What's On

Welcome to visitors, new and returning. As usual, there is so much going on right now, with the Saturday Market, the Tuesday Farmer's Market, studio tours, and the weather SO PERFECT for swimming, hiking, and biking, or just being outdoors and soaking it all in. New studios are popping up, and there are some terrific new places to add to the 'winery tour'. Salt Spring Wild Cider on the north end has exploded in it's popularity, having so many tasty varieties of cider to choose from. The tasting room is lovely and the flights are served in vintage glasses. Around mid island, Salt Spring Shine is serving up it's very own gin and vodkas. It's a nice addition to the food and wine tours that have become so popular.

As usual, downtown is hopping, with lots of music venues. Look for the Grace Point Block Party this coming Canada Day: music, beer gardens, and BBQ!

Enjoy!

With so much to do on our island, summer is a magnet for visitors. But the island ticks over year 'round, and there are loads of great events awaiting those who look outside the box. September can (and usually IS) full of amazing things to do; some both adult-oriented as well as kid-friendly too! It's well worth planning your stay ahead of time, as these events are a draw, and many times folk find it as difficult to secure a reservation, as they consider September "down time" on the island. It's not; so take the following events into consideration if you would like to visit Salt Spring for the first time, or are planning a return trip.

September 13-14: Fall Fair - help celebrate the 118th uninterrupted year of our annual fair! Vibrant in keeping with its roots, the fair has a LOT to offer, from kid's baking, handcrafted quilts, preserves, prize-winning flowers and vegetables, to live (local) music, animals of all descriptions, a beer garden and a terrific food fair situated in the orchard. Islanders look forward to this event, as in the past, as well as the present, it offers those who live here a chance to meet up with friends and acquaintances we don't have a chance to catch up with throughout the year. The favourite saying leading up to this weekend is "See you at the Fair!"

Sept 19-20 - Sip and Savour - a new tradition in the making, this event was started a few years back, and has now earned an annual spot in the hearts of all those foodies out there who hold food and wine events so dear. Held in the open field (think "Feast of Fields") of the Harbour House Hotel, local wineries pair up with local restaurants to create a lovely pairing of all things grown close to home. This event has caught on and will sell out.

Salt Spring Farm Tour- find out where your food comes from, and discover what a wide variety of food grows here. This one day tour is extremely popular. Date has yet to be confirmed.

September 28 - annual Apple Festival - all things apple; orchards, wineries, and displays of the over 300 different varieties of apples grown on Salt Spring when it was the apple-centre of BC (before the Okanagan was irrigated). This self-guided tour takes you all over the island, and to many places not open to the public throughout the rest of the year.

So plan your trip! What are you waiting for? See you at the Fair....

Local comedians are at it again! Sid and Arvid present their summer show, Laughing Out Loud, featuring the year in review as only they can present it. A must see for visitors who want a glimpse into island life. Why DID the ferry run aground on Mayne Island and what's really behind the St. Mary Lake referendum? July 12th, 8 pm - 10 pm at Artspring.

12th Annual Lavender Festival Sunday July 13 - all day. Music, dancing, food and demos on everything lavender.

Music at Mobys Pub - Friday July 11th - Grapes of Wrath, Saturday July 12th - Downtown Mischief

Always wanted to be a stand up comic? Funny Farm Amateur Comedy, Sunday July 13th - Mobys Pub

July begins the height of summer around here, and there is so much to do this month.
Daily:
* Salt Spring Movie Theatre usually has something interesting playing; and what an experience! A converted church, with theatre seating taken from the old Royal Theatre in Victoria. Pre-movie, a slide show runs highlighting all the local faces and places of our little island. Popcorn with real butter and other goodies to complete the experience. Only $5 on Tuesdays!
* Yoga Classes. Well, this IS Salt Spring. Classes can be had just about anywhere on the island. Check out all the instructors, or call the Yoga Centre for their class times.
* Summer Camp Colossal - drop in day camp for kid age 5-12, with craft, sports, outdoor exploration and swimming. Mon-Fri, July 3-Aug 31
Weekly:
* Saturday - Artisans & Farmer's Market ("Saturday Market")
* Tuesdays - Farmer's Market
Throughout the Month:
* Canada Day July 1 - classic car show, concert band and cake in Centennial Park in the heart of Ganges. Evening fireworks in Ganges Harbour. The fireworks is a highlight of our summer. Book a late dinner in one of the downtown restaurants, sit back, and enjoy the outdoor show. Everyone will be there!
* Sunday July 13th - the 12th Annual Lavender Festival at Sacred Mountain Lavender in the south end. Everything Lavender!!
* Sunday July 20th - Friday July 25 - Salt Spring's famous fiddle camps, concerts and more

With the weather (pretty much) guaranteed to be warm and the nights long, look at renting a kayak and taking a picnic lunch (or dinner) to Chocolate Island, or hang out at pretty Beddis Beach. Drive up to Mt Maxwell lookout and experience spectacular vistas of the outlying islands, and the lush Burgoyne Valley below. Or swim in warm Cusheon, Blackburn, or Stowell Lake, or more bracing St Mary Lake. Those wishing to swim in the ocean can wend their way to quaint Vesuvius Bay. If you hit an incoming tide, the waters can be pleasantly warm. That's just the beginning. A food and wine lover's paradise, lovely trails to explore; really, something for everyone! Come see us soon.

The weather is beautiful: wish you were here! June is spectacular on Salt Spring, and no better way to celebrate living on the Salish Sea, than heading to Sea Capers! That's right; this community event is fun for ALL ages, (and seems to bring the kid out in everyone). Mini-boat building for the kids on Saturday, and larger scale models for the Mike Holmes' in your family. Music from the band shell, and treasure hunting to keep the kids on their toes. Sunday has brunch at the Oystercatcher for those celebrating Fathers Day, kayak demos, and sand-castle building. Great weather; great fun. Come join us June 14-15!