 | Waste Land Halloween may be over for this year, but the conversation about the climate crisis is (thankfully) not. This experimental pop-up art exhibition—set in a house slated for demolition—is themed around climate anxiety, and will feature more than 30 local artists whose art aims to inspire and provoke. Find more details here.
Nov. 16 | Tacos and Tequila Do you even need to hear more? Truffles Catering and Taco Stand is taking over the Victoria Public Market for a taco, tequila and margaritas themed night. Phillips Brewing and Malting Co. will have their own cantina at the event, and there will be tequila tastings and live entertainment from Mariachi Los Dorados and Fiesta Latina / Ballet Folklorico of Victoria Dancers. Tickets are $45. Runs 7 p.m. through to 11 p.m. ¡Olé!
Nov. 16 to Feb. 29, 2020 | OneTree: Live Edge Design This is the third—and largest to date—in The Bateman Foundation’s and Live Edge Design’s oneTree series. This iteration will see more than 70 artists create everything from furniture to musical instruments from the wood of a special tree. The tree in questions is an Indigenous Bigleaf maple tree and dates back to around 1815 in the Chemainus Valley, in the traditional territory of the Halalt First Nation.
Nov. 16-17 | Holiday Craft Fairs Tis’ the weekend for holiday craft fairs. We suggest you make a weekend of it and fair hop till you drop—it’s a prime opportunity to meet and support local artists across the South Island. On our radar? Checking out the creations of emerging artists at the Cedar Hill Rec Centre’s Early Bird Holiday Market. (For a list of others, head here.)
Nov. 15-16 | Isle of Tease Burlesque Festival For burlesque newbies, here’s your chance to really lean in to the genre. This new inclusive festival will take over the Victoria Conference Centre for two nights of burlesque with tassel-swinging performances from around the globe (and an appearance from a Canadian burlesque legend). Plus, there will be workshops taught by renowned burlesque artists. Tickets start at $40.
Comox Valley
Nov. 16-17 | Mushroom Identification Course Island Mushrooms will be hosting a number of one-day courses for those looking to up their foraging game. You’ll get to learn hands-on how to identify and harvest wild edible mushrooms, plus tips on sustainable harvesting and preserving and processing these tasty morsels. Bonus: you get to take home samples. Find course dates and details here.
Nov. 16 | Food Fest We can’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday. Brought to you by the Comox Valley Farmers’ Market and the North Vancouver Island Chefs Association, this one-day food-filled market will see chefs turn in-season product donated by local vendors into tasty dishes. Runs 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. More details here.
Tofino
Nov. 16 | Winemaker’s Longtable Dinner at Wickaninnish Inn Tantalus winemaker David Peterson has teamed up with Wickaninnish Inn Inn Chef Carmen Ingham for a longtable dinner showcasing the divine fermented fruits of the Okanagan paired with a West Coast-inspired menu. There’s a welcome social at the Shoreline Terrace at 5:30 p.m., with the five-course chef’s table dinner starts in the Howard’s Wine Cellar at 6 p.m. Snag your wine cellar seat for $160.
Salt Spring Island
Nov. 15 | Pizza Night at Francis Bread What better way to kick off the winter season than tucking into a wood-fired pizza in a cozy Gulf Island bakery and cafe? While this isn’t a regularly scheduled night, there is talk of future pizza nights so don’t be alarmed if you miss this round.
Know of an event or cool gathering that we missed? Email us at breakwater@gmail.com, or keep us in the loop on Instagram and Facebook.
